Moron Motorists #3

[NhiTrac]

Am currently in Texas with family and notice two things while I'm driving on the wrong side of the road:

1) people here are generally more relaxed and don't drive like they have somewhere to be within the next 5 mins
2) road signs with a picture of a bicycle followed by "may take up whole lane"

[human909]

Am currently in Texas with family and notice two things while I'm driving on the wrong side of the road:

1) people here are generally more relaxed and don't drive like they have somewhere to be within the next 5 mins
2) road signs with a picture of a bicycle followed by "may take up whole lane"

I noticed that about the US too. On the whole attitudes are better there.

[Bah77]

Everyone always seems to say "other places are better", hell i've seen someone say he felt safer riding his motorcycle on vietnamese roads (one of the worst death tolls in the world).
I see plenty of MM type stories from the u.s.a., oh and their comments section on news articles about cycling, just as bad.

[briztoon]

Am currently in Texas with family and notice two things while I'm driving on the wrong side of the road:

1) people here are generally more relaxed and don't drive like they have somewhere to be within the next 5 mins
2) road signs with a picture of a bicycle followed by "may take up whole lane"

We need photos please. Preferably ones that show your in Texas if possible. Love to email them to our local politicians and urban planers, RACQ and anyone else the advocates out there can think of.

[DavidS]

Another moron cut me off at my favourite roundabout tonight. She was going straight, the 2 cars in the slip lane turning left (ie further away from me and blocked for some of the time by her car) saw me fine and stopped. They just don't look. Great conditions to be driving like a twit, bucketing rain, very windy and dark. No care for anyone else.

DS

[Summernight]

I got to the rail station a good 15 seconds behind her, still with about ten minutes to go before train arrival. Surprisingly, few words or gestures were utilised in the carpark but when a colleague on the platform said G'Day and asked how me day was going the adrenalin and bile bubbled up into a short but loud, pointing at the offender tirade in front of about 50 other passengers

You are awesome! Telling her off in front of your colleague and other passengers is genius!!! Hopefully she'll think again next time as I bet she was wanting the ground to swallow her up during your tirade.

[jasonc]

I got to the rail station a good 15 seconds behind her, still with about ten minutes to go before train arrival. Surprisingly, few words or gestures were utilised in the carpark but when a colleague on the platform said G'Day and asked how me day was going the adrenalin and bile bubbled up into a short but loud, pointing at the offender tirade in front of about 50 other passengers

You are awesome! Telling her off in front of your colleague and other passengers is genius!!! Hopefully she'll think again next time as I bet she was wanting the ground to swallow her up during your tirade.

I would have then sat next to her on the train

[Summernight]

I would have then sat next to her on the train

[Mulger bill]

I would have then sat next to her on the train

That woulda been interesting, she could have shared the rank ammoniac stench of OHHHHH CRAAAAAPPPPP fear sweat with her colleagues all day Took lots of baby wipes and a half can of Pong to become vaguely presentable.

I don't like going too far from the rack tho', been vandalised by one jerk already and the train was full anyway so I sat on the floor. Regardless of any sense of outrage I won't sit if it means a paying customer has to stand. Free ride for staff but we still have to slap that stooopid myki agin the machine

[Baalzamon]

The person in a BMW 4wd who tooted me when the arrow went green.
Couldn't he see that there was a B double running a red light... I sure couldn't see a green arrow, my forward vision was of truck speeding thru the intersection

[trailgumby]

Can't remember if I mentioned this. Happened a few weeks ago.

Turning right at a roundabout at the corner of Allambie and Rodborough roads French's Forest. A silver Golf approaches from my left. She's going slow and looks like she's coming to a stop.

Just as I get in front of her I catch out if the corner of my eye that we're about to collide. I'm on my 2 week old Scalpel. I get my butt up on the hood and the bike off the ground while she carries me another 2 metres. I start to slide off the front and have to unclip and put a foot down, which she runs over!

I am pretty cranky and the temperature starts to rise further when she starts telling me it was my fault and was wanting to keep going instead of stopping to exchange particulars. She has a slight air of confusion which concerns me.

At this point I tell her firmly that she has no idea about the road rules and we'll therefore have to involve the police and let them decide the situation ... and her fitness ro drive. I get called a bully.

[trailgumby]

She reluctantly agrees to pull over into the mail centre carpark and we exchange details. I take a photo of her license. She's 88.

Her family rock up after I lend her my phone to call them and they start telling me its my cault as well, at which point I tell them to let's allow the police to handle it.

After she and i both speak to the police and the officer separately confirms with my son the direction he and I came from, and what my son did and didn't see, her family had quite a different attitude.

I had expressed concerns about her fitness to drive, the slow reactions and the confused appearance to the police during our discussion.

She eventually admitted to not looking at all and assuming the road I entered from was one way the other way . They placed a challenge against her license immediately. She'll have to prove she's competent. Her daughter in law drove her home.

The officer phoned the following day to say she'd been TIN'd for for failure to give way.

I'm satisfied with the outcome. I feel a bit sad she will likely lose her independence but no regrets. She shouldn't be on the road if she can't competently manage 1600kg of heavy machinery. Imagine if id let it slide and someone had been more seriously hurt

[briztoon]

Pretty sure I remember the story. And I agree with you. It's sad to see some one possibly lose their independence. But, as you say, there are future consequences to consider if you had let it slide. Next person she may accidentally hit could be the a vehicle with baby on board.

And I hope your foot and ankle aren't damaged.

[InTheWoods]

A few weeks ago after a few close shaves in the preceding minutes when staying to the far left, I was claiming my place in the left lane on Waterworks Road, late-ish on a Saturday afternoon (when there is often cars legally parked in the lane blocking it every few hundred meters anyway). A car comes up from behind, and instead of using the right hand lane (which ironically was going slower than I was), uses a short bus stop/set down pull in bay to overtake me on my left, without really even bothering to slow down. Crazy driver.

Thing is, it would have been totally legal for him to brush past 1mm from my handlebars, but overtaking me on the left really is a no-no, so he got a ticket today...

I was concerned if he was willing to do that, what other kind of crazy stuff he has pulled around riders. Hopefully he will be a bit more cautious next time.

I'm riding slowly on the footpath at the moment anyway, too many km and my knee is playing up a bit, so I'm taking it very gently. Got passed by 2 schoolkids this morning

[Shpox]

Was on a two way road going uphill on a pretty high grade. This road is always pretty dangerous as being a single directional road, there isn't much room for overtaking. Knowing this, I move as far to the left as possible, centimeters from grass in this instance to avoid drivers that find it difficult to pass. Never had an issue until (a little consideration for the other road users and my own safety goes a long way) today.

This idiot with a clustered bunch of my family stickers sneaks up behind my rear wheel. It's not really busy and he can easily overtake as there's no cars around. I can hear his engine but don't bother looking behind and go about my business. Instead he starting bleeping his horn loudly in segments. Before I can look to respond, he speeds off, with his mirror bending into my torso. I could have touched his windscreen at this point if he hadn't turned away at the last minute to avoid hitting my bars. In my frustration I swore in response as it was completely and utterly dangerous and didn't end up getting the plate, not that it would have helped without video.

Buying a helmet cam tomorrow. I cannot wait to run into this guy again. His car is tattooed to my mind. Here's hoping that he frequents this road at around the same time. I can taste the sweet justice.

[BianchiCam]

Always have my rear camera on for times like that. What a tool. Hope only next time he doesn't make contact with you, camera or no camera.

[jules21]

This idiot with a clustered bunch of my family stickers sneaks up behind my rear wheel.

oh god no!

[Shpox]

I know right. Next cycling jersey will have the words 'TREAT ME LIKE YOUR DAUGHTER' written on the back.

[human909]

I normally ride most weekdays in Melbourne's inner north. Getting harassed or otherwise run ins with moron motorists is rare.

I went for a longer ride in today;s beautiful sunshine. St Kilda Rd, Beach Rd etc. I lost count of the aggressive weekend drivers today. I've come home angry. Its so disappointing.

One guy with his wife next to him threatened me that next time I would get shot in the face.

[jules21]

One guy with his wife next to him threatened me that next time I would get shot in the face.

for what?

[skull]

.

One guy with his wife next to him threatened me that next time I would get shot in the face.

Report that. Death threat, if he is a registered fire arm owner he will be on record. Can't have those sort of people to be allowed to own weapons.

[rogan]

She reluctantly agrees to pull over into the mail centre carpark and we exchange details. I take a photo of her license. She's 88.

Her family rock up after I lend her my phone to call them and they start telling me its my cault as well, at which point I tell them to let's allow the police to handle it.

After she and i both speak to the police and the officer separately confirms with my son the direction he and I came from, and what my son did and didn't see, her family had quite a different attitude.

I had expressed concerns about her fitness to drive, the slow reactions and the confused appearance to the police during our discussion.

She eventually admitted to not looking at all and assuming the road I entered from was one way the other way . They placed a challenge against her license immediately. She'll have to prove she's competent. Her daughter in law drove her home.

The officer phoned the following day to say she'd been TIN'd for for failure to give way.

I'm satisfied with the outcome. I feel a bit sad she will likely lose her independence but no regrets. She shouldn't be on the road if she can't competently manage 1600kg of heavy machinery. Imagine if id let it slide and someone had been more seriously hurt

tg - hope you are OK.

I suspect the family are well aware she is not competent to drive, and are secretly probably glad the issue has been brought to a head. Although, at that age, aren't they being tested every year anyway?

[trailgumby]

tg - hope you are OK.

I suspect the family are well aware she is not competent to drive, and are secretly probably glad the issue has been brought to a head. Although, at that age, aren't they being tested every year anyway?

Not sure about the testing options. Might be annual, but I noticed with my mum that she seemed to reach a threshhold very suddenly where she wasn't coping, and I had to write a letter to her doctor to get her license pulled. The thought of her driving another 8 months like that (or worse) I couldn't stomach.

The old duck was driving so slowly I thought she had her foot on the brake and was pulling up. Goes to show what happens when you make assumptions.

The tyre was surprisingly soft, in all honesty. All I noticed was a slight burning sensation at the time. No broken bones which I'm very pleased about, but I now have "hotfoot" in that spot same between 3rd and fourth metatarsals.

I've just replaced my street shoes today hoping that will help remove an impediment to the issue resolving itself. Have been off the bike a couple of weeks due to other issues, will see what happens on the ride tomorrow.

[Mulger bill]

One guy with his wife next to him threatened me that next time I would get shot in the face.

for what?

Existing

Report that. Death threat, if he is a registered fire arm owner he will be on record. Can't have those sort of people to be allowed to own weapons.

So you want his smokebox removed too? Good call.

[human909]

One guy with his wife next to him threatened me that next time I would get shot in the face.

for what?

I mouthed off at him after being beeped at and yelled at for riding in a "car" lane" (At the time there was another whole lane empty adjacent to the one I was in.) It was towards the end of my ride and I had enough with the many horn beeps that I had received. Despite many aggressive motorists my lane position largely kept away the close passes.