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M/C accident numbers and info/opinions ...

3K views 44 replies 17 participants last post by  K-rod 
#1 ·
an interesting view-point:



Lets reframe this article a little bit...According to the stats reported by ICBC there were 34,000 more registered motorcyclists on BC roads which supports a fact that there is a higher representation of motorcyclists iusing BC highways in this province now than there was in 2004. There were a reported 1034 MC collisions reported amongs...t the 60,000 ridere in 2004 equals 1.7 % of riders were involved in collisions. 1.3% of riders were involved in collisions in 2009 using the 2008 statistic.
286 death in a seven year span equals 41 deaths a year. Of those deaths 31 were caused by a multivehicle collision where the rider was not at fault.
In 75% of multi-vehicle collisions the motorcylist was deemed not at fault and of the 1295 motorcycle collisions in 2009 and 479 of those crashes were single motorcyle collisions,337 less than the 816 caused by domestic and commercial vehicles drivers. Hmmmm! but lets penalize the motorcyclist with these stats that clearly show that it is the other motorvehicle drivers lack of due care and caution towards motorcycle traffic that causes the majority of accidents involving motorcycle. Lets bring in the graduated licensing program also known as the MV Cashcow to penalize new riders, a significant percentage being mature drivers holding a minimum of a class 5 license and ignore the possibilty of addressing the true issue which is the average automobile driver in high traffic volume urban roadways are just too damn sloppy and self absorbed behind the wheel. By the way a motorcycle is a motorvehicle as well, we pay huge insurance and registration fees for our driver priveledge but are marginalized by our regulatory bodies as a nuisance on the highways. If these same drivers ran over our children would we blame the child? Absolutely not,
 
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#3 ·
For a minute there you had me... funny post.

Well, being sort of new to the area, yes there are lots of motorcycle riders here as compared to other parts of the country.
I also believe that though, there maybe some people that hate people on motorcycles, in general, I have found that most 4 wheel drivers are more careful at this end of the country. And generally speaking, actually better drivers than in other provinces. My so far experience with the local law enforcement has also been an enlighting experience, (it didn't take them long to find out where I'm hiding...lol) and I do have to say, I was really surprised to be treated like a human being, than a criminal guilty of murder. Maybe I just got lucky? I don't know.
But I am enjoying the new enviroment and fresh air, and yes, sometimes I ride like a farmer.

Now just to get rid of all the tax paying down here, and lower the price of fuel, insurance, food, housing, utility bills..etc.
 
#4 ·
While I totally agree with the point being made in the blurb, I am all for taking responsibility for my own well-being - meaning "IF" (huge emphasis on the "if") a graduated licencing system produces better riders who pay more attention so that they can avoid the jackass in the SUV barreling down upon him, then I'm all for it. Unfortunately, I don't believe the system works due to the increasing amount of self-serving ignorant bastards with absolutely no real driving skills behind the wheels of over-powered and under-engineered vehicles.

Yes I drive an SUV, but I am, every day, made more and more aware of the idiocy of the general populous of cagers and their obliviousness to the world around them both on my bike and when I drive my +40' tri-drive crane truck around the city. We as riders need to be more aware of the sorry excuse for drivers that are constantly surrounding us in enormous vehicles but I hardly agree that making us pay for the shortcomings of others' driving skills is the way to do it. There is an obvious deficiency in driving ability among the vast majority in the lower mainland and it needs to be addressed immediately.

There needs to be a stupid-tax
 
#6 ·
I may have misunderstood... when I got my license in 2004 I didn't need to do the GLP because I already had a class 5, but that post makes me think that's changed. If you already have a full license, do you now need to go through the graduated licensing when getting a class 6?

I am concerned that we spend gobs of money to make cars safer but not so much to make drivers safer. I'd gladly volunteer to participate in a program that required new drivers to spend a few hours on the back of a motorcycle, just to get some perspective.
 
#7 ·
I'd gladly volunteer to participate in a program that required new drivers to spend a few hours on the back of a motorcycle, just to get some perspective.
That's an awesome idea! I know the perfect road too...lol
 
#9 ·
Some here may be surprised to hear that ICBC and MV B agree with them. The reason GLP was instituted was because they knew how lousy most drivers were and that they were beyond redemption. At least with ther GLP drivers there was some mandatory training....or at least a somewhat higher level of basic skills required to pass a test & get your DL. Is it perfect....no....is it better than before...yes....is it the ultimate answer...no, but it's better than before.
 
#12 ·
and not just retesting, but proper training.

When i took "driving lessons" it had nothing to do with teaching me how to handle emergency situations but instead was aimed purely at teaching me how to pass the ICBC exam.

How to handle the vehicle in... less than ideal situations i learned on my own by going and practicing in empty lots on snowy/very rainy days. or at least learning how it behaved and what to expect at certain points.
 
#15 ·
Precisely!......and let's look to Finland for the new model to implant here for BC Drivers'.....THEN we could claim to actually be doing something constructive and progressive to improve the quality of driving in this city!....
 
#14 ·
Without relying on statistic's for a moment...Drivers whom execute left turns in the face of oncoming traffic are liable for a lot of collisions, yet left turns are still permitted. Controlled, sometimes, but still permitted.

Remember that other motorists (not merely singling out motorcyclists....if you're old enough, refer to P.E. Trudeau's "distinct society," discussion.) crash into other motorists too, it's not completely about "motorists verses motorcyclists."

Negligence by motor vehicle (car, motorcycle, scooter, truck, semi, farm tractor) is prevalent everywhere and does not discriminate. By applying the "negligence does not discriminate," rule to everyone, then *all* motorists should be trained to a high degree and tested regularly. Yes?

I'm going back to the newbie forum for a few minutes, and read about some new-ish riders that want to find ways to "pass the exam," without really educating themselves to the long term skills required to survive motorcycling for a life time......
(ah! Saturday morning rant feels good....now I'll get another cuppa)
 
#19 ·
Motorcyclists could benefit from more training to identify potential fatal accident scenarios in which a car driver may be 100% at fault.

It's equally important to teach drivers to look for motorcyclists before they turn left, as it is for motorcyclists to be aware that the driver
turning left may not see them, and is about to cause their demise.

Rather than worry about how drivers can be changed to save us, focus on how you can identify fatal scenarios and reduce the chance
that you are a statistic.

Over and out.
 
#23 · (Edited)
+1. When my life is on the line "fault" is irrelevant. The "responsibility" for my well-being is solely mine. There are always going to be situations that we are unable to anticipate or react to though. Ya pays yer money, ya takes yer chances. Having said that, I don't believe that ICBC and the Police organizations in BC are as serious about public safety as they are about the perception of public safety. Just look at the number of people operating cell phones while driving. I've seen cops pull over both motorcyclists and drivers for marginal speeding or other infractions. Chicken-shit kinda stuff. I've never seen someone operating a cell phone get pulled over. Just my perception though.
 
#22 ·
When asked if he was afraid of dying in an accident, Simoncelli apparently responded: "No. You live more for five minutes going fast on a bike like that, than other people do in all of their life."
 
#25 ·
What Daytonut and Bandito said. There are many reasons for crashes...in most crashes at least one person caused what happened. Irregardless of where the blame lies, the responsibility to be as safe as possible lies with the rider/driver themselves. We all know that there are lousy drivers/riders out there. We all see what I call in my classes "teachable moments" amny times a day...and that should remind us to do everything we can personally to be safe. Doesn't matter who causes the crash, if we don't avoid it for any reason, we suffer. No way we can possibly avoid every single crash but proactive,trained and responsible riding helps tilt the odds in our favour.

Every time I approach an intersection with oncoming or stopped traffic facing me, I plan to have to avoid one who turns or pulls out in front of me. If they don't, then no problem, if they do then I have an escape route to avoid that problem. So far it has worked. To say that lousy car drivers are out to kill us, and to not have a plan to deal with that, is not a well thought out response, specially when the reality of the situation demands one.
 
#26 ·
What Daytonut and Bandito said. There are many reasons for crashes...in most crashes at least one person caused what happened. Regardless of where the blame lies, the responsibility to be as safe as possible lies with the rider/driver themselves. We all know that there are lousy drivers/riders out there. We all see what I call in my classes "teachable moments" amny times a day...and that should remind us to do everything we can personally to be safe. Doesn't matter who causes the crash, if we don't avoid it for any reason, we suffer. No way we can possibly avoid every single crash but proactive,trained and responsible riding helps tilt the odds in our favour.

Every time I approach an intersection with oncoming or stopped traffic facing me, I plan to have to avoid one who turns or pulls out in front of me. If they don't, then no problem, if they do then I have an escape route to avoid that problem. So far it has worked. To say that lousy car drivers are out to kill us, and to not have a plan to deal with that, is not a well thought out response, specially when the reality of the situation demands one.

oops - spelling/grammar correction
 
#39 ·
pretty hard for a new rider to carry 4 buddies on the bike while street racing another bike with 4 people on it ;)

it really is just physics. Something that is 3000lbs will do more damage than something that is 300lbs when moving at the same speed. Except in the cage the bad/new driver usually feels a lot more invincible and is more likely to pull stupid shit.
 
#40 ·
Also easy for that same 'buddy' to broadside a car (perhaps his own friends coincidentally enough, if you like playing odds!)rippin' it up and ending up in the front seat, and the bike in the back, just like the car/bike combo used at the European Auto Shows!...
 
#43 ·
One confound of those stats is how many average km travelled per accident? There are a lot of pleasure use only motorcyclists out there in proportion to those that commute daily, and very very few are ridden year round compared to cars/trucks. Don't get me wrong, I'm a less is more kind of guy and not a big fan of regulations but I wouldn't be surprised if those accident figures looked a little worse for riders if a few more stats could be obtained.
 
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