Collisions, near misses and drivers apparently unaware of motorbikes make riding on New Zealand roads precarious, some of the riders in Invercargill for the annual Burt Munro Challenge say.
Just yesterday morning, Selwyn Dodd and his friends from the Kehua Riders Club in Whangarei were almost hit by a
vehicle at a roundabout in Invercargill.
''It was so close. There were nine bikes more or less in single file and I don't think she [the driver] has seen us yet. She was oblivious. We just shook our heads,'' Mr Dodd said.
On Wednesday, Ian Paul Davis (76), of Te Aroha in the Waikato, who was on his way to the annual motorcycle rally and racing event, died after his motorbike and a van collided on SH6, about 3km north of Kingston.
Another rider is in Dunedin Hospital in a stable condition.
Police yesterday said the cause of the crash was still under investigation by a serious crash unit investigator.
Mr Davis is the fourth rider in the past three years killed while travelling to or from the Burt Munro event.
Riders spoken to an Invercargill cafe yesterday said they were saddened by the death, but after their own collisions, near misses and experiences with inconsiderate drivers, were not surprised.
Asked if he had ever felt unsafe on the road while on his bike, Edward Dennis, of Wanganui, replied: ''Do you want to see the scars?''.
A car driven by a foreign motorist turned in front of him in Auckland seven years ago, leaving him nowhere to go, he said.
''Two weeks in hospital, three months off work - I know all about being unsafe on the road.''
Like many of the other 1500 or so riders in Invercargill for the four-day Burt Munro event which began yesterday, Mr Dennis and three friends rode down from the North Island and will ride home again, estimating they will cover more than 2500km over eight days.
Greg Morris, of Wellington, said he had ridden extensively in Italy where motorists were more considerate of motorcyclists.
''The driving in Italy is crazy, but at least they are awake. Over here it's like some drivers are on cruise control or autopilot.''
But he said it was not only motorists motorcyclists had to watch out for - he had had a near miss with another motorcyclist a few years ago.
''I came round the corner and he was on my side of the road. Fortunately I was already riding to the left and could avoid him.''
Garry Jamieson, one of the Burt Munro Challenge organisers, yesterday urged motorists to watch out for motorcyclists in the South Island at this time of year.
He said there were hundreds of riders attending three events - a rally in Canterbury last weekend, the Burt Munro, and races in Timaru next week. Many riders made a holiday of it and travelled to all three.
''This is a busy time of year for motorcyclists.''
However, Mr Jamieson said motorcyclists could just as easily be injured in their home towns.
Two years ago while he was riding to work a motorist went through a give way and hit him.
''He said: `It's just a motorbike'. I don't know what he meant by that ... but I've never forgotten it.''
