“Speed is not an effective counter measure to fatigue”, said Chris Brooks of the Australian Transport Safety Board, capturing the tone of the seminar in the closing forum. The double meaning, although I suspect unintended, was not wasted on some of those present. I was there representing the interests of MSA, to hear a number of researchers and policy makers from around Australia talking on the topics of speed and enforcement issues before a number of members of the SA Road Safety and Accident Commission, including Sir Eric Neal, the chair. Naturally enough the presentations all focussed on the contribution of speed to injury in accidents. Frustratingly, from my perspective and that of several others representing the motorcycle community, the available research appears so narrowly focussed that there is no information on other factors such as experience, fatigue and inattention in the cause of the accidents. This, rather conveniently for the policy makers and their advisers, rules out opportunity for serious consideration of initiatives other than those focussed on enforcement. A bit of a policeman’s field day you might say.
The information presented told us that there is little truly credible research data available, about 4 studies worldwide on which most information was based. There is general agreement among the researchers that the best has come from the work of Prof Jack McLean and his team at CASR here in SA over the last 30 years. This is still scant in most areas other than speed estimates. Much was said of the difficulty of determining actual speed prior to collisions and the unreliability of statements by those involved. Sample data has therefore been drawn from traffic in the vicinity of each accident at a similar time of day. This information is then presented in graphs with increments of 1km/h to demonstrate the increased risk of injury with an increase in speed. The resultant graphs are then supported by basic physics, which tells us that Momentum is the product of Mass by the square of Velocity. A sound principle in itself, but that simply tells us that if we stop moving, we won’t be injured in an accident. Working on from these statistics it appears that if you increase your speed by 5km/h you double the risk of serious injury if you are involved in accident. This is presented however as meaning that you are twice as likely to have an accident. In fairness it should be said that the very large sample presented by the US shows that when they increased the open road speed limit the number of fatalities increased – the momentum equation will take you straight there.
The upshot of the whole seminar is that we can expect to see increasingly draconian measures brought into place, along the lines of those recently introduced in Victoria. This is part of a target agreement between the states to bring the road toll down by 40% nationally by 2007. Expect to see the introduction of the wheelie bin speed camera for use around school crossings and road works.
The SA Police presentation by Inspector Jim Carter left us with a couple of things to bear in mind. Since the introduction of combined speed and red light cameras in SA, the intersection of Sturt and Marion Road has registered 4,200 offences, Prospect Road and Fitzroy Terrace 2,700, and Torrens Road and South Road 1,800. Of the 3 highest speeds recorded, all over 130kmh, two were at Golden Grove Rd and Milne Rd and the third at North East Road and Reservoir Road. All areas where it may be worth keeping your eyes wide open the statistics would suggest.
By the way, the SA road toll peaked at around 380 in 1981 and in 2003 was around the 220 mark. That’s a 40% numerical reduction with about a 20% increase in the population – a real reduction approaching 50%. What is an acceptable road toll? Is addressing speed the only solution, or is it the only factor that provides definitive information for presentation in a court of law?
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Steve Martin at the Island
The hot summer conditions at the Phillip Island Circuit in Victoria Australia, were a stark contrast from those experienced by the riders at the previous round at the Valencia circuit in Spain. From the outset Martin appeared to be carrying his recent form into the second round, consistently in the top three at the end of the practice and free qualifying sessions.
After qualifying his DFX Ducati on the front row of the grid on Friday, it was a determined Martin that edged out the factory Ducati of Laconi for provisional pole position at the completion of the Saturday qualifying session. Making Martin the only rider over the weekend to challenge the dominance of Laconi’s factory Ducati and steal the number one position at the top of the time sheets. “I was really concentrating on my race set up during the practice and qualifying sessions. I had already qualified well inside the top sixteen to make it into Superpole with my third position from the Friday qualifying session. I wasn’t concerned about trying to put another hot lap together, but we had some time left at the end of the session and things were feeling good.” It was a smooth controlled Martin who secured his first front row start during Superpole, finally qualifying in third position. “I really wanted that front row start that I missed out on in Valencia when I had a moment coming onto the straight, so I wasn’t about to make the same mistake and had decided not to put it all on the line in an attempt to get the pole position."
A good start in race one saw Martin in third position and slipstreaming Laconi and Toseland onto the straight during the opening stages. Running wide into the dirt as he came onto the straight Martin lost the slipstream on lap three. Martin finally closed the gap on Toseland again and became involved in a race long battle for the podium. The frequent position changes and consequently slower lap times allowed the following riders to close the gap with the battle for the podium becoming a five way affair. Martin headed the group as they started the final lap only to be relegated from second to forth by the time they had come round to greet the chequered flag. “It was great to be fighting for the podium again. When Vermeulen went under at Honda he pushed me wide enough to let Toseland past as well and with half a lap to go there wasn’t a lot I could do. Although I really wanted another podium, I am satisfied that I am the first privateer and that I was able to mix it up with the factory guys.”
A coming together with Haga in turn two on the first lap of race two meant that Martin once again had to make his way forward this time from fifth position. It was a hard charging Martin that quickly closed the gap to McCoy in second position, with Martin leading the way the pair then set their sights on Laconi. When Laconi lost the front on lap eight Martin found that he was not only riding for a podium finish but for the race win. A revitalized McCoy also saw the possibility of the win and again mounted a challenge to Martin. With three laps to go Martin had not only withstood the challenge from McCoy but had managed to extend his lead to over a second. However, Martin’s first World Superbike race win wasn’t to be at Phillip Island, and he rolled into the slip road at Honda corner and retired with a mechanical failure with two and a half laps to go.
It was a philosophical Martin who reflected on his somewhat
unlucky start to the 2004 WSBK season. “In the four races this year I have
been racing for the podium every time, so I can’t be too disappointed,
mechanical failures happen and unfortunately it’s all apart of racing on the
absolute limit.”
Editorial Footnote
I’ve just
returned from the WSB round at Phillip Island. The buzz on the street in Cowes
was that the shops were down about 40% on their normal trade. Certainly the
circuit campground had a lot more space than I expected when we arrived, early
Saturday morning, and the Saturday crowd was thin. Highlights? The three race
long battle in Superstock between the ultimately victorious, Brendan Roberts
and Billy McConnell, who set a new lap record for the class. Seeing three Café
Racers on the Superstock podium, where Brendan and Billy were joined by Dean
Martinello. Steve Martin leading the field at the end of qualifying and for
much of race 2 of the Superbikes. Steve, despite his disappointment, signing
autographs and posing for photographs with spectators and officials in pit lane
after the presentations (unlike most other competitors).
That last
one brings me to my point. WSB is promoted as being more accessible, and the
riders more approachable than Moto-GP. Steve and Frankie Chili, (who spent
Sunday evening in the main street of Cowes signing, meeting and greeting)
demonstrate how easily this is done. The Petronas riders spent some time on the
spectator side in a signing session earlier in the day. Surely someone with as
much to celebrate as Garry McCoy could do the same. If riders choose to
disrespect their fans they will estrange them and the feeling in Cowes will be
even bleaker come next year’s WSB round. Carry that on through the rounds and
in turn it will lead to the demise of the series.
Hattie :o)