Moron Motorists #3

[FuzzyDropbear]

I hate damaging panels on cars like that because I know how much of a PITA it can be to get that sucker straight again. However, in this instance I would be inclined to return the favor by scaring the daylights out of him by kicking either the door panel or one with a nice crease line which would be a PITA to get straight again.

stop being such a glass-half-empty person. it's not cruel, it's just "fun"

Hahaha, fun for everyone, fun for him to beep his horn, for the cyclist to put his foot in his panel and fun for the panel guy who gets to repair the damage. I suppose he's doing the community a favor by bringing fun to people's lives.

[KenGS]

I hate damaging panels on cars like that because I know how much of a PITA it can be to get that sucker straight again. However, in this instance I would be inclined to return the favor by scaring the daylights out of him by kicking either the door panel or one with a nice crease line which would be a PITA to get straight again.

stop being such a glass-half-empty person. it's not cruel, it's just "fun"

Hahaha, fun for everyone, fun for him to beep his horn, for the cyclist to put his foot in his panel and fun for the panel guy who gets to repair the damage. I suppose he's doing the community a favor by bringing fun to people's lives.

And it's good for the economy too

[Dragster1]

A bloke that works at Brisbane, Oxley bunnings in the old two tone mint green holden early 60,s That likes getting behind cyclists and blowing the air horn to scare the showtime out of them and when you confront him he tells you that he only does it for just for fun.

i sympathise with the bloke. we don't have enough fun in today's world. i might put my foot in his door panel for fun, too

approaching pedestrian/zebra crossing this morning near work and pedestrian waiting to cross. i stop, taxi approaches at full speed - clearly with the intent to proceed - but stops, probably after seeing me stop in the bike lane. then someone else walks up to the crossing and he just blow through - i guess he did stop (for the first person).

Don't worry I might just go down there and give him a few kicks to his head just for "fun!" He would not be such a tough man when he is by himself. He had two other blokes in the car with him at the time. He was saying that he was going to run me down in his car all types of crap.

[Summernight]

Does this belong in here or in dumb pedestrians? I thought here because at the end of the day it is the driver's responsibility to park safely and legally in order to let off passengers. Where he did so is not such a safe place.

[zero]

If a car is stuck in traffic passengers can and do unilaterally decide to open the door and get out, and yes if observed by an officer that one would be a straight up infringement.

I personally wouldn't ride in that buffer space between the parking stalls and the cars - I'd probably have merged behind the white car at the start of the video and waited, or been quicker at getting ahead of the white car and merged between it and the silver car ahead. If the prospect that the traffic wouldn't start moving again shortly arose, I might have moved over and rolled down there fairly slowly, but I doubt I would have chosen to do that in the time frame shown by the video. I also wouldn't have bothered trying to left pass those vehicles in the narrowest area as that is imo both door prone and insufficient width if the traffic starts moving again.

ie you don't *have* to expose yourself to any of those risks of that left and outside of the proper road lane area.

[BastardSheep]

If a car is stuck in traffic passengers can and do unilaterally decide to open the door and get out, and yes if observed by an officer that one would be a straight up infringement.

I personally wouldn't ride in that buffer space between the parking stalls and the cars - I'd probably have merged behind the white car at the start of the video and waited, or been quicker at getting ahead of the white car and merged between it and the silver car ahead. If the prospect that the traffic wouldn't start moving again shortly arose, I might have moved over and rolled down there fairly slowly, but I doubt I would have chosen to do that in the time frame shown by the video. I also wouldn't have bothered trying to left pass those vehicles in the narrowest area as that is imo both door prone and insufficient width if the traffic starts moving again.

ie you don't *have* to expose yourself to any of those risks of that left and outside of the proper road lane area.

Looks to me like that's a bike lane/door lane he was riding down, though? Is it?

[FuzzyDropbear]

A bloke that works at Brisbane, Oxley bunnings in the old two tone mint green holden early 60,s That likes getting behind cyclists and blowing the air horn to scare the showtime out of them and when you confront him he tells you that he only does it for just for fun.

i sympathise with the bloke. we don't have enough fun in today's world. i might put my foot in his door panel for fun, too

approaching pedestrian/zebra crossing this morning near work and pedestrian waiting to cross. i stop, taxi approaches at full speed - clearly with the intent to proceed - but stops, probably after seeing me stop in the bike lane. then someone else walks up to the crossing and he just blow through - i guess he did stop (for the first person).

Don't worry I might just go down there and give him a few kicks to his head just for "fun!" He would not be such a tough man when he is by himself. He had two other blokes in the car with him at the time. He was saying that he was going to run me down in his car all types of crap.

Do you have a video camera mate? I know he may not be serious, but that's still threatening someone and if you had footage like that I would be keeping a record of it just in case something does happen (even to someone else).

Summer, think that's a bit of 50/50, driver didn't park to let passenger out and the passenger just got out without looking at what was coming up. Stay safe!

[Summernight]

If a car is stuck in traffic passengers can and do unilaterally decide to open the door and get out, and yes if observed by an officer that one would be a straight up infringement.

I personally wouldn't ride in that buffer space between the parking stalls and the cars - I'd probably have merged behind the white car at the start of the video and waited, or been quicker at getting ahead of the white car and merged between it and the silver car ahead. If the prospect that the traffic wouldn't start moving again shortly arose, I might have moved over and rolled down there fairly slowly, but I doubt I would have chosen to do that in the time frame shown by the video. I also wouldn't have bothered trying to left pass those vehicles in the narrowest area as that is imo both door prone and insufficient width if the traffic starts moving again.

ie you don't *have* to expose yourself to any of those risks of that left and outside of the proper road lane area.

Looks to me like that's a bike lane/door lane he was riding down, though? Is it?

It is the 'bike lane' on Collins St, Melbourne CBD. As you can see when passing the tram superstop - they have painted the half lane (what isn't the gutter) with bike green paint.

When I refer to the gutter bike lane on Collins St in other posts, this is what I'm referring to. And yes, if you ride down this lane at any speed when the cars are stopped to your right, you are running the risk. I don't ride down it at speed beside cars.

If you slotted behind cars you wouldn't move on this particular street - the cars don't go far and are regularly backed up.

You are correct that I don't have to expose myself to this, although the other option for me (Lonsdale Street) is worse, IMO. Pretty much all roads going through the Melbourne CBD from my direction have this set-up or no bike lane at all (apart from La Trobe St which has just been made up but is significantly out of my way).

Welcome to Melbourne CBD!!!

[Bah77]

Some Sylvan rd shenanigans, take off from the lights, shortly after car turns across from the right which is fine, although he wanted to turn left straight after but knew I was there so he stopped and had his indicator on. Shortly after similar thing, just done heaps worse...

Also not pictured just before some minor Ambulance related stupidity at the lights, guy on the right at front hears him coming and moves out and right blocking the inbound lane... which the ambulance was going to use to get around the traffic, so the motorist then has to back up to let the ambulance past. Might have to get around to mounting the camera on my helmet, it was too low on my handlebars to see that.

[Dragster1]

Do you have a video camera mate? I know he may not be serious, but that's still threatening someone and if you had footage like that I would be keeping a record of it just in case something does happen (even to someone else).

Summer, think that's a bit of 50/50, driver didn't park to let passenger out and the passenger just got out without looking at what was coming up. Stay safe!

This is the worst I've had in all the years, I have a camera but don't use it that often most of the drivers in my area are polite and respectful towards riders. I cracked up at him mostly because I see someone crapping their pants and swerving possible breaking an arm or a serious injury from someone just having a stupid prank. The camera is definitely the way to go these days

[InTheWoods]

Some Sylvan rd shenanigans, take off from the lights, shortly after car turns across from the right which is fine, although he wanted to turn left straight after but knew I was there so he stopped and had his indicator on. Shortly after similar thing, just done heaps worse...

Also not pictured just before some minor Ambulance related stupidity at the lights, guy on the right at front hears him coming and moves out and right blocking the inbound lane... which the ambulance was going to use to get around the traffic, so the motorist then has to back up to let the ambulance past. Might have to get around to mounting the camera on my helmet, it was too low on my handlebars to see that.

In a way, that was more a failure to indicate than a left hook. If he'd put his indicator on a bit earlier you would have needed to give way (can't pass a car on the left that is indicating and turning left), but instead he cut into your lane without any warning.

I do ride Sylvan Road occasionally, to me it seems you are riding way too fast to be in the dooring zone there. Maybe its the very wide camera angle, but you do seem to spend some time in the dooring zone, and it does look like you are flying, 40kmh+.

[Bah77]

When i overtook the cyclists at the start i think i was about 35, and only got slower after that.
As for dooring zone... maybe, when the ute pulled out it meant i couldn't really cut that corner wider where the red car was parked, other than that i think i was out of the dooring zone? It's hard to tell sometimes, and sometimes other things take your attention away and you drift a little close.

And i was expecting him to put his indicator on to turn left before the car wash, just the way he was driving, so i was kind of ready for it, just the point where he started drifting was... well..
Also on video review it appears he did one flash of his indicator once he was half-way across the lane.

(can't pass a car on the left that is indicating and turning left)

Is that due to the dodginess of the sylvan rd bike lane/bike lane laws? because i thought in a normal bike lane situation its basically a lane that a car has to cross and hence give way to traffic in it? Not that i'd necessarily push the point in practice.

[Summernight]

(can't pass a car on the left that is indicating and turning left)

Is that due to the dodginess of the sylvan rd bike lane/bike lane laws? because i thought in a normal bike lane situation its basically a lane that a car has to cross and hence give way to traffic in it? Not that i'd necessarily push the point in practice.

Pretty sure it depends on the paint on the road - yours has a straight line which he crosses so I think he actually would have had to give way.

I know with some bike lanes around here they have the dotted give-way lines at intersections clearly showing that cars crossing the bike lane must give way to bicycles.

Other intersections have the bike lane disappearing which I take to mean that you cannot overtake on the left of a left turning vehicle and that vehicles don't have to give way to bicycles on their left (unless they were already there in front of them).

Although your line may also indicate a parking area.

[InTheWoods]

When i overtook the cyclists at the start i think i was about 35, and only got slower after that.
As for dooring zone... maybe, when the ute pulled out it meant i couldn't really cut that corner wider where the red car was parked, other than that i think i was out of the dooring zone? It's hard to tell sometimes, and sometimes other things take your attention away and you drift a little close.

And i was expecting him to put his indicator on to turn left before the car wash, just the way he was driving, so i was kind of ready for it, just the point where he started drifting was... well..
Also on video review it appears he did one flash of his indicator once he was half-way across the lane.

(can't pass a car on the left that is indicating and turning left)

Is that due to the dodginess of the sylvan rd bike lane/bike lane laws? because i thought in a normal bike lane situation its basically a lane that a car has to cross and hence give way to traffic in it? Not that i'd necessarily push the point in practice.

Ok, its really hard to tell from those wide angle cameras, everything looks much faster. Yes he did indicate - but not until after he was already in the bike lane

No the passing on the left thing isn't related to bike lanes. The law simply says you can neither "ride past" nor "overtake" a vehicle on the left that is indicating and turning left. The "ride past" bit is key. It doesn't matter if you're in a bike lane, you can't "ride past".

[Summernight]

No the passing on the left thing isn't related to bike lanes. The law simply says you can neither "ride past" nor "overtake" a vehicle on the left that is indicating and turning left. The "ride past" bit is key. It doesn't matter if you're in a bike lane, you can't "ride past".

It is different here - line markings are one of the road rules you must obey and in some areas here, as the bike lane crosses intersections, the bike lane is clearly marked as the through lane with dotted lines on both sides of the lane and all other vehicles crossing must give-way, even if they are turning left over the lane.

[Bah77]

Yeah that's what i thought, if i was in the road lane and tried to overtake on the left that would be bad, but on that "bike lane/parking spot/whatever" i assumed i would have right of way, but in practice id try to not be directly left of a car, or undertaking on the left if the car was doing reasonable speed (i.e. not stopped)

[Mulger bill]

Some Sylvan rd shenanigans...

Looks to me that yoot boy actually sped up to make sure of the hook too...

[GeoffInBrisbane]

Some Sylvan rd shenanigans, take off from the lights, shortly after car turns across from the right which is fine, although he wanted to turn left straight after but knew I was there so he stopped and had his indicator on. Shortly after similar thing, just done heaps worse...

Also not pictured just before some minor Ambulance related stupidity at the lights, guy on the right at front hears him coming and moves out and right blocking the inbound lane... which the ambulance was going to use to get around the traffic, so the motorist then has to back up to let the ambulance past. Might have to get around to mounting the camera on my helmet, it was too low on my handlebars to see that.

Was he apologetic?

Incidentally, you caught my mate Bob on camera (he's the guy in the pink jersey at the start). I showed him this vid and he said he also got squeezed between the red parked car and a moving car passing too close. Gotta love Sylvan Road.

He sent me this video for contrast (apologies if it's been posted here before):



If only! What an awesome country...

[Bah77]

Was he apologetic?

No idea, i don't make it a point to go back and have a chat when things like this happen, i usually just say "good day" or something along those lines as i go past, and they reply in kind.

I have to say though, driving a car with your phone number and full contact details though wouldn't it make you a bit more careful on roads? (not that driving an anonymous car should make you a maniac though)

Also wasn't sure at the time, but that red car appears to be no standing too

[Dragster1]

Some Sylvan rd shenanigans, take off from the lights, shortly after car turns across from the right which is fine, although he wanted to turn left straight after but knew I was there so he stopped and had his indicator on. Shortly after similar thing, just done heaps worse...

Also not pictured just before some minor Ambulance related stupidity at the lights, guy on the right at front hears him coming and moves out and right blocking the inbound lane... which the ambulance was going to use to get around the traffic, so the motorist then has to back up to let the ambulance past. Might have to get around to mounting the camera on my helmet, it was too low on my handlebars to see that.

Coming back the other way around the coffee shop and tennis courts is bad for people just flinging doors open on cars, I always try to ride wide of the cars and a bit slower

[VRE]

If only! What an awesome country...

Agreed . Can't see Australia being like that in our lifetime, though .

[bychosis]

Does this belong in here or in dumb pedestrians? I thought here because at the end of the day it is the driver's responsibility to park safely and legally in order to let off passengers. Where he did so is not such a safe place.

Soooo tempting to scream, screech to a halt and nudge the ped/door to TRY to make a point. Squealing brakes are great for that effect

[VRE]

Does this belong in here or in dumb pedestrians? I thought here because at the end of the day it is the driver's responsibility to park safely and legally in order to let off passengers. Where he did so is not such a safe place.

Is that Collins St in the CBD? Isn't there any alternative route you can take? That pathetic excuse for a 'bike lane' is probably the worst one I've ever seen.

[ColinOldnCranky]

Does this belong in here or in dumb pedestrians? I thought here because at the end of the day it is the driver's responsibility to park safely and legally in order to let off passengers. Where he did so is not such a safe place.

Where is the drama? Nothing dangerous, parked at an angle well over so they can see that there is no one in imminent danger to be decked by the door before opening it. You were nowhere near in danger, you were well back and the only "hazard" was the loss of a little time.

All I see is a driver and passenger taking a safe opportunity to carry out a necessary action for which there are not too many chances. And, if I read it right, the car park further up the road that you allude to on Youtube is neither here nor there as, in peak traffic, it is just as likely not to be there when the driver arrives, if the driver can even see it that far in advance.

Put yourself in the other party's shoes. It is difficult enough out there for both drivers and riders without a little give and take.

You were driving attentively and at a moderate speed - very sensible. So, in answer to your question, I wouldn't put it in either the dumb cyclists or the moron motorists thread.

[Paul B]

Went out today on a 36k ride. Amazing scenery in a semi rural part of southern Tassie (Primrose Sands region). The purpose of this ride was to check out the route and come back for a proper go at it. Unfortunately though, this particular location is heavily populated with dole collecting bogans. So over the course of the ride, I had around eight instances where cars came within centimetres of my bike. Maybe Saturday is a bad time of the week to head down this way so I think I will have another go mid week. Otherwise, once conquered, I am not sure I will be game to ride out that way again. Pity, it is an amazing run.