Pedestrian Run Down By Cyclist

[Mainlube]

My 2 bob

I own 3 bikes, 2 electric and a Big Hit Down Hill.

The big electric bike has a street mode 250W and off road 4500W and is a beast.

Stealth Bomber Electric bike (YouTube it and be impressed 80 KPH)

So I'm on the bike every week however,

My whinge is, I live at La Perouse, every Saturday and Sunday blocks of 110 cycles come down around the circuit and back to Paddington.

Ever since they told us to give them a meter clearance they now ride 4 wide, taking up the whole

road making it impossible to pass unless you go way over the other side of the road, these guys are bloody dangerous.

It is something I'd never do, I hate to ride on the road, cars scare me, I like bike tracks.

This thread has made me check up on insurance, great idea.

Cheers

Steve

[mik]

Originally Posted by mcnews

Riding in such environs for me is not appealing, but I guess living in the city these riders have little option a lot of the time and thus use the convenience of riding locally.

I am an absolutely courteous rider and driver, I am also somewhat of a hoon in any powered vehicle, but I am also courteous (almost) at all times to other road users.

I am with you in this in some part at least but I do think I guess the reason why some cyclists and groups do this.

I stick to the left as much as possible and try to ride on the white line or the gutter side of the white line if the road is clean, but I can tell you that when I do this SOME motorists give you no room, do not move in their lane at all, on Monday I had two trucks shave past me with less than a foot to spare, while I was at the extreme left of the road, when they could have easily moved across in their lane some more, or marginally intruded into the other lane to be a courteous reasonable human being, like all the other cars and trucks did and as I would have done in the car.....Now if I ride in a more dominant part of the lane this forces said knobheads to go around me, they get annoyed at that of course but at the same time it can make me feel safer, and I would think as part of a group this improves safety for the group quite significantly, as otherwise the more numbnutted motorist just squeezes past with scant regard to passing distances etc. effectively they are just being ignorant tossers with their whole time behind the wheel being all about them and bugga every one else. It is these types of motorists that cyclists in groups and riding two-abreast etc. are trying to protect themselves from. Thus I can see why some city cyclists try and dominate a lane to the exclusion of all others as a self protective measure against the few tossers in cars/trucks that are just plain ignorant.

I rarely ride in groups but when I do ride with the few guys I ride with the back one shouts car back when a car is approaching and while we only ever go two-abreast at most so we can have a chat or whatever as it is a social activity, the car back call sees us all quickly move back into single file for car to pass with minimum inconvenience and largely we do this before car is close enough to have been impeded at all, but this is us riding on country roads with relatively little traffic.

As you have pointed out Trev you ride with courtesy and common sense, and seeing your many posts on here no one would think you would be any different, but there are a lot of riders that don't, and this is one of the reasons a lot of motorists get hoity toity with bikers.
I`ve been both sides of the fence, used to be a biker myself (got the scars to prove it ),

some riders are very dumb and just have no clue about self preservation, road rules or courtesy .
.

[new2ford]

I thought of this thread this morning when I was driving along a narrow road without footpaths and I came across two pedestrians walking side by side on the left. The road was clear to I moved over to the right side to pass them safely and was just moving back when a cyclist roared out of a side street and found himself facing me and yelled at me to get over to the left without obviously observing why I was moving over anyway (the pedestrians were in full view).

I think so many cyclists are so loaded up with bile about "car drivers" they ride around in perpetual hate mode - so much for being a relaxing activity!

As it always seems to be male cyclists behaving like this I can only put it down to Crushed Testicle Syndrome.

[mcnews]

Oh and I managed this recently with no car involved, near the end of new 'Epic Trail' at Mount Buller another rider flicked up a branch that went straight through my front wheel and resulted in instantaneous faceplant for me. There goes the modeling portfolio :-)

[Guzz226]

Originally Posted by new2ford

I thought of this thread this morning when I was driving along a narrow road without footpaths and I came across two pedestrians walking side by side on the left. The road was clear to I moved over to the right side to pass them safely and was just moving back when a cyclist roared out of a side street and found himself facing me and yelled at me to get over to the left without obviously observing why I was moving over anyway (the pedestrians were in full view).

I think so many cyclists are so loaded up with bile about "car drivers" they ride around in perpetual hate mode - so much for being a relaxing activity!

As it always seems to be male cyclists behaving like this I can only put it down to Crushed Testicle Syndrome.

this exact same situation could play out if it had been a driver come out of the side street (many don't check both left and right whenh turning left out of s side street, only check right).

Got nothing to do with Crushed Testicle Syndrome (lycra helps with that ;-)) - got more to do if there is an issue you know you are the one theat comes off worse. Self preservation 101

[brismike]

Originally Posted by tempted

I don't need a therapist mate

I think you do need help mate. You are wrong in everything you say. Only a small percentage of cyclists are dickwads and I agree that there are some like that. 99% of cyclists are just normal people trying to get to work or home to their families. You seem to think that every cyclist has a cam and is deliberately baiting drivers just so they can run to the cops. That is so far from the truth its hilarious.

It is the same with car drivers. There are plenty of crap drivers behind the wheel of a car. Just about every time I go out on the road I'll come across one. But maybe they just made a mistake or are nervous or not sure where they are going. You just have to give them some slack.

The thing with bikes though is it is very easy to injure or even kill someone if you don't take care around them. Give them plenty of space. They are freeing up the road for you by not driving a car. You might need to lose a few seconds on your trip but so what.

Lose that hate mate ... you will feel better and you know it.

Cheers Mike

[ratter]

I'll suggest that maybe you go down to one of these cafes that have a heap of cyclist around them on a Saturday or sunday morning and actually see how may bikes have a camera fitted or how many riders have one on their helmets

[DBourne]

Originally Posted by ratter

I'll suggest that maybe you go down to one of these cafes that have a heap of cyclist around them on a Saturday or sunday morning and actually see how may bikes have a camera fitted or how many riders have one on their helmets

Careful, one of them might have one, therefore every single one has one.. FACT!

[Guzz226]

http://www.citymetric.com/transport/...ty-streets-483

Some interesting images, especially the one down a bit that shows the space taken for the same number of people on a bus, on a bike and on cars.

Imagine if bikes were banned how much longer car commutes would take?

Or possibly worse cars were banned as is happening in some places and everyone forced to use bikes and buses?

[Matty4]

Originally Posted by mcnews

REALLY. Wow, I would imagine that would be really, really, really hard to do, and of course also prove imminent and extensive injury to the cyclist also.

Not really.....
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2007-08-0...-death/2525134

[Guzz226]

Agree not right.

Sadly far from isolated though - these cyclists got no justice at all - not even a $400 fine.

here....and here

[buggerlugs]

Good ol' Family Feud hasn't helped the cause................
http://www.news.com.au/entertainment...-1227184655036

[Guzz226]

Yeap - feeding the trolls alright.

Channel 10 is going out of its way to alienating cyclists at the moment.

[Matty4]

Something to lighten the mood...hopefully
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCCW...37pv7J&index=3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKfw...37pv7J&index=2

[flooded one]

Originally Posted by Matty4

Something to lighten the mood...hopefully
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCCW...37pv7J&index=3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKfw...37pv7J&index=2

[burnz]

it could be a simple thing as turning the drain grates 90* so the rider don't have to ride so far out of the gutter..

[mik]

Originally Posted by Matty4

Something to lighten the mood...hopefully
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCCW...37pv7J&index=3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKfw...37pv7J&index=2

very good Matty, especially that second one , maybe " some " bike riders have gene that makes all traffic light colors green .

[brismike]

Originally Posted by tempted

Nah... You could have a cycle lane 1km wide and they would still ride along the line closest to the traffic.

[DBourne]

Imma show them cyclist folk!

[mik]

very nice sarge ..... allow me to reply

[DBourne]

How'd you get that photo of me?!

[aussiblue]

The WA press seem to be following our debate with articles in the last few days. Eg:
http://www.watoday.com.au/comment/re...14-12nq0r.html

[mik]

Originally Posted by SgtBourne

How'd you get that photo of me?!

was going to say the same for your pick .... cept i got more hair .

[blueoval]

Originally Posted by mik

very nice sarge ..... allow me to reply

Nice of the cartoonist to assume all MAMIL'S are fat slobs with too much cash sipping latte's in cafe's. Way to throw a blanket assumption of cyclists there.

[marty351]

I cant post the link, but if you go to utube and look up "monkeydust- we are the cyclists"
you'll have a good laugh!

[DBourne]

So stats from my lunch ride:

41km, 1hr 33min, 4 old ladies run over, too many red lights run to count, 6 lattes consumed, 14 lanes taken up at one time.

Not a bad effort

On a serious note, I did almost get taken out by an elderly lady reversing out of her drive way, I figure poo happens, whatever, I'm fine, no point having a dig. Then I hear her neighbour yell out, calling her a ********* idiot blah blah hahaha. Guess they don't have the best of relationships!!

[sunnycoast_fg]

Only 6 lattes, you're soft.

[DBourne]

I know. I can improve, I promise!!!

[LG17]

This is from TMRQ's Facebook page yesterday.

[mik]

like all travellers on any form of transport there are good and bad, but some blokes seriously need a size 14 steel cap up the kyber,
a while ago i was backing into a parking spot at point gellibrand , cars had already pulled up and where allowing me to back in , i was not quite to the parking spot and in reverse motion, some **** head lycra wearing ****** comes from behind the cars at speed and yells at me to stop causing me to jump on the brakes and whizzes past behind me ......... i mean fair dinkum , this is the utmost arrogant mentality of some people.
And yes i know you find the same twats that will do the same in cars when your trying to back a trailer in with a car or truck.

i pulled up today to an amber traffic light (wood street/high st preston)changing to red , on a narrow single lane intersection, the blue mazda small car of some description rounded me up on the wrong side of the road well after the light had turned red and did a right turn.