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Riding lessons at school says candidate

Paul Keyworth says riding should be part of the school curriculum
Paul Keyworth says riding should be part of the school curriculum

Rider and driver education should be part of the national school curriculum and skilled motorists should be allowed to speed, says Online Direct Democracy Party Queensland Senate candidate Paul Keyworth.

Paul was a long-time campaigner against the VLAD laws in Queensland and unsuccessfully tried to start the Motorcyclists Australia Party.

How, he’s running for the Senate in the coming federal election and is the second candidate to respond to our calls for policies that directly affect motorcyclists.

He says the party doesn’t have any specific motorcycle policies and is actually designed to have no policies, but to conduct online referenda to determine what the people really want.

“Want to have a voice in government? You always will with us through your PC, tablet or smartphone,” it proclaims. (Pity those who can’t use or can’t afford to access technology!)

Anyway, Paul says even though the party doesn’t have specific policies, the long-time rider says he will fight for the rights of motorcycle riders.

“I believe in the abolition of the States, but failing that, we introduce, at a Federal level, nationally standardised regulations covering all motorcycle related compliances,” he says.Paul Keyworth says riding should be part of the school curriculum

Here are some of the issues he would advocate for, if elected: 

  • National standards for all motorcycle and helmet compliance.
  • Helmets and safety gear should be tax deductible.
  • Manufacture of motorcycles, particularly electric bikes should be a priority to provide jobs, innovation and revenue for the economy. Probably on the scale of Buell or Bimota. We have the talent and the means to do this (and the abandoned Ford and Holden plants) and entrepreneurs should be encouraged and have access to interest free loans taken from subsidies currently being given to mining companies.
  • National campaign to promote motorcycle awareness and encouraging people to get on to two wheels, to reduce congestion and pollution and arrive at work with a smile on their faces!
  • For the Federal Government to provide additional funding to the states (reduced for those states which don’t want to get on board) which have motorcycle friendly policies such as:
    • Recognition of long-term riders with excellent traffic history to be given dispensation in travelling safely above the current speed limits (140km/h in 110km/h zone when safe to do so, i.e. On a deserted road with little or no other traffic).
    • Increasing free motorcycle parking on footpaths – without obstructing pedestrian traffic.
    • Increasing speed limits on highways and policing lane usage – designated lanes for P-platers & learners, Trucks and caravans and boats.
    • Abandoning hidden speed cameras and displaying highly visible signs advising of speed cameras.
    • Increasing a visible police presence on the roads to address texting while driving, fatigue, unsafe vehicles, right lane hogs and DUI.
    • Give up on false scare campaigns such as ‘1 kay over is a killer.’
    • Engaging with motorcycle bodies to create policies which acknowledge the benefits of riding to the environment and wellbeing.

Paul can be contacted by email.

2016 FEDERAL ELECTION

  • Motorbike Writer does not endorse any one party or candidate.
  • We have contacted all the major and many of the minor parties asking them for their polices that affect the more than one million motorcycle riders in Australia.
  • We have asked for policies that reference motorcycles, riders, road safety, road rules and road infrastructure?
  • We have also asked whether any of their members or candidates are riders?
  • If or when we receive responses, we will publish them for our readers’ information.
  1. I’d like to clarify what speeding is.
    Speeding is travelling faster than the 85th percentile.
    What is the 85th percentile?
    It is 85% of the fastest speed you can do with no margin for error and Like the length of a piece of string it varies, some of the variables are;
    the vehicle and it’s tires and brakes the weather the road both it’s condition and the environment it is in ( nothing around or surrounded by houses and playgrounds etc) the time of day and the state of the driver / rider (young and fit and wide awake or old and tired) . So the 85th percentile can be on the same stretch of road for the same driver 180 kph one day and 60 kph the next, it can be 200 kph for one vehicle and driver and 80 kph for another.
    That is the trouble with speed limits and speeding fines they are both total BS.
    Speed limits are supposed to be set at or near the 85th percentile for the majority of vehicle type in good weather etc.
    Unfortunately in this revenue hungry nanny state called Australia few roads are set anywhere near the 85th percentile and drivers / riders are forced to drive at below the speed limit not encouraged to drive at the 85th percentile.
    What’s the difference ? some times the speed limit is way above the 85th percentile yet not being educated as to what the 85th percentile is people will travel at the speed limit not knowing it is too fast at the time and they will in fact be truly speeding even though they are below the speed limit.

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