Couple of points

George W Frost wrote:

Just out of curiosity does anyone know if that type of scenario gets
investigated from a "state of mind" of driver (or rider) point of view.

Both retirement and redundancy can be quite traumatic to some people,
and perhaps the accident may not always be accidental.

regards,
CrazyCam

 

In aus.motorcycles on Thu, 03 Sep 2009 09:40:45 +1000

I dunno anyone can really do that, although there's a fair bit of
speculation (by parties who can't be called impartial such as
varieties of mental illness groups) that a lot of single vehicle
crashes are suicides.

The cops can't tell at the crash scene if no one leaves a note... and
as I think insurance companies are still iffy about paying out for
same I doubt anyone's going to jump up and down about it.

http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/wellbeing/revealed-australias-suicide-epidemic-20090820-es3p.html
claims "None of this takes into account suicides by way of single
vehicle accidents - these are the only aspect of road accident deaths
rising as a percentage of total deaths."

Zebee

 

Zebee Johnstone wrote:

It certainly makes strategies to reduce single vehicle crashes seem
rather pointless if any significant number of those crashes are deliberate.

regards,
CrazyCam

 

In aus.motorcycles on Thu, 03 Sep 2009 10:18:45 +1000

I think that would have to be "a very significant number".

I'd say this is a definite time to stop the emphasis on fatals and
start looking at all injury crashes. That would probably make it
easier to remove the suicides from the data and concentrate on
things that can be done to reduce crashes that aren't trying to
happen.

Zebee

 

Up until a few months ago, I think in NSW, you could get your
learners, and on the same day do your driving test, but not actually
have to do any months at all of P plates if you were over 30.
Evidentally, this is not the case anymore.

--
TimC
VBScript is designed to be a secure programming environment. It
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a malicious manner. This added security is critical in enterprise
solutions. -- support.microsoft.com

 

When does "significant" become "very significant"..... my guess is when
it's available for an excuse to the powers that be, to do what they want
and/or is cheapest.

I don't actually see the logic in this.

Single vehicle crashes, if the person(s) involved don't die, still
doesn't mean they didn't want to die.


regards,
CrazyCam

 

Whilst that might have been the case, practicalies get in the way. If
your first time on a bike was on the supplied bike at the pre-L's
course (mine was) then you need time to become proficient, at least
sufficiently so to pass the MOST. That took me 3 months, so there ya
go.

 

In aus.motorcycles on Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:40:28 +1000

No, but it is more likely to include ones where they didn't.

Because if you are going to try and kill yourself, then you'd probably
plan to do it in a way you think will work.

So if you look at injury crashes you are going to find more that are
unlikely to be suicides and you can fix the problems they show. (and
you can talk to the people involved which is always helpful)

Zebee

 

yes that would work BUT requires prior though and how many in the
general population will bother thus allowing ready tracking and profiling /.

 

first sign of the problems I was developing then came lens damage and a
slight cataract meaning some fussiness , 20 minutes in theatre and all
fixed..

 

Yea I know but how many will bother .. 30 seconds in the degausser fixed
mine for now

 

which means application for anything over 300>350cc should be
accompanied by a qualifying course unless constant and recent
experience and a lesser test be supplied

 

I hadn't ridden the blade for a couple of weeks
the first 20 minutes was pretty intimidating until the reflexes kicked
in and then I got into 3rd entering the motorway
for a recent convert that machine would be death on a stick imho

 

No one said age instils smarts

 

Ooop! My bad. For Z50 read 'Honda postie'. Now cue BTh getting up me
instead

 

You're contesting my second point? I would have thought the first point
was self-evident - disk brakes and modern rubber mean that no '70's bike
can come close. In which case my second point naturally follows: if these
born-again riders are getting into trouble on a bike that handles and
stops way better than what they were riding in the '70's, the problem
isn't the bike, is it?

It would be interesting to benchmark my first point, although finding a
few '70's bikes with '70's rubber might be a bit of an ask.

 

I estimate suicide represents a significant percentage of the road toll.
5%-10% possibly?

Boxer

 

Forty years of age is the minimum.

regards,
CrazyCam

 

It was probably more aimed at riders who had ridden bikes without a
licence, or those who had a licence in another judisdiction which wasn't
carried over to NSW.

Nev..
'08 DL1000K8

 

As I remember when guns became difficult to access some years back there
was a corresponding rise in single accident hits
pretty much a mirror for the figures pre-existing re suicide males