Bike riders !!! Grrrr - things are getting worse up here

[JD-120]

timely

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/executive-style/fitness/on-your-bike/cycling-and-social-media-do-you-read-the-comments-20141001-10oix2.html

[edz]

Forget the chest beating on both sides of the conversation,   light slower bikes and heavier faster moving cars / trucks and just shouldnt be mixed . Its a Government cop out for not putting proper plans into place and allowing for increases in light transport  traffic ..
The dutch seem to have it worked out pretty well and have a usable system .https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-cYZo5kToM
 

[Marcus73]

Love these new bike lanes here on the big island.... Gives everyone a crack at em.



Jokes 


Sent from the machine that goes..... Bing!

[Bullant4x4]

The dutch seem to have it worked out pretty well and have a usable system .

That's because they all hang out at the grasshopper and eat cookies

Last time I was is Amsterdam, I got lost for seven hours after meeting up with the sheriff. After a missing week I'm sure I couldn't have ridden a bike, let alone driven.

[whitey1]

I think this thread has gotten a little pointless. No one is going to change anyone else's thinking on this subject so the mods may as well get out the loctite.

[Bullant4x4]

........

[jclures]

Ok, I have to give the cyclist a meter of clearance.
But I saw a cyclist in Cairns with a rod or similar device attached under the seat sticking out around one meter on his right side.
I gather this is to force his meter clearance on the road. For the life of me this has got to be stupid, if not dangerous, I am left wondering do I have now to give a meter of clearance from his pole to comply with the law.

[edz]

Bloody bike riders .... nothings changed in a hundred years ... LOL ...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cp5fTvEWdh4

[TheWall]

Car drivers never do anything wrong....
www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/south-west/driver-after-driver-caught-breaking-law-during-school-pickups-at-fairfield-heights-public/story-fngr8hxh-1227104763666]http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslo ... 7104763666

[TheWall]

This would raise a few smiles on this thread I guess...
www.abc.net.au/news/2014-10-30/world-champion-cyclist-injured-in-hit-and-run/5855634]http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-10-30/world-champion-cyclist-injured-in-hit-and-run/5855634

[jwb]

I would hope not

[Jeepers Creepers]

Hey The Wall,

Why not just leave sleeping dogs lie.

By posting what you have , it would seem fairly clear to me, you're just trying to re-ignite an argument that there will never be a clear winner to.

Now, I'm not saying you can't post what you want, that's up to you, but why not chuck up a post about ya last camping trip or something.

[Symon]

This would raise a few smiles on this thread I guess...

Putting all the banter and rhetoric aside, no-one wants to see anyone hurt.  The point I think everyone wants to make is that responsibility needs to be taken up by both sides of the fence on this one, and unfortunately individuals on both sides tend to forget that.

Motorists have a responsibility to avoid putting cyclists at risk, and cyclists have a responsibility to avoid putting themselves at risk.

[TheWall]

Thanks for the feedback Jeepers Creepers.

Guess I am just trying to keep some perspective considering the pretty aggressive commentary in this thread. The title is bad enough!

Whenever there is some cyclist bashing to be had in mainstream media it is noticeable that the behaviour of other road users (ie cars, trucks etc) becomes less considerate. Just a reminder that cyclists are actually people...

https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/25435207/cyclist-hit-by-car-in-west-perth/

PS. My trip to Fraser Is last month was awesome thanks. Had never been to the Sandy Cape on previous trips. Amazing spot. And even saw a mountain bike with those ridiculously fat tyres cruising along Eastern beach! Bike Riders!!! Grrr

[edz]

Used to ride the O'l 26" Malvern along the beach heaps of times between Kingy and Fingal and even down to Cabba,  back in the day ... standard tyres fixed  gearing,  back pedal brakes no fancy stuff like the new biks have ..
Hey the wall, how do the new bikes  handle the sand and crud with the derailers and stuff ? .

[gronk]

Used to ride the O'l 26" Malvern along the beach heaps of times between Kingy and Fingal and even down to Cabba,  back in the day ... standard tyres fixed  gearing,  back pedal brakes no fancy stuff like the new biks have ..
Hey the wall, how do the new bikes  handle the sand and crud with the derailers and stuff ? .

Ha ha, I used to have a bike I built myself....mostly a racing bike..

And I had another I built myself....well, mainly I aquired the basic bike and rebuilt it every time it stuffed up....a "creek" bike !!

A few mates and I would launch our bikes off the creek bank and see how far we could get.....hardest part was not losing the bike after hitting the water and also swimming while holding onto the bike was difficult !!   

[edz]

We used to do that off the old Markwells jetty into the river, though we had a rope tied to the bike as it was a bit deep there.

[TheWall]

Grrr...things are getting worse around here. Wow, Check out this driver behaviour!

Speeding  12,305 (513 per day)
Unregistered vehicles  3892 (162 per day)
Mobile phone offences  2782 (116 per day)
Disobey signs/signals  2076 (86 per day)
Unlicensed drivers  1638 (68 per day)
Seat belt offences  1293 (54 per day)
Drink driving  1247 (52 per day)
Disqualified/suspended drivers  1120 (47 per day)
Drug driving  338 (14 per day)
Impoundments  226 (9 per day)

Full story. http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/500-drivers-caught-speeding-each-day-on-victorias-roads-during-operation-raid-20141208-122m6n.html

[edz]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXiifFBHj5g 

[Brutus]

Not sure how many of you have seen the road assessment vehicles with all the cameras on them to capture rolling 360 degree footage of roads etc but I saw a bike rider today in my local town with four cameras on it. I asked the guy what was the idea of them all and he said he is fighting the fight for cyclists on the roads. He captures drivers getting too close or dangerous overtaking manoeuvres and sends the footage into Police to follow up on and charge them. I inquisitively asked how many times he has had any success with convictions etc and he didn't know as he left it up to the police. I smiled and chatted briefly with him before he jumped on his bike and started pedalling off on the footpath before I calledhim back. You should have seen the glare I got when I suggested he follow the rules too and wheel his bike onto the road before setting off

I know these guys want to keep fit and all but really why do they risk their lives playing cat and mouse with 1 tonne plus steel clad cars and trucks? This guy today will have his name on a plaque in no time with his attitude.

Parachuting, there's a hobby safer than riding a bike on roads and highways..........

[Pog]

This would raise a few smiles on this thread I guess...
www.abc.net.au/news/2014-10-30/world-champion-cyclist-injured-in-hit-and-run/5855634]

Mate, Thats not funny!

I ride a road bike after work every night for fitness. I deliberately choose quieter roads, and try to ride at times when there is less traffic. I am fully aware that I have look out for myself, because I am difficult to see, and motorists often can't / don't see me.

I need to ride a section on the Sturt Highway, and this is by far the scariest part of the ride, sharing the road (60 & 80km zones) with semis & b-doubles.

The worst part of the story you posted is the fact that the motorist did not stop... That's a very low act. What if she was seriously injured?

As previously mentioned, both cyclists and motorists need to share the road, and a bit of respect each way won't go astray.

[TheWall]

Brutus...not sure about other states but in Qld it is perfectly legal to ride on footpaths. As a guide, it is the approaching car vehicle that needs to make a safe pass. Didn't spot too many caravans and campers pulling over to let faster vehicles past on a trip up the Bruce Highway recently.....why is it so different for cyclists?

Why are we so impatient? Maybe we need to kick start the Life Be in it campaigns again???Perhaps it is a jealousy/guilt thing about people actually getting off there arses and trying to stop being obese and getting fit. Was thinking on my ride this morning about that I think I am going to start cracking a nut over obese people and the extra taxes I will need to pay to keep them alive. Perhaps the taxes should pay for bikes?

Was watching my 3 and 6 yo having an awesome time riding their bikes around our cul-de-sac last weekend only to have knob head try and speed down the (remember dead end) road. Upon questioning his antics his reply was...they should be riding on the footpath. How sad, but at least he did not say they needed a licence ha ha.

While I am here. New rules for Qld in 2015....

http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Safety/Queensland-road-rules/Changes-to-road-rules.aspx

[jetcrew]

roads were built for cars and trucks not bikes IMHO.

I am respectful of cyclists to a point but when i turn the news on a hear a bike rider got splatted by a b-double on a 80-100KPH road with 3 cm of shoulder I always think to myself "what did you expect".

Why anyone would want to ride a bike with the idiots texting their mates whilst doing a 100 is beyond me, I ride on the footpath or quite residential areas.

 I take my hat off to some cyclists they are prepared to die for their sport and their Meter.

jet

Ride smart / drive smart it takes both sides as symon said to make it work, but unfortunately we only hear about thickheads on both sides.

[dales133]

Actually bikes were on roads far before cars, how is it that all manner of transportation modes coexist in Asia, the Netherlands, France and many other places.i don't get the hostility between bikes and cars.
Everyone needs to take a chill pill and face the fact that the roads are to share and since it's illegal to ride on the footpath there's no other option.
There are plenty of nob head cyclists and it passes me off when they ride 2 or 3 abreast but there are more drivers on any given day that do and they pose a threat to my life far more than a cyclist.

[KingBilly]

and since it's illegal to ride on the footpath there's no other option.

Incorrect in Queensland at least.  If using a footpath, the cyclist must give way to pedestrians.

KB