Highly awarded disability advocate Sue Salthouse has died after a collision between her wheelchair-accessible motorcycle and a car in Canberra yesterday afternoon (20 July 2020).
Sue, aged 71, was left with a broken back and wheelchair bound after a horse riding accident in 1995.
Following the accident, she has advocated for the inclusion of people with disability in society.
Awarded advocate
Sue has been awarded several honours for her work:
In 2010 she received the Edna Award for community activism;
2011 Inclusion Award in recognition of working towards an inclusive attitude for people whatever their disability;
2014 named ACT Senior Woman of the Year in 2014;
2015 Canberra Citizen of the Year;
2017 she won the Lesley Hall Leadership Award at the National Disability Awards; and
This year she was named ACT’s Senior Australian of the Year.
She was also co-chair of the ACT Disability Expert Panel advising on the National Disability Insurance Scheme, influenced the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and between 2009-2012 was president of Women with Disabilities Australia.
ACT Policing say the accident occurred on Commonwealth Avenue Bridge.
She was treated at the scene by ACT Ambulance Service Paramedics before being transported to hospital where she later died.
Our sincere condolences to her family, friends and associates.
Police are investigating and are calling for anyone who witnessed the collision to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
ACT Police were made aware of this video a day later and began investigating.
A second video later emerged showing the same driver swerving at another rider.
ACT Police made several calls for help to identify the two riders so a charge could be laid.
The rider in the second incident
At the time, ACT Police issued these details of the incident:
About 4:30pm, the riders were separately travelling northbound on Majura Parkway, Majura, when a green Ford Falcon swerved, almost colliding with the riders. At the time, the riders were lawfully lane filtering.
Swerving justice
The Australian Motorcycle Council says it is “of concern when a driver uses their vehicle in a premeditated manner, as a weapon to harm others”.
“There appears to be little distinction between the quality of actions of this driver and those of the driver who killed pedestrians in Melbourne, although a difference in the scale or degree,” the MCA says.
ACT rider Bill Gemmell says “keeping the offender’s name name out of the public gaze does nothing to ensure the deterrence objective is met”.
“This result doesn’t make me feel safer because the place has an epidemic of bad driving,” he says.
Surely it is time for some major advertising campaigns in each state to advise motorists that riders are allowed to filter and what benefits there are for ALL motorists.
So far, lane filtering education campaigns have been minimal and mainly aimed at riders, not the general motoring public.
We not only need major ad campaigns, but also roadside signage such as this photoshopped sign.
Here’s a sign we’d like to see!
We are not aware of any polls about lane filtering in Australia.
However, in California where lane splitting (filtering at higher speeds than 30km/h) is legal, polls have found it is vastly unpopular among other road users. The main objection is that it’s unfair!
That breeds hostility which results in stupid behaviour such as in the above video.
Lane splitting is unpopular in the USA
So long as lane filtering remains unpopular and/or erroneously believed to be illegal, motorists will do stupid and dangerous things to stop riders filtering.
A motorist faces two charges of driving with intent to menace after two incidents involving a car swerving toward lane filtering riders were videoed in October 2018.
The alleged offender will appear before the ACT Magistrates Court on 19 June 2019 and faces more than $3000 in fines or 12 months in jail or both for each of the charges.
ACT Police were made aware of this video a day later and began investigating.
A second video later emerged showing another rider also allegedly being intimidated by the same driver.
ACT Police made several calls for help to identify the two riders so a charge could be laid.
The rider in the second incident
Two charges
At the time, ACT Police issued these details of the incident:
About 4:30pm, the riders were separately travelling northbound on Majura Parkway, Majura, when a green Ford Falcon swerved, almost colliding with the riders. At the time, the riders were lawfully lane filtering.
Police could not provide any further details, but we suspect that the two charge numbers supplied means both riders have come forward.
We will follow the matter when the charges are heard in court next month.
Lane filtering is now legal in all states and territories (except NT and WA which is expected to follow shortly) and has been legal in NSW almost five years.
Not only is lane filtering legal but it also benefits all motorists as it helps move heavy traffic more quickly.
You can do your bit to educate drivers by sharing this article you are reading now as well as this “Open letter to drivers“.
Filtering rage
Drivers obstructing riders has been happening since lane filtering was introduced.
Check out this video from 2017 sent to us by Newcastle rider Harry Criticos.
“I was filtering legally when a driver stuck his whole body out in an attempt to block me,” the 2016 Triple Black R 1200 GS rider told us.
“I did not stop and he did make contact with the bike. I hope it hurt.”
It might be worth telling your driver mates that this particular motorist not only got hit, but also copped a $325 fine and three demerit points.
Lane filtering is legal
Surely it is time for some major advertising campaigns in each state to advise motorists that riders are allowed to filter and what benefits there are for ALL motorists.
So far, lane filtering education campaigns have been minimal and mainly aimed at riders, not the general motoring public.
We not only need major ad campaigns, but also roadside signage such as this photoshopped sign.
Here’s a sign we’d like to see!
We are not aware of any polls about lane filtering in Australia.
However, in California where lane splitting (filtering at higher speeds than 30km/h) is legal, polls have found it is vastly unpopular among other road users. The main objection is that it’s unfair!
That breeds hostility which results in stupid behaviour such as in the above video.
Lane splitting is unpopular in the USA
So long as lane filtering remains unpopular and/or erroneously believed to be illegal, motorists will do stupid and dangerous things to stop riders filtering.
