Waikato Police are urging motorcyclists to apply the same attitude to safety on the roads they show over the weekends to their two-wheeled commuting following a series of recent incidents that includes the loss of one man's life.
District Road Policing Manager, Inspector Freda Grace, said the latest tragedy on Waikato roads was the death in Waikato Hospital overnight of a 36-year-old motorcyclist.
"Christiaan Ivan MINNEE was taken to hospital with critical injuries following a collision with a utility on Bruntwood Rd Tamahere about 8.30am yesterday.
"The crash is currently being investigated by the Waikato Serious Crash Unit. It appears Mr MINNEE was on his Ducati motorbike behind a line of traffic and accelerated to pass it when the vehicle at the front of the queue has turned right into a driveway, resulting in a tragic and avoidable loss of life."
Mrs Grace said aside from the significant degree of avoid-ability related to the crash the other frustrating aspect was it happened just five days after another one that left a man seriously injured.
"That crash happened near Waharoa last Wednesday and involved a 48-year-old man failing to take a corner and crashing his motorcycle into a barbed wire fence. This man is still recovering in hospital from his injuries."
Mrs Grace said families, emergency responders and the community in general were being called on to pick up the pieces all too often in situations where motorcyclists are putting themselves and other road users at risk.
"This morning one of my officers stopped a motorcyclist who passed his patrol car doing 97km/h in an 80km/h speed zone in Te Rapa. The rider reached speeds of 130km/h before he was stopped but it was his attitude that was of most concern.
"The 28-year-old rider was upset because he'd been stopped for speeding the morning before on the same bike which had no warrant and no registration and felt he was a victim rather than being at fault."
Mrs Grace said the three incidents were in start contrast to the dozens of organised motorcycle events enjoyed around the Waikato, Coromandel and neighbouring districts every weekend.
"We also have initiatives such as the Southern Coromandel Safer Rides campaign where partner agencies have combined to provide safer roads, safer riders and safer vehicles to make one of the country's most popular motorcycle routes that much safer.
"There has been great buy in from the riding community using this recreational route, what we need is for everyday riders to transfer the safe riding attitudes to their every day commuting, that way all riders will be still with us to enjoy those longer rides this summer."
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