Cyclists Vs Motor Bike.. Push Bike SMASHED, rider in Hospital

Some here know about a mate of mine that was hit by a speeding motor bike last Sunday on the old Pac Hwy just Nth of 'Pie in the Sky'.. WELL, I had the ***** big time and stirred things up a bit....
On Thursday the incident was brought up in Parliament.

MANY THANKS PETER BREEN MLC
http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/pro...256BE200246160

Glenn





9 DECEMBER 2004

http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/lc/lcpaper.nsf/0/D1FA607CCB77CBCDCA256F65004D5134/$File/Q&A%2088%209%20December%202004.pdf


(Paper No. 88)

1944 POLICE—CYCLIST SAFETY ON THE OLD PACIFIC HIGHWAY—Mr Breen to ask the Minister for Justice,

and Minister Assisting the Premier on Citizenship representing the Minister for Police—

(1) On Sunday 5 December 2004 was a push biker badly injured after being hit from behind by a

motorcyclist on the 3.9km section of the Old Pacific Highway between Brooklyn Road and the café, ‘Pie

in the Sky’ at Cowan?

(2) (a) Is the 20km section of the old highway north to Mt White attracting large numbers of recreational

motor cyclists and push bike riders?

( Is this section of the highway becoming less safe for bicycle riders due to speeding violations by

some motorcyclists and car clubs?

(3) (a) Has there been an active police presence in the area monitoring speeding on the Old Pacific

Highway over the past three months?

( If not, why not?

(4) Why isn’t the Police Department is controlling excessive speeding on the Old Pacific Highway between

Berowra and Mt White on weekends when motor cyclists and, to a lesser extent, car clubs, regularly

break the speed limits?

(5) (a) Will the Minister consider installing permanent radar surveillance in the danger zone between the

‘Pie in the Sky’ café at Cowan and Mt White including fixed speed cameras?

( If not, why not?

(6) (a) Will the Minister convene a meeting between the larger car clubs, motor cycle groups and bicycle

groups to address the issues of speeding, greater clearance when passing cyclists and anticipation

that cyclists will be using the Old Pacific Highway?

( If not, why not?

Good work, read this recently on the Audax list.

Have you thought about posting the same details on the aus.bicycle list, it's propagated further up on cycling forums,
http://www.cyclingforums.com/f181

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Noli nothis permittere te terere

Thanks...

DONE.........................

good job mate. my dad and i ride this route from hornsby heights to Mt white every weekend and have nearly been collected several times by tools doing at least 180+ k's down the hill and back up.
we always stop for a coffee at the "pie" if now only to calm our nerves from having to look over your shoulder every 10 seconds in anticipation of an accident from behind.
give my best wishes to your mate cos as i said to my old man, any minute it could have been one of us and if nothings done it will continue to happen.

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REMEMBER: Hills are the key to aerobic conditioning.

Helmet mirrors - great things - saves the shoulder muscles and nerves too!
Paulo

Its a great idea, but when these guys are doing at least 150km/h +, there is nothing that is going to help avoid a collision. The road is very twisty with 3 or 4 blind corners which even 4wd drivers insist on passing you through on the wrong side of the road. You have to see it to beleive it , trust me.

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REMEMBER: Hills are the key to aerobic conditioning.

Hi again.
I agree mirrors are not the answer but I find that it takes some of the fear for me out of what booming down on me and has helped me to pull over even further to the left if a truck(usually) is too close to me.
I genuinely fell sorry for the cyclist(and motorcyclist) above.
I'm a motorcyclist too(I'm the secretary of a motorcycle club in Auckland). I haven't heard of any of our members having any close calls with cyclists(I certainly haven't) but we do ride rather fast at times(one guy did 280kph - on the road - a deserted forestry road).
With the heightened police presence in recent years and the no tolerence attitude most guys(and girls) haved slowed down somewhat - which is a good thing, generally.
I might put a note re the crash above in our club magazine(the editor is a former cyclist, though he now needs a powerful motorbike to move his increasing gut around!).
Happy and safe cycling, Paulo

Thanks mate.
I agree with what you have said wholeheartedly. I too am a motorcyclist and thats why this whole situation gives me the craps. I ride with the safety of other road users in mind (bike and motorbike). It just seems unnecessary for some people to race down this hill as if their lives depend on when in actual fact its everyone elses lives who do.
the road is very narrow especially on the corners and alot of motorcyclists ride single file in groups at high speed. Being a cyclist and having been involved in bunch crashes I hope to god that they (the motorcyclists) don't end up bringing each other down at high speed after having to avoid a collision which seems highly likely. Anticipation is the key to survival.

__________________
REMEMBER: Hills are the key to aerobic conditioning.