President's Report November 2019
President’s Report November 2019
- Summer Riding Season
- World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims
- MRA South Australia
- Bikes Unlimited Charity Run
Summer Riding SeasonNow that we are enjoying warmer days, most motorcyclists have dusted off their trusty machines and headed out onto the roads to enjoy the scenery and social aspects of riding. Now is a good time to ensure that your motorcycle is ready for the road, whether it has good tyres, brakes and is mechanically sound. The weather is another safety topic due to the hot and dry conditions we have been experiencing. While returning from a ride to the eastern states last month, the temperatures were sustained over the mid thirty degrees mark for several days. Even though I wore a HyperKewl evaporation vest to keep my body cooler and a Camelback for hydration, the temperatures can still take its toll on the body and your level of concentration. The message here is to plan your journey beforehand and to know what type of equipment you will need to complete your journey safely which should also include appropriate riding attire. World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic VictimsRoad Trauma Support WA issued an invite to for me to join them last Sunday 17th November in remembering the lives of those lost and injured on our roads, the family, friends and many others affected by road trauma and give thanks to those that dedicate themselves to reducing harm on our roads. The event was held at UWA Watersports complex in Crawley.There were two accident victims who described their trauma, lost loved ones and the effect on their lives. Both of the accidents described involved motorcycles. It is well known that motorcyclists are overrepresented in road trauma statistics. Avoiding distraction, obeying the road rules and awareness of your surroundings will assist in reducing the risk to motorcyclists. Ride like your life depends on it. One interesting presentation come from Doctor Sudhakar Rao who has been campaigning to the insurance council for the last decade for no blame insurance policies for people injured in accidents. He stated that the current system means that the hospital will treat the blame and no blame injuries differently due to the level of insurance cover they can receive. Interesting to know.MRA South AustraliaWhile on my ride last month, I took the time to ride down to Adelaide to meet with Graeme Rawlins (President) and Harald Lindeman (Treasurer and Magazine Editor) of the MRASA who were running a stand at a motorcycle show at the time. We discussed how we could collaborate with safety strategies and possibly share expenses for printed material where there is a common message and value. Discussions to continue. During our discussions, they invited me to talk on their weekly radio show at a community station. It was only 5 minutes of fame however I discussed some of the safety initiatives being undertaken here in the West, for example motorcycles in bus lanes and lane filtering. I also spoke about the preliminary planning for the “Grand Tour” of our awareness ride to Philip Island where their members could participate on a section of the ride. More planning will be required in the coming months, our Vice President will keep us informed of the progress.Bikes Unlimited Annual Charity RunThe Perth Bikers Charity Ride is on Sunday 1st December. It would be good to see as many MRAWA members as possible attending. Riders need to be at Optus stadium well before 8:30am to ensure they are ready for the 8:45am departure and procession.That is all for this year as there is no meeting in December. The next meeting will be on the 21st January 2020. Seasons greetings to all and have a safe holiday season.Jeffrey ThomasPresidentMotorcycle Riders Association of W.A. Inc.Mobile: 0409 293 320president@mrawa.orgRide Like Your Life Depends on It.