My love of motorcycling (nurtured from riding most days for nearly four years!) has led me into motorcycle road safety advocacy in the state of Victoria, Australia.
I am a member of the Victorian Government VicRoads-lead Motorcycle Advisory Group and a member of the IRG - an independent motorcycle riders group that advocates for motorcycle road safety. Recreationally, I am a member of the 59 Club of Australia and the Moto Guzzi Club of Victoria.
As an experienced motorcyclist, I see drastic change is needed to improve motorcycle road safety.
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BLOG 4
17 December 2011
As a member of the VicRoads Motorcycle Advisory Group (MAG), a few of my fellow motorcyclists have asked me about the issues being discussed. The third MAG meeting was held on 24 November.
While most of what is discussed in MAG meetings is confidential as per the MAG Terms of Reference, I believe I can list the agenda items as this was agreed at the inaugral meeting on 5 August 2011. Unfortunately, the minutes only reflected that members all agreed to maintain confidentiality. I can understand VicRoads concern from a road safety perspective as the public may confuse proposed policy with actual policy if issues discussed at MAG are publicised inappropriately.
I have asked VicRoads what I can and can not communicate to my fellow motorcycles about MAG. Their response was for me to wait until I received the minutes of the 24 November meeting. I am still waiting!
We are not discussing state security. This is motorcycle safety and I believe the more people contributing ideas the safer our roads will be for all concerned.
As I understand it, I can list the agenda items and make my own personal comments on these items.
So here goes!
RE: Status report on the Trial of Motorcycles in Bus Lanes (Hoddle Street, Melbourne)
I raised a few concerns including why the Eastern Freeway bus lane was not included in the trial as motorcyclists mostly ride in the transit lane and it would be dangerous then to cross traffic to get into the bus lane. I was also concerned that once in the bus lane, a motorcyclist could get stuck behind a bus if there was not enough space to filter between traffic in the adjoining lane so therefore motorcyclists may question why use this bus lane in the first place?
However, I held judgement until I’d had the opportunity to ride in the Hoddle Street bus lane on my Moto Guzzi V50 as I headed into the CBD at rush hour one morning recently. Riding in on the Eastern Freeway, I rode in the transit lane as far as I could and then dived into the traffic to filter up to Hoddle Street. I know some motorcyclist ride up Alexandra Parade and then go up Brunswick or Nicholson streets or one of the other streets to get into the CBD but I find these streets can make the journey longer due to the number of traffic lights including pedestrian lights. Then there are also other potential obstructions/hazards such as pedestrians, trams and cars attempting to park.
I’d read on the VicRoads website that you can't make a right-hand turn into Victoria Parade from the Hoddle Street Bus lane. Therefore, I rode up the bus lane to Gipps St where I then gunned the bike to cross over to the far right-hand lane to make my turn into Victoria Parade. I went on a B light so was well ahead of the traffic. I could have also crossed over to these right lanes at Langridge Street, which is the street before Victoria Parade.
Generally, I found using the Hoddle Street bus lane is a bit of an obstacle course. But, I suppose we will have to let the six-month trial run its course before final judgement can be passed. However, it does leave me wondering why not have the trial extend to more or even all bus lanes in Melbourne. In fact, I’ve seen motorcyclists using bus lanes all over the city for the past 10 years and this seems to work for all concerned! When I first arrived in Melbourne from Queensland, I actually thought you could ride in buslanes as so many motorcyclists were doing just that. I'd always ridden in buslanes in London where I'd worked as a motorcycle courier for 12 months in the mid 1990s. In fact, riding in buslanes in London is legal!
RE: Guidelines on steel plate trench covers
The group were advised that a non-slip rubberised covering could make steel plate trench covers safer.
RE: Crash Data
Several reports were presented relating to crash statistics in Victoria. My concern is how the statistics are gathered particularly as the metro boundary includes Warburton and roads such as the Black Spur. I expect this would seriously skew crash/fatality data for metro collection. This therefore would support the ‘ongoing push’ to make motorcycling look dangerous and not a safe option for city commuters. In fact, there has never been a safer time to ride motorcycles in Victoria as now.
RE: Review of Strategic Guide for Levy Expenditure
I can only say that MAG will have input into the audit/review. This is our chance as motorcyclists to have some say over how this money is spent which is about $60 per motorcycle registration of which there are about 160,000 in Victoria in 2011.
RE: Membership
There is one vacant seat on MAG. If you’re interested, please email your nomination to James Holgate, Director, Road User Safety VicRoads at James.Holgate@roads.vic.gov.au. The group has decided to wait 12 months for the present group to settle into its positions before making any new appointments.
RE: General Business
I raised that the motorcycle Graduated Licensing System (GLS) proposed by VicRoads was not on the Agenda given that we’d previously been advised that the GLS would be an ongoing discussion at MAG meetings.
I had also requested at the inaugural meeting that, as part of the GLS, MAG consider extending the club permit scheme to all road riding recreational motorcyclists. The aim is to channel novice/learner riders into a recreational motorcycle club where they can go on organised rides and be informally mentored by experienced motorcyclists. This request has now been minuted.
To read my submission to the Parliamentary Inquiry into Motorcycle Safety presented at that the Public Hearings held in Victoria during October, November and December 2011. To read all 73 submissions.
Next meeting held Thursday, 2/2/2012 (9am to 11:30am)
Please contact me if you would like any points raised to MAG concerning motorcycle safety.
Heather Ellis
www.heather-ellis.com
Blog Introduction
September 30, 2011
After nearly 15 years, it's a case of if this book doesn't get written now, it never will! You are probably wandering 'why bother, it's been so long anyway'.
Well, I feel my story needs to be told. If nothing else, my story is my legacy - it is part of my family's heritage long after I am gone. And it is also part of the heritage of great motorcycle travel journeys that both men and women motorcycle travellers have undertaken since the very first motorcycles were engineered.
As I'm only 165cm and weigh 62kgs, most people are amazed I was able to ride my fully loaded Yamaha TT600 weighing 200kgs half way around the world. After riding the TT600 nearly every day from February 1993 to September 1997, we became one. Yes, my motorcycle really did become its own entity but more about bonding with your bike in my next blog.
Heather Ellis
one woman’s motorcycle journey of discovery available late 2012.
