Punishment pass

[Cheesewheel]

The problem with buses is that they need to almost constantly be in the left lane to service customers and every other motorist is fixated on getting in front of them (aka beat the bus syndrome). More than once I have seen a bus give an entire lane for a cyclist only for some moron behind the steering wheel to interpret that as an invitation to roar up the inside between the cyclist and the bus. Imho it's better for the bus to lane share during the overtake to communicate to the other motorists that they still have a need to be in the left lane .... or to put it another way, supposing a motorist zooms up the middle and suddenly realizes there is not enough room between you and the bus .... who do you think they would rather collide with?

[Lukeyboy]

Apparently something like that happened not too far from me. A bus was in the right hand lane taking off slowly from the lights and a car flew up behind it and darted to the inside left hand lane. Only problem was the left hand lane ended. You can still see the massive skid marks straight into the gutter where there's scrape marks and missing plants.

[trailgumby]

Apparently something like that happened not too far from me. A bus was in the right hand lane taking off slowly from the lights and a car flew up behind it and darted to the inside left hand lane. Only problem was the left hand lane ended. You can still see the massive skid marks straight into the gutter where there's scrape marks and missing plants.

Oh, for a dash cam

[outnabike]

Here we go again.Another knock back. My fault for doing a wobble on the bike...

[TheShadow]

I feel ya pain, Outnabike, but the police are never, ever going to do anything about excessive horn use. It can be upsetting at the time; but it's really just a very minor blow to one's ego? It's akin to someone screaming out "!! BAN ME NOW FOR SWEARING !!", which is funny in its own way if you think about it like that.

[Ferrovelo]

Use of horn unnecessarily - $319 in NSW. No demerit points.

[trailgumby]

I got the trifecta on Tuesday afternoon...

[outnabike]

Use of horn unnecessarily - $319 in NSW. No demerit points.

Yep, I pointed out to the officer that in Vic, a motorist can be fined for tooting as a goodbye gesture when leaving my home late at night. Not sure of how much now but over a hundred dollars.
He just washed it off saying how practical is that?, he wouldn't book a person doing that. And fair enough really, just saying.

But telling me I wasn't left enough when I was too far left as it was, stung me a bit. He couldn't believe it when I said I will now take the centre as it is the only way I can prevent a left hook in the circumstances.The lanes a pretty wide where this occurred and nothing should have been a problem to a courteous driver. (dream on)

Comforting to know a cyclist will always be in the wrong and that it was I who made the poor motorist blast me with a wobble.
And from an officer that claims to be a cyclist.

[il padrone]

But telling me I wasn't left enough when I was too far left as it was, stung me a bit. He couldn't believe it when I said I will now take the centre as it is the only way I can prevent a left hook in the circumstances.The lanes a pretty wide where this occurred and nothing should have been a problem to a courteous driver. (dream on)

Multi-lane road. No requirement for any vehicles to keep to the left.... of the lane, nor to be in the left-most lane.

Tell PC Plod he is talking a crock of shite. Moronic nong. Police get into and through their training with remarkably low VCE scores.

[human909]

Even if not on a multi-lane road. I'll ride plenty right if I have to protect my own safety. If I ever get a ticket for it damn right I'll contest it. The keep far left rule exists for motorist and cyclists alike. But it isn't practical to keep far left if it means being run over... That said some cops are out there fining cyclists for not keeping left, I wonder how often motorists not involved in collisions get fined for this.

Today I was riding in the left wheel track and as a begin to come up to a series of curves and traffic islands a bloke came up behind me and made to pass through the non existent gap. Nup, I'm having none of that! I move right screaming there is no space! I am riding while looking backwards. Horn blast and swearing followed, but 7seconds later he safely passed once there was no curves and traffic islands.

But this is so much of the problem that keeps the majority off cycling on the the roads. I should have to get in a shouting match and make blocking moves just to ride safely. I was seething.

[outnabike]

I was hit just the other day and more will be posted later.It will be on the police counter on Tuesday.

I can’t believe this happened and the driver thought so little of the event that he did not stop.
Today on April the 18th-04-2016 at approximately 10 am. I was hit by a red Mazda CX5 rego number PRALIN. I yelled at the driver more in surprise than anger, as after hitting me the driver deliberately kept going left aggressively. I braked and virtually slid off the car as it was going faster than I was.
Honestly the only thing that saved me being thrown off was that the mirror passed over my handle bars and didn’t divert my handlebars with an impact, which would have thrown me into the left of the road and some pretty bad obstacles.



The mirror hit my arm bu luckily it went over my bars.


The angle of attack is obviuous. I saw that pole coming up.


You can see how little room he wanted me to ride in.

[TheShadow]

You can see how little room he wanted me to ride in.

That is a little bit average given there is enough room between the Mazda and the centre line for a large car. I give them an F minus. Must do better.

[trailgumby]

If that doesn;t get a fine for the driver, I don;t know what will. Might be worthwhile to contact the Greens and get them involved if you get no satisfaction from plod.

The fact this moron had vanity plates is interesting. There's a line of research indicating that people who customise their cars, even in minor ways like this, have trouble distinguishing the private space within their car from the public space outside. The consequence is they treat the road as though it's their private domain.

[TheShadow]

There's a line of research indicating that people who customise their cars, even in minor ways like this, have trouble distinguishing the private space within their car from the public space outside. The consequence is they treat the road as though it's their private domain.

That wouldn't surprise me. What strikes me as ironical is if you zoom past THEM, on your bicycle, and in any way clip their mirror or slap their panels with your hands, they scream all kinds of threats at you. But if THEY clip You, it's no big deal...just a flesh wound, and what are you doing on the road anyway? Just so long as no valuable property is damaged...

[trailgumby]

There's a line of research indicating that people who customise their cars, even in minor ways like this, have trouble distinguishing the private space within their car from the public space outside. The consequence is they treat the road as though it's their private domain.

That wouldn't surprise me. What strikes me as ironical is if you zoom past THEM, on your bicycle, and in any way clip their mirror or slap their panels with your hands, they scream all kinds of threats at you. But if THEY clip You, it's no big deal...just a flesh wound, and what are you doing on the road anyway? Just so long as no valuable property is damaged...

Oh, yes.

A few years ago in Forster when visiting my Dad I was getting squeezed into the parked cars on the kerb by a passing car, who was also tailgating my then early teenage son. I slapped the rear nearside passenger window and the driver stopped.

He went ape**** about me touching his car.

[hiflange]

There's a line of research indicating that people who customise their cars, even in minor ways like this, have trouble distinguishing the private space within their car from the public space outside.

I have for some time been wishing for the age of the car as self expression to come to an end. I'm curious to see the research. Tx

[bychosis]

I have for some time been wishing for the age of the car as self expression to come to an end.

Interesting thought, but highly unlikely to occur. It's the same with bikes, and all manner of other hobbies. There are those that buy off the shelf, and those that build, polish, modify and really enjoy their chosen mode of transport/recreational devices. Unfortunately there are also those that like to push the limits of their cars etc and we have to put up with them on our roads and we end up with the ratbag element causing dramas.

[il padrone]

There's a line of research indicating that people who customise their cars, even in minor ways like this, have trouble distinguishing the private space within their car from the public space outside. The consequence is they treat the road as though it's their private domain.

That wouldn't surprise me. What strikes me as ironical is if you zoom past THEM, on your bicycle, and in any way clip their mirror or slap their panels with your hands, they scream all kinds of threats at you. But if THEY clip You, it's no big deal...just a flesh wound, and what are you doing on the road anyway? Just so long as no valuable property is damaged...

No video (I refuse to piss about with cameras on the commute), but today's turkey was a prize case of the "customiser".

Riding along wide in my lane, on a troublesome stretch for close-shavers, but not wide enough obviously. I spy a few cars coming along in my mirror, in both lanes. There is plenty of advance notice for them, and room enough to negotiate the lane change required. But the turkey in the big ol '59 Cadillac has the bomb-line running.

He fails to make the lane change, carves past me very damn close.... sub-30cms, and gives the obligatory blast of the horn as well. As he goes by I recognise him from a prior and very similar event. It is a left-hand drive Yank-tank, so he quite clearly lined me right up for the punishment pass. A deliberate assault.

I've got you in my sights now, bud - a very recognisable car. If I see it anywhere in local streets or car-parks, your blingy little rocket tail-lights are toast !!!

This style - but in silver-bronze. Personalised plates.


From now on that stretch will justify a 'right-wheel-track' lane position.

[trailgumby]

No video (I refuse to piss about with cameras on the commute), but today's turkey was a prize case of the "customiser".

That's why the FLy6 is so good. NO pissing about.

GoPros are better cameras optically but too much faffing about. PITA to mount. Need anti-fog strips in humid or wet weather. Need to extract from waterproof housing to charge. Short battery life. Manual deletion of old footage or it fills up and you can't record any more. Stopped using mine about 2 years ago.

Fly6 takes all that pain away. Charge up. Stretch straps around seatpost. Turn on. Done. Only need to connect to computer if something (like your noxious fume spewer today) happens.

[DesmondCycles]

Here we go again.Another knock back. My fault for doing a wobble on the bike...

Not really relevant but that's a VE Commodore.

[madmacca]

There's a line of research indicating that people who customise their cars, even in minor ways like this, have trouble distinguishing the private space within their car from the public space outside. The consequence is they treat the road as though it's their private domain.

That wouldn't surprise me. What strikes me as ironical is if you zoom past THEM, on your bicycle, and in any way clip their mirror or slap their panels with your hands, they scream all kinds of threats at you. But if THEY clip You, it's no big deal...just a flesh wound, and what are you doing on the road anyway? Just so long as no valuable property is damaged...

No video (I refuse to piss about with cameras on the commute), but today's turkey was a prize case of the "customiser".

Riding along wide in my lane, on a troublesome stretch for close-shavers, but not wide enough obviously. I spy a few cars coming along in my mirror, in both lanes. There is plenty of advance notice for them, and room enough to negotiate the lane change required. But the turkey in the big ol '59 Cadillac has the bomb-line running.

He fails to make the lane change, carves past me very damn close.... sub-30cms, and gives the obligatory blast of the horn as well. As he goes by I recognise him from a prior and very similar event. It is a left-hand drive Yank-tank, so he quite clearly lined me right up for the punishment pass. A deliberate assault.

I've got you in my sights now, bud - a very recognisable car. If I see it anywhere in local streets or car-parks, your blingy little rocket tail-lights are toast !!!

This style - but in silver-bronze. Personalised plates.


From now on that stretch will justify a 'right-wheel-track' lane position.

Fins like that would make grabbing on and doing a Nibali even easier.

[warthog1]

Here we go again.Another knock back. My fault for doing a wobble on the bike...

I like the succinct verbal commentary

[InnerCityBoy]

I was hit just the other day and more will be posted later.It will be on the police counter on Tuesday.

Surely being physically hit is serious enough to warrant action in Victoria, despite not having an MPD law. If it isn't it's surely evidence as to why it's needed (in other words, wake up, BN-V!).

BTW when I look at some of your footage (and other footage in these forums) I strongly feel the fish-eye effect makes the 'offence' look less severe. If the average plod was looking at the still image above in isolation, for eg., I reckon they would respond that you were riding well off the shoulder and that although the car is close, it has left what looks like a reasonable space ... which of course can't be right given it has just clipped you. I noticed some feedback on the MPD law from a QLD Police focus group about this issue (noted in this thread):

It was noted that cyclists who take the time to report an incident to Police were more likely to provide video evidence. Most officers noted that it was unlikely to proceed further without video support. ... Officers who had not issued a TIN for this offence also mentioned the difficulty in obtaining evidence, and issues with camera footage (the “fish-eye” effect that resulted in a distorted image, which could make it more difficult to prove the offence).

Are you running the 1080 or 720 setting on the Mobius? I'm running 720 which creates noticeably less fish-eye effect yet still provides a pretty wide angle.

[InTheWoods]

Its not that hard to do a "calibration" shot by measuring out the distances (make a grid) using chalk on a flat area like your driveway, this should negate any fish eye issues. Then mount the camera, put the back of the wheel at the 0m mark, take a video, get a screen grab. You can even with a bit of photoshopping draw lines over the chalk lines, delete the background so its transparent, and then superimpose the image over the actual video. Its better to get your tyre partly in the shot so you can show the camera was mounted in the same position for calibration vs the offending video.

Measure the distances from your handlebar edge. And optionally add ~10cm to allow for the vehicle miror being closer than the side of the tyre (just make sure you document this).

[human909]

Surely being physically hit is serious enough to warrant action in Victoria, despite not having an MPD law. If it isn't it's surely evidence as to why it's needed (in other words, wake up, BN-V!).

Well according to recent reports from Brunswick apparently being physically hit isn't serious enough to warrant action. This is despite the following statements:

Ms HARTLAND — So for someone who has attended at a police station, it is your
discretion as to whether someone is charged?
Sgt KOZULINS — It is not so much a discretion in that particular area. Police are
obliged to complete a collision report, and it would come to somebody at my rank,
which is Sergeant. I would review the file and see that there is a clear offence. I would
request the member issue a penalty notice for that particular action, and that would be
accountable. That would conclude the file.
…
We have a discretion to use or not use infringements if there is not a collision. If there
is a collision, the discretion is pretty well removed from the member, and we would
require them to issue an infringement for that action. If it was a near-miss and it was
witnessed by police, it could be an infringement, or it could be a warning. That is
where the discretion comes in.

That quote is from the Victorian Dooring inquiry.