Road Rider Blog

Here’s how it’s done

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:03:00 GMT

Found a fascinating article from The Wall Street Journal that explains the way the bureaucracy keeps us in line. The Victorian crowd seems to be particularly expert at this.

“Deer Still Prisoners to Cold War Borders

“A red deer called Ahornia apparently never got the memo that the Iron Curtain doesn't exist anymore. The deer lives in the mountains that were once the site of the electric fence that stood between West Germany and Czechoslovakia. Where the fence once stood is one of Europe's largest nature sanctuaries, and while all sorts of animals have moved in, the Ahornia have mostly refused to cross the long-gone border. "The wall in the head is still there," a producer of nature films said. The amazing part is that the deer alive today were born long after the fence wasn't there anymore. Yet deer have an impressive collective memory of their trails that is passed through generations, so stopping at the border continues to be passed on. A few rebel Ahornia have made it to the other side, and experts say it's only a matter of time before adventurous young ones begin to explore beyond the imaginary fence.”

A bloke called Jim Finley explained this on the website Slatest.

“Learned helplessness, they call that. If an animal (or person) is stuck in an unpleasant situation for long enough and tries unsuccessfully to escape it enough times, they give up, and then don't escape it even if it becomes easy to do so. The original experiment was with dogs. The experimenters would put a dog in a small enclosure with a metal floor and high sides, then give it electric shocks through the floor at random intervals. At first the dogs would go into a frenzy trying to get out, but eventually they'd give up and just stand there whimpering and shivering while they got shocked. Then the high sides of the enclosure were replaced with ones low enough for the dogs to easily get over, but the dogs would still just stand there shaking and whimpering and get shocked without trying to get out. A grim experiment - I couldn't do it. Some abusive situations produce similar results in humans; I think it's related to Stockholm Syndrome.”

“Some abusive situations produce similar results in humans”, eh? See how it’s done in our case? Treat motorcyclists like outcasts, charge us “road safety levies” that nobody else has to pay, tell us porkies about how dangerous riding is, show us television commercials that misrepresent riding, demonise us as drug-selling bikies (and don’t listen to reason, because that’s not what you’re after) – and eventually we won’t even complain any more. We’ll just stand there whimpering and shivering.

Don’t put up with it. Complain to their political masters, as hard and as often as you can. Stop them!

Peter “The Bear” Thoeming

I really hate it when...

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:40:00 GMT

Remember Austen Tayshus’ routine? Now it’s your turn!

Yes, venting your spleen can make you feel a whole lot better. I’m going to be away for a while (EICMA motorcycle show in Milan, and then a short break in the UK to check out the rebuilt Birmingham motorcycle museum etc) so I thought I’d leave you a task while I’m gone.

Write in and tell us what you really hate about motorcycling.

I just read this morning about the criminal gang Notorious in the paper – and it was referred to as a “bikie gang” even though the members never go near bikes and there is no connection with motorcycling in the gang’s operations.

I hate that.

We just recently had someone write in to tell us that the bill for servicing his bike included a charge for checking the battery and cleaning the battery terminals. When he took a look he found a very much uncleaned battery with extremely grotty terminals. On mentioning this to the shop, he was told that the bill was computer generated and the battery must have been missed.

Ooh, he hated that!

And so on. What are your pet hates?

Maybe bloggers who ask you what your pet hates are?

Come on, write in - and tell your friends to do the same. Let’s get a really good list of motorcycling hates together. Could make a story for ARR?

Peter “The Bear” Thoeming

Is this… the end?

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 23:15:00 GMT

What will happen to printed newspapers and magazines – like ARR?

My daily update on the staggering craziness of the world is, first, my local daily paper and, second, the web feed Slatest. The paper essentially keeps me up to date with the latest moronic kneejerk reaction by my State government (no, I didn’t vote for them but I live here…) and public opinion, via the letters page. The web tells me what’s happening in the big wide world. Well, mainly in America.

Now it’s been considered a truism that we follow the Yanks – everything that happens over there, happens here a few months or a year later. Of course I’m still waiting for us to get our independence from the UK after more than two centuries, and it will be interesting to find we have a black head of state (Noel Pearson, anybody?) but in many ways that really has been true. Motorcycle fashions are a case in point.

But I wonder whether we’ll follow America in the way we deal with the print media. Here’s a short piece from this morning’s Slatest. The McArdle person appears to be a blogger, and is no apparent relation to infamous Australian BMW outfit rider Chris McArdle.

Hi, Chris.
“McArdle: The Newspaper Business is Over. Period.
“The numbers are grim: over the past six months, circulation at the top 25 newspapers has declined by more than 10 percent. The Washington Post's numbers fell by more than 6 percent, while the New York Times' dropped by more than 7 percent, making it the third most-read paper after the Wall Street Journal and USA Today. This isn't a sign that the newspaper business is changing, Megan McArdle says. It's a sign that it's over.”
US magazines, including motorcycle magazines, are in a similar position. Heck, so are most motorcycle magazines here in Australia (except ARR and C+T, phew and thanks to you) although Australian newspapers are holding up much better.

But what do you think? Is the era of the printed word really over? How are you changing your reading habits? Why are Australaian papers, and our two magazines, holding up?

I’d love to get your feedback and ideas.

Peter “The Bear” Thoeming

Dave’s been having fun…

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:47:00 GMT

Is everything fair in love and war… well, apprehension of “lawbreakers”?

Here’s a letter from Dave Williams. Now he sent this to several magazines, which precludes it from being published in either ARR or C+T – we believe that if you want to tell our readers something then they deserve to be addressed directly – but I just couldn’t help putting it on the web.

Why? Because I’d like to get your responses.

Does Dave have a point? Considering that he was breaking the law, does he have the right to criticize the actions that the boys in blue took to apprehend him? On the other hand, did the boys in blue have the right to risk their own and other people’s lives in order to catch Dave?

What do you think?

Peter “The Bear” Thoeming

CIVIC COMPLIANCE VICTORIA
Ground Floor, 277 William St.
MELBOURNE VIC 3000

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN.

Please find enclosed a cheque for $503.00.

This is for Traffic Infringement Notices 50619931 5 & 34349041 6…crossing centreline and 131kms ph in 100km zone……Cann River to Orbost…October 15 2009.

Yes, I know you patrol this road passionately during the start and end of your financially lucrative Victorian tourist attraction,….which is more commonly referred to….as the annual motorcycle pilgrimage to Phillip Island!……

I am 48 years old, with over 25 years of road riding experience under my various two wheels. I have been coming to Phillip Island on a regular basis since the inaugural ‘Gardner’ GP’s of ‘89 & ’90. I also know the other various routes……traveled them all many times!…Cann Valley,.Omeo,. MittaMitta, including . the dirt through Sassafras Gap on a ‘916!…..

In fact, I have only recently completed an overseas trip through the UK & Europe on my Australian registered motorcycle, traveling over 9000kms in a little over 2 months…..where, ironically,….you would have been ‘run over’ in the ‘slow lane’ for doing 130!…lol!!

So I am not a pimply faced 19yo riding a LAM!

The ‘freight train’ I was leading, ( if you ride within a group of sportsbike riders…u know what I mean) … were maintaining a constant 130, overtaking safely ( although illegally in this vastly overlegislated land of Australia which has sadly become only a shadow of the ‘Oz I was born in!)…
but please,… don’t get me wrong!…. These ‘Jacks’ were extremely obliging…..even tried to find a piece of wood for the sidestand of my old ‘851!…..We even had a laugh…..about me taking it for the ‘team’…….and his admittance he was actually trying to nab all 5 of us!…….

Now you know the background….. THIS IS MY GRIEVENCE!!!

Where has this particular unmarked Ford Territory come from? Although he stated he was traveling toward me…..nobody in the group could recall passing this vehicle…Obviously, he was lurking in the undergrowth…. awaiting his prey??! …Sneaky, revenue raising!….but with the opportunity to have some legal fun….’cause I gottabadge!!..

Subsequently, he successfully did his best impersonation of ROADRAGE I had seen?!…Firstly, ..the unmarked vehicle did not display the ubiquitous ‘blue lights’ until after he had finally caught me, that is,… the one in front?!!… ‘patsy’ leading??!…..Yet… …severe carnage could of occurred for both myself and my equally experienced fellow riders! My following cohorts, unaware, due to the non display of identification of the supposed police vehicle involved, all thought some idiot was out to get some motorcyclists for some reason, possibly for overtaking him earlier!… As he attempted to overtake each one of us, he came perilously close to wiping out, not only me, but two other riders behind me!!…He had overtaken two motorcycles over centerlines having to resort to having his outside wheels in the gravel on the righthand verge of the road!…This was not done once…but 3 times!! All because he wanted to gather in the leader?!?

The way that guy drove was absolute bullshit!!…

- why were no sirens or lights utilized until he finally managed to catch me…..he told me that he had been pursuing us for about 5-10kms?
- Why did he not show me the supposed locked in speed?
- Are ‘ in car ‘ Police audio and video utilized in Victoria?…If so, I was not advised of this.
- Why not radio ahead when it is obviously dangerous to pursue in this area on the Princes Hwy?
- Furthermore, if he had have come from the opposite direction as advised, he would have had to been doing some crazy speeds to catch us!..Remember, we are traveling at 130 in the opposite direction. He still has to safely turn around and then engage the normal highway traffic on a road that constantly winds for over 80kms??!
- I also noted that both Officers were not wearing reflective jackets.

Does law enforcement “Victorian style” mean endangering the lives of experienced motorcyclists that have covered more miles….than his junior Officer will probably cover in two of his own lifetimes??!

Please spend this money wisely…..and also please note, a copy of this letter has been sent to Australian Motorcycle News, Road Rider, & Ulysses Club……

.&….. I would also be interested to hear if anybody else traveling to the GP had any similar experiences with these licensed ‘Cowboys’….that carry a ‘blue bankcard’!!

So, if you wish to respond ( which I doubt! )….or act upon this letter ( which I further doubt! )…..I will provide more detail….witness statements included.

Yours faithfully.
Dave Williams
23 October 2009

Harley-Davidson closes Buell

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 23:57:00 GMT

MV Agusta to be sold

Harley-Davidson, Inc. has announced decreased revenue, net income and earnings per share for the third quarter of 2009 compared to the year-ago period, although the slowdown of retail sales is not as great as it was in the second quarter.

Sales are down some 10 per cent in Australia which compares well with worldwide retail sales. These declined 21.3 percent in the third quarter compared to last year, and were accompanied by an 84.1 percent reduction in net income.

The Motor Company also unveiled major elements of its revised business strategy to drive growth through a single-minded focus on the unique strengths of the Harley-Davidson brand. How is that going to happen? Well, the Board of Directors has decided to close Buell and sell the recently-bought MV Agusta.

“While the environment remains challenging for us, we are mildly encouraged by the moderation in the decline of dealer retail Harley-Davidson motorcycle sales,” said Keith Wandell, Chief Executive Officer of Harley-Davidson, Inc. “And moving forward, our strategy is designed to strengthen Harley-Davidson for long-term growth and deliver results through increased focus.

“As our announcement regarding Buell and MV Agusta indicates, we are moving with the speed and decisiveness required to bring our business strategy to life,” said Wandell. “The fact is we must focus both our effort and our investment on the Harley-Davidson brand, as we believe this provides an optimal path to sustained, meaningful, long-term growth.”

So Erik Buell, America’s Bellerophon, will no longer be able to ride his Pegasus. The flying horse, in various versions, has been the logo of the sports bike manufacturer since the beginning – but this is, it seems, the end.

Effective pretty much immediately, the Motor Company will stop production of Buell motorcycles. Remaining inventories of Buell motorcycles, accessories and apparel, while they last, will continue to be sold through authorized dealerships. Warranty coverage will continue as normal for Buell motorcycles and the Company will provide replacement parts and service through dealerships.

The decision will result in a reduction over time of about 80 hourly production positions and about 100 salaried positions at Buell. Employment will end for a majority of Buell employees in the week before Christmas.

“Buell and MV Agusta are great companies, with proud brands, high-quality exciting products and passionate enthusiasm for the motorcycle business,” said Wandell . “Buell has introduced many innovative advancements in motorcycle design and technology over the years and MV Agusta is known in Europe for its premium, high-performance sport motorcycles. However, our strategy to focus on the Harley-Davidson brand reflects the fact that we believe our investments in that brand are a better utilization of overall company resources”..

Watch for a pictorial review and tribute in Australian Road Rider soon.

This message from Erik Buell is one of the most touching things I’ve ever seen.

Long live the name, even if production has ceased.

http://www.buell.com/en_us/
Peter “The Bear” Thoeming

Tories oppose speed cameras in UK

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 21:53:00 GMT

Can this be the beginning of the end for speed cameras?

According to a news item sent to me by reader Gary Pearce, a Conservative government in the UK would stop funding new fixed speed cameras
Theresa Villiers, the party's transport shadow minister, speaking at the party conference in Manchester, attacked fixed speed cameras.

"Under Labour they've almost trebled. The truth is the fines they generate are blinding Labour to the proven merits of other better ways to keep our roads safe: like education, like vehicle activated signs, like traffic police."

In a move that would affect the introduction of computerised average speed automatic numberplate recognition cameras, she said a Conservative government would not provide central funding for new fixed speed cameras, and would publish data on the effectiveness of the existing ones. "If local authorities want new cameras they'll have to prove nothing else works better and they'll have to find the money themselves," she said.

Villiers added the Tories would abolish the partnerships that currently run speed cameras, and make their use more transparent. "That means publishing the information that's now kept secret on each speed camera's record on safety and on fines, so local communities can judge for themselves whether a camera should stay or whether it should go," Villiers said.

"I believe that fixed speed cameras have reached their high watermark in this country. It's time to put a stop to Labour's cash cow camera culture," she added.

Hmm. How do you think that would translate to Australia?

Peter “The Bear” Thoeming

More prize giveaways...

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 22:34:00 GMT

Another month as passed which means another new lot of prizes

Congratulations to Ross and Raymond who won last months giveaways

Remember anyone who leaves a comment on any blog post within the month goes into the draw.

This months freebies:
1. Ewan McGregor and Charlie Borman's edition of "Long Way Down"
2. Blood, Swear & 2nd Gear - More Medicine for Motorcyclists book

Go for it! And remember, check here every month to see what we’ve found to give away – it could well be a one-off that you’ll never find anywhere else.

Peter “The Bear” Thoeming

Ructions on Lake Como

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 05:41:00 GMT

Things are not going smoothly at Moto Guzzi – here’s the inside story!

Despite the bad weather and rain about 1,500 Italian and European motorcyclists rallied to the support of the factory workers concerned at the possibility of closure of the historic Moto Guzzi factory in Mandello del Lario. The protest was supported by the local council who closed the street outside the factory for 3 hours and allowed camping in the grounds of the lakeside park. The parking area opposite the station was closed to cars and completely filled with motorcycles as was the closed section of roadway. Three booths were allowed to sell essential refreshments and, naturally, the event t-shirt. The complete supply of t-shirts carrying the 'Moto di Protesta' logo was sold out. 'Moto di Protesta' is a play on words that can be freely translated as 'Motorcycle Protest' or 'Protest Movement'.

Brief speeches were made by union representatives and the mayor of Mandello before a parade of over 1,000 motorcycles parted for the ride to the administrative office of the Province in nearby Lecco. The parade was assisted by the support of local and state police and the Carabinieri to control traffic and escort the riders. With improving weather the parade returned from Lecco led by two State Police incongruously mounted on BMWs.

Due to the economic crisis and low production the factory, which has maintained almost continuous production since the foundation of Moto Guzzi in 1921, is temporally closed for 3 weeks. Under the Italian system of social support factories can program a temporary closure and workers receive a Government subsidised three quarters pay. Whilst hardly a satisfactory situation this is better than unemployment benefits, reduces the probability of permanent sackings and allows the workers to return to their jobs after the programmed closure.

Two days before the protest Roberto Colaninno, President of the Piaggio Group, in a pre-emptive response declared “We will not close the plant at Mandello of the Lario but will make important investments in industrial and technological restructuring and in the way of new models and new lines of product on which we are working.”

The representatives of the workers trampled by the crisis naturally have a different point of view.. “The proprietor is in fact trying to empty the factory” according to Mario Venini (trade union spokesman), “centralising the project offices in other sites of the Piaggio group such as Noale (Venice) and Pontedera (Pisa) and leaving to Mandello only the production line assembly of the motors and the final assembly of motorcycles. In this way marque of the Eagle (sic - Moto Guzzi) seriously risks to lose own identity, without considering that approximately a third of the 150 dependants risk to loose their jobs.”

The existing staff levels are already a far cry from the early 1950's peak of over 1500 workers. It is a simple fact that no production machinery remains at the factory. Much of what remained when Piaggio took control was already obsolete and in bad condition. A good part of the machinery was simply scrapped and the rest sold. The facilities at the factory are now reduced to the assembly lines previously mentioned and most of the factory buildings are now empty shells. One can only hope that the market for Moto Guzzi improves allowing the projected development to take place. There is a possibility that other brand models may be assembled at the factory which needs a minimum production of over 10,000 units to be considered viable. Some new Guzzi models, or at least variations on existing models, are likely to be displayed at EICMA at Milan in November. The new 8 valve motor (4 valve heads) after some minor teething problems has now proven to be a robust and reliable engine and can be expected to spearhead the product range for the next year or two.

Unfortunately the cause of Moto Guzzi has not been helped in the past by a series of bad management decisions and simple mismanagement. Amongst these can be cited the failure to produce a road going version of the MGS, particularly in light of the wins at Daytona, and the decision to develop an automatic gearbox for the Aprilia Mana instead of the Moto Guzzi California. The American Market in particular has be requesting an automatic version of the California ever since the demise of the much appreciated Moto Guzzi V1000 Convert. Further strain has been placed on the marque by the late release of accessories. The Bellagio, for example, was on the market for over a year before any accessories were available. Marketing and planning executives have demonstrated a complete lack of understanding of the Moto Guzzi client and failed to capitalise on the loyal following of Guzzisti around the world.

After the protest ride the motorcyclists assembled in the market square to enjoy an afternoon and evening that amounted to a small rally with several hundred motorcyclists remaining for the night. The motorcyclists and many locals enjoyed good food prepared by a local non profit organisation. The evening entertainment commenced with Simone and Tamara Marchetti (http://www.marchetti.ws) projecting film of their South American adventure on a Moto Guzzi California. Simone and Tamara inspired the crowd with their example of long range touring in remote and difficult locations. The evening's entertainment was completed by the energetic 'Bepi and the Prismas' (Moto Guzzi Rock and Roll) and the 'Train Time Blues Band'. Despite the serious nature of the event a good time was had by all. In the end that's what it's all about, isn't it.

Postscript:
In a meeting with executives of the Piaggio Group on the 22 September the unions representing the employees were advised that 50 places would be cut. This removes nearly all of the office staff from Mandello and reduces the factory and logistics staff by a small number. These cuts allow a break even production of 7,000 units. As current sales worldwide are in the region of 7,000 units per annum the target would seem to be realistic. As the economy improves over the next few years Guzzi should be in a good position to expand sales beyond the magic 10,000 level. It should then be able to capitalise on the release of new models timed to be available as the motorcycle market improves.

In other sad news from Italy; Moto Morini filed for voluntary liquidation on the 23 September and is currently seeking a financial partner to help keep the motorcycles in production. This does not mean that the company is bankrupt but it does mean that they have severe cash flow problems and are currently unable to meet outstanding debts to suppliers. The move is in fact calculated to avoid bankruptcy and allow time to find a solution to satisfy the creditors. The company employs 65 people who are still producing the motorcycles, predominantly the Granpasso and the Corsaro.

One can only hope that a solution is found which allows the company to stay in production and protect the positions of employees, the dealer network, and naturally owners of motorcycles from this exciting and innovative small company.

My sincere thanks to Peter Bradley, who sent me the above report. He also sent the pictures.

Peter “The Bear” Thoeming

I like Chinese?

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 05:07:00 GMT

Chinese utes have done badly in safety tests. Nobody tests bikes.

Australia’s peak motoring organisation, the Australian Automobile Association, has called on new car buyers to ensure safety is a priority in making their purchases, following the release of poor safety ratings for three low-cost imported utilities.

Australia’s leading independent vehicle safety advocate, the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP), today released its crash test results for two Great Wall Motors (GWM) utilities – the SA220 and V240...

The heavily promoted GWM utes scored only 2 stars out of 5… ANCAP described the ratings as poor.

AAA’s Director of Technical Services, Craig Newland, said the low crash test safety ratings showed consumers needed to look at a variety of factors in making their new car purchase.

The GWM vehicles have been heavily promoted in Australia on the basis of cost, not safety, and consumers need to weigh up issues such as safety against the cost of these vehicles,” Mr Newland said.

“Australia has a wide range of 4 and 5-star passenger vehicles and ANCAP only last month issued its first 5-star rating for a light commercial van in the Mercedes-Benz Viano and Vito, so these results are going against the trend towards increased safety for occupants,” he said.

“The results are a cause for concern at a time when we are seeing safer vehicles available for consumers.”

Might be worth re-thinking the decision to buy a cheap Chinese trail bike.

Peter “The Bear” Thoeming

A helmet is a helmet is a helmet

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 23:29:00 GMT

A helmet is a helmet is a helmet – as long as it’s approved?

No, not really.

Here is a fascinating story from the New York Times, sent in by regular reader Lars. It’s worth reading and considering.

Sorting Out Differences in Helmet Standards
By DEXTER FORD
Published: September 25, 2009

THE surest way for motorcycle riders to avoid joining the rapidly growing ranks of fatality statistics — up 144 percent since 1997, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — is to wear proper head protection. A helmet increases the chances of survival in an accident by 37 percent, the safety agency says.

Picking the helmet that provides ideal protection is not easy, however. While all helmets sold for road use in the United States are required to carry the stamp of a federal safety standard established by the Transportation Department, riders may also find an independent certification label, from the Snell Memorial Foundation, on many helmets they are considering.

The certification by Snell, a nonprofit research and testing organization financed by helmet makers, is not mandatory for road use but it is for some racing series, which can lead consumers to assume that a Snell-compliant helmet is safer — an assumption that is not agreed upon by researchers.

Even knowing the differences between the standards is not enough: on Oct. 1, helmets meeting a new Snell test, M2010, with revised force limits, can go on sale, probably adding to the confusion among helmet shoppers.

The debate in the helmet industry and the scientific community about just what constitute the best design criteria for a motorcycle helmet — especially for riders with smaller heads — has been going on for years.

The conflict is between scientists and helmet designers who prefer the government-mandated helmet standards of the United States and Europe, up against the current Snell standard, called M2005, which Snell says provides “premium levels of protective performance.”

Many head-injury scientists, motorcycle-accident researchers and helmet makers say they are concerned that the “premium protection" proffered by current Snell-certified helmets may not be better after all. They argue that current Snell-rated helmets are too rigid and unyielding to properly absorb impact energy in the great majority of motorcycle crashes, subjecting riders to preventable brain injuries.

Why is this a concern, considering that the new M2010 standard — a major revision that addresses some of the objections scientists and helmet makers have raised for decades — is coming next week? It stems from the fact that the Snell Foundation will continue to certify helmets made under the Snell M2005 standard until March 31, 2012. There are now hundreds of thousands of pre-M2010 Snell helmets on rider’s heads, in garages and on retailer’s shelves, and hundreds of thousands more that will be made in coming years — which means that riders, especially those with smaller heads, will have to pay close attention when buying a helmet.

In one test the Snell M2005 standard requires each helmet to withstand two successive impacts against an orange-sized steel hemisphere without subjecting the aluminum “headform” inside to more than 300 times the force of gravity, or 300 g’s.

Hugh H. Hurt, a researcher who developed the Head Protection Research Laboratory at the University of Southern California, and author of the Hurt Report, a seminal study of motorcycle crashes, calls the current Snell M2005 standard “a little bit excessive.”

“What should the limit on helmets be?” Mr. Hurt asks, referring the g-force levels. “They should be softer, softer, softer. Because people are wearing these so-called high performance helmets and are getting diffuse brain injuries — well, they’re screwed up for life. Taking 300 g’s is not a safe thing.”

James A. Newman, a former director of the Snell Memorial Foundation, considers the Snell tests obsolete. “If you want to create a realistic helmet standard, you don’t go bashing helmets onto hemispherical steel balls. And you certainly don’t do it twice,” he said.

Mr. Newman has estimated an impact of 200 to 250 g’s to the head corresponds to a severe brain injury, that a 250 to 300g impact corresponds to a critical injury, and that a hit over 300 g’s is often not survivable.

“Over the last 30 years,” Mr. Newman said, “we’ve come to the realization that people falling off motorcycles hardly ever, ever hit their head in the same place twice. So we have helmets that are designed to withstand two hits at the same site. But in doing so, we have severely, severely compromised their ability to take one hit and absorb energy properly.”

Scientists and helmet makers have also objected to the Snell M2005 standard’s requirement for impact-testing all helmets with a headform of the same weight, regardless of the helmet’s size. Even Ed Becker, executive director of the Snell Foundation and its most outspoken defender, agrees that the weight of a wearer’s head is of great significance in helmet design. “These headform issues of mass and geometry are crucial. The mass determines the total momentum that must be exchanged in an impact.” The mandatory Transportation Department, or D.O.T., standard has dictated graduated-weight headforms since 1988, forcing makers to tailor the impact-absorption qualities of a smaller helmet to the lower levels of inertia produced by a smaller head. The European standard, mandatory in Europe, Britain and a total of over 50 countries, has required graduated-weight headforms since 1983.

David R. Thom, a respected helmet-testing scientist who operates Collision and Injury Dynamics in El Segundo, Calif., said of Snell’s one-weight-fits-all approach: “They are not in touch with reality.”

The standards disagreement has prompted some riders and racers to choose helmets that do not carry the Snell certification label — even though the most expensive and respected helmet brands available in the United States are predominantly Snell-certified. It has also inspired some helmet manufacturers, especially European makers, to forgo Snell, preferring to build their helmets to what they consider the more-appropriate American and United Nations ECE 22-05 standards.

In one comprehensive study of real-world impact performance based on research done for Motorcyclist Magazine, presented by Mr. Thom to the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, a $79.95 helmet certified to Transportation Department standards performed the best of the 32 tested, withstanding the most violent hits while transmitting as much as 67 g’s less impact force to the headform than a $400 Snell-certified helmet.

The M2010 Snell standard will drop its maximum allowable g’s from 300 to 275. It will also adopt graduated-weight headforms.

According to Mr. Becker, the M2010 standard was designed in consultation with helmet manufacturers, to allow a single helmet design to pass all the world’s major standards. As it stands now, a Snell M2005-certified helmet may also pass the D.O.T. standard, but is unlikely to pass the ECE 22-05 standard used in European countries. Manufacturers must re-engineer their Snell M2005-rated helmets, making them “softer” in order to sell them in Europe.

So Snell M2010 helmets will, according to Snell, fall in line with both the D.O.T. and ECE 22-05 standards. As of now, no manufacturer has announced to market helmets that meet both Snell M2010 and the European standard.

It’s difficult to tell a Snell M2010 helmet from the outside; the label on the back of most helmets simply says Snell. But deep inside, stuck somewhere on the inner foam liner, should be a detailed Snell sticker that will reveal the specific Snell rating.

Of course, a rider can also do what some outspoken scientists have recommended for years: simply choose a non-Snell-rated helmet.

Peter “The Bear” Thoeming

We can’t fix the problem...

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 05:49:00 GMT

...so let’s fix a problem that doesn’t exist, instead.

Sometimes I really do think I need to give up reading, especially stuff on the web. Here’s the beginning of an item that recently arrived in a motorcycle site newsletter:

Reducing the national blood alcohol limit for drivers to .02 could substantially cut the number of road fatalities, according to Victorian Assistant Police Commissioner Stephen Fontana.

Speaking at a binge-drinking forum in Melbourne, Mr Fontana said a third of Victorian road crashes involved excessive alcohol.

"We are still getting a lot of drivers who are well over the limit, so we might need to rethink that (.05 limit)" Mr Fontana was quoted as saying in The Age newspaper.

"We still have a lot of problems with alcohol on our roads.’”

Okay, Steve, let me see if I have this right. A lot of people are breaking the law, so let’s change the law to make sure that even more people break it. Has it occurred to you that the people you’re concerned about are already breaking the law? What makes you think that introducing a tougher law will suddenly not only make them drink less, but much less?

And a lot of people who can drive perfectly well with .03 or .04 or .05 of alcohol in their blood will suddenly be lawbreakers as well. To no benefit, by your own admission: these people are not the problem. I suppose the police will be able to say that drink driving has gone up even further, and insist on the limit being lowered even more!
This is rubbish. If you’re going to change the law, change it to something that will actually address the problem. Or maybe you could just work out a way of policing it properly in the first place. That’s your job, isn’t it?

Fail!

This makes almost as little sense as dropping the speed limit on the Old Pacific Highway out of Sydney. There is a problem here with speeding bikers running out of talent, but like the drinkers they’re already breaking the law, and they’ll continue to do it no matter what a sign says.

Lowering the speed limit just increases the speed differential between them and legal traffic – and that’s one of the biggest causes of crashes. A reasonable speed limit and proper policing is the answer.

Fail!

Peter “The Bear” Thoeming

Poetic justice?

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 03:17:00 GMT

Having a garden stake driven through your body is not something we’d wish on anybody, but…

Sometimes it can be hard to know how to react to a news item. Take this one, from the Illawarra Mercury. If you’ve ever had a bike stolen from you, you will know how infuriating that can be. Here’s a bloke who didn’t get away with it…

A Nowra man who was impaled by a garden stake in a motorcycle accident is believed to have been robbed and assaulted while suffering his life-threatening injuries.

The 39-year-old allegedly stole a bike and was riding it along Adelaide St, Greenwell Point, when he lost control and slid into a garden bed at 1.45pm yesterday.

A timber metre-long garden stake was driven through his right armpit and out his back. A puncture wound was also found on his leg.

NSW Ambulance officers said they responded to reports of a man who had a garden stake in his torso and required surgical intervention.

Paramedics arrived to find the man conscious and the stake already pulled from his body.

Nowra police confirmed there was no motorcycle at the scene when authorities arrived.

A source said the owner of the bike had caught up with the rider, pulled out the stake and punched him on the nose before taking his wallet and reclaiming the motorcycle.

The injured man was airlifted to St George Hospital suffering internal injuries and a suspected broken nose.

It’s the broken nose that really gets me…

Peter “The Bear” Thoeming

Poetic justice?

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 23:40:00 GMT

Big Brother, watch out!

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 02:46:00 GMT

Finally someone’s doing something, but not here – yet!

I don’t normally pinch stuff from the web but I couldn’t resist this one. It’s from the Sunday Times in England, and my only comment is: we need something like Big Brother Watch here! Who’s going to put up their hand to get it going? I’ll support it in any way I can.

Peter “The Bear” Thoeming

Think tank: Be warned, Big Brother, I’ve got my eye on you
Matthew Elliott begins a campaign against our surveillance state
Matthew Elliott
In June, Stewart Smith, who suffers from arthritis, was handed a £50 fixed penalty notice after dropping a £10 note in the street. Last year Gareth Corkhill, a father of four, had to pay £225 and got a criminal record when magistrates found him guilty of leaving the lid of his wheelie bin open by a mere four inches. Last month Stephen White’s sister Helen was rung several times and visited at her house by police officers wanting to know the whereabouts of her trainspotter brother, who had been using her car while taking pictures of trains in Pembrokeshire.

What is going on? Over the past 10 years our government has become increasingly overbearing, creating a nation of criminals out of good British citizens. We are subject to ever more officious laws and intrusive means of surveillance. Britain has 1% of the world’s population but about 20% of its CCTV cameras; it has one camera for every 14 people in the country. Last year local authorities, the police and the intelligence services made 504,073 requests to access private e-mail and telephone data — that is nearly 10,000 requests every week.

Documents leaked earlier this year revealed that GCHQ, the government’s spy centre, had already awarded £200m to suppliers as part of Mastering the Internet, a mass surveillance project designed to enable the monitoring of all internet use and phone calls in Britain.

An Englishman’s home is no longer his castle: some 266 laws now grant the state the right to enter private homes. And if they can’t get you on tape, online or in your home, in recent months a slew of websites has appeared encouraging citizens to shop people dropping litter or acting suspiciously. Just as in Orwell’s dystopia, Britain is being turned into a nation of narks.

It is time to fight back. The TaxPayers’ Alliance (TPA) has already led the field in exposing the outrageous waste of taxpayers’ money and malpractice throughout all levels of government. Our campaigns on MPs’ expenses, the growth of the quango state and the rise of public sector fat cats have helped to shape public opinion and the policies of both the government and opposition. Now we are launching Big Brother Watch as a check on the surveillance state.

The campaign will be headed by Alex Deane, a barrister and David Cameron’s first chief of staff, supported by Dylan Sharpe, Boris Johnson’s press officer for his London mayoral campaign.

Big Brother Watch plans to produce regular investigative research papers on the erosion of civil liberties in the UK, beginning with a detailed investigation of the ways in which individual local authorities have encroached upon the lives of the ordinary British citizen, whether it be placing microchips in rubbish bins or snooping on your private telephone records. We will name and shame the local authorities most prone to authoritarian abuses.

We will also champion individual cases. We want to use the legal system to help the man in the street fight injustice and regain his personal freedom. We are building up a legal fund to back cases in which we feel a key principle is at stake.

Not many people realise they can use the Freedom of Information Act to demand to see data held about themselves by the authorities. The Human Rights Act, which came into force in 2000, makes it unlawful for any public body to act in a way that is incompatible with the European convention on human rights. The convention includes the right of access to documents and we want to help people to use this and other provisions to extend our right to government information.
In the same way that the TPA has pioneered the use of the Freedom of Information Act to bring transparency to government spending and expose the full horrors of the wastage, wages and expenses of our public representatives, we intend to unearth the reality of the Big Brother state.

Last year the TPA produced a report that put the total cost of Big Brother government at about £20 billion — or almost £800 per household. We want Big Brother Watch to become the central hub for the latest on personal freedom and civil liberty — a forum for information and discussion on something that directly affects British citizens in their everyday lives.

Big Brother Watch also aims to expose the extent to which the web has become the first line in state surveillance. Recent examples of web companies being leant on to release personal data have opened the floodgates for the co-opting of internet activity into the state’s control. Safeguards are needed before it’s too late.

We hope Big Brother Watch will become the gadfly of the ruling class, a champion for civil liberties and personal freedom — and a force to help a future government roll back a decade of state interference in our lives.

Matthew Elliott is chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance and founder of Big Brother Watch (www.bigbrotherwatch.org.uk)

Big Brother, watch out!

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:03:00 GMT