Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

Cyclist Andrew Priest - who has been a victim of road rage from Perth motorists - has installed cameras on his bike front and back to film any incident that may occur. Picture: Theo Fakos Source: The Sunday Times

Made the story in the Australian on the Premier's message for 2013

Andrew

Letting him down on the dress standards Andrew

"I have noticed that in the past year, people's pride in the state and the city is growing.
"I have noticed how this is reflected in the way West Australians behave and even in the way they dress."

I gotta say that in the 12000km I cycled on Perth roads in 2012 I had very little road rage directed at me. In fact any I did experience must have pretty trivial as I can't even remember a single episode.

Had one while driving my car last week, however.

R12RT wrote:I gotta say that in the 12000km I cycled on Perth roads in 2012 I had very little road rage directed at me.

+1, I only really experienced people yelling stuff out of their cars, and have no idea what 99% of them were saying.

Mrfenejeans wrote:I only really experienced people yelling stuff out of their cars, and have no idea what 99% of them were saying.

Perhaps (some of them) were complimenting you on the high standard of your dress.

Must admit I had very little too, a bus driver who tried to squash me and a fella who clipped me racing towards a red light. Both were acts of road rage as their responses were less than polite.

Well done Andrew. I wouldn't call inconsiderate/dangereous drivers as 'road rage', as I have experienced more of these.

It may just be me, but I have also started to see more considerate drivers as well. For example, motorists about to exit onto Hutton St, Osborne Park, and waving cyclists through the crossing. Doesn't happen all the times, but happening more often.

eldavo wrote:Letting him down on the dress standards Andrew

Methinks a deliberate choice to prevent the usual "lycra phag" slurs. The hemlet looks to have been Shopped in tho'.

rolandp wrote:Well done Andrew. I wouldn't call inconsiderate/dangereous drivers as 'road rage', as I have experienced more of these.

Road rage is not a term I used, but one chosen by the paper for this story.

@MulgarBill the helmet wasn't put on properly ... all a bit of a rush job. The photographer was a grump bugger ... do this do that, look angry etc ...

Andrew

One guy in a ricemobile pushed past me into a roundabout last month, with a few cm to spare, but he was just a careless driver.

To balance that out, I was standing on the pedals as I powered up a hill on Medulla rd yesterday evening (off Jarrahdale hill) and a couple of ladies in a 4WD gave me a cheer as they drove past. It was right at the end of a 40+km ride in searing heat, and it gave me enough encouragement to tackle the next two hills as well.

haaha, sometimes I've imagined champagne and crumpet at the finish line of few consecutive climbs on the homeward commute, testosterone and adrenalin can be used to great effect, rather than just road rage

The background vehicles are fairly appropriate too. Can't say I've noticed it too much of late but in my motorcycling days Mercs and Jags were some of the worst SMIDSY offenders. I put it down to the cosseted interior environments providing too much insulation from the reality of the road around them. Without wishing to cause any offence to the Jeep owners of BNA, Black Jeeps could stand in for most vehicles that are performing self expression duty on our roads. All we need to complete the picture is a bus, replete with chip on shoulder, at the bus stop!

Cute of Colon to promote "gentleness"... not a quality he's known for...

RobertFrith wrote:The background vehicles are fairly appropriate too. Can't say I've noticed it too much of late but in my motorcycling days Mercs and Jags were some of the worst SMIDSY offenders. I put it down to the cosseted interior environments providing too much insulation from the reality of the road around them. Without wishing to cause any offence to the Jeep owners of BNA, Black Jeeps could stand in for most vehicles that are performing self expression duty on our roads. All we need to complete the picture is a bus, replete with chip on shoulder, at the bus stop!

Funny you should mention the vehicles. Besides the number of repeat rides past the camera to get a shot that was okay, vehicles of that type in a certain western suburbs neighbourhood are still an issue, funnily enough I find them worst on a Sunday night.

With my commute I have three quite distinct areas: the CUB north of Whitfords Avenue where one is likely to get yelled out etc and then the Swanbourne to Marine Parade/Curtin Avenue roundabout where the old money comes into play and then the trucks on Tydeman Road, North Fremantle.

Andrew

RobertFrith wrote:The background vehicles are fairly appropriate too.

Recently I've had a bad run recently with aggressive drivers in late model VW Golfs - red and black ones in particular.

Anyone else? I'd love to use this as my case study in "data != statistically valid analysis" next time I hear the "everyone in emergency says...."

Thoglette wrote:

RobertFrith wrote:The background vehicles are fairly appropriate too.

Recently I've had a bad run recently with aggressive drivers in late model VW Golfs - red and black ones in particular.

Anyone else? I'd love to use this as my case study in "data != statistically valid analysis" next time I hear the "everyone in emergency says...."

I drive a VW golf FYI black FYI

Baalzamon wrote:

Thoglette wrote:

RobertFrith wrote:The background vehicles are fairly appropriate too.

Recently I've had a bad run recently with aggressive drivers in late model VW Golfs - red and black ones in particular.

Anyone else? I'd love to use this as my case study in "data != statistically valid analysis" next time I hear the "everyone in emergency says...."

I drive a VW golf FYI black FYI

Study over, theory proven!!

These red and black Golf's wouldn't have the letters G, T & I on the boot of them would they? The owners of these may think they have the coolest vehicles of all time.

- Silver Golf TSI owner.

Red Rider wrote: Study over, theory proven!!

These red and black Golf's wouldn't have the letters G, T & I on the boot of them would they? The owners of these may think they have the coolest vehicles of all time.

- Silver Golf TSI owner.

Black Golf TDI owner, great mileage almost 1000kms typically

saw some cyclist on cyclist road rage today.

two cyclists tried to come to blows while riding (missed each other), argued all the way from the big aussie flag before the narrows to just after the swan brewery - putting everyone else in danger in the process.

very poor form.

Anyone with a clue about physics knows you stop and get a good standing full body swing behind your punches.
I saw a youtube bitzer cycling video that had a race altercation in Romania (guessing) so when one rider pushes the other, equal opposite force means he's really pushing himself as well, so both stack it. A couple of thug 'security' bystanders grab the perpetrator and fling him off the bridge 3 storeys down into water (only by chance a water landing, it wasn't too deep or wide!). I guess they don't call it rage there, only justice by the people, for the people =D

Red Rider wrote: These red and black Golf's wouldn't have the letters G, T & I on the boot of them would they? The owners of these may think they have the coolest vehicles of all time.

Does that mean I now have "anecdotes" rather than "anecdote"?

I ride around the Rockingham area and it seems common for people to yell out of cars, rev engines and I got sprayed by a sideways directed window washer with four smirking teens behind closed windows who received my badly aimed protein drink.

Most drivers I can see give space but I am not sure if it just the area as riding close to Perth does not seem to produce this behavior.

wabbs wrote:Most drivers I can see give space but I am not sure if it just the area as riding close to Perth does not seem to produce this behavior.

Got one tonight in the CBD. Swerved towards me while passing me once lights went green. Caught up at the next lights. Conversation as follows.

"Could you've gotten any closer back there?"
"Well, why do you have to ride on the road?"
"I am traffic."
"So am I!" (squeal of tyres as the light went green )

I just shook my head and carried on.

^^ I can't wait until we pay rego, only because then will we have a 'legitimate' reason to be on the roads (according to narrow minded peanuts who only drive cars on the road) and we can take up THE WHOLE LANE guilt free.

I experience more road rage and general douchebag behaviour from motorists in the eastern suburbs (namely Guildford, Midland area) than I do towards the city. Also I find inner city motorists tend to notice cyclists on the roads a bit more, however this still doesnt stop them from deliberately pulling out in front of your path or making a left hand turn down a side street immediately after overtaking. One guy driving his wife's beautiful black CL65 AMG found out the hard way last year when he pulled out on me (after making eye contact!). I had no where to go but held my line and ended up running the left side of my handlebars down 3 panels of the driver side cutting a nice 5mm deep groove into the paint.

Driver tried bullying me into buying his "the sun was in my eyes" bullschit story, but when I pointed out that the sun was actually in the opposite direction and realised I couldnt be intimidated he got back in his car and drove off.

^^^
*multiple quiet chuckles*