Police request for Brisbane riders

[Comedian]

That's crazy stuff. I'm with X. We should fine everyone in cars that cause traffic jams!

[Mulger bill]

MB's have 3 different level/groups of riders - so should they be classed as 1 big group because they all have the same jersey on, or 3 separate groups? All 3 groups would not be riding in a big bunch at the same time.

I would hate to see a cyclist get fined just because they were overtaking the lifestyle MB group (or any other bunch ride), or riding too close to them and be considered to be part of their group - so we need to be careful about giving the police/motorists any fuel to use against groups of cyclists.

If we let the police limit the numbers in a group, we can expect that they will use the same guidelines/rules everywhere else in Queensland - as we cant pick and choose when and where such a rule should be enforced by the police.

Be careful what you wish for.............

Spot on. Solve one small problem by creating a bigger one? No thank you.

Dunno about Qld, but down this way you are allowed to be three wide if overtaking...

[ZepinAtor]

PEOPLE!

you are asking drivers to go 5 minutes slower over 5km at 30kph as opposed to 70kph...

5 minutes!

why are you lobbying for some arbitrary rule about cyclist numbers for the sake of 5 minutes travel time for motorists who may get caught up behind a bunch?

It is only 5 minutes of driving time, but have you ever tried sitting at 30km/hr for what seems like an eternity ? You don't know it's only going to be 5 minutes either which would make it all the more frustrating. It would be like riding your bike on a shared path doing 10km/hr not knowing why there are 80 bike riders held up in front of you. Then when you finally get to pass there's 50 walkers just meandering all over the place.

Also once you do reach Samford Village there are so many cars continually pouring through the round about & down the main street it's mayhem. You end up with all sorts of flow on effects after the 5 minute hold up, like cars jammed end to end trying to enter the local shopping centre & anybody (cars & cyclists) trying to exit side streets or driveways then have to sit while 100 cars stream by.

[Oxford]

Dunno about Qld, but down this way you are allowed to be three wide if overtaking...

Yep 3 wide is fine while overtaking in QLD.

[jet-ski]

Zepinator - worse than 30kmh - probably about 20, everytime I try to go visit my folks in Mandurah on a public holiday.... with no idea how long it goes for, and seeing the train zip past.

I just accept the fact and move on.

My point is that people just need to chill out. Autos do not have exclusive right to the road. Most often autos are the ones impeding other autos. Higher population density means more people using the roads, which means that you might get held up every now and again. It's a fact of life. It's no reason to suggest some ridiculous law restricting the size of groups of cyclists on the road.

[Dave R32]

I usually don't bother posting in threads like this but I will break with tradition:

1. Most of the roads listed are either 80 or 100kmh speed limits.
2. The roads in the Dayboro area are semi rural and don't have a shoulder or a bike lane and probably never will.
3. Riding two abreast on these roads may very well be legal but it is inconsiderate to other road users. The roads are rolling hills and most cyclists speed on the climbs would be around 20km/h which.

It doesn't matter whether you are riding your bike, driving your car or a truck or bus....in most cases being considerate of others will mean you arrive safely and less stressed.

Cheers
Dave.

[Oxford]

Having ridden these roads quite a bit in the past on both MTBs and road bikes, in groups and solo, its my experience that when climbing the hills the group usually gets strung out, going down the hills results in regrouping before the next hill and so on. So two abreast is not an issue, driver impatience is. When riding in a road group typically on the flats we formed a paceline resulting in riders being abreast as they fell to the back of the group. Again driver impatience and ignorance is a key factor here. Its like red light syndrome, they just see a cyclist and their desire to pass the cyclist despite the consequences over rides good sense and highlights a complete lack of cognitive driving skill.

[master6]

Having ridden these roads quite a bit in the past on both MTBs and road bikes, in groups and solo, its my experience that when climbing the hills the group usually gets strung out, going down the hills results in regrouping before the next hill and so on. So two abreast is not an issue, driver impatience is. When riding in a road group typically on the flats we formed a paceline resulting in riders being abreast as they fell to the back of the group. Again driver impatience and ignorance is a key factor here. Its like red light syndrome, they just see a cyclist and their desire to pass the cyclist despite the consequences over rides good sense and highlights a complete lack of cognitive driving skill.

o X ford, I think the conversation is about an area where there are no red lights. As a cyclist, I observe more than a fair share of 'ignorance" amongst fellow cyclists. Motorists certainly have faults, but no more so than we cyclists.
If we want change, lets take the easy way first, and improve our own behaviour.

[Oxford]

Having ridden these roads quite a bit in the past on both MTBs and road bikes, in groups and solo, its my experience that when climbing the hills the group usually gets strung out, going down the hills results in regrouping before the next hill and so on. So two abreast is not an issue, driver impatience is. When riding in a road group typically on the flats we formed a paceline resulting in riders being abreast as they fell to the back of the group. Again driver impatience and ignorance is a key factor here. Its like red light syndrome, they just see a cyclist and their desire to pass the cyclist despite the consequences over rides good sense and highlights a complete lack of cognitive driving skill.

o X ford, I think the conversation is about an area where there are no red lights. As a cyclist, I observe more than a fair share of 'ignorance" amongst fellow cyclists. Motorists certainly have faults, but no more so than we cyclists.
If we want change, lets take the easy way first, and improve our own behaviour.

I know the area has no red lights and if you read my post I did not say it did, I simply referred to a syndrome that occurs mostly around red lights. ie pass the cyclist no matter the situation even if there is a red light that they can see ahead.

just curious how do you justify the statement that cyclists have more faults than motorists, its an interesting statement to make so I am curious to how you came to this conclusion.

[jet-ski]

Dave - I don't take issue with the request to single-up to let cars overtake (hopefully this means the cars slow down and don't shave the cyclists as they go by), I take issue with the suggestion from some on this thread to legislate maximum cyclist numbers in a 'group'.

I also take issue with the sentiment from some here that bikes should let cars overtake no matter what the circumstances! At least in the Police letter they acknowledge that in some situations on the road it is not safe to ride on the extreme left.

[master6]

I usually don't bother posting in threads like this but I will break with tradition:

1. Most of the roads listed are either 80 or 100kmh speed limits.
2. The roads in the Dayboro area are semi rural and don't have a shoulder or a bike lane and probably never will.
3. Riding two abreast on these roads may very well be legal but it is inconsiderate to other road users. The roads are rolling hills and most cyclists speed on the climbs would be around 20km/h which.

It doesn't matter whether you are riding your bike, driving your car or a truck or bus....in most cases being considerate of others will mean you arrive safely and less stressed.

Cheers
Dave.

We need more "Daves" on the road to improve our image

[ZepinAtor]

I usually don't bother posting in threads like this but I will break with tradition:

1. Most of the roads listed are either 80 or 100kmh speed limits.
2. The roads in the Dayboro area are semi rural and don't have a shoulder or a bike lane and probably never will.
3. Riding two abreast on these roads may very well be legal but it is inconsiderate to other road users. The roads are rolling hills and most cyclists speed on the climbs would be around 20km/h which.

It doesn't matter whether you are riding your bike, driving your car or a truck or bus....in most cases being considerate of others will mean you arrive safely and less stressed.

Cheers
Dave.

We need more "Daves" on the road to improve our image

Absolutely. I have a cautious respect for cars, trucks & buses, as they can KILL you being 10-50 times our weight. I'm totally at ease with a few inconveniences along the way to keep the peace & vehicle traffic flowing. Not so much for crutch rocket riders (motor bikes) as I feel they're almost one of us with a motor. Not that I'm saying they're perfect as I've had high speed shoulder to shoulder cornering experiences I'd rather forget. They generally just whizz by at 200km/hr & are over the next hill before I can say "was that a drugged up Contador on that bike".

[elantra]

I've copied this letter from a Brisbane cycling club HRRW in relation to cycling on roads around the Dayboro/ Samford/ Mt Mee areas.

The request sounds reasonable, but on any weekend you might see 200 + riders in a 3 hr period in groups up to 40. The roads are narrow at the best of times with only 100-200mm of tarmac inside the white line & to make matters worse it's a 100km/hr zone with the distinct sound of banjos echoing from the hills.

The letter from Dayboro Police Officers is very thoughtfully constructed.
Obviously that it was adressed to HPRW club would suggest that they think HPRW riders are a bit out of line.
However information presented inn preceding posts would suggest that it is other groups such as the MB group that they need to be in contact with.

Perhaps representatives of HPRW club need to discuss with Police, but presumably this is already done.

And if there are concerns about MB's Peleton sizes then this is something that should be easy to adjust because i am under the impression their members sign-up to paticipate?
ie. their numbers are much more predictable than other groups.

[master6]

I've copied this letter from a Brisbane cycling club HRRW in relation to cycling on roads around the Dayboro/ Samford/ Mt Mee areas.

The request sounds reasonable, but on any weekend you might see 200 + riders in a 3 hr period in groups up to 40. The roads are narrow at the best of times with only 100-200mm of tarmac inside the white line & to make matters worse it's a 100km/hr zone with the distinct sound of banjos echoing from the hills.

The letter from Dayboro Police Officers is very thoughtfully constructed.
Obviously that it was adressed to HPRW club would suggest that they think HPRW riders are a bit out of line.
However information presented inn preceding posts would suggest that it is other groups such as the MB group that they need to be in contact with.

Perhaps representatives of HPRW club need to discuss with Police, but presumably this is already done.

And if there are concerns about MB's Peleton sizes then this is something that should be easy to adjust because i am under the impression their members sign-up to paticipate?
ie. their numbers are much more predictable than other groups.

I see no evidence that this "letter" was addressed to HPRW.
An apology might be in order.

[ZepinAtor]

I see no evidence that this "letter" was addressed to HPRW.
An apology might be in order.

I'll go & check where I originally copied it from on the RoadGrime forum in Brisbane, as Adam from HPRW bought it to every ones attention. I'm assuming the police sent it to the club for circulation purposes not blame.

OK this is what Adam posted.


"I've been asked to pass along this message from Dayboro Police regarding cycling in the area. I think it's quite reasonable".

[master6]

Until advice to the contrary, it seems that the statement by Elantra suggesting that the Police communication was addressed to HPRW should be ignored. It appears to have been addressed to "Cyclists". HPRW might well have a copy, as might many other people and/or organisations.

Perhaps I am nit picking here, and whilst I have never been a member of HPRW, I do have high respect for the HPRW club, and feel it unfair to malign them in any way.

[Oxford]

to date, the Dirt Dogs AKA North Brisbane MTB Club have not received anything, then again maybe they only targeted road clubs. just as well MTB riders do not ride on the road after all.

[leighthebee]

We've been snagged in an MB Cycles rolling roadblock previously. Too many varied abilities and nowhere near organised enough.

I heard (so yes hearsay) that one organiser actually pulled up in-front of traffic from the right at a roundabout to herd all the riders through.

The little experience I've had with encountering them so far has not been positive.

[Drunkmonkey]

A couple of articles that have appeared in the local free paper this week about this issue:

http://www.thewesterner.com.au/pages/blogs.aspx?ID=3674

http://www.thewesterner.com.au/pages/blogs.aspx?ID=3675

[Oxford]

I'm wondering how the police are going with their driver education program? the letter did say they were going to do that didn't it? have they contacted RACQ so that RACQ can send something around to its members in the area? sort of like sending the letter to cycle clubs but send to the auto club to forward to members.

[Christine Tham]

Thread locked until further notice.

[Boognoss]

After mod discussion and numerous posts were reported, they were removed including quoted posts. Play nice or the thread will either be permanently locked .