TAC to motorcyclists: “we’re happy to link your campaign with ours”
Stop SMIDSY campaign
TAC motorbike safety ad
The CEO of Victoria’s Transport Accident Commission has responded to a motorcycling group behind a campaign that hit out at the TAC for portraying motorbike riders as the guilty party in road accidents.
The campaign, called Stop SMIDSY – short for Sorry Mate I Didn’t See You – was launched recently by Motorcycling Australia in retaliation to a TAC ad that ran in April that the group feels unfairly takes the side of the car driver in road accidents.
Motorcyclists and the TAC have long been at odds over road safety advertising, and the TAC’s ad in April – a slow-motion reconstruction of a motorbike hitting a car that urged riders to slow down – prompted a heated debate on the Mumbrella comment thread.
The Stop SMIDSY campaign argued that in 84% of rider road deaths, where car drivers turned into the path of the bike, “the driver was at fault, not the motorcyclist.”
Janet Dore, the TAC’s CEO, told Mumbrella in a statement: “We acknowledge that a single campaign approach won’t work for all motorcyclists and so we encourage different approaches to address the issues around motorcycle safety. The TAC offered research assistance in the development of the SMIDSY campaign.”
In response to criticism of the TAC’s motorcycle safety ads, she said: “We are very happy with the results from ongoing tracking surveys, feedback from riders at the TAC stand at MotoGP and at small group exploratory sessions.”
The TAC’s ‘Motorcycle reconstruction’ ad was created by 23-year agency partner Grey Melbourne.
The TAC CEO added: “We have let the Victorian Motorcycle Council know that we’d be happy to link the SMIDSY campaign site to the TAC’s motorcycle information website, spokes.com.au.”
Do i want the TAC to join forces with MB…. do i…. hrmm
HOHOHOHHEHEHEHEHEHEHEEHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHA
NO. Why would i want a [edited by Mumbrella for legal reasons] government body to hitch their wagon to the wonderful upstanding guys at Maurice Blackburn???? Does TAC really think motorcyclists are stupid? And how do they think that considering they were debunked entirely at the recent government inquiry by the same groups they want to “Join forces” with????
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TAC has got it wrong again. It has used faulty research, been legally admonished for doing so and made it known at the Grand Prix that it was unhappy with the SMIDSY folk having its wares on display. It’s credibility with riders is shot, due to bad research, a lack of consultation and a totally speed-focussed and punitive approach to road safety. It has failed dismally.
Now, it wants to get into bed?
Not on your Nelly.
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This morning i had to dodge a woman driving along in peak hour as she veered into my lane. For some reason it was the utmost importance to check facebook at that particular time.
When i politely tapped on her window and suggested she may like to put her phone away it was me who copped a mouthful of abuse.
Car drivers are at fault with the majority of motorbike accidents. Anything that can drive awareness here is worthwhile.
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Perhaps if all stakeholders acknowledge that working collaboratively rather than in competing silos might be a good way to not only educate the audience, but also the stakeholders might get an expanded view. Seems the major stakeholders are all strong willed and opinionated – why not use that energy and $ to do something that works. Competing politically and wasting energy in name-calling will achieve very little.
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I don’t drive unsafely, but it’s really hard driving on ANZAC bridge in Syd, checking all your mirrors and blind spots to turn lanes, only to have a motor bike come out of NOWHERE, nearly colliding with me.
During peak hour, I’m not driving fast, but unlike motor bikes, I can’t dodge in and out of lanes. I think motor cyclists should take some (not all) responsibilities with safe driving.
I mean, the RTA has a campaign out now saying check twice for bikes – but you don’t hear motorists complaining that we’ being blamed for all accidents.
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TAC miss the point – in any collision it is the motorcyclist who comes of second best so it’s rider who understands the significance of care, and is most likely to be paying attention. The Hurt Report in the USA demonstrated that with cars doing, say, a u-turn or right hand turn at lights they will risk it with a bike but would never attempt it with a truck. In one case in Australia fatalities occurred when a car attempted a u-turn in front of a group of about eight bikes. There is no way the driver could have failed to see eight headlights. It’s driver education that is needed, not messages to riders.
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Linking it is great. The more people that see it the better. As long as no TAC person is involved in any decision to edit, change or influence anything that SMIDSY has to offer.
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“Ownership” is the reason why motorcycle riders love this ad. Many riders opinions and ideas were sought by Maurice Blackburn as part of the design and production process. When your audience feel that they somehow own the product – then there is a greater likelihood that they will get the message.
The problem faced by TAC is that they are doing it the other way round. Designing the product and then putting it out and following through with market research. FAIL! Is it any wonder that motorcycle riders hold TAC is such contempt?
TAC have a monumental task ahead of themselves to win back much of the trust and respect they have lost over the last 8 years since the Put Yourself in Their Shoes campaign – which was the last time they involved a large number of riders in the design and development stage. Motorcycle riders love that ad. Why? Because they feel that they “own it”. That TAC have failed to understand the importance of this principle explains why they are at odds with the motorcycle community.
Janet Dore’s offer to the VMC demonstrates that there is a critical problem here. TAC must do a lot more than simply treat an organisation that represents thousands of riders with such contempt. Or maybe the Vic Govt should consider removing the responsibility away from TAC, so that they can concentrate on their core business of repatriating injured riders, and task another agency with running all Road Safety advertising and associate programs.
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Dear ‘me’.
Motorcyclists don’t come out of nowhere my friend. That’s our point. In Melbourne we pay a safety levy that car drivers do not. We do not text, smoke, answer phones, adjust our bluetooth or replace CDs while on the road. Did you pass that test right there ‘me’.? Brave moniker BTW. My name is Greg Leech and I am the editor of Motorcycle Trader magazine.
We have a very strong vested interest in safety. Open your eyes, not your mouth.
We have had it with poor driving and being punished, blamed and villified by a media that seeks to remain obsequious to the greater majority (and most inefficent and wasteful) of road users. Yep, your lot.
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Lets not forget the crucial point here. the TAC is an insurance organistion.
Do you trust insurance companies to have YOUR best interests at heart?
The are a commercially driven insurance body…. lets not forget that fact. They will put their intrest first.
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By the way Mumbrella, in the interest of promoting community acceptance (of motorcyclists), just a small point – could we change the headline to “Motorcyclists ad wars” instead of Bikies. And also the ‘bikers’ tag doesn’t sit comfortable with a lot of us motorcyclists – we leave the bikie/bikers tags to the mobs that where club colours and have colourful names.
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I second what Beery says. ‘Bikies’ or ‘bikers’, sends a message that is not accurate here. Will you consider the change in the interest of clarity?
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Will TAC tell us why they said they refuse to make a motorcycle awareness video? Why are they instead are fixated on hi-viz, and on full leathers and protective clothing? Why do they offer to collaborate only after seeing the success of the motorcycle community putting its own message out? And did TAC try to have this SMIDSY campaign shut out of the MotoGP? Why would they do that? They behave as if they don’t want anyone riding.
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Just for the record, Sam Cockfield of the TAC asked if they could have the ad on their site at a meeting. That request has never been followed up on and no request has been received by MB or MA who made the ad.
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“In response to criticism of the TAC’s motorcycle safety ads, she said: “We are very happy with the results from ongoing tracking surveys, feedback from riders at the TAC stand at MotoGP and at small group exploratory sessions.”
What a joke that statement is.
The campaign has been universally loathed by motorcyclists.
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It really is difficult to drive bikes and notice other vehices especially when you are wearing a helmet which muffles the sound of the surroundings thus, inhibiting the driver’s reaction. But it doesn’t meant that bikers should be treated unfairly. There are surely other ways to accomodate these bikers on the road.
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No Mel. No no no. You are not a motorcyclist.
If you actually ARE a motorcyclist and have trouble noticing cars, i cant suggest more strongly that you sell your motorbike and buy one of those little volkswagen cars that does all the braking and parking for you, otherwise you are going to kill yourself.
Motorcyclists look around them for danger. Motorcyclists LISTEN around them for danger. There is no sound scarier to a motorcyclist than the sound of a car skidding behind them (theres no way to move out of the way of a car at speed locked up heading towards you)
If youre saying you dont notice because you ride with earphones and an mp3 player playing, stop doing it. Youre an idiot.
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My car has a really big blind spot. Thick pillars you know.
Tried moving your head?
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Guys aren’t you missing the point it is an ad !!! Not brain surgery just watch for what it is car or bike if you slow down a bit you won’t end up dead !!!
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No. Youre missing our point entirely. The TAC has been caught out using dodgy stats repeatedly. They have ignored all attempts by the wider motorcycling community to get clued up by real riders in favour of pushing exactly the message that youve just regurgitated, that slowing down will save lives.
All of a sudden a big legal firm gets involved on our side and they suddenly want to pay attention and join forces with us?
As shown time and time and time again, “Slow down a bit you wont end up dead” is an entirely arbitrary and thoughtless statement to make, you can get smashed off your bike by a car doing 60 while youre not moving, and you will still die. The difference is the driver that has smashed you off your bike WONT be charged with any offence, thanks to the TAC and VicPol policies of blaming the rider.
I urge you Anonymous and anyone else that agrees with your statement, go and do a bit of research instead of believing the idiot box.
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Another point that has been entirely supressed goes thusly –
Motorcyclist doing 68kmh in a 60kmh zone. Car driver decides motorcyclist is speeding, or “doesnt see him” or for whatever excuse, car fails to give way and moves across his path. Motorcyclist is taken off his motorcycle and critically injured. The TAC will have you believe this was his fault because he was speeding, not the fault of the car that illegally chose not to give way to the motorcycle.
Lets then change the speed zone. The motorcycle is now doing 68kmh in a 70kmh zone. Car driver decides motorcyclist is speeding, or “doesnt see him” or for whatever excuse, fails to give way and moves across his path. Motorcyclist is still taken off his motorcycle and critically injured. The TAC will have you believe that the DRIVER THAT FAILED TO GIVE WAY is STILL NOT AT FAULT.
Ask the deputy speed camera commissioner yourself, his words, “A driver that fails to give way to a motorcyclist thereby causing a major accident is NOT LIKELY to be charged with any offence”
That last statement should be all the information you need to work out where their priorities lie.
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@Anonymous – and that is the way that we connect with motorcycle riders? The aim here is to “connect with riders”. TAC has failed to achieve that goal. Construct the message and communicate it properly – using riders to convey the message to riders, and maybe the money and time being wasted by TAC may be saved. Riding a motorcycle is not as simple as just slowing down. Sometimes just doing that is a complete waste of time – and the opposite is a better solution.
What has been demonstrated here, is that control and communication needs to be handed over to those qualified. Like in the Aviation Industry – its Pilots who have the major input and those who completely understand whats its like to fly an aircraft.
Well, as a motorcycle rider, I detest having people who are not familiar with what its like to ride a motorcycle calling the shots and telling how and how not to ride. That is why I am not happy with TAC. You only have to look at their pathetic attempt to connect with riders at the Melbourne Motorcycle Expo this past weekend to see what I mean.
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Let us then replace the motorcycle with a car.
Car doing 68kmh in a 70kmh zone. Car from side street fails to give way and moves across the path of the on coming vehicle, causing a major accident.
That car driver would then be charged with failing to give way, and any number of dangerous driving offenses, culpable driving, driving in a manner dangerous, if intent to cause injury can be proven then manslaughter charges can be laid. It is a 100% guarantee, that the driver that failed to give way to the victims vehicle, will be charged, with a traffic offence, as that driver has broken the law and caused serious injury to another driver.
Just think hard about what youre doing to those evil kitten killing two wheeled bandits. Police not wanting to charge someone with murder doesnt make them any less a murderer.
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You know it’s about sharing the road, for every bad car driver there’s one on a bike as usual it’s the bikes who speed change lanes no indercators and think every lane is theirs are the ones that don’t get in trouble
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If all you see from motorcyclists is them speeding and changing lanes without indicating near to you, then theres a very good bet that theyve seen your driving and are trying to get the hell away from you, to keep themselves safe. It happens every single day, and 9 times out of 10 has something to do with what the driver is doing with his hands that has nothing to do with the steering wheel.
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But then hey, mobile phone use while driving is safe. Just like drinking and driving. And eating and driving. And doing your makeup and driving. And reading the paper and driving. All perfectly understandable for a cager to be doing on their way to work. As long as no bikes are doing naughty things like trying to get away from the innocent boy/girl in the motorised force field reality bubble.
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In response to the TAC ad – the car still pulled out on the rider going at 60kmh. The rider still had to take evasive action.
Driver of the car “STILL” failed to give way. That is the entire issue.
It happened to me 2 weeks ago. Driver pulled a u-turn. I was riding at barely 35kmh in a 50kmh zone. I swerved and missed the vehicle, but still hit the deck and was injured after landing in front of her car.
The driver (via email) said this:
“I remember feeling quite confused because the first intimation I had of an accident was when I saw you skid out on the road in front of me”.
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