LETTER TO THE EDITOR:
I HAVE been corresponding with VicRoads regarding the installation of wire safety rope barriers from Stratford to Sale and have been pointing out the extremely dangerous conditions they are creating for motorcyclists.
Here are parts of their reply to my correspondence that astounds me with their attitude to the safety of motorcyclists:
“Flexible safety barriers are tested (car, ute and 8t truck/bus).”
Note the barrier is tested for safety for most users, but specifically motorcycles are not mentioned.
In other words, they have been unable to prove that they are safe for motorcycles as it is blatantly obvious that if you put a post every two meters on the side and middle of the road any incident that dislodges the rider means they will hit the post and death may result, or at the least major injury.
“In relation to your concern regarding the safety of motorcyclists. VicRoads must target the majority of road users and flexible safety barriers are proven to result in great outcomes for the majority of road users.”
This is blatant discrimination.
Basically what VicRoads is saying is the road is designed for the greater number of users and we can’t look after everyone, therefore bad luck for the motorcyclist.
As long as the car driver is safe, it doesn’t matter about the motorcyclist.
“There is no evidence to date anywhere in the world of riders travelling at or below the speed limit and crashing into a wire rope barrier and being cut by the wire rope. “
The dangers and concerns I had expressed to VicRoads have already been borne out by the death of one rider as the Gippsland Times reported on November 21.
According to the eye witness, this death would probably not have occurred if the barrier was not there.
It is really time this insanity was brought to the attention of the public.
Every motorcyclist I talk to (and that’s many) ride now in fear of their life, because of being in what I call “the tunnel of death”.
If for any reason they come off their bikes, the high likelihood is that they will be killed by the so-called safety fence.
Previously they had a chance — less in some places and more in others — but at least they had a chance of survival.
Now while inside this tunnel of death they have no chance at all.
There are many reasons that a rider can come off and I will not try to list them all, but high on the list is the poor maintenance of roads and the cheap fixes that create more dangers than they fix. Another concern will be wide loads.
One company I know routinely transport products, with permits allowing a width of 5.5 metres.
The width of the road between the middle and side barrier is nominally seven metres.
The company was advised at some points it will only be six metres.
Imagine driving a huge truck down a road with a clearance of .25 metres on each side of the truck, add in someone on a push bike.
The result at best is the truck stops and the rider climbs over the fence. At worst, the rider is killed.ider concerned at wire rope barriers
