Australia -
IT'S a rivalry that is showing few signs of slowing down.
Statistics released by the Motorcycle Council of NSW this month indicate that 58 per cent of NSW road users feel tension between motorists and motorcyclists on the state's roads.
What's more, motorcyclists are 38 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured in an accident than other drivers.
The release of these statistics coincided with NSW Motorcycle Awareness Week, an event aimed at reminding motorists to keep an eye out for the increasing number of motorcyclists who are sharing our roads.
Bossley Park rider Erick Gunay's shoulder was injured in a motorcycle accident two years ago so he knows only too well how vulnerable motorcyclists can be.
"When you're on the bike you have nothing around you. You're fully exposed. One mistake and you're gone," he said.
Mr Gunay, 26, has been riding motorcycles for nearly four years. He first became interested in them as a youngster in the Philippines and has had his fair share of narrow escapes.
"I've had a few close calls," Mr Gunay said.
"The problem is that other motorists just don't see us. Or maybe they don't look."
"Motorists need to make sure they look both ways a lot and not just rely on mirrors because you can't always see everything."
While he believes motorcyclists have been given an unfair reputation for being reckless, he acknowledged bikers had to be responsible for their own safety.
"Motorcycles can be positioned anywhere on the road, and that can make it difficult to see them," he said.
"We need to make ourselves visible, by having our lights on all the time, and give ourselves a buffer zone."
While motorcycle lobby groups have blamed hysteria surrounding bikie club violence and anti-bikie laws for fuelling tension on the roads, Mr Gunay said it had also reinforced a common misconception about the motorcycling community, both on and off the road.
"I don't like the scary, violent persona that those bikie gangs have," he said.
"The public often associates any bikie group with gang violence but we're not part of that."
While he is not part of a registered club, Mr Gunay socialises with fellow enthusiasts and takes part in group rides to various destinations, such as Wollongong or the Central Coast.
"You always meet people on the road. That's one of the things I love most," he said.
He says he has formed many friendships with motorcyclists over the years - all ordinary men and women of different ages and ethnic backgrounds, bonded by their passion for motorcycles.
In 2006, 147 Fairfield City residents were reported to use motorcycles as their primary means of travelling to work.
Mr Gunay said despite the constant threat of danger he would remain passionate about motorcycles.
"Motorcycles are a cheap form of transport, compared to cars anyway, and it's a great feeling to ride them," he said. "It's so open and free."
Disclaimer: The opinions in this article are solely those of the writer, and may not reflect the beliefs of anyone at Outlaw Biker World.
This site may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of political, human rights, economic, democracy, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.
Home
