"RECKLESS cyclists are putting lives in danger"

[Ross]

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/n ... 6905199600" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Latest clickbait from Daily Telegraph. Usual rhetoric in the comments.

[TTar]

Look, this crap really is nothing more than trolling masquerading as "journalism".

This is our hard hitting reporter on the job:


The caption accompanying this heroic photo reads: "Reporter Ben McClellan measures the cyclists’ speed".

Benny couldn't measure the emptiness between his ears. What an onanist.

This bilge doesn't deserve the time it takes to scrutinise it, but even a casual scan of the story betrays its failings, for example:


The caption for this photo reads; " Michelle Payne and son Declandeal with cyclists every day on the way to Fort St Public School."

I don't ride that approach to the bridge very often, but even I know you don't walk to the school on that particular section of the path. Obviously it's a set-up, posed photograph and the only reason for disingenuously shooting the picture in that particular spot is to get bikes and pedestrians in the same frame. And even then, it's a clearly marked shared path and the only danger is the dopey photographer posing his models in the middle of the path. Look how the cyclists are forced to the side of the path to avoid this dangerous obstacle. Look how responsible the nearest rider is, with hands on both brake levers. Look at the restraint the roadie is showing -- he looks to be calmly negotiating this egregious incivility blighting the shared path.

And they have the audacity to call this a "Special Investigation"!? This useless fluff has a half life of less than 24hrs and its target audience are the dumbest of the dumb who don't ride and only ever walk from their lounge room to their cars and from the carpark to the leagues club.

The problem is they vote and they're in the marginal seats. Duncan Gay is not as stupid as his remarks suggest, he's just cynically pandering to those bogans. Ably aided and abetted by dolts like Ben McClellan and his employer.

My recommendation is ignore the nonsense in the "report", but take every opportunity to highlight the idiocy of the authors and publishers.

[queequeg]

ah yes, the fort st school, whose primary issue appears to be cyclists coming off the bridge and heading up to the overpass towards Kent St. However, when you dig deeper you find that the actual problem is they're complaining about the traffic congestion in the morning and afternoon caused by all the cars doing the school drop off and pick-up, and how poor Johnny is going to get hit by a cyclist that is attempting to avoid said reversing cars.
I suggested removing the cars from that section of observatory hill would instantly solve the issue, but I was told I didn't understand the danger of the cyclists. Hmmmm

[sogood]

Seriously guys. Let's face it, whilst there are major failing with those trash media outlets (which I don't even bother to read), some cyclists' behaviours can be as atrocious as the worst of motor vehicle drivers. For the speed and style of some cyclists, not surprised at all there'll be complaints by Fort St Primary parents around the approach to SHB cycleway. It's also true that cyclists routinely exceed the official speed limit within Centennial Park and there's a significant incident of injuries. They are all facts. Unless we recognize and accept these facts in discussions, we'll just be seen as biased and not worthy of further exchanges. Finding excuses and sweeping them under a mat is not the way to go.

[biker jk]

Seriously guys. Let's face it, whilst there are major failing with those trash media outlets (which I don't even bother to read), some cyclists' behaviours can be as atrocious as the worst of motor vehicle drivers. For the speed and style of some cyclists, not surprised at all there'll be complaints by Fort St Primary parents around the approach to SHB cycleway. It's also true that cyclists routinely exceed the official speed limit within Centennial Park and there's a significant incident of injuries. They are all facts. Unless we recognize and accept these facts in discussions, we'll just be seen as biased and not worthy of further exchanges. Finding excuses and sweeping them under a mat is not the way to go.

Yes they are facts about some cyclists exceeding the speed limit in Centennial Park. However, a balanced story would also mention that some motorists routinely exceed the speed limit in CP and also turn left across cyclists. They should also mention the joggers running on the cycle way, dogs not restrained, etc. Of course, the "journalist" never set out to provide a balanced story.

[macca33]

Fair and reasonable call there Sogood. If EVERYONE showed a little more respect and consideration for others, we'd ALL be happier - and I dare say, SAFER.

cheers

[sogood]

Yes they are facts about some cyclists exceeding the speed limit in Centennial Park. However, a balanced story would also mention that some motorists routinely exceed the speed limit in CP and also turn left across cyclists. They should also mention the joggers running on the cycle way, dogs not restrained, etc. Of course, the "journalist" never set out to provide a balanced story.

It's that juvenile school kids behaviour that degrades the society. There's no need to point finger at the motorists when errors were committed on our end. Just because others steal doesn't mean we have to steal too. There's no need to lower one's standard to that of the lowest denominator.

Granted, Centennial Park is a bit of a special case with a variety of needs that has to be handled "practically" by the governing trust. Not a good example, but still, exceeding the speed limit is a fact.

Expecting balanced reporting? Very hard and I'd suggest that it doesn't happen on those trash media channels. Knowing this fact, why do people still reference them here all the time? Why are people here even reading those material?

[wombatK]

Speeding by cyclists is not acceptable, anywhere. The article found speeding some time on Friday morning, and judging from the very long shadows in the photo, it would appear to be quite early in the morning - which is typically when the large fast bunches are about. It's also the time when there's not much other traffic and fewer children and pedestrians in the park. There isn't any velodrome within a bull's roar of the CBD, so just where does the telecr@p expect the faster riders to train ?

Perhaps it would be quite safe to have a slightly higher speed limit (40 or 50 kph) for 5 am to 8 am.

As for the bridge shown in the background with the Fort St high school kid and mum, there's no parking drop off point anywhere near there. It's a fraudulent depiction, probably
because it was too hard to get a photo of cyclists conflicting with pedestrians closer to the school. Nevertheless, that bridge and ramp in the background are both shocking
pieces of infrastructure for cyclists. More than a few times, I've had southbound cyclists approaching the bridge at speeds I thought were unsafe - they clearly weren't
expecting another cyclist coming up the ramp and bridge (and couldn't see them !). Speeding isn't just about driving at less than the statutory speed limit - you can be booked for driving or riding at a speed that is unsafe for the conditions, even if lower than the statutory limit.

It would be sad to see it, but speed bumps would certainly slow the dopes who treat poor cycleway paths like racetracks.

[human909]

But the Centre for Road Safety general manager Marg Prendergast said the NSW government did not support the move.

“The reason it wasn’t supported was the issue around enforceability,” she said.

“We don’t have many lateral measurements in the road rules especially as precise as a metre, it would be really hard to discern if it’s one metre.

“But the real issue the states were concerned with were the potential unintended consequences which may arise from motorists crossing the double lines.”



And this is from the Centre of Road Safety!!!??? Half the road rules are more "unenforceable". Currently it seems the only way to enforce the rule about safe over taking is IF a collision occurs.

None of that makes sense unless you conclude that the live of cyclists is worth less than the lives of the patience of motorists.

[TTar]

Expecting balanced reporting? Very hard and I'd suggest that it doesn't happen on those trash media channels. Knowing this fact, why do people still reference them here all the time? Why are people here even reading those material?

It's important "we" continue referencing and reading that sludge because it's us they're writing about!

To just ignore them would be disastrous, if every stupid article like this one isn't countered, the way they represent us will become the accepted norm. I'd suggest it's almost our responsibility to attend to, and where warranted, refute these stories.

[biker jk]

Expecting balanced reporting? Very hard and I'd suggest that it doesn't happen on those trash media channels. Knowing this fact, why do people still reference them here all the time? Why are people here even reading those material?

It's important "we" continue referencing and reading that sludge because it's us they're writing about!

To just ignore them would be disastrous, if every stupid article like this one isn't countered, the way they represent us will become the accepted norm. I'd suggest it's almost our responsibility to attend to, and where warranted, refute these stories.

Absolutely agree and I'm posting in the comments section refuting the claptrap from the bogans.

[sogood]

It's important "we" continue referencing and reading that sludge because it's us they're writing about!

School yard bully calls you name and add derogatory labels, does that make you one and reason to bother? There are higher calling. As evidenced by this and many sensible forums, people are wiser. Don't feed the trolls.

[TTar]

School yard bully calls you name and add derogatory labels, does that make you one and reason to bother?

This isn't an exercise in etiquette, sogood, this is self defence. Your bully analogy is a good one because what these hacks are doing is very similar to a bully inciting the morons who look up to him to follow his example.

Do you think the hoons who deliberately harass cyclists have all individually taken it upon themselves to be imbeciles? Of course they haven't, they're inspired and take their cue from shock jocks and tabloid trash. It's quite possible a cyclist death or serious injury has already been caused because of this and that Ben McClennan's authorship of this piece will cause a similar incident.

Ignoring a bully may make you feel superior, but it won't solve the problem, it won't protect you from injury and torment.

If you have the wherewithal to face up to bully you probably wouldn't be a bully's victim in the first place, but if you confront bullies they instantly shrivel away like the cowards they are. We cyclists are allowing third rate pretenders like Benji boy and News Corp to bully us. They won't just go away if we ignore them, and I for one will not ignore them, but do what I can to denounce them and their bloody minded and dangerous "journalism" every opportunity I get.

[sogood]

TTar, we are far better off to spend the energy lobbying the politicians, police and other entities of real power than to feed the trolls. Let the real powers deal with the bullies. Waste of energy to enter a verbal fight that has no rational basis of discussion. Lower to that level and you accept the practices at that level.

[Derny Driver]

They won't just go away if we ignore them, and I for one will not ignore them, but do what I can to denounce them and their bloody minded and dangerous "journalism" every opportunity I get.

There is a facebook group of 15,000 people committed to a particular cause, and when one of their members finds a retailer selling items which they deem offensive, they post a call to action on their fb page and then the members bombard the offenders website / phone lines / facebook pages in a show of collective strength. Their results have been amazing, including shutting down facebook pages, having public apologies issued and offensive items removed.
With the number of cyclists on this site it would not be hard to start a thread called "a call to Action" and a certain day and time is given when everyone bombards the letters section / emails the offending politician and tells them what we think. I for one would join in. We are not a minority group.

[sogood]

What if the anti-cycling lobby does exactly the same and bombards? Reason, logic, sensible arguments will ultimately prevail if properly focus and applied.

[TTar]

TTar, we are far better off to spend the energy lobbying the politicians, police and other entities of real power than to feed the trolls. Let the real powers deal with the bullies. Waste of energy to enter a verbal fight that has no rational basis of discussion. Lower to that level and you accept the practices at that level.

Quite right... in theory, but cyclists have been lobbying politicians for ages to little effect and still the Duncan Gays of the world get elected and spout their idiocy unchallenged. And the police? This forum is full of stories of police inaction.

It's symptomatic of broader societal decline, but "lobbying" is the preserve of the rich. Successful lobbying involves giving gifts of $3,000 bottles of wine. Even the most effective cycling lobby group, the AGF, has had all that effort and work (which might be deemed to have been executed in a "dignified" manner) casually dismissed by a public servant as detailed by human909 up the page a bit. This same public servant, btw, was on the radio this morning cheerfully saying her dept had just received instruction from her boss, good ol' Duncan Gay, to look into licensing cyclists. What lobby group exerted so much pressure to bring about such immediate action? That's right, none at all. It's just dear old Dunc trying to legitimise the comments he made to a shock jock.

That's how you get things done; through the tabloid media, but we're in no position to manipulate them so we need to do the next best thing and discredit them. That isn't accepting those 'low level practices' it's simply playing the game in the only open to us. Plus, it's heaps more fun.

[sogood]

I disagree. Through the effort of many unsung heroes, the cycling facilities in Sydney and surround have improved leaps and bound over the last decade. They sure didn't come out of Telegraph verbals. "What has the Roman given us?" - A quote from Monty Python.

[Andrew09]

15000 on a social media site is not much out of a world of 7 billion people.

I hear Ben McLellan holds a hairdryer the same way.

[Smithstreet]

I hear Ben McLellan holds a hairdryer the same way.

Probably not the only thing he holds the same way...

Look at him. He's still 'wet behind the ears'!!
They've given the office coffee boy an opportunity to get out on the street and he thinks he's gonna crack the bigtime!!

This country really is going down the tubes.

[MVZOOM]

This bilge doesn't deserve the time it takes to scrutinise it, but even a casual scan of the story betrays its failings, for example:


The caption for this photo reads; " Michelle Payne and son Declandeal with cyclists every day on the way to Fort St Public School."

I don't ride that approach to the bridge very often, but even I know you don't walk to the school on that particular section of the path. Obviously it's a set-up, posed photograph and the only reason for disingenuously shooting the picture in that particular spot is to get bikes and pedestrians in the same frame. And even then, it's a clearly marked shared path and the only danger is the dopey photographer posing his models in the middle of the path. Look how the cyclists are forced to the side of the path to avoid this dangerous obstacle. Look how responsible the nearest rider is, with hands on both brake levers. Look at the restraint the roadie is showing -- he looks to be calmly negotiating this egregious incivility blighting the shared path.

I reckon this pic is photoshopped...

[bychosis]

It would be sad to see it, but speed bumps would certainly slow the dopes who treat poor cycleway paths like racetracks.

Speed humps would also be referred to as 'jumps' by more than a few riders and distract you from looking where you are going at speed. Concentrating hard to bunny hump over or launch yourself as far as possible. make a dull share path more fun.

[sogood]

I reckon this pic is photoshopped...

Evidence? For what purpose?

[familyguy]

News.com.au...increasingly misnamed since 2010.

Jim

[yugyug]

TTar, we are far better off to spend the energy lobbying the politicians, police and other entities of real power than to feed the trolls. Let the real powers deal with the bullies. Waste of energy to enter a verbal fight that has no rational basis of discussion. Lower to that level and you accept the practices at that level.

Quite right... in theory, but cyclists have been lobbying politicians for ages to little effect and still the Duncan Gays of the world get elected and spout their idiocy unchallenged. And the police? This forum is full of stories of police inaction.

It's symptomatic of broader societal decline, but "lobbying" is the preserve of the rich. Successful lobbying involves giving gifts of $3,000 bottles of wine. Even the most effective cycling lobby group, the AGF, has had all that effort and work (which might be deemed to have been executed in a "dignified" manner) casually dismissed by a public servant as detailed by human909 up the page a bit. This same public servant, btw, was on the radio this morning cheerfully saying her dept had just received instruction from her boss, good ol' Duncan Gay, to look into licensing cyclists. What lobby group exerted so much pressure to bring about such immediate action? That's right, none at all. It's just dear old Dunc trying to legitimise the comments he made to a shock jock.

That's how you get things done; through the tabloid media, but we're in no position to manipulate them so we need to do the next best thing and discredit them. That isn't accepting those 'low level practices' it's simply playing the game in the only open to us. Plus, it's heaps more fun.

Well said.

I would add that rags like the Daily Telegraph measure the sentiments of their users from the tone of their online comments, so responses might help somewhat in that way.
(maybe we'll see some pro-cycling op-eds soon.... )