Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

I used to take my sons out on the bike when they were small enough. 10km/h? I don't think so. "Faster, Faster", i didn't mix it with traffic much but wasn't afraid to a little. Now, I wasn't there so can't comment on the traffic but why shouldn't we ride within the traffi - legally of course and get more bikes out there. It's your choice not to, not my first choice to do it if avoidable but it may be an only means of transport for some.

Take precautions, minimise the risks you can't eliminate them.

merlin6014 wrote:Just for the record I have a baby mounted bike carrier and love taking the kids for a ride - but off-road at like 10km/h max. Your an idiot if you mix a 1 year old with traffic, pure and simple.

Shrug. I see parents doing things that I wouldn't contemplate doing with mine, oh, all the time. But risk is one of those things that no two people look at the same way. I save my indignation for really bad stuff and riding with a kid in traffic is no such thing. 'Course, I've done it and will continue to. Other people wouldn't and that's fine with me.

I wouldn't file this under "dumb", not one bit. The ad hominem isn't helpful either.

bychosis wrote:I used to take my sons out on the bike when they were small enough. 10km/h? I don't think so. "Faster, Faster", i didn't mix it with traffic much but wasn't afraid to a little. Now, I wasn't there so can't comment on the traffic but why shouldn't we ride within the traffi - legally of course and get more bikes out there. It's your choice not to, not my first choice to do it if avoidable but it may be an only means of transport for some.

Take precautions, minimise the risks you can't eliminate them.

Exactly - you said it - "its your choice". Once again I'm not saying make it illegal, Im saying I think its dumb - like I'm sure some of you think riding a motorbike is dumb or jumping out of an aeroplane.

high_tea wrote:

merlin6014 wrote:Just for the record I have a baby mounted bike carrier and love taking the kids for a ride - but off-road at like 10km/h max. Your an idiot if you mix a 1 year old with traffic, pure and simple.

I wouldn't file this under "dumb", not one bit. The ad hominem isn't helpful either.

IMO its dumb, obviously not in yours - we dont have to agree

il padrone wrote: But I value my role as a father too much to ever consider riding a motorbike That would be a dumb thing to do.

[/quote]

I agree with you - I gave up the motorbike when I became a father (3 years ago), and only recently got back on for short commutes. Still have to have rocks in my head to do it, but at least I dont put a baby on the back (wont someone think of the children!! ).

Theres a whole list of perfectly legal behaviors that are "dumb" in the world (I have listed several examples - cleaning a loaded rifle is another) - our willingness to take "risks" decides wether we do them or not. What you and I see as dumb changes according to our life experience i.e. having kids; having accidents; getting sick ect.

merlin6014 wrote:Once again I'm not saying make it illegal, Im saying I think its dumb

Maybe on this, a cycling forum where a good proportion of people may do this sort of child tranpsort, you could consider the golden rule - "If you can't say something positive, say nothing" ??

Calling it "dumb" and people "idiots" is not going to win favour.

il padrone wrote:

merlin6014 wrote:Once again I'm not saying make it illegal, Im saying I think its dumb

Maybe on this, a cycling forum where a good proportion of people may do this sort of child tranpsort, you could consider the golden rule - "If you can't say something positive, say nothing" ??

Calling it "dumb" and people "idiots" is not going to win favour.

I see what your saying but I'm not here to "win favour" - I call it as I see it. Its your choice but dont come crying to me when Mr SUV runs over baby Pengrove is all I'm saying.

Actually I think its human909 that really rustled my jimmies - just because I pull the lcyra on dosn't make me some crusading cyclists advocate like some people here think you must be. I ride train and ride TT at present because I currently enjoy going as fast as one can go, I have no interest in being a smelly cycling advocate.

merlin6014 wrote:

high_tea wrote:

merlin6014 wrote:Just for the record I have a baby mounted bike carrier and love taking the kids for a ride - but off-road at like 10km/h max. Your an idiot if you mix a 1 year old with traffic, pure and simple.

I wouldn't file this under "dumb", not one bit. The ad hominem isn't helpful either.

IMO its dumb, obviously not in yours - we dont have to agree

Hey, nice selective quoting. I particularly like the way you cut out the bit where I said I didn't mind dissenting opinions. Cute.

high_tea wrote:
Hey, nice selective quoting. I particularly like the way you cut out the bit where I said I didn't mind dissenting opinions. Cute.

My apologies (I missed it). truce.

merlin6014 wrote:

high_tea wrote:

merlin6014 wrote:Just for the record I have a baby mounted bike carrier and love taking the kids for a ride - but off-road at like 10km/h max. Your an idiot if you mix a 1 year old with traffic, pure and simple.

I wouldn't file this under "dumb", not one bit. The ad hominem isn't helpful either.

IMO its dumb, obviously not in yours - we dont have to agree

Hi merlin, agreeing or not is one thing, I reckon no one appreciates being shouted at. Don't forget you you are shouting at every one who reads you post.

merlin6014 wrote:I see what your saying but I'm not here to "win favour" - I call it as I see it.

OK, so express your view that it's riskier behaviour than you'd do. "Dumb" and "idiot" takes on a strong flavour of insult to most people.


Like this follow up

merlin6014 wrote:I have no interest in being a smelly cycling advocate.

Totally pointless

il padrone wrote: OK, so express your view that it's riskier behaviour than you'd do. "Dumb" and "idiot" takes on a strong flavour of insult to most people.

I did express my view and was attacked for it so I had to spell out my opinion.

il padrone wrote: Like this follow up
Totally pointless

Its not pointless - its how I feel. I try and discuss cycling with my friends and all I get is a hatred of cyclists which is spurned on by these so called "advocates" and their stupid blockades. Sick of being lumped in with the hippies.

Edit - sure I try to educate them. Its the same with motorcycles and peoples general hatred towards those evil lane splitting speeding hoons as well.

merlin6014 wrote:I did express my view and was attacked for it so I had to spell out my opinion.

OK, I see now that you did. It has been the thread title (which I also don't like), your qualified question about whether it was "dumb", and the later comments about idiots that coloured my comments here.

You know there is always that extreme element of a 'hobby' that tarnishes everyone with the bad brush, its not just cycling:

weightlifting - guys that take steroids hence perpetuate the = we all roid rage; small balls; vain; idiot ect. Actually I do it for building strength for health reasons (core strength, back issues ect).
shooter - guys who are extreme right wing hence perpetuate the = all shoters are psycho; shoot animals for fun; small peni ect. Actually I shoot paper both for fun and competitively.
cyclist - critical mass = i must be a hippie ect. Actually I do it for exercise and race TT's for fun.

see where I'm going with this...I really object to having to be an "advocate" for all these "causes".

il padrone wrote:

merlin6014 wrote:I did express my view and was attacked for it so I had to spell out my opinion.

OK, I see now that you did. It has been the thread title (which I also don't like), your qualified question about whether it was "dumb", and the later comments about idiots that coloured my comments here.

OK no problem - I also apologise if I offended anyone - my opinion is controversial I realize, still dosnt mean I wouldnt have a beer with you guys just cause we have differing opinions. In fact a drunken argument is normally the most fun

merlin6014 wrote:You know there is always that extreme element of a 'hobby' that tarnishes everyone with the bad brush...

...cyclist - critical mass = i must be a hippie ect. Actually I do it for exercise and race TT's for fun.

see where I'm going with this...I really object to having to be an "advocate" for all these "causes".

Now you'll get me going

Critical Mass 10th birthday ride Melbourne - sure looks like a hoard of hippies




Nothing like stereotyping to set the scene eh?

il padrone wrote:
Critical Mass 10th birthday ride Melbourne - sure looks like a hoard of hippies

Nothing like stereotyping to set the scene eh?

There is some nice talent in the bottom photo, maybe I should attend for educational purposes

I don't know why but they all just seem like hipies. I couldn't give a hoot about critical mass but they just have that hippie appearence. Must be the sandles that everyone is wearing. The same with protesters. I spose the media doesn't help that when to find and interview the most bogan or hippy looking person each time

outnabike wrote:

g-boaf wrote:

InTheWoods wrote:Back on topic now

No commute today, doc appointment. Drove to the docs. Must have seen 300 cars do nothing wrong. Saw 1 [shirtless] cyclist on a fixie. Cars overtake safely in the other lane, red light ahead, everybody stops ... except ... Fixie lane splits down the middle and flies through the red doing ~40kmh. Same cars have to pass him again as we go up the hill in front of the lights.

It pissed me off, and those drivers now have an even lower respect for people riding bicycles than they did before.

Correction - lower respect for shirtless fixie riders!

I cant understand how he got to 40 kays on a fixie. I can't do that with my gears, except going down hill,,,,,as dirty harry said to his mate,,,,,,to much lasagne...

Yes it was down a hill

And for those who asked, it was a male, and I can't comment on the body as I didn't pay any attention to it

muzfox wrote:I don't post here this often, but this one got to me a bit...

Mate - I do ~13.5k-Km on the roads each year. I've had my fair share of crap, you get used to it. As a consequence, you don't go chasing vehicles unless the driver has REALLY rattled your cage.


Sent from my iThingy...

Lukeyboy wrote:I don't know why but they all just seem like hipies. I couldn't give a hoot about critical mass but they just have that hippie appearence. Must be the sandles that everyone is wearing. The same with protesters. I spose the media doesn't help that when to find and interview the most bogan or hippy looking person each time

Luke: If you think they look like hippies, you were around in the sixties! They look to me like people in casual clothes on bikes. If they were dressed like that in a shopping centre (sans bike and helmet) would you think they were hippies (not desparaging hippies, by the way)

sandals BTW

T intersection, coming up from the bottom of the T with 2 lanes. I'm riding like I'm a car and waiting in traffic in the left lane, for the red light. Light goes green and cyclist flies through right hand lane, part way through intersection while turning, he cuts in between 2 cars where there wasn't really a gap to get into the left lane, because he's going left immediately after the intersection, thus once again riding like an idiot, and holding up drivers after a stupid and unsafe overtake. I'm in recovery mode and still had no issues overtaking him 100 meters down the road...

I do actually think that as a proportion, more cyclists are bad road users than motorists. Where I am it seems at least 20-30% are bad eggs... if 20-30% of motorists were that bad, the road carnage would be massive.

Totally agree with the above.

I reckon cyclists and motorists are about equal (by weight). There are far more cyclists, as a percentage, but they are lighter.

InTheWoods wrote: I do actually think that as a proportion, more cyclists are bad road users than motorists. Where I am it seems at least 20-30% are bad eggs... if 20-30% of motorists were that bad, the road carnage would be massive.

so very true. sad though, What happens to peoples minds that makes them think it is ok to ignore the rules on a bike but wouldn't dream of acting like that in their cars.