A veteran motorcyclist who died after his bike reportedly struck a pothole on a Victorian road has been named as Peter ‘Tiki’ Mason.
Tributes and anger have swept through the Ballarat community, west of Melbourne, following the death of the much-loved rider, with locals blaming the state’s deteriorating, pothole-riddled roads.
Mr Mason, a 71-year-old artist, was travelling on the Western Highway near Trawalla Rd at Trawalla shortly before 12.50pm on Sunday when he reportedly hit a pothole, causing him to lose control of his motorcycle.
He died at the scene.
Victoria Police said the circumstances of the fatal motorcycle crash had not yet been established and would be subject to investigation.
However, friends and residents say they believe the condition of Victoria’s highways played a role, sharing images online of large potholes along the state’s roads.
‘RIP Tiki, may the riding gods be with you up there. Our club will be poorer for your loss,’ close friend Dave Turner wrote.
‘F****n potholes caused this, the government has something to answer for with the conditions of our roads!’
Ballarat motorcyclist Peter ‘Tiki’ Mason died after his bike reportedly hit a pothole.
Mr Mason was a life member and founding president of the Ballarat The Dodgy Few Social Motorcycle Club, a riding group created around friendship, community and a shared passion for all things two-wheeled.
He then became part of the Eureka Social Riders, which took over the Ballarat chapter of The Dodgy Few.
The club is known for frequent participation in regional charity events.
Mr Mason had been a proud New Zealander, husband and father who in recent years had his face covered in traditional Maori tattoos.
Daily Mail has been told Mr Mason had been an experienced rider, who came off his bike purely from hitting the pothole.
‘A member who was riding with him said there was nothing else but a pothole that caused this,’ one source said.
A local told The Herald Sun the potholes were a common sight along the stretch of road where Tiki died.
‘(The potholes) are filled in with a bit of gravel and shortly afterwards open up again.’ the resident said.
Mr Mason had been president of a club that catered to social riders in the Ballarat region
‘We used to worry about hitting kangaroos. Now it’s a constant (effort to) dodge the potholes,’ the resident added.
Many have taken aim at the Victorian Government, which has left the state’s roads in ruin.
‘The Victorian State Government should hang their head in shame. They are a disgrace,’ podcaster Paul Povh from Hogs, Cogs and Two Aussie Flogs said.
‘I hope that man’s family takes them to the cleaners.’
Just a day before the crash, the state government released a statement saying it was investing $40 million to help motorcyclists travel safely in the region.
This funding will include motorcycle-friendly barriers, surface upgrades and improved signage.
In August, the Victorian government pledged an extra $352m to increase the number of potholes fixed this year from 250,000 to 500,000.
The repairs are expected to be carried out across some of the state’s major roads including Geelong Ring Rd, Western Highway, Calder Highway and Princes Highway.
Locals are livid at the death of the beloved rider
The government’s promises come as hollow news to those who loved Mr Mason.
‘Its a game of Russian roulette with pot holes, messing with human life, thinkin about their own pockets & I’m a rider, & I’m sh*t scared riding two wheels on this sh*t we call roads,’ another friend said.
‘Rest easy now Tiki …. This discusting grubberment has so much blood on their hands & so much to answer for … Very sad,’ another wrote.
The death comes days after the Victorian Auditor-General found half of the state’s road network is in a poor or very poor condition and the backlog of potholes waiting to be filled is growing, not shrinking.
The condition of the state’s road network has emerged as a key election battleground, with both Labor and the Liberals pledging repair blitzes.
Victorian Liberals leader Jess Wilson pledged $5bn to ‘eliminate one million potholes and stop them from coming back’.
‘Repairing and rebuilding Victoria’s roads is an urgent priority for my team, and we have a $5 billion plan to eliminate one million potholes and stop them from coming back,’ Ms Wilson said on Sunday.
Sunday’s crash brought the total lives lost on Victorian roads this year to 171.
Anyone who witnessed the crash or has dashcam footage is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.