February 2017

IN THIS REPORT –

• Last month’s general meeting with Kim Papalia
• Road Safety Commission Grant
• Motorcycle Safety Week
• Vulnerable Road Users Group
• Hydration for riders
• WA State Elections
• Bunning Sausage Sizzle fund raiser 

January General Meeting with guest Kim Papalia We had Kim Papalia the WA Commissioner of the WA Road Safety Commission (RSC) as special guest at our January General Meeting. Kim talked about some of the work that the RSC is doing in trying to reduce the risk of crashes and injury to riders on WA roads. I believe most people who were at the meeting were surprised at the huge amount of work being undertaken by the RSC not just for riders but for road users in general. Kim answered questions from the members present on legalising lane filtering in WA (yes it is coming and is going through the legislative process) Motorcycles being allowed to us priority bus lanes (the trial has finished and we are pushing for all bus lanes to be open for motorcycle riders) and a very enthusiastic discussion on reducing the use of mobile phones by car drivers. Kim’s attendance at the meeting was organised in short notice and I would like to invite him back but next time give you all notice that he will be there. I would like to thank Kim for giving up his personal time and giving us an insight to the work of the Commission. Road Safety Commission GrantAs mentioned in our last newsletter we applied for and have been successful in our application for a grant from the Road Safety Commission to help us run this year’s Motorcycle Safety Week. We have now an extra $5,000.00 to spend on poster design and printing and to run the events at the Motorcycle Safety Week Launch at the York Motorcycle Festival and other events during the week. Good news for us all.Motorcycle Safety Week 2017We will be holding our Motorcycle Safety Week on 23^rd – 30^th April 2017 to coincide with the York Motorcycle festival on 23^rd April. We have decided to launch the Motorcycle Safety Week on Sunday 23^rd April at the York Motorcycle festival to coincide with the official launch of the Avon Motorcycle Friendly Region.Some of the activities at the York Motorcycle Festival include holding an MRA stand on the day to promote the motorcycle safety, the MRA its past achievements and future plans. We also will be holding a rider skills demonstration and education, a basic first aid course run by Janine Nicholas from Rider Down with demonstration and practice of ride helmet removal and controlling blood loss. We will also be running short safety rides from York and return.On Wednesday 26^th April we will once again promote a Ride Your Motorcycle to Work Day.On Saturday 29^th April we are running a combined Ride Right course with On Yer Bike rider training who will be running the practical side of the course to compliment the theory component, we will also combine this with some basic first aid training by Rider Down first aid. This will be a free course and held at Mirrabooka with the help of the City of Stirling.Vulnerable Road User GroupAs Nic covers in her Safety Officer report we are now members of the Road Safety Commission Vulnerable Road User Group. This group is still in its early stages and we are still feeling our way to some extent. Our next meeting in March is a special meeting to establish the Strategic Plan for the group. From that meeting onwards we (the motorcyclist) plan to put forward our plans for major changes to many issues including rider training/licensing and the safety of riders to be a major consideration in road design and upgrades.Hydration for ridersWith the stinking hot weather recently and the death of aa rider in Queensland through dehydration I thought it was a opportune time to remind everyone about the dangers of riding and keeping our fluids up in our bodies. I contacted our MRA member and wonderful supporter Janine Nicholas from Rider Down First Aid who is also a paramedic if she could give us some guidance and the fact sheet she sent to us I think covers it very well. Some of you may have seen this already as it is on our Facebook page and has been shared very widely through other groups. But if not you will find it in this addition and it is always good the reread it and follow its recommendations.2017 WA State ElectionsI am fairly sure you would have noticed that we are being promised all sorts of good things by a whole bunch of politicians at the moment, all trying to get your vote. I have not heard too much about our safety on the road from any of them; however this is a great opportunity for us as riders to remind them that we are here and we have the power to put them into parliament or kick them out. So here is the plan, go and contact the candidate in your electorate and ask them what their views are of motorcycle riders, what they intend to do for motorcycle safety and riders rights. If nothing else it may get them to consider motorcycle riders.Bunnings Sausage Sizzle fund raiserWe are holding a sausage sizzle at the Bunnings Midland store on Sunday 26^th March. The reason for this is to raise some extra funds for the MRA so that we can work for the safety and rights of all motorcycle riders in W.A. The only funds that we work on at the moment is from membership and it is a constant struggle to keep the membership fees as low as possible and still work for you.We do have some people who have volunteered to help out on the day (the usual guys) but it would be great to share the work and get some more and new faces helping out, I have done these before and they can be a heap of fun as well as helping the club out. If you can help out either morning or afternoon then please contact me.That’s about it from me for now.Please remember.RIDE LIKE YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT.Dave Wright