Teckair Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 I am not sure how smart the new bike laws are, which are when driving a car you are required to not get too close to them. Yesterday I was driving in Bundaberg on a fairly quiet and wide back street and I was going to pass a bike rider going in the same direction and there was a car coming from the opposite direction. There was plenty of room for things to be done safely as far as road width goes. The bike was much closer to the middle of the road than it needed to be but there was still enough room for me to get past safely. As I was about to pass the bike moved over to the right and forced me onto the wrong side of the road. I was then head to head with with the car coming from the opposite direction. Lucky for me the car swerved to the left and a head on collision was avoided. Bicycles have no registration or ID so there is nothing you can do, I am about to ring the police about it but have no confidence that will do anything. To me it is sign of the times, stupidity rules. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Deskpilot1 Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 This is where a good set of air horns come in handy. Scare the shyte out of the rider and maybe, he/she will be more careful in the future. They just don't realize how close they come to being road kill at times. Even semi professional riders makes mistakes, like riding 2 abreast when there's only room for single file. I used to be a cyclist so badger me with come backs, please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teckair Posted October 17, 2014 Author Share Posted October 17, 2014 OK Winsor what part do you think is creative? Are you calling me a liar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teckair Posted October 17, 2014 Author Share Posted October 17, 2014 This is where a good set of air horns come in handy. Scare the shyte out of the rider and maybe, he/she will be more careful in the future. They just don't realize how close they come to being road kill at times. Even semi professional riders makes mistakes, like riding 2 abreast when there's only room for single file. I used to be a cyclist so badger me with come backs, please. I got the feeling this rider did this on purpose, today I have ordered one of those dash cams, which I think could be standard equipment the way things are going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M61A1 Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 Yeah, I get what you mean. I cycle as well as ride to work at times. There are marked bike lanes on the road to work, yet since the introduction of the new laws, I regularly see this one twat that insists on riding about a metre to the right of the marked bike lane. I think though that cycling should be encouraged and free, but laws need to make cyclists more responsible for their own safety. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazza 38 Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 Many years ago I was on my way to Versace on the Gold Coast when we were building it. As many here would already know, the Gold Coast is a mekka for cycling because the terrain is flat and they ride in very big groups, around 50 riders or so in the group. To cut a long story short there is a tee intersection were the road beside beach in Surfers at the northen end tees into another road as you head north towards the Southport Spit.The beach road has a stop sign. So there I was in my ute driving along minding my own business when right in front if me, these knob jockeys ride straight through the stop sign in front of me. Well they obviously didnt know me very well because even though I had right of way, they honestly thought I was going to stop for them. Fark no, I wasn't doing that as I had right of way. Well you should seen the knobs going all over the shop avoiding me. Jeeez it was funny. Disclamer - they break a lot of road rules around the coast when riding in big numbers. They expect every body to get out of the way for them. But having said that, I always give them a wide birth these days, maybe I am getting soft in my older age. And most bike riders do the right thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turboplanner Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 Don't come to Melbourne then, we have a new offence of "Dooring". You, parallel park, and open your door to get out when a cyclist riding full blast in your blind spot hits you, and you are automatically at fault. Two or three abreast, driving through stop lights, pulling in front of cars, is common but the bike lobby has managed to avoid registration and number plates, so can't even be booked for not wearing a helmet. We have hundreds of kilometres of new bike tracks with no one using them. The bike lobby got ahead of the apathetics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coljones Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 Yeh, I know how you feel. Bloody car drivers taking up the same amount of room as 10 bikes, choking up car parks with their behemoths, driving straight into roundabouts ignoring anyone else already there, waiting til a cyclist comes along (keeping to the left to let other drivers through) and then opening up the door to clean the cyclist up, overtaking a cyclist and then pulling over to the left to 1. avoid the oncoming car, 2. dive into the parking spot they have just spotted 3. taking the next left turn., driving down the wrong side of the road (because it seemed like a good idea at the time) Yes, I agree there are some really dopey cyclists but by far the greatest problem on the roads are motor vehicle drivers who think that a suit of armour and a ticket to drive entitles them to go out and commit Murder, Mayhem, Manslaughter, intimidation and out and out stupidity. Then of course are those who forgot to register their cars or have either never had licences or who have lost them. Then best of all, those over 0.02 and pissed like the rest. Get a grip, be cool, go flying instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2tonne Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 As a pedestrian I have been hit by vehicles twice - both times bicycles. First time was a cyclist entering Exhibition gardens (Melbourne) straight off the road into a "no bicycle" zone. Second time was when crossing in cbd with the "green man" and idiot cyclist was turning left across the crossing. Several other near misses including one where I injured myself taking evasive action. IMHO the ratio of idiot cyclists:good cyclists is a lot higher than idiot drivers:good drivers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winsor68 Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 OK Winsor what part do you think is creative? Are you calling me a liar? The part where you claim a pushbike "forced me onto the wrong side of the road"... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
facthunter Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 There are other examples of blood flow being used in certain parts of the body and the brain being incapable of proper functioning, because of it. Nev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winsor68 Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 I gave one to turbo too for claiming cyclists sneak up on his "blind spot"... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turboplanner Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 Sorry if you can't quite visualise it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winsor68 Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 Sorry if you can't quite visualise it. Sorry if you don't have a neck and spine...you know....so you can look over your shoulder... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
facthunter Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 I'm wondering now if it was my fault when I ended up on the lap of a driver when he opened the front door of his car, and how I could have done something about the car that passed me and turned left immediately, and all the ones who say I didn't see you (meaning I didn't bother to look) who turn in front of you, come out on roundabouts on your left. I need one of the "armoured versions" of push and motor bike these people have who can force a car to some other place on the road must use. I know there are riders that don't obey lights etc, but having a "war" going on between cyclists and cars is a bit much. The shock jocks in Sydney were running a campaign in Sydney against Mayor Clover Moore over cycle lanes they want to get rid off, to please the businesses who want a double value vote.. Cycling is a good way to keep fit, and means a lot less roads need to be built, to turn cities into concrete parking lots for cars with 1.2 people in each. Nev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SDQDI Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 Arguing about the idiot rates in cycling compared to cares is a bit silly. In my experience there are idiots in everything and the ratios are about the same wether it is cycling, driving or flying and thankfully those that are idiots are the minority (albeit the most visible for obvious reasons) and to tar a whole sport or group with the one brush is simpleminded. I always used to think cyclists were stupid and had no right to the road but last year I bought a bike to get fit (yeah yeah I know doesn't look like it worked) and road on our quiet roads every evening for about 5 or 6 months, and it opened my eyes to a lot of things. I road in daylight as well as after dark and the roads around home are in the country and fairly quiet with a couple of feet of tar outside the fog line, I always tried to stay outside the fog line and always had bright flashing rear red lights (even in daylight) and the different car reactions were eye opening. The majority would pull into the other lane or partly move over and give me plenty of room (extremely rare to have a car from both directions and if I did I always pulled off, yeah I'm a chicken) but there were a few who seemed to come closer and a few that just held their line and didn't pay me a thought. Towards the end of that time I felt a LOT More comfortable riding at night as you could tell when a car was coming from behind and I'd just get off the road, it took longer but felt an awful lot safer. I road into town a few times and enjoyed it but I dred the thought of riding in a city and take my hat off to those that do. So basically I know there are some idiot cyclists but spare a thought for the majority and try to give them all a bit of room and remember they all have no doubt had to put up with some idiot car/truck drivers in their time. They do have just as much right to be there, most would own cars too and pay just as much tax as the rest of 'us'. And maybe have a try of it yourself as has been said it is good exercise and it will open your eyes to e other idiot road users out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazza 38 Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 I have found that individual riders are normally pretty good. But it seems to become a whole lot different when they are in a large group of 20 plus. They seem have total disregard for other pedestrians and road users , running red lights, stop signs ect Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coljones Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 I was looking for some stuff on dangerous bikes but I couldn't find any recently. It is amazing, however, what damage is done by motor vehicle drivers. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-16/woman-charged-over-fatal-kogarah-crash/5745968 http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/four-dead-after-cyclist-killed-in-hit-and-run-20141011-114muk.html http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/young-woman-killed-in-south-brisbane-crash-20140911-10f8wl.html http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/pedestrian-killed-alexandra-headland/2416280/ http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/sydney-traffic-pedestrian-killed-by-bus-on-george-street-in-sydney-cbd-20140505-zr4z2.html http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/woman-pedestrian-killed-in-forest-hill-20140813-103smh.html http://www.tac.vic.gov.au/road-safety/statistics/summaries/pedestrian-statistics http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/pilot-john-stephenson-dead-after-light-planes-fiery-crash-into-chelsea-home-20141015-1165g0.html The last one is about planes - not pretty but if someone wants to blame the victim go right ahead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teckair Posted October 17, 2014 Author Share Posted October 17, 2014 The part where you claim a pushbike "forced me onto the wrong side of the road"... That is exactly what happened it was either that or hit the jerk. I am not sure what makes you think that cannot happen?? But it might explain some things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teckair Posted October 17, 2014 Author Share Posted October 17, 2014 Sorry if you can't quite visualise it. Yep it seems some have a poor understanding of reality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
facthunter Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 Push and motorcycle riders are pretty exposed. Get back on your pushie and give it a go. I gave up riding with a local group. Far too many riders get killed. Nev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Deskpilot1 Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 That is exactly what happened it was either that or hit the jerk. I am not sure what makes you think that cannot happen?? But it might explain some things. Same thing happened to me. A young girl turned in front of me without looking or signalling. I had no option but to swerve into to oncoming lane to avoid killing her. As it was, she hit my left mudguard and was dragged down the side of the car. Shaken but not really hurt until I delivered her home to her mum, who gave her a swift one for being on the main road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teckair Posted October 17, 2014 Author Share Posted October 17, 2014 Push and motorcycle riders are pretty exposed. Get back on your pushie and give it a go. I gave up riding with a local group. Far too many riders get killed. Nev How is what I thought to deliberately force a car to take evasive action going to help anything? I think this is a result of the the new laws and this clown did this just because he could. Maybe some of the supporters of this need to have it done to them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
facthunter Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 I'm surprised anyone would do something (deliberately) like that. You always have to allow for them wobbling a bit. I think that is where the 1 metre figure comes from. Nev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teckair Posted October 18, 2014 Author Share Posted October 18, 2014 I'm surprised anyone would do something (deliberately) like that. You always have to allow for them wobbling a bit. I think that is where the 1 metre figure comes from. Nev If you were there you might think differently it would be a 20 ft wobble, this issue is more common than you think, have a look at post 6. Yeah, I get what you mean. I cycle as well as ride to work at times. There are marked bike lanes on the road to work, yet since the introduction of the new laws, I regularly see this one twat that insists on riding about a metre to the right of the marked bike lane. I think though that cycling should be encouraged and free, but laws need to make cyclists more responsible for their own safety. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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