Cyclists Threaten timid little man in LandCruiser...

[il padrone]

Didn't waste my time reading them. It's a Newscorp scum-sheet after all

[Howzat]

[Percrime]

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

There is a correlation between poor spelling and grammar and the stupidity or otherwise of the comment. Its a really obvious correlation too. It must make the odd educated anti cyclist squirm to see it.

[il padrone]

I reckon the dyslexic cyclists get even more anxious

[Xplora]

I reckon the dyslexic cyclists get even more anxious

What are you talking about?

In other news, I heard that cyclist farts smell like roses

[trailgumby]

I reckon the dyslexic cyclists get even more anxious

What are you talking about?

In other news, I heard that cyclist farts smell like roses

Mine smell like burnt rubber.

[Mulger bill]

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.

Good to know he has one horn that works

[Howzat]

[trailgumby]

[London Boy]

Maybe he would feel better if he didn't have such a small p...

[Marto]

Maybe he would feel better if he didn't have such a small p...

What are the laws governing fitting additional driving lights?

I saw in the QLD TMR document:Auxiliary Driving Lamps Fitted to Motor Vehicles:

"Specific (Driving lamps)
• Two additional pairs of driving lamps may be fitted to a motor
vehicle. "

But couldn't see at first glance anything related in http://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/LEGISLTN/SLS/1999/99SL213.pdf.

The photo above clearly shows 3 pairs of additional driving lamps.

[ColinOldnCranky]

Mervyn Hull has pretty much outed himself and made it fairly easy to filling the gaps - his credibility, how a "toot" is holding the horn down continuously, what his understanding is of the law and his expectations of what cyclists should do to accomodate him, his generic criticism of cyclists etc. Have a listen to him in an interview at http://blogs.abc.net.au/files/mervyn-hull---angry-cyclists-.mp3

Worth having a listen. After this I feel justified in inferring the fault as belonging to him and to question anything he says alleging bad cyclists. He fits a stereotype of the angry cyclist hater who dresses up his bigotry in self serving arguments, largely irrelevant to the specific circumstances.

[Summernight]

The photo above clearly shows 3 pairs of additional driving lamps.

You're referring to the ones on top of the roof? I'm pretty sure they're not driving lamps or classified as such although I'm probably wrong there... I'm pretty sure they are spotlights for hunting off-road on private property.

[boss]

Mervyn Hull has pretty much outed himself and made it fairly easy to filling the gaps - his credibility, how a "toot" is holding the horn down continuously, what his understanding is of the law and his expectations of what cyclists should do to accomodate him, his generic criticism of cyclists etc. Have a listen to him in an interview at http://blogs.abc.net.au/files/mervyn-hull---angry-cyclists-.mp3

Worth having a listen. After this I feel justified in inferring the fault as belonging to him and to question anything he says alleging bad cyclists. He fits a stereotype of the angry cyclist hater who dresses up his bigotry in self serving arguments, largely irrelevant to the specific circumstances.

That was hillarious.

[Howzat]

I'm pretty sure they are spotlights for hunting off-road on private property.

... or, from next month, in your National Parks

Something else for off-road bike riders to lie awake thinking about.

[outnabike]

Having a 4Wd myself I have no fascination with the lights or bull bar. The vilifying of a truck per-say is unhelpful. It's just a Toyota in the hands of a fool.

This bloke is just a bully using a large vehicle to monster these cyclists. I reckon all the horn blowing is a terror tactic and I also believe he shaved the group.
That would be frightening enough and the cyclists would not approach his factory on a whim. This man ought to be prosecuted not given the time of day to be doing unbelievable interviews.

[Hamster]

"TRANSPORT OPERATIONS (ROAD USE MANAGEMENT--ROAD RULES) REGULATION 1999 - SECT 224

224 Using horns and similar warning devices
A driver must not use, or allow to be used, a horn, or similar warning device, fitted to or in the driver's vehicle unless--

(a) it is necessary to use the horn, or warning device, to warn other road users or animals of the approach or position of the vehicle; or
(b) the horn, or warning device, is being used as part of an anti-theft device fitted to the vehicle.
Maximum penalty--20 penalty units."

A penalty unit is worth $110.

I only hope that Mr Hull gets to make an enforced $2,200 contribution to state revenues and if we're really lucky may it be a lot more.

[The 2nd Womble]

Mervyn Hull has pretty much outed himself and made it fairly easy to filling the gaps - his credibility, how a "toot" is holding the horn down continuously, what his understanding is of the law and his expectations of what cyclists should do to accomodate him, his generic criticism of cyclists etc. Have a listen to him in an interview at http://blogs.abc.net.au/files/mervyn-hull---angry-cyclists-.mp3

Worth having a listen. After this I feel justified in inferring the fault as belonging to him and to question anything he says alleging bad cyclists. He fits a stereotype of the angry cyclist hater who dresses up his bigotry in self serving arguments, largely irrelevant to the specific circumstances.

I'm on 612ABC BETWEEN 8.30-9am Monday with Steve Austin and Sara Carrigan to talk about Swervin' Mervin and all the other crap from the last 2 days on local radio stations and ACA

[find_bruce]

"TRANSPORT OPERATIONS (ROAD USE MANAGEMENT--ROAD RULES) REGULATION 1999 - SECT 224

224 Using horns and similar warning devices
A driver must not use, or allow to be used, a horn, or similar warning device, fitted to or in the driver's vehicle unless--

(a) it is necessary to use the horn, or warning device, to warn other road users or animals of the approach or position of the vehicle; or
(b) the horn, or warning device, is being used as part of an anti-theft device fitted to the vehicle.
Maximum penalty--20 penalty units."

A penalty unit is worth $110.

I only hope that Mr Hull gets to make an enforced $2,200 contribution to state revenues and if we're really lucky may it be a lot more.

Yeah but the ticket fine is all of $66

[high_tea]

"TRANSPORT OPERATIONS (ROAD USE MANAGEMENT--ROAD RULES) REGULATION 1999 - SECT 224

224 Using horns and similar warning devices
A driver must not use, or allow to be used, a horn, or similar warning device, fitted to or in the driver's vehicle unless--

(a) it is necessary to use the horn, or warning device, to warn other road users or animals of the approach or position of the vehicle; or
(b) the horn, or warning device, is being used as part of an anti-theft device fitted to the vehicle.
Maximum penalty--20 penalty units."

A penalty unit is worth $110.

I only hope that Mr Hull gets to make an enforced $2,200 contribution to state revenues and if we're really lucky may it be a lot more.

Doubt it. I've reported worse to the police. Complete waste of time. They'd rather do DUIs and speeding, I suspect, because as long as they follow procedure on those, they needn't deal with that pesky law! Maybe the publicity makes that a different matter. Just for laughs, though, have a look at the penalties for misuse of a carriage service (that nice Mr. Hull alleges that the someone made some nasty phone calls after the incident). It's 474.17 of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth): "Using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence". At the risk of spoiling the surprise, the max penalty there is 3 years.

Yup, menace someone with your LandCruiser, cop a fine. Menace someone with your phone, get three years in chokey. How good is that?

I really wish that everyone involved had just stayed in bed that day or something.

[Mulger bill]

Have a listen to him in an interview at http://blogs.abc.net.au/files/mervyn-hull---angry-cyclists-.mp3

If you listen really carefully, you can hear his knuckles dragging on the ground...

I've got a fiver to say that bus of his had never seen terrain rougher than an unsealed road.

[trailgumby]

Looking at that complexion of his, I'd say those bull bars and lights are mainly for protection from the consequences of his condition when when he's driving home from the pub.

[Mulger bill]

Looking at that complexion of his, I'd say those bull bars and lights are mainly for protection from the consequences of his condition when when he's driving home from the pub.

Bullseye. The nose shows...

[Hamster]

@high tea and @find_bruce

Sad to say but I suspect that you're both right. If the police investigate this incident at all it will ONLY be as a consequence of the publicity and Mr Hull's own public admissions of guilt. It is far easier to sit behind a speed-camera than it is to collect witness statements and prepare evidence (AKA real police work).

[vbplease]

I must confess I tooted a cyclist the other day for claiming a lane when he shouldn't have.. on the Brisbane river loop at the Tennyson tennis center. Speed limit is 40, said cyclist is sitting in the middle of the 1.5x normal width (one way) lane doing 30kph.. I shouted out to him to move over.. he ignored me. Gave him a short toot and he turns around waving his hand pretending whats wrong? He eventually moves over (slightly), with another 2m to his left..

I wanted to stop and tell him I'm a cyclist as well who rides the same road daily to get to work.. before reminding him of the road rules