Now, this is how you write a cyclist hate article

[find_bruce]

He is the sort of bloke who would take a n escalator to the gym so he can use the stairmaster

[InTheWoods]

Lots of people complaining on this forum, but how many have complained to the paper or the australian press council? The APC complaint can be done online.

[ianK]

He is the sort of bloke who would take a n escalator to the gym so he can use the stairmaster

So, So true +100

[master6]

Its a rant, and mostly crap, however there might be a couple of valid points made by this journalist.

Are we so one eyed that we cannot find them?

[DentedHead]

Given that his editor has not done his job, I've taken the liberty to edit the piece myself. I'm pretty confident the following is more accurate:

MEERS: Time to curb libel power

THE time has come to declare war on psudeo-journalists.

They should be forced to register their opinions, have insurance and be subject to IQ tests.

Book them when they write dumb shite and give intelligent folks headaches. Book them when they take jobs from real journalists. Book them if they present opinion as fact and book them for having a pack mentality.

Enough is enough. They are running the interwebs and it is downright dangerous.

Police and the State Government love giving themselves pats on the back for statewide traffic operations. Stopping speeding and drink-driving and lowering the road toll, but nobody ever mentions a word about hate-spewing psudeo-journalists.

Have your say on the feedback form below

They are a law unto themselves and they know it.

Their arrogance can't even be measured.

As a psudeo-journalist, I often get asked what politicians, sports stars and celebrities are "really like".

Nobody, I repeat, nobody shares the arrogance that psudeo-journalists have.

Each morning I go running. OK, some of the power walkers overtake me running, but I still run.

I meet a friend at her place every morning which is about a 3km drive from my home.

It takes me a good five minutes to get there.

Why?

Because at 5am the streets of Broadbeach and Surfers Paradise are filled with cyclists, and I'm a douche that drives 3km to go jogging.

I'm stuck sitting on 30km while they ride completely legally.

They know I'm behind them, yet they make no attempt to move. Anyone would think that obeying the law is a good enough reason for me to have to wait!

A couple of times you consider passing them, but it's too risky. So instead, I honk, and close shave them when it's safe (for me, not them).

If I was to knock one over it would be my fault.

Why do they do it?

Because they damn well can. Because they are obeying the law.

Authorities let it happen. Again, just because they're doing nothing wrong, other than annoying me.

The two-wheeled, vulnerable, lycra-clad people look at motorists as if they are large, dangerous metal objects traveling at high speed, piloted buy damn near anyone. It's plain wrong.

There's a rogue peloton of cyclists abusing fellow road users and screaming to wake sleeping residents as it barrels through Surfers Paradise every morning at 5.

Woken residents who return fire with yells of "shadup!" are subjected to tirades of abuse from riders as they blast along narrow Garfield Terrace.

"It's like something out of Lord of the Flies," said one possibly fictional resident.

The above story is a daily occurrence on our streets and nobody seems to care. But, in true psudeo-journalistic fashion, I'm going to present this rogue sub-group as the norm, and cry foul, to incite hatred against all cyclists.

Police need to start psudeo-journalists operations. Make them too scared to do anything wrong.

Now, the psudeo-journalists will argue "it's their job to be controversial". Council and government don't provide them with the facilities to research their topic and provide actual facts.

There's a reason for that -- we wouldn't use them anyway.

It would be a waste of money (ie: a waste of my time) when I could just spew some opinionated crap and still get published.

If the police did their job and cracked down on the psudeo-journalists for a while, real journalists might get published themselves; after all, they (media articles) were invented for real journalists, (as far as I know. I didn't bother to actually research this opinion, as that's something only real journalists do)

Psudeo-journalists are just as big a danger to public intelligence as some of the other media crimes which contribute to serious dis-information.

Writing a BS article like this is the easiest thing to do with a keyboard, and any tool can get crap like this published.

Yet police do nothing about it. Start an operation and if it doesn't work, ban psudeo-journalism full stop.

Enough is enough. Readers need to start manning up and being vocal about the issue.

Wow, looks like I've almost met my word quota for this "article" I better wrap it up with a thinly veiled threat.

Make some noise people, think for yourselves rather than listening to crap like this before something really bad happens.

And believe me, it will.

Dent.

[Ken Ho]

Looks like he got his wish. 2 road rage incidents today with injured cyclists and a bloke on attempted murder charges.

[il padrone]

The traffic scene up in banana-bender-land sure is crazy these days - an assaulted cyclist, driver on attempted murder and an early morning car-bike collision that leaves the car driver dead

[Lazyweek]

In the interview where the journalist was interviewed, he states that "I've raised an issue for debate" - contrast this to his opening statement "the time has come to declare war on cyclists." It doesn't really sound like a reasonable way to open up a subject for rational discussion.

To me, it comes across as if he doesn't have a good understanding of the road rules and the dangers of cycling. Take for example-

"Book them if they are outside the bike lanes" - I regularly ride outside of the bike lane since bike lanes are often next to park cars where you run the risk of being doored.

"Book them when they cut motorists off at roundabouts" - I, as a motorist, have never been cut off by a cyclist at a roundabout (not to say it doesn't happen but what cyclist would put themselves in danger by doing that?). However, last week, as a cyclist, I was cutoff by two motorist that clearly should have given me right of way.

[il padrone]

Its a rant, and mostly crap, however there might be a couple of valid points made by this journalist.

Are we so one eyed that we cannot find them?

Valid points??

In between the incitement to motorist violence, the abject ignorance of the road rules, the total denials of a cyclist's entitlement to use our roads in safety ?? No, I did not see any valid points from this jerking piece of pond-scum. Not at all interested in listening to what he has to say either.

[Tornado]

Instead of a war on cyclists I'd prefer for people to be "Updated" on what the actual rules are. Until earlier this year when I sought to educate my self on the rules as a returning cyclist I wouldn't have known quite a few of them. I'd much prefer people to try the carrot approach prior to wielding the stick. What the carrot approach could be I don't know. What I do know is that many people are in too much of a hurry, to get somewhere that probably isn't that important. If it was perhaps you should have left earlier instead of having to pretend to be Lewis Hamilton all the way there.

What I would like to see (Just an idea) is for perhaps the nightly news bulletin to explain a different road rule each night instead of a 5 minute story on Ben Cousins getting his newspaper off his lawn. There is normally some fat each night they could cut in favour of some "Community Service".

[master6]

Valid points??

This journalist is 99% out of order, or worse. I did say "a couple".

eg
"screaming to wake sleeping residents"

A minor point in the context of the whole article, but not minor to my wife at 5 in the morning. Just pointing out that we cyclists do have faults, minor as they might be.

[KonaCommuter]

Valid points??

This journalist is 99% out of order, or worse. I did say "a couple".

eg
"screaming to wake sleeping residents"

A minor point in the context of the whole article, but not minor to my wife at 5 in the morning. Just pointing out that we cyclists do have faults, minor as they might be.

When my neighbour arrives / departs his vehicle wakes me if I'm asleep, and if I'm watching TV I have to hit live pause. At a specific time of day some bloke on a scooter scoots down my street I assume on his way home from work, that also is loud enough to drown out the TV (if I'm watching it). I once owned a V8 with a twin exhaust system, I know for a fact that disturbed my neighbours and those within my house.

Give the the cyclist yelling a warning about an upcoming hazard any day of the week. If it annoyed me enough I'd approach the council to have the hazard removed so the cyclists wouldn't need to yell the warning

[winstonw]

Lots of people complaining on this forum, but how many have complained to the paper or the australian press council? The APC complaint can be done online.

one here...

[The 2nd Womble]

Today, dozens.

[master6]

Give the the cyclist yelling a warning about an upcoming hazard any day of the week. If it annoyed me enough I'd approach the council to have the hazard removed so the cyclists wouldn't need to yell the warning :wink

Sorry, I did not adequately explain.

I am talking about 5am, and there is no hazard, except for cyclists engaging in loud chatter. I dont think that we cyclists realise how loudly we speak to overcome helmet and wind noise.

[winstonw]

eg
"screaming to wake sleeping residents"

A minor point in the context of the whole article, but not minor to my wife at 5 in the morning. Just pointing out that we cyclists do have faults, minor as they might be.

Personally, I prefer to go to bed early and wake up closer to sunrise, like the majority of my ancestors.
However, neighbors and passersby who don't share my predilection, by playing idiot boxes and stereos loudly, talking loudly, driving past aggressively in loud modified cars, heavily compromise my lifestyle preference....as does society through the law, by not taking noise complaints seriously until after 11pm.

[g-boaf]

Lots of people complaining on this forum, but how many have complained to the paper or the australian press council? The APC complaint can be done online.

one here...

Done here too.

[fionahills]

from ABC tonight:

Police have charged a 26-year-old man with attempted murder after a shocking case of road rage in Brisbane's east.

The incident happened around 7:00am (AEST) on Saturday when a car collided with a cyclist on Burnby Road at Hemmant.

Police allege the driver of the car hit the cyclist with his car twice - leaving the 24-year-old rider with a broken leg and elbow.

It is also alleged he got out of the car and assaulted the rider while he lay injured on the road.

A Gold Coast man has been charged with attempted murder, assaults occasioning bodily harm, deprivation of liberty, dangerous operation of a vehicle and driving without a licence.

He was remanded in custody and is due to face the Cleveland Magistrates Court on Monday.

[Venus62]

I always try to look as girly as possible when I cycle; with pink jerseys, and my pretty helmet with pink flowers on it. I figure even bogan idiots may think twice about having a go at a female. Seems to have worked so far...

[DentedHead]

I always try to look as girly as possible when I cycle; with pink jerseys, and my pretty helmet with pink flowers on it. I figure even bogan idiots may think twice about having a go at a female. Seems to have worked so far...

Whatever works

Pretty sure the same out-fit would get me beaten up quick-smart though...


dent.

[Venus62]

Whatever works

Pretty sure the same out-fit would get me beaten up quick-smart though...

dent.

Maybe if you shaved your legs?

[Comedian]

I always try to look as girly as possible when I cycle; with pink jerseys, and my pretty helmet with pink flowers on it. I figure even bogan idiots may think twice about having a go at a female. Seems to have worked so far...

From what I've seen insecure idiots will often pick on the most vulnerable. While I think your strategy would work well for some it could also attract others.

Still.. if it's working.

[Comedian]

from ABC tonight:

Police have charged a 26-year-old man with attempted murder after a shocking case of road rage in Brisbane's east.

The incident happened around 7:00am (AEST) on Saturday when a car collided with a cyclist on Burnby Road at Hemmant.

Police allege the driver of the car hit the cyclist with his car twice - leaving the 24-year-old rider with a broken leg and elbow.

It is also alleged he got out of the car and assaulted the rider while he lay injured on the road.

A Gold Coast man has been charged with attempted murder, assaults occasioning bodily harm, deprivation of liberty, dangerous operation of a vehicle and driving without a licence.

He was remanded in custody and is due to face the Cleveland Magistrates Court on Monday.

I'll be interested to watch this one. It wouldn't surprise me if there is more to this than is being reported. If not... that's one epic road rage and the guy needs to be locked up for decades and never allowed behind the wheel.. imho.

[rdwaltonut]

I do always question why people are in such a hurry when driving.

Case in point, I was riding home the other night, about 10:45pm, not very many cars on the road. I was on a two lane road with my fiancee and we were honked at and cursed at by a car that swerved around us and sped off, in a hurry to go who knows where.

People just need to slow down and enjoy the ride/drive. If you have to hurry to get anywhere, leave earlier, and with less anger in your heart. Relax.

[sb944]

It's poor journalism mainly because it's a non issue for 99.99% of the population:
Who out there is driving round at 5am AND
Is fed up with driving 3kms in 5 minutes in a city AND
Regularily gets stuck behind cyclists in their cars?

If you are going to go on a rant, at least have a percentage of people that are affected the way you are.