MRA: latest safety ad increases risk

The Motorcycle Riders Association (Victoria) has condemned the latest TAC motorcycle "safety" advertisement in Victoria, believing it has actually increased the risk for motorcycle and scooter riders.

"Riders are flabbergasted by the latest TAC campaign which portrays all powered two wheelers as law breaking hoons (even though most of the behaviour portrayed is not illegal)," said MRA president John Karmouche. "The final unexplained crash scene appears to have been written by someone with no knowledge of the dynamics of a motorcycle and has been universally mocked by riders.

"Parodies have already appeared on the internet and the TAC has become a laughing stock - both nationally and internationally.

"Rather than portraying an impossible crash, wouldn't it be better to teach people how to deal with all the risks involved by speaking to them in a manner which they can relate to? This campaign has hit the wrong target and scared the wrong group."

The MRA also slammed the ad's bias, and an expectation by non-riders that riders are solely responsible for incidents.

Meanwhile, South Australia, via its Motor Accident Commission, has also recently launched its own motorcycle safety campaign, featuring Mick Doohan. The campaign has already been given the thumbs up for its educational and informative content.

See three ads below: the official Victorian version first, followed by South Australia, and then an ad put together by the team at Motorcycle Trader.