Faulty Decision

In purchasing a new device for speed enforcement, the road authorities could have just as easily chosen a camera which takes a picture of the side of a car and then complained that those people driving vehicles that are not sign-written, are somehow getting away with something.

The consequence of this, by the same reasoning applied to motorcycles, would be to require all cars to have a numberplate painted, glued or riveted on the side door or have a device like a taxi roof sign fitted.

We have seen photographs published in newspapers, released by the Police in various States, to incite public outrage against motorcyclists in an effort to sway public attitudes against motorcyclists. These photographs were taken for enforcement purposes and are now being used for other purposes. This political sensationalism has the unfortunate byproduct of creating an attitude change in car drivers, negating safety efforts of motorcyclists. This attitude is given official sanction by the releasing of these photographs and the loose assertions that this is typical of all motorcyclists. This is sabotage of motorcycle safety.

When the ANZACS first served abroad, there was outrage amongst British officers when Australian troops would not salute them. Respect needs to be earned. The Australian character, which includes the larrikin, will take an opportunity to thumb the nose at authority. A front facing camera presents this opportunity, as its very presence is a clear demonstration of an ineffective strategy AND that motorcycles have again been ignored in road safety considerations. So a different salute is given.

Do we write this off as offended officials outraged that these underlings would show disrespect? Or is it outrage at loss of revenue? Or, is it an effort to shout loud and distract attention to the faulty decision to install them in the first place? Perhaps it is the tradition of simply blaming the rider.

OK, so by doing a few laps of the block to perform for the camera, it is possible to trigger several photographs. In Victoria, it appears about 317 cases in the last year. Hurt feelings of the pompous are hardly a safety issue and it defies belief that the expense of retrofitting the entire motorcycle fleet could be justified for these small numbers. Vindictiveness arising from this, can however, create serious equity problems for all riders.

In short, forcing front number plates appear meaningless to safety, yet appear in the same light as a tactic of a bully, or a prejudiced autocrat.