5 Ronald Avenue
Freshwater  NSW  2096
0434 715.861
scribepj@bigpond.com

PLEASE INSERT ONE OF THE TWO ENCLOSED DVDs AND CLICK ON THE URLs THEREIN                      

10 May 2012

Dr. Ros Poulos
Chief Investigator, Safer Cycling Study
School of Public Health & Community Medicine
Samuels Building, Anzac Parade, University of New South Wales
Kensington  NSW  2052

Dear Dr. Poulos

1. Annexure "E" provides details of 24 bicycle accidents involving Cyclists that The Writer has cycled with, except Scott England - (iixx) therein

2. Annexure B2 notes four Cycling Blackspots north of Sydney and some of the accidents which have occurred at each

3. The Writer's letter to Scott England at RNSH Spinal Unit details legal grounds for Scott England to litigate RTA for his shocking injuries, foregone income and associated legal costs due to RTA -

    *      “having actual knowledge of the particular risk” well prior to Scott England's trauma accident approaching West Head Lookout; and

    *       failing to mitigate further trauma accidents, by failing to implement the recommendations in Annexure B1

4. The Writer's  Third Business Plan for a Safety First Cycling Website to reduce Serious Cycling Accidents

I note that the Safer Cycling Study hopes to learn about -

i)         when, where and why people cycle, and

ii)        the risks, hazards, near misses and crashes that people experience while cycling.

This letter assumes that you seek the above information in order to facilitate more Australians to ride a bicycle safely for health and environmental reasons.

My name is Philip Johnston.  I have administered a Bicycle User Group, Muggaccinos.com in Northern Sydney for 16 years which conducts a 100km plus hilly road ride each Sunday, as well as providing two or three multi-day ride trips each year.  On a fine Sunday, a dozen or more passionate hill climbers ride a scheduled 100km circa route from within Muggaccinos 35 Ride Routes.  I also maintain KOMpm.com for 'lovers of hills'.  

In 2009 I submitted to the Preventive Health Taskforce the First National Preventative Health Business Plan which included the afore-mentioned Third Business Plan for a Safety First Cycling Website to reduce Serious Cycling Accidents.  Lamentably, the Taskforce is more intent upon plain paper packaging of cigarettes than assisting Australians incorporate regular exercise in their Lifestyle Behaviour safely.

Five years ago I retired after a 37 year career at CBA; most of it spent in risk management of large infrastructure projects.  Muggaccinos has the most comprehensive risk mitigation disciplines of any BUG which include:

(a)        Ride Participant Liability Acknowledgment

(b)        Civil Liabilities Acts 2002

(c)        Tips for new road cyclists to minimise trauma accidents and maximise health benefits

The Writer -

A.        is one of a four person risk management committee within Bicycle NSW;

B.        has been a Team Leader on Gear Up Girl, Parra Pedal and Spring Cycle annual rides responsible to position between 8 and 10 'Route Marshals' at corners and       intersections along the 4km and 6km of his allocated 'Route Sector' to mitigate trauma accidents; and

C.        pencilled: Volunteering can give you a Warm Fuzzy.

Ms Jenni Gormley, Editor of Bicycle NSW's Push On magazine has published my below four risk management articles to mitigate trauma accidents and liability upon ride organisers.

1.       Change road rules to enable increased cycling

2.       RTA Handbook contradicts NSW Road Rules

3.      “Is riding in a bunch illegal?”.

      4.       Don't risk losing your house!

Jenni will not publish anything unless she believes that it is robust.  I expended approx. 80 hours to research those four interdependent articles which involved studying various journals and reports from northern European countries such as the attached, as well as the Australian Road Rules 2008 and the NSW Road Users Handbook.  To my knowledge, no reader has cast any doubts about the validity of my claims made therein.

I invite you to -

(i)         review the above three URLs (a), (b) and (c); and

(ii)        consider recommending a template of risk management protocols that all local ride groups across Australia should adopt to ensure that -

             (A)        inexperienced cyclists enjoy the maximum opportunity to avoid trauma accidents whilst they become confident cycling on roads; and

             (B)        ride organisers/leaders, as Inviters, understand their obligations, pursuant to the Civil Liability Acts, to Invitees when inviting them to participate in a Recreational Activity which carries a risk of Harm Sufferable, namely to Provided A Risk Warning to such Invitees which warns of the Three Types Of Risks of Harm Sufferable,

in order to pioneer and promote rigid ride group disciplines to materially reduce Serious Cycling Accidents.

Happy to field any questions.

Yours sincerely   

Phil Johnston
Ride Organiser and President Muggaccinos Bicycle User Group