Mayor's Message: Bikers, get yourself home safely
“Over the years we’ve had people that have fatal accidents on the way home. So, I want to stress to them to be safe.
Invercargill Mayor Nobby is urging the flood of motorbike riders in Southland to respect the open road and make sure they get home safely.
Various Invercargill and Southland businesses have received a significant boost with thousands of bike enthusiasts coming to the region for the annual Burt Munro Challenge.
Clark says it has again highlighted how great the event is for the region, despite the weather not playing the part this year.
Although there is one thing he is eager to try to get across to those visitors during when they prepare to depart.
“If I’ve got a message for the bikers, be careful when you are heading home.
“On the way in [to Invercargill the other day - I was coming from Dunedin - there were some bikers coming south weaving in and out of traffic. One passed me when I was doing 100km and I thought I’ll try to keep up with them to see what speed they were doing.
“I got up to 120km and I couldn’t keep up. There was quite a strong cross wind and I just thought, ‘guys, this is a busy time on the road’.
“One of the things we want out of this, other than the economic benefits of them being here, is for all of them to get home safe.
“Over the years we’ve had people that have fatal accidents on the way home. So, I want to stress to them to be safe.
“We’ve had it happen in the past, and it puts a damper on the whole event. You feel a bit guilty in some ways that we hadn’t got that message across.
“Some people may never get the message, but speed is a definite killer on a bike.”
Clark is delighted to see various businesses benefitting on the visitors to the city this week.
“I was up at Transport World doing some work and the amount of people there, it was just bloody outstanding. And down at [Motorcycle Mecca] as well. It’s a credit to the Richardson Group for the work they do with those museums. They are part of the drawcard as well.”
What the Burt Munro Challenge has done is reinforced the thought for Clark of potentially having events attached to the Bluff Oyster Festival in future to help encourage visitors to extend their stay.
The Burt Munro Challenge was an example of the economic impact that a multi-day package can do, Clark says.
“I know some of the people in Bluff might be nervous of the city taking over, but Bluff is the city. They are not a separate world in their own right.
“We’ve certainly got Air New Zealand wanting to bring extra jet loads of people down from Auckland.
“So they could do the Osyter Festival on one day, or even two days over the weekend, but at the same time maybe got off and a tour of Tiwai, or visit Transport World, or head off to Stewart Island.
“It just makes for a much better experience as opposed to coming for just one night. I would like to think somewhere along the lines Bluff will explore that option.”