Monday 25 March 2013

EASTER ADVICE FROM VIC POLICE

Good afternoon,

In the lead up to Easter, Victoria Police will be hosting an online chat on Thursday 28 March at 11am around motorcycle safety over the Easter holiday period - 

 
An analysis of road trauma during the Easter period over the past five years has shown motorcyclists are particularly at risk during this time.
 
Police will launch their Easter road safety and enforcement campaign, Operation Crossroads, later this week with a particular focus on motorcycle safety ahead of the high-risk holiday period.
 
Senior Sergeant Dan Hilton from the Victoria Police Solo Unit will answer questions and provide advice on motorcycle safety and the rules around on and off-road riding during Thursday's live chat.
 
I invite you to participate on the day or to send any questions for discussion during the chat to us ahead of Thursday - digmediaunit-mgr@police.vic.gov.au.
 
Please feel free to share this information with any friends or colleagues who may be interested.
 
Kind regards,
 
Cath
 
 
 
Cath Allen | Senior Media Officer (Road policing and public transport safety) - Media Unit | Victoria Police
_______________________________________
email: catherine.allen@police.vic.gov.au | web address: www.vicpolicenews.com.au | twitter: @victoriapolicephone: (03) 9247 5270 mobile: 0409 330 758 address: Concourse Level, Victoria Police Centre, 637 Flinders Street, Docklands, Victoria, 3008 | DX210096
 
 

Sunday 24 March 2013

TRAFFIC FILTERING 1



In response to our Traffic Filtering Media Release we have received support for our recommendation from the VACC, see below and who attached their release on this as published in the Australian “Automotive” magazine, but this goes back to October 2011, almost 18 months ago.

This makes it obvious that we will need to do more than just call for the Filtering Trial.

We will need to lobby individual Politicians as well as the Victorian Government as a whole to make any real impact. We don’t want to become another one of the Organisations saying “we have already done this” but who have achieved nothing, but somehow still believe it is enough!

Regards
Steve
VSRA

MORE BICYCLE LANES


THE HERALD SUN
LETTERS

The  City  of  Melbourne  plan  to  put bicycle only lanes on Princes
Bridge at a cost of $150,000 is controversial. (HS 25/3/2013)

Princes Bridge is already a traffic choke point in both directions.

Single   occupant   cars  make  up  most  of  Melbourne's  traffic  so
discouraging  those  vehicles  is a good thing to do. BUT discouraging
motorcycles & scooters is a bad thing.

It's time to review policies on permitting powered two-wheelers to use
bicycle  lanes for short distances. Motorcycles & scooters pay as much
to  use  our roads as cars but use less space, do less road damage and
pollute  less. Giving riders a fair go when it comes to  road space makes
sense.

Damien Codognotto
Independent Riders' Group
Melbourne

Thursday 21 March 2013

ANTI ASSOC LAW & TAC


Good Morning Damien!

Interesting development with the association stuff reported here in
todays Age, however, what caught my attention was the TAC advert to the
right of the article . . . video version of the Billboards I was telling
you about.  Interesting positioning of same I thought!!

Cate:-)

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/laws-target-bikie-battles-20130317-2g8qo.html


BILL TILLEY PROMOTED

The Member for Benambra, Bill Tilley MP, saw the riders on the first FAIR GO RUN off from Wodonga on March 16, 2013. He is a member of the all-party Victorian Road Safety Committee. The RSC ran the inquiry into motorcycle & scooter safety that produced 64 recommendations in December 2012. Bill is a motorcyclist.

The Victorian Government rearranged itself and Bill got a promotion.


http://www.bordermail.com.au/story/1375534/whip-not-silence-job-tilley/?cs=12

Sunday 17 March 2013

1st FAIR GO RUN REPORTS

The Border Mail in Albury/Wodonga ran a picture story on the 1st FAIR GO RUN on Saturday, March 16, 2013.

http://www.bordermail.com.au/story/1369774/bikers-demand-safety-upgrade/?cs=11

Channel 7 in Melbourne also ran it on the TV news. There is a link with this news clip of the October 29, 2012, protest rally in Melbourne.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAvXw8diXBE

Also a reporter from the Seymour Telegraph was present at the rally. The Telegraph comes out on Wednesdays.

http://www.mmg.com.au/local-news/seymour/victorian-motorcyclists-call-for-a-fair-go-1.45097

http://seymourtelegraph.newspaperdirect.com/epaper/viewer.aspx

If anyone has a links to these news items on our run, it would be very much appreciated.



Damien Codognotto OAM
Spokesman
Independent Riders' Group
Melbourne

Thursday 14 March 2013

FAIR GO RUN - ONE MORE SLEEP


DRIVER ALERT!

Car  drivers  are  asked  to be aware there will be many more motorcycles &
scooters on Victorian roads tomorrow and to drive with extra care near them.

Riders  from all over Victoria will head to the marginal electorate of Seymour
on the 1st FAIR GO RUN on Saturday, March 16, 2013. The Hume Highway
is  expected  to  be  busy  as  riders travel to Seymour from Melbourne,  Wodonga
and places on the way.

In  Wodonga,  Road  Safety Committee member  Bill Tilley MP  will see the
bikes  safely  on  their  way  south on the Hume.

In Melbourne, Shadow Minister for Roads and the TAC  Luke Donnellan MP  will
see the riders off from Epping.

Local  member  Cindy  McLeish  MP and other speakers,  will address the assembled
riders in Seymour.

Riders  want  the  government  to implement the recommendations of the parliamentary
inquiry into  motorcycle  &  scooter safety  before  the 2014 state election.

Independent Riders Group spokesman Damien Codognotto OAM said.

"The  motorcycle  &  scooter  riders will be travelling well below the speed  limit 
so we are asking car, truck and bus drivers to please be patient and careful. 
Give the bikes their road space."

When  in  place,  the 64 inquiry recommendations will benefit all road users.

www.parliament.vic.gov.au/rsc/inquiries/article/1409

Damien Codognotto OAM
Spokesman
Independent Riders Group
Melbourne

Mobile: 0419 846 855.

CONTACTS:        Wodonga Ride Leaders        - Mick Higgs     - 0409 591 591
                                                                          - Cate Hughes   - 0432 083 342


                 Wodonga MP           - Bill Tilley               - 02 6024 4488

                 Seymour MP            - Cindy McLeish      - 03 5799 2760

                 Epping MP               - Luke Donnellan      - 03 9706 0566



































BROADCAST HIRSTY



ON RIDE THIS TUESDAY NIGHT FROM 7PM

  • While I am recovering from knee surgery over the next four weeks Ride will continue with a mix of interviews     from the 2nd Series of Temporary Australians  plus repeats of some interesting interviews from previous shows.

So don't forget to tune in 7pm-9pm Sydney time on Alive 90.5 FM or listen online on the Alive website and smart phone.

Ride is proudly sponsored by:

Fraser Motorcycles: check out their stores in Sydney, Wollongong, Newcastle, Melbourne and Perth.
 
Newhaven Park House Bathurst for your AGM, weekend ride or just lunch www.newhavenparkhouse.com.au .

            

Friday 1 March 2013

JOIN THE IRG TODAY

JOIN THE INDEPENDENT RIDERS' GROUP

IT'S FREE!

If you ride a motorcycle or scooter you pay a lot to be on the road and you get treated like a second class citizen. The IRG lobbies for your safety and your right to ride.

To join just send us your name, post code and an email address. Send it to d.codognotto.oam@bigpond.com .

FAIR GO DRY RUN

FAIR GO DRY RUN
On Wednesday, March 6, 2013, there will be a dry run to familiarise riders with the route and assembly areas for the FAIR GO RUN on March 16. All welcome.

We will meet at the BP servo on Cooper Street in Epping (Melway map 181, reference E 11) at 9.30am. We will leave for Seymour at 10am.

We urgently need someone in Wodonga to see the riders off from the Macca's Homeware Centre on Saturday March 16. The person does not have to go on the ride. He or she will need a mobile phone. He or she would need to be at MHC from 7.45am till 8.30am when the riders head south. Local MP and member of the Victorian Road Safety Committee Bill Tilley will attend and hopefully some media. If you can do it, or know someone who can do it, please call Damien on 03 9846 8621.

A limited number of t-shirts have been made. They cost $30 each. Add $10 if you want one posted out. To order send a cheque or money order made out to Damien Codognotto to PO Box 3091, Doncaster East, Vic. 3109. Please include the sizes you need. I should have some at the dry run. Proceeds go to pay for the run.


Please pass the flyer on and display it where you can. The more people on the FAIR GO RUN the more chance we have of stopping the discriminatory laws and taxes that road authorities have planned for us. 

With no consultation or warning Police Minister Ryan announced yesterday that Victorian motorcycle & scooter riders will be fined $176 for not wearing "boots". Who defines what is or is not a bike boot?

Boots will be the second of the five compulsory protective clothing items police pushed hard for in 2012. The high visibility jacket would seem to be still in play regardless of the recommendations from the Parliamentary Inquiry (Dec 2012).

Also, I am reliably informed that the Justice Department still wants front ID plates/stickers/tags for all motorcycles & scooters.

Obviously the only thing that will make this government give riders a fair go is a bigt crowd of riding voters in marginal seats. The next Victorian election is in November 2014.




Damien Codognotto OAM
Spokesman
Independent Riders' Group