The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...

[TraceyG]

Dumb cyclist on Pt Nepean Rd at Rosebud last night, almost 11pm riding along in dark clothing and with no lights, rear or front. You might have been in the "bike lane" but that is little consolation if you are cleaned up simply for the lack of a light.

On that note, however, the situation developed into an interesting conversation with my husband about how our own driving and passenger behaviour has changed as we have become more frequent cyclists. We realised that we actively look for cyclists and call "rider up". Not so many years ago we would have resented such backseat driver behaviour from each other but now we appreciate just how vulnerable cyclists are on the roads and how much responsibility we have towards other road users.

That's not to say that we were bad drivers before and I am fairly certain that neither of us ever caused an accident with a cyclist, just that we are more aware and careful now.

[human909]

Even so, likening it to car drivers being aggressive towards cyclists seems a bit rich.

I agree that severity of the action and the level of consequence is at different ends of the scale. But it was the motivation and the attitude that was being likened.

[find_bruce]

I think this belongs here as I can't find a thread for disgusting or deviant pedestrians. A lovely example of the dumb pedestrian on Sunday on the Naremburn - North Ryde cycleway - some lessons for life

1. don't walk on the bike path
2. it may be an accurate reflection of your status in society, but it is not OK to be out in public shaking hands with the unemployed and
3. I am not ever going to give you a hi five. While there are many reasons for this, surely #2 is enough.

Though I was fairly restrained by telling him "Don't be a Daring Homeboy"

[human909]

EDIT:

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.p ... unemployed" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[wellington_street]

Not sure if human909 missed the joke, or is playing along...

[burger]

Hope this is a euphamism for 'having a slash' . . . . .
and not a more, ummmmm, graphic personal moment??

but it is not OK to be out in public shaking hands with the unemployed

[human909]

Not sure if human909 missed the joke, or is playing along...

If I was playing along, what I did write was quite hilarious and almost witty.

Unfortunately the truth is that I did miss the joke, and so in I removed it.

[wellington_street]

Innocence lost once again...

[find_bruce]

While the aforementioned person, lets call him Wayne, appeared to be relieving himself in public, he was not having a slash. I am conscious of both the word sensor and the sensibilities of readers & chose a euphemism that I thought conveyed both the location of Wayne's right hand and what that hand appeared to be doing. Maybe Mr Kerr felt the need for a lengthy personal adjustment or maybe he was just a pervert, I wasn't about to stop and ask.

Either way, eeew.

I apologise for the confusion and indeed for mental image.

[alexander]

posted this over in commuting too, such is my anger right now.

"Well this mornings ride was ruined this afternoon, which was a shame as the weather was even nicer.

I had nothing but moron cyclists overtaking on blind corners. Had it happen 3 times, 3 different guys. All nearly resulting in crashes that would have taken down at least 3-4 people. Had to yell at one of them, and luckily he pulled back just in time, as sure enough, someone came the other way, at speed.

Then a motorcyclist coming up the inside of a truck turning left perpendicular to our crossing. Truck was being nice and letting us cross, but the motorbike was invisible and so were we, as the truck hid us both from each other, cyclist nearly got cleaned up by dumb motorcyclist who wasn't giving way. Again I had to yell because I was back far enough to see it unfolding."

[Ross]

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/quee ... 6830336423" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[wellington_street]

^

Unsurprisingly to see one of the in-story links is to a story "14 reasons we hate cyclists". Must resist click bait...

[g-boaf]

^

Unsurprisingly to see one of the in-story links is to a story "14 reasons we hate cyclists". Must resist click bait...

You didn't read the whole thing, did you? People hate cyclists mostly because of our freedom, and the fact we are getting super fit, while they are sitting in their cars.

[Dragster1]

^

Unsurprisingly to see one of the in-story links is to a story "14 reasons we hate cyclists". Must resist click bait...

You didn't read the whole thing, did you? People hate cyclists mostly because of our freedom, and the fact we are getting super fit, while they are sitting in their cars.

That's not our fault the option is there for them too just lazy buggers

[Cowcorner]

Puts hand up - I put this one firmly in the "famous last words" category.

Just started riding in to work this morning and the right foot felt a bit tight in the clip (yes I am one of those wusses who uses clips rather than cleats). I thought "it'll be OK" for the trip and I'll check it out once I got in to work. Needless to say - stopped at a set of lights in the CBD and unhooked the left foot as I usually do. Not really sure what happened next by I sort of over-balanced and the right-foot which previously "felt a bit tight" was well and truly stuck in the clip and not going anywhere. The net result was clip-stack in slow motion which must have looked hilarious to the riders stopped behind me, two and a half inches of skin off the right knee and a huge lump on the front of my left shin where it whacked the bar on the way down. Live and learn I suppose.

[lobstermash]

Crazy dude on a (brakeless) track bike on Adelaide Ave yesterday evening. Lack of brakes didn't pose a problem until we reached an on-ramp and the cars going the same speed as us didn't want to give way. To provide a bit of extra incentive to slow down and let us go through (there's no way he could have stopped or even slowed down enough, and the drivers wouldn't have recognised his brakeless state) I went with him along the dividing line of the slip lane. Thankfully the cars slowed for us to get past... Was more than a little nervous and wondered why I chose to go with him instead of stopping!

[g-boaf]

I cannot believe someone would ride a track bike on the road. Heck, I ride one myself - but it stays on the track and nowhere else. You cannot stop quickly enough, especially not from 45km/h or more. Unless of course you stop turning the pedals.

[zero]

I cannot believe someone would ride a track bike on the road. Heck, I ride one myself - but it stays on the track and nowhere else. You cannot stop quickly enough, especially not from 45km/h or more. Unless of course you stop turning the pedals.

If you put a front brake on a fixie it stops fine.

Dia Compe and others make strap on brakes (warning its the internet - be careful with your search terms!) that can even make a track fork work for the road. Even brakes with some give and imperfect leverage will transform the stopping distance of a track bike.

edit : for internet safety the current term is "clamp on"

[g-boaf]

A front brake defeats the purpose of such a bike. Aren't you supposed to be stopping it the proper way?

If you put a front brake on a fixie it stops fine.

Depending on if you use it for racing or not.

[lobstermash]

I doubt I'll see him again to suggest getting a, er, 'clamp on'... Was much later in the evening than I usually venture out.

We were going about 45 at the time, and he had a distinct 'help, what am I going to do' face on (or at least that's what I interpreted it as...).

[jindydiver]

Do some people believe righteousness bestows upon them a force field?
Today a lady decided to ride her bike across a pedestrian crossing in front of my car. She had been travelling along the footpath and just hooked right believing that 2 tonne of vehicle (already on the crossing but going slowly to let an old woman get fully off) will just magically stop just because she wishes it so.
I of course expressed my amazement at her stupidity and pointed out what she did was stupid and illegal to be told that "you are wrong, in the ACT I can ride onto the crossing" as if her belief (which isn't supported by the road rules) would confer some magical protection from injury.
I shudder to think what the outcome might have been if I had been going just a little faster or been paying a little less attention. Push bike rider versus 2 tonne ford would not end well for the pushbike rider

from
Road Transport (Safety and Traffic
Management) Australian Road Rules
Incorporation 2013 (No 1)....

248 No riding across a road on a crossing
(1) The rider of a bicycle must not ride across a road, or part of
a road, on a children’s crossing or pedestrian crossing.

[eldavo]

We were going about 45 at the time, and he had a distinct 'help, what am I going to do' face on (or at least that's what I interpreted it as...).

My 2yo has that face when he's pooing his pants.

[find_bruce]

Do you know this Sydney cyclist ?


If so can you give him a hug, it appears he has caught MGIF & is far too important to wait a couple of seconds for the downhill cyclist to pass before passing the pedestrian at a well known pinch point. Those unfamiliar with the area will note the pole in the middle of the path


He thinks the appropriate way to win friends and influence people is to insult them & then to top it off, felt the need to close shave me as well

[Lukeyboy]

[InTheWoods]

That thing should be registered