Gix11
30-05-2005, 07:29 PM
This was sent to me by Dino Rider:
"hey mate i read this on oroadsport.com and think it should be posted here but can`t so was wondering if you could do something....i know this will not affect all streetfighters but think a bit of solidarity will help with all future concerns raised by riders,thanks"
Cashless tolling on the Cross City Tunnel may result in a protest ride when it opens.
A "Show of Strength" to induce good Television coverage of tolling issues.
To be discussed at next MCC meeting, June 6
Meeting with Minister for Roads this week.
Await outcomes before going crazy, but the outcomes may make us go crazy.
Please digest the following points and communicate them to your members.
Stay Tuned - more in one week.
Failure in transport planning has brought us to this.
Motorcycles were not considered in traffic plans and have been forgotten in government negotiations for privately run toll roads.
This is why motorcycles have been tolled as cars since the 1986 agreement for the Harbour Tunnel pushed up ALL tolls. We just got lost in the shouting about higher tolls.
Now we can correct some of the failures to make provisions for motorcycles.
Some organisations will resist change, but the facts are very clear, motorcyclists have been marginalised for years.
NSW Government holds the contracts for toll roads - it is a policy issue and hence a voters issue.
Toll rates for motorcycles are too high.
A family sedan is no more a heavy truck than a motorcycle is a family sedan.
Differential toll rates exist between cars and trucks, but not between cars and motorcycles in NSW.
One-Quarter of the car rate is the fair and reasonable toll rate for motorcycles.
This rational figure is based upon road wear, space occupancy, congestion and clean air considerations.
Prescribed toll schedules fail to list motorcycles.
Motorcycles are an afterthought.
Motorcyclists are happy to pay a toll.
As long as the toll rate is reasonable AND that we are not charged extra administrative fees.
E-tags don't work for most motorcycles
The supplied E-tags are not fit for the purpose sold.
Check out the 'Terms and Conditions' for the use of E-tags, no mention of how to use them on motorcycles
Advertising of E-tags to riders is misleading and fails to disclose problems
E-tag is not weatherproof, is affected by vibration and heat
If it fails due to weather damage, it costs you
Dangerous to carry upon ones person due to shattering to shards on impact,
Cannot be mounted to most motorcycles and hence can't be aimed correctly at the antenna
Fails to read due to inability to aim it correctly, hence further administration costs charged to you
Riders try to use them, but are forced into unsafe practices, such as:-
riding one-handed through the toll plaza, waving the tag until it changes the taffic light colour
placing it in a jacket pocket (the casing shatters into shards on impact and can easily penetrate the body)-
Using an armband pouch - this places the rider at risk due to windage rotating the pouch and having it interfere with arm movement and hence control of the motorcycle - worst on sportsbikes. Too tight causes numbness. It also defeats the purpose of protective gear, providing a point impact on the upper arm. These are dangerous
The MCC of NSW has worked with the RTA and E-tag suppliers and industrial designers to assist solving the problem
No suitable E-tag exists anywhere in the world.
Alternative proposals for cashless tolling demand additional fees for not using an E-tag
Toll road operators are demanding riders pay for failure to use an unsuitable E-tag
The toll road operator expects riders to pay $1.60 per trip for administration, in addition to the toll
This is gouging
It is misuse of market power. The E-tag is not fit for purpose.
Photographic methods are enforcement tools being used inappropriately.
Use of photographic enforcement tools means we don't pay a toll, but buy an indemnity against prosecution.
This is back to front as NO MEANS OF PAYING is provided
Any protest will be a display of strength of numbers, NOT to inconvenience other drivers, particularly emergency or commercial traffic.
What can a protest achieve?
Publicity and public outcry to publicise the issues.
About what?
The toll rate needs fixing to a fair and reasonable level.
Despite all other problems with accounts and tolls, this issue is PRIME.
It stems from failure of public policy to include motorcycles in transport planning
The failure to provide a suitable tolling method follows on from this.
Secondary are the issues about goods not fit for purpose, no suitable electronic tolling method for motorcycles, additional fees for inability to comply - so why the hell should we have to pay for this failure? There is a good base of commercial law for those issues, but toll rate remains first issue.
"hey mate i read this on oroadsport.com and think it should be posted here but can`t so was wondering if you could do something....i know this will not affect all streetfighters but think a bit of solidarity will help with all future concerns raised by riders,thanks"
Cashless tolling on the Cross City Tunnel may result in a protest ride when it opens.
A "Show of Strength" to induce good Television coverage of tolling issues.
To be discussed at next MCC meeting, June 6
Meeting with Minister for Roads this week.
Await outcomes before going crazy, but the outcomes may make us go crazy.
Please digest the following points and communicate them to your members.
Stay Tuned - more in one week.
Failure in transport planning has brought us to this.
Motorcycles were not considered in traffic plans and have been forgotten in government negotiations for privately run toll roads.
This is why motorcycles have been tolled as cars since the 1986 agreement for the Harbour Tunnel pushed up ALL tolls. We just got lost in the shouting about higher tolls.
Now we can correct some of the failures to make provisions for motorcycles.
Some organisations will resist change, but the facts are very clear, motorcyclists have been marginalised for years.
NSW Government holds the contracts for toll roads - it is a policy issue and hence a voters issue.
Toll rates for motorcycles are too high.
A family sedan is no more a heavy truck than a motorcycle is a family sedan.
Differential toll rates exist between cars and trucks, but not between cars and motorcycles in NSW.
One-Quarter of the car rate is the fair and reasonable toll rate for motorcycles.
This rational figure is based upon road wear, space occupancy, congestion and clean air considerations.
Prescribed toll schedules fail to list motorcycles.
Motorcycles are an afterthought.
Motorcyclists are happy to pay a toll.
As long as the toll rate is reasonable AND that we are not charged extra administrative fees.
E-tags don't work for most motorcycles
The supplied E-tags are not fit for the purpose sold.
Check out the 'Terms and Conditions' for the use of E-tags, no mention of how to use them on motorcycles
Advertising of E-tags to riders is misleading and fails to disclose problems
E-tag is not weatherproof, is affected by vibration and heat
If it fails due to weather damage, it costs you
Dangerous to carry upon ones person due to shattering to shards on impact,
Cannot be mounted to most motorcycles and hence can't be aimed correctly at the antenna
Fails to read due to inability to aim it correctly, hence further administration costs charged to you
Riders try to use them, but are forced into unsafe practices, such as:-
riding one-handed through the toll plaza, waving the tag until it changes the taffic light colour
placing it in a jacket pocket (the casing shatters into shards on impact and can easily penetrate the body)-
Using an armband pouch - this places the rider at risk due to windage rotating the pouch and having it interfere with arm movement and hence control of the motorcycle - worst on sportsbikes. Too tight causes numbness. It also defeats the purpose of protective gear, providing a point impact on the upper arm. These are dangerous
The MCC of NSW has worked with the RTA and E-tag suppliers and industrial designers to assist solving the problem
No suitable E-tag exists anywhere in the world.
Alternative proposals for cashless tolling demand additional fees for not using an E-tag
Toll road operators are demanding riders pay for failure to use an unsuitable E-tag
The toll road operator expects riders to pay $1.60 per trip for administration, in addition to the toll
This is gouging
It is misuse of market power. The E-tag is not fit for purpose.
Photographic methods are enforcement tools being used inappropriately.
Use of photographic enforcement tools means we don't pay a toll, but buy an indemnity against prosecution.
This is back to front as NO MEANS OF PAYING is provided
Any protest will be a display of strength of numbers, NOT to inconvenience other drivers, particularly emergency or commercial traffic.
What can a protest achieve?
Publicity and public outcry to publicise the issues.
About what?
The toll rate needs fixing to a fair and reasonable level.
Despite all other problems with accounts and tolls, this issue is PRIME.
It stems from failure of public policy to include motorcycles in transport planning
The failure to provide a suitable tolling method follows on from this.
Secondary are the issues about goods not fit for purpose, no suitable electronic tolling method for motorcycles, additional fees for inability to comply - so why the hell should we have to pay for this failure? There is a good base of commercial law for those issues, but toll rate remains first issue.