Moron Motorists #3

[London Boy]

Got water bombed by two dumbheads riding an old model Subaru Forester last Sunday. Luckily it hit my bum and bounced of before it exploded. Gave chase but to no avail. No harm done, but what pisses me off was it could have hit me in the head and lost my balance and hit the curb on my way down. I would like to report the incident to the the police but I could only remember the colour and model of the vehicle (didnt get the rego because they sped up, when they realise I was giving chase).

This happened a few blocks from my place and might have seen this vehicle around. If I ever get the chance to see it parked somewhere, I won't hesitate to pour brake fluid on top of his bonnet.

Just poke a sharp stick into his radiator. Bit of warpage on his cylinder head will help focus his mind...

[Ross]

Happy to report I had no encounters with moron motorists today!

[TigerFilly]

Out of the mouths of children - from my 10yo son. "Don't you hate it when people break the road rules and wave you on!" Apparently he stopped at a give way sign, and a woman stopped her car, where she should have just kept driving, and waved him through. It happens all the time and it drives me nuts. I've spent years drilling the road rules into him so he's safe to ride on the road, and people think they are being 'kind' by waving him through.

[ldrcycles]

+1, I had a similar thing this afternoon, a woman overtook me and then at a roundabout further up the road she was turning left (she overtook me well before the roundabout and indicated with plenty of time so all good). Problem was she expected me to go whizzing past her on the left in the stupid green 'bicycle lane', so came to a complete stop and just sat there until I went past .

[InTheWoods]

+1, I had a similar thing this afternoon, a woman overtook me and then at a roundabout further up the road she was turning left (she overtook me well before the roundabout and indicated with plenty of time so all good). Problem was she expected me to go whizzing past her on the left in the stupid green 'bicycle lane', so came to a complete stop and just sat there until I went past .

Problem is a lot of cyclists ignore the no passing a vehicle on the left when it is indicating and turning left rule. So I imagine many drivers have had a scare with that, and are ultra cautious

I almost got rear ended (and then sworn at) the other night when I was giving way to a left turning car in front of me...

[DavidS]

Saw a doozy on the way home from work tonight.

Melbourne people will be familiar with StKilda rd but for others StKilda Rd has 2 lanes going South, then a nature strip, then a large middle section with 2 lanes in each direction divided by tram tracks in the middle, another nature strip and 2 lanes going North.

So, I'm travelling South in the bike lane which is on the left of the 2 left before the nature strip, and what do I see? There was a car driving North in the second of the South going lanes on my section of road. Not only was the car on the wrong side of the road, there was a nature strip, 2 lanes going South and 2 tram tracks between the car and the correct side of the road. Insane, and this in the evening peak. Very lucky there were no other cars because of a light sequence further back. I have no idea how they got there but the driver certainly looked clueless. I think they turned off shortly after but an appalling piece of driving and very dangerous. I can't believe some people are actually given licences.

DS

[AndrewBurns]

Saw one complete idiot on Mona Vale road yesterday. They were travelling south on the high speed 90kph divided carriageway section and decided they wanted to do a U-turn. So they turned across the central divider which happened to be a very deep and sharp ditch, I could hear the impact of the rear of their car on the walls of the ditch from a few hundred meters away. They then turned into the middle lane in front of fast moving traffic but shortly decided they wanted to get into the right turning lane just up the road. However they were doing nowhere near the same speed as the rest of the traffic, forcing a number of cars coming up behind them to brake heavily as they changed lanes without indicating. I think they had P-plates on, can't remember, it's only a matter of time until I get wiped out by somebody like that.

[biker jk]

Saw one complete idiot on Mona Vale road yesterday. They were travelling south on the high speed 90kph divided carriageway section and decided they wanted to do a U-turn. So they turned across the central divider which happened to be a very deep and sharp ditch, I could hear the impact of the rear of their car on the walls of the ditch from a few hundred meters away. They then turned into the middle lane in front of fast moving traffic but shortly decided they wanted to get into the right turning lane just up the road. However they were doing nowhere near the same speed as the rest of the traffic, forcing a number of cars coming up behind them to brake heavily as they changed lanes without indicating. I think they had P-plates on, can't remember, it's only a matter of time until I get wiped out by somebody like that.

Ah, Mona Vale Rd madness. I no longer ride it during weekdays but drive to Terrey Hills and ride from there. White van man, tradie utes, texting, speeding, etc. etc.

[zero]

+1, I had a similar thing this afternoon, a woman overtook me and then at a roundabout further up the road she was turning left (she overtook me well before the roundabout and indicated with plenty of time so all good). Problem was she expected me to go whizzing past her on the left in the stupid green 'bicycle lane', so came to a complete stop and just sat there until I went past .

Problem is a lot of cyclists ignore the no passing a vehicle on the left when it is indicating and turning left rule. So I imagine many drivers have had a scare with that, and are ultra cautious

I almost got rear ended (and then sworn at) the other night when I was giving way to a left turning car in front of me...

If they have to merge over a cyclists line of travel, then they do in fact have to give way, whether or not the turning rule applies. The rules require both parties to give way, which is not the worst thing in the world, because it makes both parties cautious (if both parties know the rules). The blurb rule interpretations Vicroads put out even request drivers to stop and give way to cycles in cyclelanes when turning left over them, so if thats a Victorian driver, she was doing what they are being told to do.

[InTheWoods]

If they have to merge over a cyclists line of travel, then they do in fact have to give way, whether or not the turning rule applies. The rules require both parties to give way, which is not the worst thing in the world, because it makes both parties cautious (if both parties know the rules).

Yes obviously, otherwise left hooking would be legal. If a car is overtaking a bike, the overtaking rules apply and one of those (qld quoted here) is:

must not return to the marked lane or line of traffic
where the vehicle is travelling until the driver is a
sufficient distance past the vehicle to avoid a collision
with the vehicle or obstructing the path of the vehicle.

This applies to a car overtaking a bike.

The no overtaking on the left rule for cyclists applies to a bike overtaking a car on the left:

The rider of a bicycle must not ride past, or overtake, to the
left of a vehicle that is turning left and is giving a left change
of direction signal.

This applies when a bike is overtaking a car.

So two different situations, its not really true that both have to give way, it just depends on who is overtaking who.

Edit: When you throw in a bicycle lane, yes a car must give way to any vehicle in that lane if they want to change into it or turn across it. But the no overtaking on the left rule applies if the car is indicating&turning left, so there should not be a need for the car to give way, if it was there first and isn't doing a left hook.

[casual_cyclist]

The lights changed to red, my little green man was flashing, car in the right hand lane was at a stop and I was about to step out on to the crossing. Fortunately I had one last head check before moving off because a bloody great semi raced through the crossing!

you learned a valuable lesson there. you can't expect these guys to stop at red lights - they have often been driving for 24 hours or so. of course they're going to miss little things like traffic lights.

It's not just trucks. Yesterday in Perth I was following a cyclist onto a cycle crossing (green bicycle light, red turn arrow for vehciles on the road) when a car turning right went flying through the red and almost clipped her. Moron motorist for running the red and almost taking out a cyclist and moron cyclists both of us because neither of us checked the intersection was clear before proceeding. Lesson learned.

[ldrcycles]

The rider of a bicycle must not ride past, or overtake, to the
left of a vehicle that is turning left and is giving a left change
of direction signal.

So two different situations, its not really true that both have to give way, it just depends on who is overtaking who.

Edit: When you throw in a bicycle lane, yes a car must give way to any vehicle in that lane if they want to change into it or turn across it. But the no overtaking on the left rule applies if the car is indicating&turning left, so there should not be a need for the car to give way, if it was there first and isn't doing a left hook.

This was what I had in mind, the car was well in front of me and had indicated with plenty of time, so it definitely wasn't a left hook.

And I didn't make it clear enough with 'bicycle lane' that where I was riding was the shoulder, like the vast majority of 'bike lanes' in Noosa it is not actually a bike lane according to the road rules (or at least the road rules I've seen quoted on here).

[BianchiCam]

My first time posting now i have the Go Pro and some half decent software.
for those that know the Esplanade down towards Safety Beach, this ones for you.

Being overtaken by cement truck on a blind righthander down hill was scary enough.
Cars often come up around that corner at a greater speed than the posted 60kmph.
I was up this trucks jacksie for the rest of the road where the road goes under the waterway doing about 50 and on the brakes.
The car behind at least had the common sense to wait for a suitable spot to pass me which was where the road finally straightens out along the foreshore.
Just wish I had a front facing camera as well.
More to come. I am sure....

[ldrcycles]

Holy hell, please tell me you're taking that to the police.

[BianchiCam]

I'll try and get the rego although it's a bit hard in the video.
Maybe send a copy to the Concrete company.

Cam

[chill1995]

It's like they only employee anti-cyclist bogans to drive cement trucks, If I see one coming up behind me i'm going to abort and ride the foot path

[Matt_Matt]

My first time posting now i have the Go Pro and some half decent software.
for those that know the Esplanade down towards Safety Beach, this ones for you.

Being overtaken by cement truck on a blind righthander down hill was scary enough.
Cars often come up around that corner at a greater speed than the posted 60kmph.
I was up this trucks jacksie for the rest of the road where the road goes under the waterway doing about 50 and on the brakes.
The car behind at least had the common sense to wait for a suitable spot to pass me which was where the road finally straightens out along the foreshore.
Just wish I had a front facing camera as well.
More to come. I am sure....

I claim the lane early right about there .... it's a great stretch of road but lends its self to being overtaken across double lines


Matt

[InTheWoods]

I claim the lane early right about there .... it's a great stretch of road but lends its self to being overtaken across double lines

That doesn't always help Last night, doing ~52kmh in a 50kmh zone, down a hill, wet road. Severe case of MGIF leads to car being fully on wrong side of road over double lines as corner approaches...

[BianchiCam]

Can't get the rego. Tried a few times. Bugger. It's not the gap he gave which isn't an issue, it's the blind corner coupled with a no benefit overtake as I was going faster than him all the way down the hill where he could have (more safetly) overtaken. I was a fair way out and after he went past I claimed the lane even more. The white car sat at a safe distance while I just shook my head at the numpty.

[Lukeyboy]

I claim the lane early right about there .... it's a great stretch of road but lends its self to being overtaken across double lines

That doesn't always help Last night, doing ~52kmh in a 50kmh zone, down a hill, wet road. Severe case of MGIF leads to car being fully on wrong side of road over double lines as corner approaches...

Tonight. In the rain doing 50 in the middle of the road down a slight hill and Mr Camry thinks he needs to overtake me into the roundabout. The falcon station wagon behind them got the same idea as they started to creep up but I just moved over even further, turned around and looked at them which they backed off

[Mulger bill]

I'll try and get the rego although it's a bit hard in the video.
Maybe send a copy to the Concrete company.

Cam

Put it on a clean stick and send it to the CEO direct with a note based on the Oxford template and suggesting that Plod and Worksafe's copies will be sent out if you don't hear from him in a day or two.
If you can pin down location and time the fleet manager shouldn't have much trouble figuring out who needs spanking

[toolonglegs]

1st really moron motorist this year... stoopid women overtook me turning right at a giveway crossroads... I would have been going straight ahead had she not cut me off at a fair speed, nice little rear lock up and middle finger straight at her... she would have got a bidon of sticky goo had I been quick enough.
Funny how a shot of adrenaline made the legs spin better for the next hour or so... didn't stop my feet from going numb in the cold & wet though .
Oh well see you in a year or so maybe.

[jasonc]

I claim the lane early right about there .... it's a great stretch of road but lends its self to being overtaken across double lines

it is a great stretch of road - have ridden it a couple of times and on the downhill run claimed the lane.

[Summernight]

Can't get the rego. Tried a few times. Bugger. It's not the gap he gave which isn't an issue, it's the blind corner coupled with a no benefit overtake as I was going faster than him all the way down the hill where he could have (more safetly) overtaken. I was a fair way out and after he went past I claimed the lane even more. The white car sat at a safe distance while I just shook my head at the numpty.

Are you using the Youtube footage to get the registration or the original footage straight off the camera? I would suggest trying to use the raw footage to see if you can make out the plate as converting it (if you use Cineform Studio) and then putting it on Youtube lower the quality and crispness.

At least he gave you enough room? (Yes, appalling behaviour to overtake on double lines and on a blind corner)

[Mulger bill]

I'm in the smokebox, just about HERE heading north. The ped Xing lights just in advance are red and the waiting smokeboxes are backed up to the roundabout so I pull up at the entrance of the roundabout so it stays clear. This naturally infuriated the mouth breathing, knuckle dragging type in the tradie ute very close behind me into giving me a horn symphony. When that failed to elicit any response greater than a bored glance into the mirror, it decided to emulate its dog. The head came out of the window and it started barking. I think I saw a vein in its neck bulge when I smiled and waved.

Comes the green and we're off, unlike ute-boy, I maintain good spacing on the 'box in front and don't weave about the lane looking for a non existent overtake slot. Shame it's nanna and she don't seem to be in a hurry. Off to the next roundabout, nanna and I get a suitable gap for the left turn, ute-boy doesn't. Shame about that.