Riders heading to the Australian MotoGP at Phillip Island have been warned that road conditions throughout south-eastern Australia have deteriorated after recent heavy rains.
What is a real concern is that rather than fixing the roads, authorities are reducing the speed limit; maybe temporarily, and maybe permanently.
Freedom Riders Australia spokesman Dale Maggs has particularly warned riders heading through Victoria this month for the MotoGP to be wary of dangerous road conditions.
Potholes near MeltonHe says many Victorian rural roads have had speed limits dropped to 80km/h due to rough road surfaces in the wake of the flooding.
Repairs to damaged roads through southern Queensland, NSW, Victoria and South Australia in the wake of these recent storms and flooding have been slow, half-hearted, or non-existent.
“Rural roads across the state of Victoria place travellers at risk,” says Dale who sent in some examples of potholes.
“Heavy rains in recent months have degraded our roads exposing large potholes across many rural shires.”
He asks riders to contact VicRoads about any hazardous road conditions they see by phoning 131170.
“Report it and perhaps save a life,” he says . (See the end of this article on how to report dangerous road conditions throughout Australia.)
Roadworks have either not been able to catch up or, like the Goat Track on Mt Tamborine, have not been properly fixed.
The Mt Tamborine Goat Track was the subject of recent controversy after several motorcycles and bicycles crashed on “tar snake” repairs to road cracks.
Main Roads promised they would be repaired, but Lex Bowden, who crashed his Hayabusa there says the repairs are no better.
“I guess the threshold for some action is for someone to get killed,” says Lex who sent in these photos of the “repairs”.
“But then they will just pass that off as the fault of the rider, chalk another fatality up, and increase the fines and the number of police. Crazy logic.
“I ride with a couple of clubs. About 2000 members all up. They aren’t riding this route much anymore. Too dangerous for the newbies. Head out west and north of Brisbane. Not great for the cafes etc on Tambo or Canungra.”
How to report dangerous road conditions
Reporting damage in Queensland.
Reporting damage in South Australia.