Witnesses are being sought after a 2004 blue Honda Accord sedan merged into a lane with a 2012 blue Harley-Davidson causing it to crash on the Logan Motorway at Springwood last Wednesday (November 7, 2018).
Forensic Crash Unit investigators have released this video as part of an appeal for information.
The crash happened about 4.50pm on the Logan Road on-ramp, towards the southbound lanes of the Pacific Motorway.
A 55-year-old Harley rider was hit when the Accord to merged into his lane. He remains in the Princess Alexandra Hospital in a serious but stable condition.
A 21-year-old Woodridge man “continues to assist with the investigation”.
The driver did not pull up after the Harley crashed at the side of the road.
However, a second motorcyclist pulled the driver over for a short conversation before riding on.
Police now want to speak with the second motorcyclist to continue investigations into the crash, or any other witnesses, particularly those with dash cam footage.
Eye witnesses can contact Policelink on 131 444, fill out the online form 24hrs per day, or call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via crimestoppersqld.com.au.
Riders should be aware that spring and summer is the season for resurfacing roadworks in most southern areas because the warmer weather makes asphalt more stable and easier to compact.
NSW alone has more than 175km of road resurfacing scheduled over the next few months.
Roads and Maritime Service Regional Maintenance Director John Dinan says asphalting work starting this month includes the Ballina Bypass (Pacific Highway), the Bruxner Highway near Alstonville, Pacific Highway where to intersects with the Oxley Highway, and at Coffs Harbour.
“The warmer weather allows the asphalt to remain stable and easy to compact before it cools,” he says.
However, asphalt resurfacing occurs all year round in Queensland, north NSW and northern parts of South Australia and Western Australia.
Riders should also check relevant websites provided by road authorities and automobile clubs that list roadworks.
You can also use some of these sites to report dangerous road conditions.
Resurfacing stats
John says there is about 2.5 tonnes of asphalt per cubic metre of road and they can lay up to 2000 tonnes of asphalt per day. They target resurfacing 2.3% of all tarmac roads a year.
“Asphalt is safe, smooth and durable and is up to 100% reusable,” he says.
“It’s also flexible and new technologies used is making asphalt a more sustainable choice for road surfaces.”
Australian Asphalt Pavement Association NSW Executive Director Dougall Broadfoot says motorists are not allowed to ride on newly laid asphalt until it has cooled to below 60C.
“If the new asphalt surface is not allowed to cool down sufficiently, passing vehicles may affect the smoothness of the surface before it sets,” he says.
“By driving over soft asphalt it may create bumps and grooves on the surface, which would be a less smooth journey for motorists. An uneven surface also causes water to pool in the grooves.
“So please be patient when near worksites, for the safety of yourself and workers. Follow the instruction of traffic controllers and the reduced speed limit of 40km/h when work is carried out.”
Riders have been urged to check the spokes on their motorcycle wheels more frequently in the wake of one rider finding his badly handling bike had 10 loose spokes.
The result of loose spokes can be poor handling and can cause rapid tyre deflation on tubeless tyres.
Brisbane rider Mark Taylor says he had loose spokes on his four-month-old BMW R 1200 GS tightened during a tyre change at 3000km.
He had only ridden another couple of thousands kilometres before 10 spokes came loose again, causing the rear end to slide around.
Mark and his GS
“The bike nearly bucked me off coming down a mountain road and started to oversteer in the corners,” he says.
“It scared the life out of me. I thought I was going to buy the farm.
“The dealer confirmed it’s a faulty wheel with 10 loose spokes.
“BMW Motorrad Australia have no replacements, so my bike will be off the road for up to five weeks until a new wheel comes from Germany.”
Other riders on BMW internet forums have also complained of the same issue.
BMW R 1200 GS spoked wheel
We contacted BMW Motorrad Australia who advised there is no safety recall on this issue.
“However, there is a service campaign and owners are encouraged to contact their dealer if there are concerns,” a spokesman says.
Mark is not happy and has contacted the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission seeking a safety recall on the model.
“My main issue is that these bikes are not safe to ride and should all be recalled straight away to be checked for potential deadly faults,” Mark says.
RACQ Head of Technical and Safety Policy Steve Spalding says that if an owner finds a safety related problem with their motorcycle they should always alert the manufacturer and ask for it to be investigated.
“Not only is this a safeguard against continuing to ride a bike with a potential safety risk but it may also give an early warning to the manufacturer of a possible defect affecting a wider group or riders.”
All riders whose bikes have spoked wheels should periodically check them for loose, broken or rusted spokes.
It’s a simple process.
Just lightly tap each spoke with a screwdriver or metal object.
They should all make a similarly pitched “ping” sound. If they make a lower, dull “thud”, then they are loose.
To tighten a spoke, turn the nut or “nipple” on the end closest to the tyre in a clockwise direction.
Like tuning a piano or guitar, you need to get the spoke to make the same tone as the surrounding spokes. Don’t over-tighten.
German automotive technology company Continental AG plans to be the first with a motorcycle emergency brake-assist system that applies extra brake pressure when it senses a crash.
Their system would not be automatic like in some cars that take over braking duties from the driver.
Continental recognises that motorcycles are different to cars and say their system would only assist the rider.
It works by using accurate fifth-generation radar sensors to detect imminent crash dangers.
However, the system would have to be different to cars as motorcycles lane filter close to vehicles which could easily activate emergency braking systems and send riders tumbling into traffic.
Continental motorcycle spokesman Christian Pfeiffer says their system would first alert the rider via “haptic” vibrations in the handlebars.
“Low initial braking pressure then helps the rider with the active braking operation,” he says.
“If the rider does not react to the warning, emergency brake assist automatically builds up braking force if the rider has both hands on the handlebars. The deceleration is much less pronounced than in a passenger car emergency braking system.”
A few years ago ABS was an optional safety system for those who wanted it. From the end of next year it will be mandatory in Australia. (See details at the end of this article)
How long before emergency brake assist also becomes mandatory on motorcycles?
The United Nations #STOPTHECRASH campaign has called for mandatory autonomous emergency braking that activates at slow speeds if an obstacle is sensed in front of the bike.
Of course, the makers of many of these electronic safety devices, Continental, Bosch and Denso, are supporters of the UN program.
Emergency brake assist is not the only electronic safety technology Continental is developing.
They are also working on sensors that detect roadside speed signs and display them to the rider, adaptive cruise control, blind spot detection and automatic switching to high beam.
Sign detection
Adaptive cruise control
Blind spot alert
Headlight assist
All these systems are based on Continental’s fifth-generation radar that go into production in 2019.
They use improved object detection algorithms that detect even smaller objects such as an exhaust that has fallen off a car.
The heights of objects can also be calculated by an elevation measurement device that detects the tail of a traffic jam under a bridge or road boundaries such as kerbs.
Continental claims their tech is now smaller and lighter.
It consists of a sensor cluster that measures acceleration and yaw rate, a radar system that analyses this data, plus brake and engine control units that activate on demand.
Continental say these can be fitted to motorcycles of all sizes from a single source, including the instrument cluster, that warns the rider of an imminent collision.
ABS will be mandatory on motorcycles, trikes and scooters over 125cc, while either ABS or CBS will be mandatory on those under 125cc.Trail bikes under 250cc and all enduro and trials bikes are exempt.
If the bike has switchable ABS, the default setting when the bike is turned off and turned back on again will be for ABS to be active.
Countries with mandatory ABS on designated motorcycles in all European nations, Japan, India, Brazil and Taiwan.
Even the USA – the land of freedom of choice – is now considering making ABS mandatory.
