For my Qld based brothers ......

The Queensland Police Service has issued a state-wide safety alert to motorcyclists following a concerning trend of serious crashes and a significant number of motorcycle fatalities already this year.

Twenty-one motorcycle riders have lost their lives and dozens of riders have been seriously injured on Queensland roads this year.

The alarming number of rider fatalities is more than double the average rate and the highest it has been at this time of year in more than five years.

Queensland’s overall lives lost toll is currently 66 which is 22 more than at the same time last year.

Road Policing Assistant Commissioner Ben Marcus said the rising rate of motorcycle fatalities was shocking and had prompted police to issue an urgent safety alert to all riders.

“Twenty-one motorcyclists lost in 10 weeks is of extreme concern and we need all riders, particularly those who are inexperienced, to take note and be extra careful on our roads,” Assistant Commissioner Marcus said.

“As an avid motorcyclist myself, I know how vulnerable we are as road users and I have seen firsthand how devastating the consequences can be when crashes occur.”

Assistant Commissioner Marcus said a preliminary assessment of fatal motorcycle crashes this year indicated the rider was at fault in at least 70 per cent of cases.

“Rider safety is everyone’s responsibility, but it starts with you as a rider,” he said.

“Your behaviour on the road has direct consequences on your life and those around you.

“With a significant increase in motorcycle registrations in the past 12 months, there are a lot of inexperienced riders on our roads but we have also seen extremely dangerous behaviour across all rider types.”

Police intercepted a 45-year-old male motorcyclist after he was wearing a bicycle helmet and his motorbike did not have a number plate on Fernvale Road at Brassall on March 12. Police allege the man also provided a BAC of 0.193, almost four-times the legal breath alcohol limit. An 18-year-old man was also a pillion passenger of the motorcycle. The rider was charged with driving under the influence, unlicensed driving and driving an unregistered and uninsured vehicle. He is due to appear in the Ipswich Magistrates Court on April 16.

“The reality is the actions of this man could have had catastrophic consequences for himself, his young passenger and other road users,” Assistant Commissioner Marcus said.

“We need everyone to stand up and call out bad driving behaviours such as this.”

Police have ramped up speed and general traffic enforcement operations as well as conducting roadside rider engagement. QPS is also providing safety advice to motorcycle groups in key locations and retailers as part of ongoing efforts to prevent further tragedies.

Fast facts

    21 motorcycle riders have died on Queensland roads this year, compared to 10 in 2020, 9 in 2019 and 11 in 2018.
    An estimated 70% of fatal motorcycle crashes have been considered rider error
    Queensland’s Lives Lost toll is 66, compared with 44 at this time last year
    Large increases in fatalities have been recorded in Wide Bay, South Brisbane and Logan police districts.

70% considered rider error?

Would be interesting to see what percentage of those occurred without any witnesses. Had a mate killed a couple of years ago, nobody saw the crash and the coppers at first thought it was down to rider error (overshot the corner and speared into the scrub) and informed his family of this. When his father asked if he had his gopro turned on, they went back to the scene the next day and found it in the scrub beside the road. Surprise, Surprise. The footage showed he was run off the road by a white holden ute. Sadly they were unable to get a rego number from the footage.

OOps........

High speed motorbike offences, Sunshine Coast
Police have fined a man over $17,000 after seizing helmet cam vision which allegedly showed him performing high risk stunts on a motorbike, including wheel stands at more than 200 kilometres per hour.

Officers from the Sunshine Coast Road Policing Unit intercepted the 27-year-old on a BMW motorcycle at Maroochydore on March 23 after he was allegedly observed travelling at high speed in wet conditions.

The man’s helmet camera was seized, and a subsequent review of the footage showed the man driving dangerously through traffic on multiple occasions, in one instance allegedly performing a wheel stand at 109 kilometres per hour in a 60 zone from a red light.

He also allegedly conducted a wheel stand at 201 kilometres per hour while passing cars in a 100 zone on the Sunshine Motorway.

A search warrant was executed on a property at Pacific Paradise on March 24 where the motorbike was seized. Officers also located a grow room with hydro setup and eight mature cannabis plants.

After further review of the vision police identified a total of 43 dangerous driving and riding offences.

A 27-year-old Pacific Paradise man was today charged with 10 counts of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and one count each of produce dangerous drugs, possess dangerous drugs, possess utensils and possess things. He is due to appear in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on May 10.

He was also issued with Traffic Infringement Notices:

    17 for speed; three of which were for exceeding the speed limit by more than 40kms per hour
    10 for fail to have proper control
    2 for unlawful lane filter
    1 cross single line
    1 fail to stop at red light
    1 stop on footpath
    1 disobey direction arrow on the roadway

The fines total $17,512.

Inspector Shane Panaho said the behaviour was extremely reckless and disappointing in light of the high number of motorcyclists who have lost their lives on Queensland roads this year.

“There’s already twenty-one families whose loved ones never came home this year after being involved in traffic crashes,” he said.

“Rider safety is everyone’s responsibility, but it starts with you as a rider.

“Your behaviour on the road has direct consequences on your life and those around you.”

Investigations are continuing into the possibility of further offences being identified.

So who is right or wrong in this video....

Thread reviver, cos I stumbled across this clip on youtube called Invisibility Training for Motorcyclists. It is pretty hokey in presentation and he misses the 'blindspot in the eye' thing, but it gives a damn good insight into why fkrs in big solid moving objects keep driving over motorcyclists.

I hope it scares you (scared me) that these are who you share the road with.

Cheers, Will