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As a Person that USES A BIKE daily , i am very much aware of the DANGERS posed by a minority of Vehicle Drivers on WorldWide Roads . There is as element of the Global Population that chooses to ACTIVELY Endanger People on Bikes , and then there are those , that through their desire to Multi Task as they drive on the roads , Unwittingly ENDANGER Vulnerable Road Users . Recent statistics in Australia , show that 46% of Drivers ADMIT to Distracted Driving . Another Study , where Dashboard Cameras were installed in their vehicles , shows that 90+% forget the recording device and revert to their NORMAL Distracted Driving Habits .
Many of Your Union Membership , ALL of whom are required to meet Mandatory Fitness Standards to do their Work , choose to USE a BIKE , whether for Fitness , Commuting or Pleasure . Over the years i have ridden with Ambos , ParaMedics , Firies , Police & Rescue Volunteers , ALL of whom recognise the Dangers posed to them when they take to the roads . How can they not , since a majority of their work is assisting casualties of MOSTLY Unnecessary RTC & RTI ?
When a Person is up the road on a BIKE , the Vehicle Driver will NOT KNOW WHO that person is , until after passing . By then it can be TOO Late , since they will have behaved in a manner that they regret , IF , they have Unwittingly Endangered that Person by Squeezing through a Pinch Point , OR even worse , inflicting a PUNISHMENT PASS , because they have had a dispute with a Work Colleague , Family Member or any other situation where they were , as they misguidedly think , provoked to Anger , thus the Person on the BIKE becomes the FIRST Vulnerable Person that they can PAY BACK for that current problem upper most in their mind . That the Victims of this attitude are INNOCENTLY involved , is of no consequence , it is a method of PAY BACK on the World , to those irrational beings . Losing their RAG is an all too common occurence in modern day Austrailia , as we see far too often in the Home , where the Family Suffer , or , in the workplace , colleagues suffer , or even at the counter of a Service point in the Supermarket or shop ?
As a Union /Association , i am sure that Your Members have some form of Compensation , should they be involved in a RTI on the way to or from their place of work , BUT , would it not be BETTER , if these UNNECESSARY Incidents NEVER TOOK PLACE ? Cutting Victims out of Vehicles , could be so easily REPLACED , by your Membership EDUCATING Road Users ?
A Duo of Ordinary Police Officers in the Birmingham Area of the United Kingdom have taken , what at that time in 2016 , was unusual action . They convinced their Superiors to allow them to experiment with what is called a #SafePassMat . Since that success , they have involved Local Firies in their operations , AND , as they progressed , Further #EducationTools began to be USED . A visit to @TrafficWMP & @WMPHRT will give you further useful background on their ongoing operations , which are NOW becoming the basis of #Education/Enforcement Operations in the Majority of the 45 Policing Authorituies in the UK ! Even more to your point of View , is that there is growing cooperation from ALL Emergency Services .
From another direction the Metropolitan Police of London , started their OWN Education drive , using Large Trucks and Busses in their #ExchangingPlaces Operations . The @MetcycleCops , now have added more #EducationTools and roam throughout London as they link with other Units of the Metro Police on Daily Operations .
What is the difference between UK Police and Aussie Police ?
NOTHING !
These People , ALL go to work with the attitude of DOING THE BEST that they can , each day ! It is NOT Salary that determines this Attitude , since in Australia , as a CMFEU Labourer they can earn as much as twice the Income , but the desire to HELP their Community . No doubt it is the same for Other Emergency Service Workers !
Recently there was a conference of nat'l mtg of Senior Police. See https://www.weride.org.au/what-we-do/resources... There a Video of the work done in West Midlands Policing area was shown . With ALL these Conferences , there would have been Info Overload , so i wonder how much of that Video and the Beneficial Outcomes would have been put to work at this time ? I doubt that there will be a rush to getting similar Operations underway , EVEN THOUGH LIVES ARE BEING LOST in the interim ? Tell the Parents of the Teen age Child , Road KILL in Queensland last week ! Even go back to Good Friday of 2017 , when Sgt Ken Rich was KILLED as he rode his Bike with his Daughter along an outer Melbourne Main Road . As i have been overseas in recent times , it may be that the perp has been charged and Court Action is Underway ? No doubt there are other Emergency workers that have suffered KSI , but the social media i follow , failed to report their RTI !
As a mid 70s Senior Citizen , i would wish to survive riding my Bike into my 90s , and whilst i was able to make 3 #SafePassMats for about $50 , so as to demonstrate their effectiveness , i doubt that i will be able to lay hands on the VRU unit that has been made available to ALL UK Policing Authorities by CyclingUK in recent weeks ! No doubt some member that attended that recent conference will have found a way to acquire one of those units ?
In summary , i ask that each of YOUR Unions & Associations WORK TOGETHER to canvas Politicians , to provide the FUNDING to allow your Superiors to form the Operational Units to follow the examples in Place in London & Birmingham for several years , that are ALSO being emulated in any number of European Countries . Each Service within the Community of Emergency Services can play their part in making a difference , thus reducing the Road Toll , that Politicians WANT to be ZERO , but FAIL to Fund !
NB , whilst in recent days , Cycling Australia has called on other Cycle safety Advocacy Groups to work together for the Safety of People on Bikes , they FAILED to include #SafeCyclingAustralia the family unit led by Dave Sharp , who together with Bruce FleggMP of Queensland , in 2013 brought about the #SplitRule , that has NOW become LAW in Most Aussie States ! It is ironic that this Family is Volunteer , yet the Salaried Group of #AMetreMatters , has FAILED in its home State to gain any result , BUT , claims credit for work in the other states ! Had they stayed out of the Qld Enquiry in 2013 , we would have 1 1/2 Metres #SafePassLaws as the standard in Metro Areas under 50kph , as exists in the EU , perhaps even the 2M there , as has often been applies in respect of RTIs involving children ?
MAKING YOUR MEMBERS SAFE , should be YOUR PRIORITY NOW , in 2018 let alone in 2019 !
NOW is the time for ACTION , since the Media has highlighted the #Eide2Work , this week!
Their Safety will make it safe for ME , when i use the roads that they use !
As a Minority of ONE , i can take many Photos of #ProRacers , Male & Female , holding #Placards and #Gillets , even have the back story of their encounters with Danger . Note that #MarkDreyfuss_QC_MP was a victim of a Punishment Pass last Friday 12th Oct. , and Cadel Evans just related in a video his recent dangerous encounters whilst on the Aussie Roads , and NOW recommends ALL Cyclists USE a Video Camera !
Each DEATH diminishes OUR Community , BUT , it also TRAUMATISES your Membership ! Post Incident Trauma being a deterring component in YOUR WORKPLACE ?
STOP the UNNECESSARY KILLING , YOU have that ABILITY !
USE IT TODAY !
Skippy Mc Carthy
NB Addendum on 18th Oct. 2018
My letter by Email to vatious Fire Fighter Unions :
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Letter to Various Emergency Services Unions
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As a Person that USES A BIKE , i am very much aware of the DANGERS posed by a minority of Vehicle Drivers . There is as element of the Population that chooses to ACTIVELY Endanger People on Bikes , and then there are those , that through their desire to Multi Task as they drive , Unwittingly ENDANGER Vulnerable Road Users .
Many of Your Membership , ALL of whom are required to meet Fitness Standards to meet their Work Standards , choose to USE a BIKE , whether for Fitness , Commuting or Pleasure . Over the years i have ridden with Ambos , ParaMedics , Firies , Police & Rescue Volunteers , ALL of whom recognise the Dangers posed to them when they take to the roads .
When a Person is up the road on a BIKE , the vehicle Driver will NOT KNOW WHO that person is , until after passing . By then it can be TOO Late , since they will have behaved in a manner that they regret , IF , they have Unwittingly Endangered that PÜerson by Squeezing through a Pinch Point , OR even worse , inflicting a PUNISHMENT PASS , because they have had a dispute with a Work Colleague , Family Member or another situation where they were , as they think , provoked to Abger , thus the Person on the BIKE becomes the FIRST Vulnerable Person that they can PAY BACK for the problem upper most in their mind . That they are INNOCENTLY involved , is of no consequence , it is PAY BACK to those irrational beings . Losing their RAG is an all too common occurence as we see far too often in the Home , where the Family Suffer , or , in the workplace , or even at the counter of a Service point in the Supermarket or shop ?
As a Union /Association , i am sure that Your Members have some form of Compensation , should they be involved in a RTI on the way to or from their place of work , BUT , would it not be BETTER , if these UNNECESSARY Incidents NEVER TOOK PLACE ?
A Duo of Ordinary Police Officers in the Birmingham Area of the United Kingdom have taken , what at that time in 2016 , was unusual action . They convinced their Superiors to allow them to experiment with what is called a #SafePassMat . Since that success , they have involved Local Firies in their operations , AND , as they progressed Further #EducationTools began to be USED . A visit to @TrafficWMP & @WMPHRT will give you further useful background on their ongoing operations , which are NOW becoming the basis of #Education/Enforcement Operations in the Majority of the 45 Policing Authorituies in the UK !
From another direction the Metropolitan Police of London , started their OWN Education drive , using Large Trucks and Busses in their #ExchangingPlaces Operations . The @MetcycleCops , now have added more #EducationTools and roam throughout London as they link with other Units of the Metro Police on Daily Operations .
What is the difference between UK Police and Aussie Police ?
NOTHING !
THese People , ALL go to work with the attitude of DOING THE BEST that they can , each day ! It is NOT Salary that determines this Attitude , since as a CMFEU Labourer they can earn as much as twise the Income , but the desire to HELP their Community . No doubt it is the same for Other Emergency Service Workers !
Recently there was a conference of nat'l mtg of senior Police. See https://www.weride.org.au/what-we-do/resources... There a Video of the work done in West Midlands Policing area was shown . With ALL these Conferences , there would have been Info Overload , so i wonder how much of that Video and the Beneficial Benefits would have been put to work at this time ? I doubt that there will be a rush to getting similar Operations underway , EVEN THOUGH LIVES ARE BEING LOST in the interim ? Tell the Parents of the Teen age Child , Road KILL in Queensland last week ! Even go back to Good Friday of 2017 , when Sgt Ken Rich was KILLED as he rode his Bike with his Daughter . As i haave been overseas in recent times , it may be that the perp has been charged and Court Action is Underway ? No doubt there are other Emergency workers that have suffered KSI , but the social media i follow , failed to report their RTI !
As a mid 70s Senior Citizen , i would wish to survive riding my Bike into my 90s , and whilst i was able to make 3 #SafePassMats for about $50 , so as to demonstrate their effectiveness , i doubt that i will be able to lay hands on the VDU unit that has been made available to ALL UK Policing Authorities by CyclingUK in recent weeks ! No doubt some member that attended the conference will have found a way to acquire one of those units ?
In summary , i ask that each of YOUR Unions & Associations WORK TOGETHER to canvass Politicians , to provide the FUNDING to allow your Superiors to form the Operational Units to follow the examples in Place in London & Birmingham for several years , that are being emulated in any number of European Countries . Each Service within the Community of Emergency Services can play their part in making a difference , thus reducing the Road Toll , that Politicians WANT to be ZERO , but FAIL to Fund !
NB , whilst in recent days , Cycling Australia has called on other Cycle safety Advocacy Groups to work together for the Safety of People on Bikes , they FAILED to include #SafeCyclingAustralia the family unit led by Dave Sharp , who together with Bruce FleggMP of Queensland in 2013 brought about the #SplitRule , that has become LAW in Most Aussie States ! It is ironic that this Family is Volunteer , yet the Salaried Group of #AMetreMatters , has FAILED in its home State to gain a result , BUT , claims credit for work in the other states ! Had they stayed out of the Qld Enquity in 2013 , we would have 1 1/2 Metres #SafePassLaws as the standard , as exists in the EU , perhaps even the 2M there , as applies in respect of children ?
MAKING YOUR MEMBERS SAFE , should be YOUR PRIORITY in 2018 !
NOW !
Their Safety will make it safe for ME , when i use the roads that they use !
As a Minority of ONE , i can take many Photos of #ProRacers , Male & Female , holding #Placards and #Gillets , even have the back story of their encounters with Danger . Note that #MarkDreyfuss_QC_MP was a victim of a Punishment Pass last Friday , and Cadel Evans just related in a video his recent dangerous encounters whilst on the Aussie Roads !
Each DEATH diminishes OUR Community , BUT , it also TRAUMATISES your Membership !
STOP the UNNECESSARY KILLING , YOU have that ABILITY !
USE IT TODAY !
Skippy Mc Carthy
