NSW Police are at the scene of a fatal collision between a motorcycle and a truck in McGraths Hill in Sydney’s north-west.
About 12.35pm (Tuesday 22 October 2019), police attended the intersection of Windsor Road and Pitt Town Road following reports of a collision between a motorcyclist and a truck.
“The male rider was thrown from the bike and suffered serious injuries,” NSW Police say.
“The man was treated at the scene, however died.
“The driver of the truck was not injured and has been taken to Hawkesbury Hospital for mandatory testing.
“A crime scene has been established and the circumstances surrounding the collision are being investigated.
Windsor Road is closed in both directions and local diversions are in place. Motorists are advised to avoid the area.
A brief will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.
Our sincere condolences to the rider’s family and friends.
Police claiming all bikies are criminals is vilifying them in a similar way as saying prostitutes cannot be rape victims, says former detective and now Bond Uni criminology lecturer Terry Goldsworthy.
Terry says police commentary over Ross’s alleged murder represent vilification.
Queensland Police Superintendent Brendan Smith is quoted as saying “bikie lifestyle carries its own risk”.
“Anyone who thinks a bikie is a motorcycle enthusiast is kidding themselves – they are criminals and criminal behaviour is hazardous,” Supt Smith is quoted as saying.
Vilifying bikies
Terry says this kind of statement creates “obvious” problems.
“The data clearly tells us that bikies are not all criminals,” he says.
“They generally do not carry out criminal activity within the auspices of the gang.
“Being a criminal does not mean that you should be treated any less as a victim.
“This kind of thought process harks back to the logic that a prostitute cannot be raped, or the short skirt justification for rape etc.
“When you vilify the status of the victim you are intentionally suggesting that they are somehow to blame for the offence committed against them and the act is minimised. Every victim deserves to be treated the same.”
As we found during the height of the original VLAD laws, riders wearing club “colours” were mistakenly vilified as “outlaw bikies” by both the public and police.
Vilifying anyone because of their association is not only careless, but can be dangerous.
Criminals should only be classed as criminal for their actions, not because of their membership of a group.
Victorian Police have warned riders heading to the Phillip Island MotoGP this weekend of increased patrols in and around the track.
The annual Operation MotoSafe will also concentrate on eastern Victorian roads leading to the venue.
Eastern Region Road Policing Inspector Stephen Cooper said that this year has been a “particularly challenging year” on Victorian roads, with a “lot of the trauma taking place in country Victoria”.
“At the beginning of the year we saw a lot of fatalities and serious injuries involving motorcyclists,” Insp Cooper says.
“With the warmer weather encouraging riders to get back on their motorcycles, we want everyone to know that police will be out enforcing against those who engage in risky behaviour.”
During the operation, police patrols will target drivers impaired by alcohol and drugs, as well as fatigue.
Track patrols
Between 25 and 27 October, police will patrol in and around the race track and on all roads leading to Phillip Island.
“With increased motorcycle traffic in the area, we need both motorcyclists and other road users to be alert and aware of their surroundings,” Insp Cooper says.
“The Grand Prix weekend is one motorcycle enthusiasts enjoy and look forward to every year.
“The last thing we would want is for it to end in tragedy.”
A Kia Rio has ploughed head-on into a group of four motorcyclists in Kyogle, northern NSW, killing one and injuring three riders yesterday (20 October 2019).
Police say the latest accident happened about 1.45pm on a hill crest opposite the Cemetery on the south side of town. (Image above courtesy NBN News.)
Emergency services attended the crash on Summerland Way, near Runnymede Road, following reports a Kia Rio travelling north and four motorcycles travelling south collided.
One of the motorcycle riders, believed to be a 55-year-old man, suffered critical injuries and died at the scene.
Another rider, a 56-year-old man, suffered serious injuries and was taken to Lismore Base Hospital before being airlifted to Gold Coast University Hospital in a serious but stable condition.
The other two riders, aged 52 and 53, suffered serious injuries and were taken to Lismore Base Hospital for treatment.
The driver and sole-occupant of the vehicle, a 52-year-old man, was trapped for a short time before being released and taken to Lismore Hospital for treatment and mandatory testing.
Officers from Richmond Police District established a crime scene, which was examined by the Far North Coast Crash Investigations Unit.
Inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the crash continue and a report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner. No charges have yet been laid.
Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report crime via NSW Police social media pages.
Our sincere condolences to the families and friends of all riders killed and our best wishes for a full and speedy recovery for all those injured in these crashes.
Group crashes
North American group riding crash (Image: Associated Press)
Riders are vulnerable road users, but when they are riding in a group they present a bigger target and the results can be carnage.
We have reported on several group crashes in recent months in Australia.
It was a tragic day on NSW roads yesterday for motorcycle riders with one dead and two injured in two separate incidents.
Tragic crash
A male rider, 45, has died in a motorcycle crash on a gravel road in the far west of NSW about 3.30pm yesterday (Saturday 19 October 2019).
Police say emergency services were called to the Wilcannia-East Road, 10 kilometres outside Menindee, “following reports a motorcycle rider had been ejected from his bike”.
The rider died at the scene despite efforts to revive him.
Officers from Broken Hill Police Station established a crime scene and commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash.
A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.
Rider and pillion injured
A 59-year-old man was airlifted to hospital in a critical condition after coming off his motorbike in the state’s Northern Region yesterday.
Emergency services were called to Limpinwood Road, Tyalgum, shortly before midday (Saturday 19 October 2019), following reports a motorcycle had crashed into a tree.
“On arrival officers found a 59-year-old rider suffering critical injuries,” police say.
“He was stabilised at the scene before being airlifted to Gold Coast University Hospital suffering critical head injuries.”
He remains in a serious condition.
His female pillion passenger, aged 57, suffered shoulder and ankle injuries and was taken to Tweed Heads Hospital for further treatment.
Inquiries are continuing by officers from Tweed/Byron Police District.
A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.
Anyone with information about any of these incidents is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report crime via NSW Police social media pages.
Our condolences to the riders’ family and friends and our best wishes for the injured rider and passenger for a full and speedy recovery.
A male rider in his 50s has died after a car and his motorcycle collided on Waterfall Way, south-west of Coffs Harbour yesterday (Friday 18 October 2019).
Police say the motorcycle was heading east on Waterfall Way when it collided with a car coming in the opposite direction shortly after 4pm about 13km west of Bellingen.
The rider, who is yet to be formally identified but believed to from Coffs Harbour, died at the scene.
Three people travelling in the car were taken to the Coffs Harbour Health Campus with minor injuries.
The driver, a 31-year-old woman from Armidale, has undergone mandatory blood and urine testing.
Waterfall Way was closed in both directions for four hours, re-opening at 8pm.
All images from NSW Transport Why We Ride video
A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.
Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report crime via NSW Police social media pages.
Our condolences to the rider’s family and friends and our best wishes for the injured passengers for a full and speedy recopvery.
No charges have been laid.
Waterfall Way
Waterfall Way is one of many “motorcycling roads” featured in the NSW Transport video series Roads We Ride.
It is one of the most popular roads in the region for motorcyclists.
Waterfall Way is both scenic and winding. However, it is also narrow, challenging and dangerous.
A male rider has died after his motorcycle struck a telegraph pole in Ingleburn, south-west Sydney, yesterday (12 October 2019).
Police have identified the rider as a 49-year-old man from Macquarie Fields.
“He was riding a back FL series Harley-Davidson — witnesses said at high speed — when he hit the power pole,” police say.
“He sustained major head injuries, dying on impact.”
The crash happened about 12.50pm on Collins Promenade, Ingleburn.
Officers from Campbelltown City Police Area Command established a crime scene and commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash.
A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.
Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report crime via NSW Police social media pages.
Our sincere condolences to the rider’s family and friends.
Roadside hazards
Roadside poles on Collins Promenade
A 2017 United Nations road safety report recommended the removal of roadside hazards such as poles as they are a proven cause of serious motorcycle crash injuries and deaths.
The 108-page World Health Organisation “Powered two- and three-wheeler safety” report says a motorcycle crash with a fixed roadside hazard is 15 times more likely to be fatal than a crash on the ground with no physical contact with a fixed hazard.
They also increase the severity of injuries in such crashes, it says.
The WHO report also suggests the removable of other roadside hazards such as trees, guardrails, utility poles and drainage structures.
It says the severity of a motorcycle, scooter or powered-two- or three-wheeler (PTW) crash with a roadside object depends on the speed, impact angle, surface area of the object and the impact absorption properties of the object.
They cite a study that found roadside objects were the primary cause of fatalities and another Australian and New Zealand study presented at the 2015 Australasian Road Safety Conference that concluded that almost all roadside objects are hazardous to PTW users.
“This is mainly due to the fact that all objects have been designed for safety of cars and their occupants rather than for PTWs,” it says.
The report says creating a roadside “clear zone” would not only minimise the risk of a rider hitting a hazardous object, but also provide room for them to correct errors.
“Choice of location of roadside equipment used for lighting or signage can also have a negative impact on PTW safety,” it says.
“Guardrails and crash barriers are often used to separate vehicles from roadside hazards but the design of such devices needs to take motorcyclists into account.”
The popular motorcycle routes of Summerland Way and the Gwydir Highway in northern NSW are closed due to bushfires.
An 11km stretch of Summerland Way between Leeville and Whiporie and a 5km section of the Gwydir Highway from east of Jackadgery to Eatonsville are closed for back burning and tree clearing.
The highway is also closed between Ramornie Station and Tindal roads.
Riders should consider alternate routes.
Emergency work being carried out includes specialists examining trees along and nearby the road to assess and manage the risk of them falling, inspecting road infrastructure such as bridges, culverts and safety barriers, as well as clearing debris from the road.
For the latest traffic updates download the Live Traffic NSW App, visit livetraffic.com or call 132 701.
Bushfire warnings
Meanwhile, there are also bushfire cautions about riding through areas of south east Queensland.
Police and emergency services are urging all motorists, in particular vulnerable motorcyclists, to heed warnings, avoid danger areas and stay hydrated.
Riders should be aware of the dangers of riding in bushfire areas and of accidentally starting bushfires in the current tinder-dry drought conditions.
Bushfires can spread rapidly and even outrun a vulnerable rider.
Riders are also in danger from smoke inhalation and low visibility and eye irritation from smoke.
But rural fire services also say several fires have been sparked by motorcycles.
They say about 40% of all bushfires are accidentally started by humans dropping cigarette butts, campfires, discarding bottles, sparks from machinery and motorcycles.
Most riders who accidentally spark these blazes are off-road and adventure bikes riding in the bush and on forestry tracks.
However, there is also the possibility of fires being started by road bikes if the rider pulls over to the side of the road where they may be long, dry grass.
The bike’s engine, exhaust, or catalytic convertor can be hot enough to set grass alight.
Tips to avoid dehydration in a heatwave:
Don’t drink too much alcohol the night before a ride. It has a diuretic effect which means it causes you to urinate more water than you take in which means you are losing fluid. And you can’t counteract that by drinking lots of water because most of it will go out in your urine. Obviously, don’t drink alcohol while you are riding!
Start drinking water as soon as you wake and keep sipping water right up until you get on your bike. It takes about half an hour for water to reach your muscles. Guzzling water just before a ride is not good as it can make your stomach to cramp. The Royal Flying Doctor Service which has attended dehydrated riders in the Outback, recommends carrying 10 litres of water per day! Read their Outback riding tips here.
Wear ventilated motorcycle clothing. Leathers may protect you better in a crash, but they create a “microclimate” which impairs your ability to lose heat. As a result you will produce more sweat to decrease your core temp. Instead, wear a flow-through jacket. There are heaps of options on the market. Make sure they have vents in the back so the air flows through. Also, loosen the sleeves so you get plenty of air on your wrists which have a lot of blood vessels close to the skin to effectively cool you down. However, be aware that a flow-through jacket cools you down because it is drying the sweat off your skin which can lead to dehydration. A set of Ventz up your sleeve will also keep you cool as air flows up your arms.However, don’t be fooled by your level of coolness as ventilation can also cause you to loose more water through evaporation. So you still need to keep drinking plenty of water.
Don’t be tempted to remove your jacket in the heat! Exposed skin may feel cooler, but that’s because the sweat is evaporating quicker, but that is just making you more dehydrated. And while your skin feels cool, you’ll be tricked into staying in the sun longer which leads to sunburn. That also leads to dehydration because your body needs water to repair and renew damaged skin.
Get a Camelbak or other brand of water-dispensing unit so you can continue to take small sips of water while you are riding. I’ve seen riders on GoldWings and other big tourers with cup holders so they can take slurps from a water bottle. That’s obviously not as safe as the hands-free Camelback option, but anything is better than nothing. Some people don’t like Camelbaks because the water gets hot, but the temperature of the water doesn’t affect dehydration.
Stop more often than usual and hang out in the shade or in an air-conditioned cafe. Since you are drinking lots of fluids, you will probably need to stop anyway!
While you’re stopped, have a coffee, but take it easy. No need to swear off your favourite caramel latte, but avoid excess coffee. That also goes for caffeinated drinks such as Red Bull. High levels of caffeine have a diuretic effect just like alcohol.
While having a coffee break, avoid having too many sweet cakes, donuts and muffins. Sugar can dehydrate you if it gets to very high levels in your blood. This can happen if you are a diabetic, take certain medications or have an infection or some organ diseases. Sugar causes your kidneys to produce more urine to eliminate the sugar, leading to dehydration. Likewise, don’t drink too many sugary drinks. Best to stick to plain water, real fruit juices with no added sugar or drinks such as Gatorade that replace salts and minerals lost in sweat.
We’ve talked a lot about urine and it’s important that you monitor the colour. It should be a straw colour. If it’s too dark, you are dehydrated.
Sweat also depletes your body of sodium and if it becomes too low, it can cause many of the same symptoms as dehydration. The average diet probably has enough sodium, but it’s good to have a little bit of salt on your meals or drink sports drinks that have a sodium supplement. However, beware of sports drinks with caffeine and sugar.
Ok, I know I said there were only 10 tips, but dehydration doesn’t just occur in a heatwave. In winter, the cold can shut off the body’s thirst mechanism and trick you into thinking you’re not sweating. Meanwhile, your body is losing fluids as the air passes over your body.
Three drivers appeared in NSW courts this week on charges related to leaving the scenes of crashes that injured two motorcyclists, a pillion and a scooter rider.
One of the drivers remains in jail, the other two are on strict bail conditions.
The accidents happened in April, August and September and the appearances in NSW courts resulted in the matters again being deferred several weeks.
Hit-run 1
Molly Chaill
In the first incident in April 2019, Molly Cahill, 22, of Sans Souci, was committed to stand trial after driving her car on the wrong side of the road and crashing into a motorcycle, injuring rider Tony Nissirios, 38, and his female pillion, Sam, 26.
She faces two charges of dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, negligent driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, failing to stop and render assistance after impact and not keeping left of a dividing line.
Her original bail conditions of a strict curfew, passport confiscation and daily reports to police were expanded when she last appeared.
She has also been ordered not to enter any international points departure, live at a specific address, not take any drugs or alcohol unless prescribed by a doctor and not occupy the driver’s seat of any vehicle.
Her hearing was this week adjourned in Sutherland Local Court to now be heard on October 31 at Sydney Downing Centre in Liverpool St.
Hit-run 2
Paul Andrew Brown, 55, remains in jail after appearing in Burwood Local Court this week over charges of failing to stop after colliding with a Vespa scooter rider in Sydney in August.
The Toyota Hilux ute driver was charged with failing to stop and render aid, negligent driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, and not exchange particulars.
The rider of the scooter, a 34-year-old woman, suffered serious injuries.
Officers from the Crash Investigation Unit found Brown’s ute parked in North Strathfield about 2.30pm the day after the crash.
After a short foot pursuit, police arrested Brown and took him to Burwood Police Station where he was refused bail.
Brown has now faced Burwood Local Court twice and the matter has been adjourned to November 5 with bail again refused.
Hit-run 3
Intersection of Schofields and Windsor roads, Rouse Hill,(Image: Google Maps)
In September, SUV driver Daniel Marjoribanks was charged after allegedly running a red light and hitting a rider at the intersection of Schofields and Windsor roads, Rouse Hill.
“The driver allegedly turned right against the red arrow and struck a motorcycle which was being ridden north through the intersection,” police will allege.
The motorcyclist, a 63-year-old man, suffered multiple compound fractures to his right leg and fractured ribs.
Fail to stop and assist after vehicle impact causing grievous bodily harm;
Fail to stop and assist after impact cause injury;
Drive when visiting privileges withdrawn – first offence; and
Not give particulars to injured person.
He was granted bail and appeared again in Blacktown Local Court yesterday where the matter was adjourned for mention on November 22.
Spate of hit-and-runs in courts
Our courts seem to be busy with this worrying spate of hit-and-run crashes leaving motorcyclists injured and dead.
We will continue to follow up on these hit-run incidents, as well as the matter of unlicensed British driver Graham Belcher who has been remanded in custody after an incident last month in which one rider died and another was injured.
Graham Belcher
Belcher, 52, was arrested at Brisbane International Airport as he was about to board a flight to Hong Kong.
He appeared in Tweed Heads Local Court charged with an outstanding warrant, as well as:
dangerous driving occasioning death – drive manner dangerous;
fail to stop and assist after vehicle impact causing death;
negligent driving (occasioning death);
cause bodily harm by misconduct in charge of motor vehicle;
drive while licence cancelled;
not give way to vehicle (give way sign/line); and
driver fails/refuses to disclose his identity.
Bail was refused and he was remanded in custody until November 20.
Scott Rose, wife Tenniel and his children Lacey and Nash fundraiser
A fundraiser page has been started to raise money for the family of rider Scott Rose, 39, who sadly died in the collision.
A 51-year-old man has died after his motorcycle was hit by a 4WD attempting to turn into a driveway in Parkinson, south of Brisbane this afternoon (9 October 2019).
Queensland Police say the accident occurred just after 3.30pm when a Nissan Patrol was travelling along Precinct Street.
They say the SUV attempted to turn into a driveway and collided with the motorcycle.
“Emergency services were called and rendered assistance to the motorcyclist. The 51-year-old man died on scene as a result of his injuries,” police say.
“The 19-year-old male driver of the Nissan Patrol did not suffer any physical injury.”
Officers from the Forensic Crash Unit are investigating the circumstances of the crash.
If you have information for police, contact Policelink on 131 444 or provide information using the online form 24 hours a day.
You can report information about crime anonymously to Crime Stoppers, a registered charity and community volunteer organisation, by calling 1800 333 000 or via crimestoppersqld.com.au 24hrs per day.
