Anzac Bridge - Accident & Warning FYI

[Sydguy]

Hi people,

Friday, yesterday, a guy was down on Anzac bridge. Roadie commuter, seen him around. Unsure how he came off but he was hurt. Lady at work went past after me and saw ambulance in attendance, I am guessing a leg was hurt as he did not move from where he went down, which was on the up hill part as you head into town.
Hope he is fine.

Second, another commuter who caught up to me after a chat to the NSW cycle cops on Pyrmont bridge also on Friday, this time on way home had some news. The cops are going to target the Anzac Bridge, which is a good thing. It is about 1,000,000 times more dangerous than Pyrmont Bridge.

They will target people who are going too fast and close to peds and people who do not slow down at the western end as they turn right onto Victoria Rd.


JM

[sogood]

Apart from the two speed bumps and that loop around the light pole, there's no other risky obstacles on that western end. Although the gap b/n concrete slabs around the light pole may easily trap a narrow road tyre.

[jimsheedy]

I hope they also target the dingbats walking 4 abreast across the whole pathway, headphones in place floating along in a private world of their own self entitlement.

Also How can the cops charge someone for going too fast on their bike? How do they prove it?

[zero]

I hope they also target the dingbats walking 4 abreast across the whole pathway, headphones in place floating along in a private world of their own self entitlement.

Also How can the cops charge someone for going too fast on their bike? How do they prove it?

Police are trained to assess speeds. They shouldn't actually try hand out speeding tickets though, as there is no speed limit marked. If general R-R area rules apply then its 50 at the least.
Should be no problem to target speeding by handing out some negligent/reckless/furious riding tickets. ie rider going past peds at 50, or going between peds and oncoming traffic = neg riding in my book.

Hopefully someone tells them which way the traffic goes, as they'll be embarrased by traffic direction if they try it in the morning

[jimsheedy]

I hope they also target the dingbats walking 4 abreast across the whole pathway, headphones in place floating along in a private world of their own self entitlement.

Also How can the cops charge someone for going too fast on their bike? How do they prove it?

Police are trained to assess speeds.

Really. Hopefully it's a bit more thorough than the training they recieve to tell the difference between a tazer and a gun.

[sogood]

There's no point in defending the indefensible. Those cyclists who ride at 25+km/h and passes within a few inches of the pedestrian deserve to be booked. If we expect 1m separation from passing motor vehicles, then those cyclists needs to be calmed down too.

[mikesbytes]

What's the speed limit on Anzac bridge?

What's the legal pedestrian passing clearance?

[sogood]

What's the speed limit on Anzac bridge?
What's the legal pedestrian passing clearance?

1) It's a shared path and many cyclists don't have a speedometer.
2) If it's not measurable in practice, it's a moot point.

Common sense needed.

In the back of my mind 30km/h has been branded for shared paths.

[stickgc]

I saw something the other day where the police said that technically there is no way of booking a cyclist for speeding, but they can book you for cycling in a manner they consider 'dangerous'. That means it's what an individual officer considers too fast, too close to pedestrians etc.

Just be sensible and considerate of others and I'm sure you'll be fine

[mikesbytes]

So I could be doing 8kph and give the ped a wide berth....

[sogood]

So I could be doing 8kph and give the ped a wide berth....

Only if the condition demands it or you want to ride slow and stay well away from an obnoxious person.

[jimsheedy]

I call bull shit on anyone who reckons they ride or have seen someone ride tha AB at 30kph

[Mulger bill]

So I could be doing 8kph and give the ped a wide berth....

And they'll still try to dive under your wheels. Then blame you because you failed to notice the skullwires and you should have known that skullwires reduce their wearers IQ by 50% more than the associated loss of situational awareness.

[sogood]

I call bull showtime on anyone who reckons they ride or have seen someone ride tha AB at 30kph

If I start putting down the power just after the two speed bumps going east and can hit 30km/h for a short period on the upward section (windless or favourable wind mornings), then there'll be a lot more fitter and stronger riders who can and will do better. As for the downhill, 30km/h is but coasting and a bit of pedal action will easily hit 45+km/h.

[jimsheedy]

I didn't say it can't be done. Im saying it isn't

[sogood]

I didn't say it can't be done. Im saying it isn't

I am saying it is. On the downhill sections, 30+km/h is reached in mass numbers every day.

[zero]

I didn't say it can't be done. Im saying it isn't

I am saying it is. On the downhill sections, 30+km/h is reached in mass numbers every day.

Most people would be braking from 30 for the S bend imo.

[Strawburger]

I've seen plenty of people riding a bike dangerously at 10km/hr and some riding safely at 40km/hr on that bridge.

[sogood]

Most people would be braking from 30 for the S bend imo.

Absolutely. But the downhill section to the statue is 1/2 the length of the bridge and 30+km/h is easily achieved. And then the section after the S bend going west is another potent high speed section where 40+km/h is easily achievable.

[black4tress]

I didn't say it can't be done. Im saying it isn't

I am saying it is. On the downhill sections, 30+km/h is reached in mass numbers every day.

I agree with sogood. You can hit 30kms up AB and I have seen it done plenty of times but east is not where the danger is. Going down and westerly, you can hit +40 quite easily and it can get dangerous from the S bend and even further down.....I know cause I do it regularly along with many others - I'm going to have to tone it down cause its an accident waiting to happen.

[SmellyTofu]

Those speed bumps are actually quite dangerous as there isn't any warning to cyclist or pedestrians (of the trip hazard). Mid 30kmh is easy downhill even if you start from 0 from the middle of the bridge and roll all the way down.

[Sydguy]

30km/h is not fast at all for AB - look at the Strava segment there. You will be stunned at the speeds.

Cyclists, myself included, get a bit immune or used to passing peds at speed, we should slow down given most of us are in favour of safe passing laws.

It is really annoying not having decent infrastructure, the bridge is not that old, I wonder why they never though to include proper separated bike and ped lanes.

JM

[sogood]

It is really annoying not having decent infrastructure, the bridge is not that old, I wonder why they never though to include proper separated bike and ped lanes.

One word - Money!

[wombatK]

One word - Money!

A bicycle lane is way way cheaper to build than a vehicular lane that has to support all kinds of heavy vehicles.

So money isn't the explanation. In one word, it's priorities, but if allowed two, it'd be wrong priorities

Cheers

[sogood]

But seriously, I wouldn't want a further division of the existing Anzac Br SUP to dedicated bike and pedestrian lanes. It'll leave it so narrow and inflexible. True that the path is somewhat tight during peak hours, but during off-peak, it's a glorious ride with very wide clearance.