The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...

[wellington_street]

Waiting at the lights at the red man on the path this morning - DC comes down the path behind me then straight out onto the road, to turn left, without even looking and was inches away from being cleaned up by a vehicle who was turning left. Not a smart person.

[MisuVir]

Just the usual deluge of people walking dogs on shared paths without leashes, oncoming cyclists deciding to overtake pedestrians just as I'm approaching, and people standing all over the path.

On one of the back streets near my house, one elderly couple decided to walk up the hill in the bicycle lane rather than use the perfectly serviceable footpath on the opposite side of the street. It was particularly irritating because I had just come over the crest and was starting down and suddenly had to move out to avoid them. There is definitely something strange about this street as I often pass people walking in the bicycle lane. I've walked along the foot path myself and there's nothing wrong with it, so I don't know why so many people insist on walking the on-road bicycle lanes on both sides of the road.

[Dragster1]

Just the usual deluge of people walking dogs on shared paths without leashes, oncoming cyclists deciding to overtake pedestrians just as I'm approaching, and people standing all over the path.

On one of the back streets near my house, one elderly couple decided to walk up the hill in the bicycle lane rather than use the perfectly serviceable footpath on the opposite side of the street. It was particularly irritating because I had just come over the crest and was starting down and suddenly had to move out to avoid them. There is definitely something strange about this street as I often pass people walking in the bicycle lane. I've walked along the foot path myself and there's nothing wrong with it, so I don't know why so many people insist on walking the on-road bicycle lanes on both sides of the road.

Probably because they are like sheep and think the bike is a sheep like them also, I get this all the time drives me nuts! why would you want to endanger your life by being hit by a bike when you have a perfect footpath to walk on in peace Ding Dong there me thinks

[yugyug]

Just the usual deluge of people walking dogs on shared paths without leashes, oncoming cyclists deciding to overtake pedestrians just as I'm approaching, and people standing all over the path.

On one of the back streets near my house, one elderly couple decided to walk up the hill in the bicycle lane rather than use the perfectly serviceable footpath on the opposite side of the street. It was particularly irritating because I had just come over the crest and was starting down and suddenly had to move out to avoid them. There is definitely something strange about this street as I often pass people walking in the bicycle lane. I've walked along the foot path myself and there's nothing wrong with it, so I don't know why so many people insist on walking the on-road bicycle lanes on both sides of the road.

It sounds like there is only a footpath on one side of the road? Why would a pedestrian want to cross the street to walk up or down it if they are already on the side closest to where they are going? The preferential treatment the motor car gets and the poor infrastructure choices therein affect pedestrians as much as cyclists.

Not say they shouldn't cross the road, just saying I understand why they don't. Hell I don't even use a cycle path when riding if it has less convenient access to the side of the street I'm going.

[redned]

It sounds like there is only a footpath on one side of the road? Why would a pedestrian want to cross the street to walk up or down it if they are already on the side closest to where they are going? The preferential treatment the motor car gets and the poor infrastructure choices therein affect pedestrians as much as cyclists.

Not say they shouldn't cross the road, just saying I understand why they don't. Hell I don't even use a cycle path when riding if it has less convenient access to the side of the street I'm going.

Perhaps because it is in the road traffic code (at least in WA).

(1) A pedestrian shall not proceed along a carriageway where there
is a footpath or nature strip adjacent to the carriageway and it is
in a fit condition for use.

[MisuVir]

It sounds like there is only a footpath on one side of the road? Why would a pedestrian want to cross the street to walk up or down it if they are already on the side closest to where they are going? The preferential treatment the motor car gets and the poor infrastructure choices therein affect pedestrians as much as cyclists.

There's not really anything on this side. Shrubs, trees, and a fence line blocking access for a 1km stretch until the street ends.

What really boggles the mind is that I more often see people walking the on-road bicycle lane on the other side where there's a foot path 1m over. There's nothing blocking their access to the foot path, there are no dangers on the foot path, and the surface is not rough at all... yet it just seems that some people prefer walking along the bicycle lane rather than the foot path separated from vehicles by a nature strip.

[Dragster1]

[. There's nothing blocking their access to the foot path, there are no dangers on the foot path, and the surface is not rough at all... yet it just seems that some people prefer walking along the bicycle lane rather than the foot path separated from vehicles by a nature strip.

See sheep! they just don't have the bike yet

[Aushiker]

Waiting at the lights at the red man on the path this morning - DC comes down the path behind me then straight out onto the road, to turn left, without even looking and was inches away from being cleaned up by a vehicle who was turning left. Not a smart person.

Wasn't the Emperor (sorry not allowed to call him that, I meant the Premier) was it? He made a passing comment it seems about a cyclist in mere inches from "his" car ...

Andrew

[nezumi]

Today on my ride home I had a dumb "cyclist". Riding along the Yarra I was behind one of the rowing-coaches-on-bike - megaphone on back, mic in hand. As I approached and prepared to pass, he proceeded to *kick* out at a family of ducks standing beside the path. Upon challenging him over this, he said he "wasn't going to kick them", that he was "only threatening them" and that "they're just animals - they don't matter!".

Needless to say, I found this attitude abhorrent.

[cp123]

do you know which crew or school he was teaching? i'd contact them and say how awful that behaviour was...

[fat and old]

do you know which crew or school he was teaching? i'd contact them and say how awful that behaviour was...

Agree. I despise people who mistreat animals, birds reptiles or insects. In fact, you should have given the moron a kick, "just to threaten" him. See how he likes it, the #$u&^#b%#9.

[jules21]

Today on my ride home I had a dumb "cyclist". Riding along the Yarra I was behind one of the rowing-coaches-on-bike - megaphone on back, mic in hand. As I approached and prepared to pass, he proceeded to *kick* out at a family of ducks standing beside the path. Upon challenging him over this, he said he "wasn't going to kick them", that he was "only threatening them" and that "they're just animals - they don't matter!".

technically he was right. i mean, how many of those ducks benefited from a private school education? i'd say none. riff raff if i ever saw it. i know that sounds dodgy but when you've been through a private school you understand that there are leaders and the under-foot in society and private schoolers know how to tell the difference (hint: they're the leaders)

[thelittlebattler]

they're just animals - they don't matter!".

I bet they'd matter to him if he was at his favorite restaurant and the waiter kicked his duck confit

Saw a dumb cyclist at the lights earlier. No helmet, doesn't check at all and sprints out of the saddle across the lights which have just turned green. Car taking off only just missed him. Maybe in his defence, he was on one of those hipster contraptions with no brakes. Perhaps putting in an out-of-saddle attack was his best form of defence?

[Mulger bill]

Would the alleged gentleman in a white based national kit In Swanston St this morning kindly look around in future before commencing the bushmans hankie.

[Boognoss]

Not sure if we need a stupid wildlife thread. This one will do for now

[duncan16v]

Would the alleged gentleman in a white based national kit In Swanston St this morning kindly look around in future before commencing the bushmans hankie.

There's a bit of it going around. I had a complete jerk let fly with a nasty on Friday morning on the MYT at the Collingwood Children's Farm. I let him know I was behind him and wasn't best pleased (I may have been a bit more direct than that) then not 30 seconds later, the fool does it again.

Surely, Mr 3RRR-sticker-Hipster, your Mummy showed you how to use a hanky?

[duncan16v]

Would the alleged gentleman in a white based national kit In Swanston St this morning kindly look around in future before commencing the bushmans hankie.

There's a bit of it going around. I had a complete jerk let fly with a nasty on Friday morning on the MYT at the Collingwood Children's Farm. I let him know I was behind him and wasn't best pleased (I may have been a bit more direct than that) then not 30 seconds later, the fool does it again.

Surely, Mr 3RRR-sticker-Hipster, your Mummy showed you how to use a hanky?

... and THEN, a tool on a moped in an open faced helmet hawked one up. Shame it wasn't a full-face helmet.

[nezumi]

I didn't see the Dumb Cyclist (DC), but I did see the aftermath.
Riding to work along the Yarra Boulevard in Burnley yesterday morning, I saw a few riders standing around, and another on the ground.
As near as I can gather, the Downed Rider (DR) was entering the Main Yarra Trail from Gardiners Creek Trail (bridge) and didn't pull up hard enough for DC's liking. Words ensued, and DC took off, cutting in front of DR (speculation - intending to spook him?), clipping his front wheel. DR landed hard on his right shoulder and helmet.

I arrived after a crowd had formed, directing bikes to slow down and go around. I stayed on site, assisting to direct traffic for about an hour until the ambulance arrived. Injuries look to be a broken or dislocated shoulder/collarbone and potential concussion. I had a look at the helmet - around 7 major fractures, both to the hard shell and the foam inner. The bike was not well, with the handlebars ending up parallel to the wheel.

To the rider who clipped the wheel - you had to have know you did it. You rode off (by the account of someone who arrived before me), but in future if you cause an accident, please stay around and accept the consequences.

Better yet, ride safe, ride to the conditions, and don't cause accidents int he first place.

[Milar]

This was during my ride home last night on shared paths. I was chatting to a fellow commuter but pulled back when we approached some others. It looked like the 3 riders were together and were pushing a bit, but were strung out and the third cyclist really didn't want to lose touch with the other 2 so made a dumb pass. It felt really close live.

For me this highlights the risks I often see from riders in groups (if you can call this a group) on a path as the desire to keep up seems to make some people a bit dumber than they otherwise would be.

[98octane]

I saw the aftermath too. Hope DR recovers well. That MYT/GCT bridge intersection is dangerous and requires care from all sides.

[CXCommuter]

To the super observant dude riding at 50km/h (estimated, but really fast with a tailwind) around a blind corner hugging the centreline then yelling at us to ride to the left (Opposite Lake Monger on the PSP in WA)- Look in a mirror you twit.

[Ross]

Nothing to do with cycling but I witnessed this MORON pedestrian woman walking through a servo smoking a cigarette. Can't get much dumber than that I reckon. She was aged in her 40s I reckon so well and truly old enough to know better. If I was the servo attendent I would of rushed out with a fire extinguisher and sprayed her and the cigarette until it was out. Brain of a grass seed.

[CXCommuter]

Nothing to do with cycling but I witnessed this MORON pedestrian woman walking through a servo smoking a cigarette. Can't get much dumber than that I reckon. She was aged in her 40s I reckon so well and truly old enough to know better. If I was the servo attendent I would of rushed out with a fire extinguisher and sprayed her and the cigarette until it was out. Brain of a grass seed.

Not too many years ago I had the servo worker amble out at ducks fart to chat with me whilst I was filling up- he proceeded to light up right next to me I advised of where he should go as rapidly as possible

[Jangari]

Had this bloke pass me on King St Newtown yesterday afternoon, blasting past me on the left leaving about a foot. I yelled out to him to pass on the right, but pretty sure he didn't hear me. He eventually pulled onto the footpath to park outside a bike shop so I told him again, but pretty sure he didn't care.

[outnabike]

I don't mind passing on the left and have mirrors both sides to watch for it. Not illegal either, but I do expect a but of room be given in the arrangement. If we can pass cars on the left so can a bike pass us. But safely...