Cyclists Threaten timid little man in LandCruiser...

[Ozkaban]

Apologies if this has been posted elsewhere - I couldn't find it.


Apparently, this gentle soul in his 3 tonne 200 series LandCruiser in western Brisbane, equipped with only the bare essential in urban safety devices, such as bull bar, winch and 6 spotlights was driving along and some cyclists got in his way. "I had given them a toot to move them into their proper lane," he said.

It also turns out that when he pulled up at his business a few minutes later that they were somewhat angry with him, and he felt intimidated (presumably because he no longer had the 3 tonne barge under his command any more).

Now I don't condone threatening behavior, but surely the journalist missed the whole 'threatening' angle of his driving... Cyclists don't normally stop (well, the ones I ride with don't) to have a go at someone for a mere beep of the horn. We'd never get anywhere if we did! I'd be interested to hear the other 2/3 of this story...

Oh, and if ever there was an image ripe for a meme, I reckon that would be it

[Howzat]

A bit of discussion here -> viewtopic.php?f=12&t=22881&start=3925#p923420

[Ozkaban]

Thanks. I was sure it would be mentioned somewhere!

[RonK]

Dornoch Terrace is a steep downhill section, where the bikes would have been going just as fast as other traffic. I regularly reach the posted speed limit there. The street has many apartment buildings along it and residents cars are usually parked in the bike lane. There is also a concealed entrance (St James St) at the fastest point, where common sense dictates you take a wide line in case a car emerges, and a small but deep pothole which must be avoided. Recently a cycling acquaintance received serious facial injuries when his fork broke there.

Any driver attempting to overtake would have to be speeding. Copping a horn blast from a motorist while at that speed would be extremely disconcerting, and it's not at all surprising that the riders would be angered by it.

This is how it looks to the rider. At this point I would be doing 60kph. A car could emerge from the street on the left without warning at any time. Where would you position your bike?

[Summernight]

Dornoch Terrace is a steep downhill section, where the bikes would have been going just as fast as other traffic. I regularly reach the posted speed limit there. The street has many apartment buildings along it and residents cars are usually parked in the bike lane. There is also a concealed entrance (St James St) at the fastest point, where common sense dictates you take a wide line in case a car emerges, and a small but deep pothole which must be avoided. Recently a cycling acquaintance received serious facial injuries when his fork broke there.

Any driver attempting to overtake would have to be speeding. Copping a horn blast from a motorist while at that speed would be extremely disconcerting, and it's not at all surprising that the riders would be angered by it.

This is how it looks to the rider. At this point I would be doing 60kph. A car could emerge from the street on the left without warning at any time. Where would you position your bike?

That bicycle lane from that StreetView picture is pathetic and suicidal, especially with those obscuring bushes. In a group ride I'd think all the cyclists would be in the car lane.

[boss]

I had a similar incident the other day, I was riding around a parked car on a suburban street. Two cars behind me, first car overtakes me and the car that I was passing, no worries.

By the time the second car was anywhere near me I had passed the parked car and was moving back towards the curb. Hear loud, aggressive beeping. Turn around. Woman waving her hands for me to move towards the side of the road (or was it get off the road?)

I wasn't in the mood for it and gave her the bird. She then gave me the bird back, much more agressively (both hands waving around giving me the bird and yelling at me... couldn't make out what she was saying).

She passes me, I find the funny side in the whole situation. Then I realise that traffic is banked up on my street. Then she realises it is too.

She ends up held up in a logjam caused by a freight train. I ride down to her car, her window down a smidgen. Went something like this...

Me: "Hey there"

**Her eyes dart from side to side, looking in front and behind, as if someone in another car will save her**

Me: "You're lucky I'm in a good mood..."

Her: "If you come near me I'm calling the police."

**She has her phone in her hand dialling or pretending to dial 000.

Me: "Sure, call the police. Let them know you beeped your horn at me for no good reason, and in return 'you're lucky I'm in a good mood'. Have a good day."

She was freaking out. Like totally freaking out. Her behaviour really didn't endanger me at all, it annoyed me at most, and even on a bad day I wouldn't have wanted to dish out vigilante justice. I might have been a bit heated with what I said. But it was funny to watch her sweat after acting so tough a few moments earlier.

Wonder if my story will make it into the paper.

[Ozkaban]

turns out a witness (a lone cyclist 75m behind the group) has come forward and the article updated. Salient bits:

Greg Robson, who was riding on his own 75m behind the group of 20 cyclists, claims West End business owner Mervyn Hull's four-wheel-drive vehicle passed within millimetres of a rider's handlebars.
...
"Mr Hull did not toot his horn. He sat on it for about 200 metres," he said.

[birdbrain]

"I had given them a toot to move them into their proper lane," he said.

More like "I had given them a blast to get off the road"

Now the truth comes out.

[boss]

turns out a witness (a lone cyclist 75m behind the group) has come forward and the article updated. Salient bits:

Greg Robson, who was riding on his own 75m behind the group of 20 cyclists, claims West End business owner Mervyn Hull's four-wheel-drive vehicle passed within millimetres of a rider's handlebars.
...
"Mr Hull did not toot his horn. He sat on it for about 200 metres," he said.

Hahahah. Mr Hull. What an idiot. Why would you go forward to the paper if you knew you were in the wrong. Make it public and it's all gonna come out in the wash.

[Summernight]

Hahahah. Mr Hull. What an idiot. Why would you go forward to the paper if you knew you were in the wrong. Make it public and it's all gonna come out in the wash.

Probably because he didn't think he was in the wrong and thought he had a right to the road and the cyclists didn't and were meant to stay in their marked bicycle lane and be timid little Boy Scouts in single file...

Like when we post footage on here and people say 'actually you did [x] wrong so you're in the wrong too.' We probably wouldn't post if we thought we'd broken the law at the same time as the person in the footage.

That or Mr Hull wants to meet Shane Warne and this is the best way he can think of doing so - bonding over horrible cyclists.

[Paddles]

It is on the Courier Mail website and has attracted a huge amount of opinion ranging from the "militant cyclist" (yes .......... we know there's some out there, they break our qld road rules ) to the "ignorant motorist" (who are calling for bikes to be banned off roads because "bikes and cars don't mix" and "why aren't they paying rego?"). A little tolerance, understanding and respect from both sides would go a long way.

FYI, Qld bicycle road rules handbook:

http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/~/media/Trave ... ochure.pdf

The most important ones here I think are:

- no more than 2 abreast
- you must keep left and can only "take a lane" (normally left, but right if making a right turn) if there is 2 or more lanes of traffic travelling in the same direction where you are riding

[Howzat]

[AndyTheMan]

turns out a witness (a lone cyclist 75m behind the group) has come forward and the article updated. Salient bits:

Greg Robson, who was riding on his own 75m behind the group of 20 cyclists, claims West End business owner Mervyn Hull's four-wheel-drive vehicle passed within millimetres of a rider's handlebars.
...
"Mr Hull did not toot his horn. He sat on it for about 200 metres," he said.

And this is exactly why its a good idea to have a video camera running - could you imagine how awesome it would be right now if that guy that was 75 metres behind had a camera??!!!

[il padrone]

http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/~/media/Trave ... ochure.pdf

The most important ones here I think are:

- no more than 2 abreast
- you must keep left and can only "take a lane" (normally left, but right if making a right turn) if there is 2 or more lanes of traffic travelling in the same direction where you are riding

Ah, now don't go skating over that one

It's keep as far left as practicable. That means if, in the judgement of the cyclists, there is some impracticability (eg. potential safety hazard) they need not stay hard left. Most cyclists on here should be aware of this rider to the rule.

[clydesmcdale]

http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/~/media/Trave ... ochure.pdf

The most important ones here I think are:

- no more than 2 abreast
- you must keep left and can only "take a lane" (normally left, but right if making a right turn) if there is 2 or more lanes of traffic travelling in the same direction where you are riding

Ah, now don't go skating over that one

It's keep as far left as practicable. That means if, in the judgement of the cyclists, there is some impracticability (eg. potential safety hazard) they need not stay hard left. Most cyclists on here should be aware of this rider to the rule.

And to add... a cyclist is allowed to overtake the other cyclists riding 2 abreast... thereby creating 3 abreast for a short moment.

[Howzat]

That bicycle lane from that StreetView picture is pathetic and suicidal, especially with those obscuring bushes. In a group ride I'd think all the cyclists would be in the car lane.

That 20 metres of green paint is not a bicycle lane, it's a bicycle oblong.

[KonaCommuter]

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't that a GoPro mounted in the middle of his dash?



Whilst I'm at it - Is this another example where a Camera would have saved the day?

[Howzat]

Nice spotting - but looks a little big, probably a GPS.

But if the cyclists had a rear mounted Go-Pro, I'm thinking this is the view they would have captured.

[Summernight]

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't that a GoPro mounted in the middle of his dash?


Whilst I'm at it - Is this another example where a Camera would have saved the day?

It does look like a GoPro - in the waterproof housing. Indicating that either he already had one and decided to not use it this day or had it running and decided not to use the footage... Hmmm.

Also entirely possible that he may only use it for when he is spotlighting and hunting (isn't that what those things up the top are? Spotlights?)... Hunting cyclists that is...

[BrisVegas]

Do you reckon this story was sponsored by ARB? Nice up close photos of Merv's "catalog truck".

[il padrone]

Nice spotting - but looks a little big, probably a GPS.

Sure looks like a Go Pro to me. I've never seen any GPS with that profile.

I'd guess it's the one he's just fitted to film his rule-breaking and cyclist-stalking

[Xplora]

And to add... a cyclist is allowed to overtake the other cyclists riding 2 abreast... thereby creating 3 abreast for a short moment.

Or even a long moment... as long as you are going faster than the other 2, you are overtaking.

Practicable is a funny term really. It would basically put all riders in the middle of the lane always if they knew what a dooring could do to them....

Bring the fury, this is going to get fun.

[goneriding]

Nice spotting - but looks a little big, probably a GPS.

But if the cyclists had a rear mounted Go-Pro, I'm thinking this is the view they would have captured.

The article (headline in the Courier Mail) says that he has now installed cameras front and rear.

I say the next time someone comes across him get close enough and pull faces at the camera and ring your bell repeatedly!

[TimW]

Mr Hull said he has now installed in-car cameras

Read more: http://www.couriermail.com.au/travel/ne ... z2Kqp5chHC

beat me to it

[Xplora]

Gosh some of the comments... I'm surprised those people know how to spell... or type...