(Mel) Yarra Ranges M'cycle Safety courses

The background:
The Yarra Ranges Shire takes in a good batch of Melbourne's best bike roads.
From Mt. Dandenong and backblocks to Healesville, Warburton, Reefton Spur to
Toolangi, Emerald to Cockatoo, the roads and scenery are brilliant.
BUT...the stats show that about 40% of fatalities in the Shire involve
bikes. No surprise really, looking at the roads and the popularity amongst
Melbourne's m'cycle community.

To curb the toll, the shire started a pilot scheme of guided rides with
instructors last year, ran 4 Saturday-rides which finished up becoming so
popular so quickly that they were over-subscribed. Riders from Ballarat to
Wangaratta showed up at those free-of-charge tutorial rides.
It's been a resounding success and plans are in place to repeat and expand
on last years events.

It's supported by the Shire, Vicroads and TAC. The instructors are from
Yamaha AUS and participants also get briefed by police and ambos at the end
of the ride.
5 rides are planned, plus 2 learners-only rides and 1 ladies-only (with
female instructor), a total of 8 rides for the period between late October
and Anzac Day next year.
This year there will be a $30 fee to cover costs, still cheap considering
what's on offer.
The rides are run on the Shire roads, incl. the Reefton Spur.

For more info call the Yarra Ranges Shire or their Road Safety Officer Mark
McGuire on 1300 368 333.

cheers
pete

 

I'd be happy to pay $30 _not_ to get 'briefed' by police on
the Reefton Spur, and I'd pay a lot more to avoid getting
debriefed by the Ambos!

-----sharks

 

In aus.motorcycles on Wed, 20 Aug 2003 10:39:27 +1000

Seems to me that you get instructors giving you an idea of the best way
to ride, and some tips on what you might be doing wrong.

Zebee

 

) Nice one.
pete

Rider Improvement ist nie eine Verschwendung von Uebertragungskapazitaeten

 

wouldnt get by riding those roads anyway?
Perhaps it should be looked at as a rider-training course on REAL
roads...not an isolated one-way-traffic track.
After all, there are instructors as ride leaders, ambos and police involved
to tell things from their perspective, a spiel about safety-gear and
protective clothing before the ride etc.
This area is my "home-turf" (living in the Shire) and I've seen scores of
prangs over the years,
the one at the bottom of Myers Creek Road (Healesville) last Sunday was just
the latest one in a long line.

What's $30 for a day with instructors?
$160 for a 1-day rider-training-course at PI will most probably tell you as
much stuff that you already know after years on the roads as this one.
What you make out of it it always up to the individual.

Last years success of this initiative seemed to have sparked some copies,
some other shires are considering offering the same in the future.

cheers
pete

 

Great little road that. I was up there on Sunday arvo too. I must have been
enjoying a cold beer in front of the open fire at the Black Spur Hotel when
the accident happened though.

Nev..
'02 CBR1100XX #2

 

No idea, give them a call...
pete