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Petition Tag - motorcycle
1. Harsher Penalties for Crimes Against Motorcyclists 
In so many states in the United States if a motorist hits a motorcyclist and kills said motorcyclist the motorist is only charged with a misdemeanors.
In those same states if a motorist his and kills another motorist it is considered for a vehicle homicide and a felony.
2. Stop images and video of fatal accidents in Motor sports being published by media and You tube
The videos posted on youtube and the press images posted on websites of someone's final moments of life.
It affronts human decency and defiles the dignity of the deceased and the family and friends of them.
Wire rope barriers are dangerous and expensive. Where they have been installed, motorcyclists colliding with them have suffered horrific injuries and death, often far worse than the consequences of the item the wire rope was protecting them from.
Recent studies have shown that they are also more expensive to maintain than their competitors. Various countries such as the Netherlands and Norway have banned their use so there is no reason why they continue to be used in the UK.
4. Amending Australia's Private Motorcycle Import Laws
Please support the following petition to have the current private motorcycle imports laws, pertaining to motorcycle’s built after 1989, amended to permit the private importation of Australian Design Rule (ADR) compliant motorcycles.
Currently the private import scheme is too restrictive and excludes Australian's from privately importing post 1989 motorcycles for personal road going use. This petition calls on the Hon Anthony Albanese MP, Leader of the House, Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, to introduce a bill to make amendments to the current laws.
We ask that the law be changed to allow the importation of motorcycles into Australia that have been granted ADR certification in the past (Australia most often imports European specification bikes direct from the factories), and have historically been sold on the Australian market with full ADR compliance.
We believe that we should be able to privately import, for road use, a motorcycle model that has historically been granted ADR approval, but is no longer being made by the factory, or being sold new by the official importers as the factory has discontinued the model. Currently potential owners are restricted in being able to purchase these motorcycles on the Australian market due to the small numbers of motorcycles being imported.
The current regulations deny motorcycle enthusiasts the opportunity of importing, and registering bikes (often limited edition models) for road use. We ask that motorcycle models that have previously been brought into Australia by the official importers in small numbers (often due to limited worldwide availability by the parent factory), and are not readily available for purchase on the local market, be permitted to be imported into Australia and registered for road use.
The current regulations do not allow a citizen to import a motorcycle made after 1989, unless they have lived overseas, and owned it for a period of 2 years. Alternatively you can import a post 1989 motorcycle as a local resident, if you are prepared to submit the motorcycle to the ADR certification process again yourself, which can easily cost tens of thousands of dollar’s (so this makes it unaffordable), and yet that exact same bike model in European specification was sold here 4-5 years ago with full ADR certification!
If the regulations are amended by allowing discontinued models to be imported that are either no longer either produced by the factory, or imported by the Australian distributor this will still protect the local motorcycle industry.
5. Establish a limited use vehicle registration scheme
In NSW Australia many people own vehicles which are very seldom used yet there is no system for reduced registration costs.
The majority of the rego cost is insurance which is related to Risk which is obviously reduced when usage is limited so there should be some allowance for this.
Please see extended explanation HERE.
6. Allow Motorcycles in Ontario HOV
The only region on the planet that does not recognize motorcycles should use the HOV lane is Ontario. Even the US federal government has legislated that no state shall prohibit the use of motorcycles in the HOV lanes.
Recently Ontario started allowing "Green" plated cars to use the HOV with only a single passenger. The argument previously used was based on the idea that HOV was designed to reduce congestion. With the introduction of "Green" cars in HOV, that argument is gone.
7. More Motorcycle & Scooter Parking in Sydney CBD
There is not enough parking for motorcycles and scooters in the CBD.
8. Open access bus lanes in Greater Manchester
Motorcyclists are vulnerable road users and as such we need added protection. If the Government would like to continue to receive the benefits of motorcycling (reduced CO2 emissions and congestion) then we should be allowed to use the bus lanes to protect us from car users.
In passing this legislation the local Council's will be saving lives and thousands of pounds wasted in dealing with the aftermath of a road traffic collision.
9. Save the Popkum Motorcyle Ranch (PMR)
The Popkum Indian Band is denying us access to the land, and is claiming we have violated our signed lease with them in order to remove PMR, Larry and Roberta Jordan, and replace us with the Popkum Motorcycle PARK run by Darren Pilling.
Our lawyer agrees that we have not violated our lease and we have been attempting to have a dialogue with the Chief of the Popkum Band, James Murphy. He ignores our requests to meet and talk.
We have been trying to get help from Minister Chuck Strahl who is not only the federal minister for Chilliwack but also the Minister responsible for Indian and Northern Affairs. They understand what is going on but need more encouragement to help resolve this problem in a fair and reasonable manner.
Without your help, our vision of a family oriented riding facility with training and all of the full services we have within our business plan will be lost. The Popkum band, their “manager” Ken Jensen and Darren Pilling will have hi-jacked our business from us.
10. Allow Motorcycles to use Bus Only Lane on M2 Motorway Sydney
The Bus ONLY lanes on the M2 Motorway in Sydney are restricted from usage by motorcycles. These lanes are horribly under utilised. Taxis are given exepmtion along with Hire cars and Police motorcycles are seen to regularly use them in peak hours.
I have sat in heavy traffic on this motorway only to be passed by 9 buses 3 Hire cars and 1 Taxi in a whole hour.
According to an NRMA Publication"The most common type of crash is the motorcycle being hit from the rear by another vehicle" This statement in itself is a compelling reason to allow motorcylse to use the more often than not vacant Bus Only lane on the M2 motorway. If it were to save just one injury or one life it would be worthwhile.
A secondary benefit is that motorcycles already have a much smaller impact on the environment and less strain on resources such as parking, allowing them use of an already existant lane would only further reduce their footprint by less traffic idling time and reduced fuel usage which translates to reduced emissions and let's not forget less injuries mean less cost to the community!
11. Scott Redding for BBC Young Sports Personality Of The Year
On 22nd June, 2008, Scott Redding made history by becoming the youngest ever rider to win a World Championship Grand Prix, aged just 15 years and 170 days.
Not only that, but he became the first British rider to win his home Grand Prix in over 20 years. He went on to be crowned Rookie of the Year in the World 125cc Championship. Despite these incredible achievements, Scott has gained minimal publicity outside the Motorsport world.
Winning this award could help raise the profile of not only Scott, but motorcycle sport in this country as a whole, by showing the country that there is a wealth of British talent that is waiting to be showcased.
With the cancellation of Dakar 2008 due to terrorist threats, the organisers of the Dakar have to find some new ground.
While Africa will always be the spiritual home of the Dakar, its just not possible in the near future. ASO says they want to explore the deserts of the world, and well, we have 1,371,000 square kilometers of them, and thats just the start of it. With the Dakar heading to South America in 2009, there is a chance they may want to explore other options for the following years.
With over 4 million square kilometers of sand to explore, there is more than enough chance for racers to get lost in the heart of Australia. With the world famous such as Ayers Rock (or Uluru) and the Olgas, there are plenty of unforgettable sights for the media madness of the Dakar. And hey, theres even a pink lake at the bottom of W.A, coincidence, I think not.
Losistics, transport and services all become that much easier in a country that has grown with being remote, not just to each other, but the rest of the world. The language barrier, passports, visas, medicine, water, fuel, everything becomes pretty easy when touring the deserts of Australia. While english isn't everyones first language, I don't know a lot of people who can say Mandarin is even on their list. (China want the Dakar for 09).
Great deserts, great people, great riding, great everything. So come on ASO, there arent too many excuses for not moving to Australia, but there ARE a lot of reasons to move here.
13. Keep Eurosport MotoGP coverage
It has been decided by Dorna to end the television coverage of the MotoGP championship by Eurosport. Coverage will from 2009 be shown in the UK by BBC.
The BBC have shown that they are not as committed to MotoGP as Eurosport have been and we will no longer get to see all 3 championship races or warm up or qualifying.
14. Stop The Proposed "Front Number Plate" Laws For Motorcyclists
The issue of front ID/front number plates for motorcycles has been on the government's agenda for years.
Recently the Motorcycle Riders Association of Australia had published a article outlining VicRoads attempted to pass legislation on the issue. Not only is this a problem for Victorians, but for all Australian motorcyclists as this could be a nation wide introduction of "Front ID's".
This excerpt was taken from the article posted on maa.org.au (23/1/2008) :
"The Victorian Police (almost uniquely of all the World’s Police Forces) seem to be unable to use well tested cameras to photograph the rear of motorcycles and scooters. In an effort to stigmatise motorcyclists still further for their own operational shortfalls, they are now once again pressing for front number plates for all motorcycles, despite the fact that internationally the only countries that require this are that paragon of road safety – India, and that defender of personal freedoms – Singapore.
The Motorcycle Riders Association may be forced to re-visit its Front Number Plate campaign if a draft Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS), dated December 2007 and issued by Vic Roads without consultation with the Victorian Motorcycle Advisory Council, currently doing State government rounds with a view to introducing front identification decals commencing 2009 goes ahead.
The RIS is circulating amongst other Australian government agencies and is scheduled for sign off at an Australian Transport Council meeting, attended by all State and Federal Transport ministers, sometime this year to meet the proposed 2009 introduction.
Users to Pay Motorcycle riders will be forced to pay up to $200 for every motorcycle they own as part of the retrofit/installation requirements associated with the introduction of the Frontal Identification. This even includes vintage machines only used on the road under Club permit limitations. Added to the costs are safety and aesthetic considerations for those motorcycles that will need brackets affixed to the front or holes drilled to hold the proposed decals.
The timing of this RIS with CRIMTRAKS recent announcement of the planned use of hundreds of nation wide ANPR cameras suggests that this RIS may not be about safety at all, but rather about real time surveillance and data base building of the movements of the entire driving population. Otherwise why this almost uniquely Australian need to rely on frontal detection?
The MRAA has argued in the past that the $22million cost of introducing Frontal Identification is wasteful for the net recovery of about $300,000 in extra speeding fines. According to MRA Vice-President John Karmouche, one of a group of past leaders/organizers of a campaign to stop the introduction of Frontal ID in 2003, "Riders are already paying a $50 safety levy, and there is a lot of good work being done in other areas that negates the effect of going down this path. The RIS is based on injury/fatality data pre 2005. Since 2005 fatalities/injuries have come down and per-capita this reduction has been magnified by the fact that the number of motorcycles and scooters on Australia's roads has more than doubled since 2005."
The MRA has contacted internationally recognised transport expert Professor Marcus Wigan, author of the initial reports on which the FNP program at VicRoads was based. Dr Wigan has agreed to comment on the current Draft RIS in the interests of properly informed public debate.
Dear Premier,
I am writing to you in regard to the deplorable situation surrounding Q-Ride….
I am a motorcyclist, and as a result, I am sickened to see how many people are dying on the roads, especially this year..
I have a particular point of contention with the current system of provision of Q-Ride services within the state.
I believe that if properly constructed, Q-Ride can be a good thing, but, here is the problem – Motorcycle retail outlets should NOT be able to provide rider training and certification services, and NO rider training service should be allowed to be in any way affiliated with a retailer.
I know for a fact, that people have walked into shops to have a look at a bike, and when asked of they are interested in buying or test riding the bike, they have answered by saying that they have not got a riders endorsement or license – to which the salesman will offer to “throw in” the Q-Ride course as part of the deal if they buy a bike…….
NO course should be discounted, or made cost free to ANYONE…….Also, weekend long courses are a joke…..anyone can be taught to ride a bike in a day, but, if you will allowed me this analogy, it is like rain on dry ground, it only gets in so far, it needs to have follow up rain to get into the soil deep enough to do good and not evaporate overnight.
Rider, or any, training is only of any use if it is done over time, with reasonable periods of rest and reflection to absorb the lessons taught..
Do we not send our kids to school for 10 years or more to learn because it takes time for it to sink in ?
I have had it stated to me by various graduates of current Q-Ride courses, that they felt that the course was too quick, and that although they could ride when it was over, and “jump through” through the appropriate “hoops”, they did not feel confident that they had learned the level of skill required to stay alive on the roads..
Some have even said that over the period of two days that they spent less than two hours on a bike….the rest was theory only.
Thankfully, some had decided that although they had been given an “open” qualification, and could purchase and legally ride a 1000cc machine, they decided to start out on an appropriately powered machine, maybe a 250, or with some bigger people a 500 or 650cc machine……
It is not always sensible to send people out on 250cc bikes, as their physical size or weight may make a 250 a more dangerous proposition than a bigger bike, so in this regard, a system like the LAMS arrangement in N.S.W. would be possibly a better option ?
I am in the bike industry, so it is in my best interests to see more riders out there on the roads, but I don’t want them dead either….and I know, that with the correct rider licensing system, that we can make our dad’s, son’s, mother’s, daughters and friends safer and better riders….
As you know, bikes are far easier on fuel than cars, and also take up much less space in the city when parked, so there are also environmental benefits…..
Mrs. Premier, I, as a rider, am worried that we might suffer a negative reaction to our presence on the roads, in that laws and legislation might be changed that would threaten our lifestyle choice, and I am sure that you are not a woman who would want to curb the enjoyment of a very large part of your community either.
If I might suggest the following :
1. Removal of training approvals from persons or organizations involved in the retailing of motorcycles or related items.
2. Increasing of fees {within reason}.
3. Guarantee of minimum 25 hours instructed training over a minimum period of 2 months.
4. Introduction of a power to weight limitation for new riders similar to the LAMS system. With possible consideration due to rider size and weight.
5. Minimum 12 months at prescribed Motorcycle restriction.
6. Log book system for accompanying rider/driver listing date, times and distance along with licence number of the following rider/driver. With a minimum amount of hours/km’s required for open licence.
The minimum training hours would help to weed out those who are after a quick entry into something that they may not have thought out logically and help to dim the “emotion” of such a choice.
The log book system would not be popular amongst my peers, but, if we care about those we ride with then it is a small price to pay.
I know as a package this may be difficult to push through, but I find it difficult to continue to read about people dying needlessly. Maybe some of these things as a combination would be effective.
There needs also to be a far greater emphasis put on the general motoring public regarding the visibility of bikes on the road, pushbikes included.
We all need to look and listen for other vehicles, no matter how big they are.
Thank you for your time Premier.
16. Remove motorcycle parking restriction
According to the Lakewood Property Owners Association by-laws we are being restricted in whether we can park a motorcycle in front of our home in our designated parking space.
