The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...

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QuangVuong
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Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...

Postby QuangVuong » Fri Oct 04, 2013 6:44 pm

Had one today on the Rail Trail. Dude in a Bianchi jersey and red bike passes without warning at about 35km/h :evil: , whilst I was slowing down for a chicane sort of corner. I speed up and pass without much effort, then I slow down again when I hit Guildford station as everyone had just got off the train. Lucky thing I did a head check before overtaking a pedestrian, as he just flew by once again, otherwise I wouldve merged into him. He was going way too fast around the pedestrians as well, esp when someone was walking in the middle, and slowly drifted into the left lane as he passes.
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Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...

Postby jules21 » Sun Oct 06, 2013 11:53 am

QuangVuong wrote:Had one today on the Rail Trail. Dude in a Bianchi jersey and red bike passes without warning at about 35km/h :evil: , whilst I was slowing down for a chicane sort of corner. I speed up and pass without much effort, then I slow down again when I hit Guildford station as everyone had just got off the train. Lucky thing I did a head check before overtaking a pedestrian, as he just flew by once again, otherwise I wouldve merged into him. He was going way too fast around the pedestrians as well, esp when someone was walking in the middle, and slowly drifted into the left lane as he passes.
i participate in road racing and do a lot of riding on shared paths. it's not hard to measure your speed for the circumstances, i.e. slow down when there are others around. i don't always get it right i'll admit, but i at least try. people who just blast through pedestrians or slow cyclists are headed for a fall.

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Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...

Postby Hergest » Sun Oct 06, 2013 12:01 pm

QuangVuong wrote:Had one today on the Rail Trail. Dude in a Bianchi jersey and red bike passes without warning at about 35km/h :evil: , whilst I was slowing down for a chicane sort of corner. I speed up and pass without much effort, then I slow down again when I hit Guildford station as everyone had just got off the train. Lucky thing I did a head check before overtaking a pedestrian, as he just flew by once again, otherwise I wouldve merged into him. He was going way too fast around the pedestrians as well, esp when someone was walking in the middle, and slowly drifted into the left lane as he passes.
Guildford station is more often than not a time to get off and walk as it's tight and when a train arrives is busy. To go at speed through there is idiotic. Utterly pointless too as any time you lose is so easy to make up on the long and often empty run down to Merrylands station.
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CXCommuter
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Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...

Postby CXCommuter » Mon Oct 07, 2013 1:35 pm

Me this morning-
got ready- out the door and rode 500m thinking wow my head is cool- DUH helmet sitting next to gate at home not on my head- turned around put it on and all okay.

Still felt dumb though (normal situation for me anyway)
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Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...

Postby queequeg » Mon Oct 07, 2013 1:45 pm

Boognoss wrote:
bychosis wrote:Driving through evening traffic at Castle Hill today. The main road (don't know what it's called, not a local). Recumbent rider plodding up the hill in the gutter, literally on the concrete bit, outside the yellow no stopping line. There was an alternative footpath not more than 2m away.

Mr Recumbent: Either claim some lane, or ride the footpath. Don't hide in the gutter.

(pretty sure he had a beard)
That dude (also sure he wears sandles ;-)) has been pottering around this area for years. There reason I say pottering is because I only ever seem to spot him on climbs. At least 6-7 years that I can recall. Always well in the gutter but with amazing skills at holding his line. He always takes main roads too.

I think his flag is what saves him......
He rides up Castle Hill Rd to Pennant Hills Rd, turns left and heads North....in peak hour. He is one brave soul with all those B-Doubles heading to the F3 (sorry, M1).
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Biffidus
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Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...

Postby Biffidus » Mon Oct 07, 2013 7:18 pm

CXCommuter wrote:Me this morning-
got ready- out the door and rode 500m thinking wow my head is cool- DUH helmet sitting next to gate at home not on my head- turned around put it on and all okay.

Still felt dumb though (normal situation for me anyway)
I reckon most of us have done that one... last time I only noticed when I want to lock my bike up at the other end!

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Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...

Postby g-boaf » Mon Oct 07, 2013 9:55 pm

Oh I've left the helmet behind a few times. Typically go about 100m and realise, before turning back. :oops: Also left the saddle bag behind once too, realised it after 30km. :shock: Luckily, I didn't get any punctures.

Surprisingly considering I'm using a very busy shared path quite a bit now, I'm not encountering very many dumb pedestrians. All quite predictable.

None of them seem to mind me doing some Strava efforts along there either. I just slow down whenever I see any pedestrians, say hello and or thanks.

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Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...

Postby Gordonhooker » Tue Oct 08, 2013 9:13 am

Saturday 5th October 2013 at about 9AM - I am heading into the city along Grassdale Road at Belmont (Brisbane) approaching the stop signs on the intersection of Grassdale Road and Tilley Road - a group of about 8 or 9 road bike cyclists out for the morning ride totally ignore the stop sign and entire group ride straight through the stop sign. Guys and girls there are groups of us out there that are trying to do something about the image of cyclists and trying to get some respect from motorists and the general public. This type of behaviour does not help our cause it just cements in the minds of motorists that we are a law unto ourselves. :( :( :( :!:

Hopefully some of the riders in that group will read this and take notice that you are noticed....
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Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...

Postby FuzzyDropbear » Tue Oct 08, 2013 10:06 am

CXCommuter wrote:Me this morning-
got ready- out the door and rode 500m thinking wow my head is cool- DUH helmet sitting next to gate at home not on my head- turned around put it on and all okay.

Still felt dumb though (normal situation for me anyway)
Hahaha, I think we've all been there, I know I have as well as a mate from work has done the same thing. Except I noticed I forgot mine about 3km from my house, when I was sitting at the lights... and wondering why Mr. plod was looking at me funny :shock: Think I went to scratch my head and went 'uh oh' :oops:, turned around and went home.

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Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...

Postby g-boaf » Tue Oct 08, 2013 10:16 am

Gordonhooker wrote:Saturday 5th October 2013 at about 9AM - I am heading into the city along Grassdale Road at Belmont (Brisbane) approaching the stop signs on the intersection of Grassdale Road and Tilley Road - a group of about 8 or 9 road bike cyclists out for the morning ride totally ignore the stop sign and entire group ride straight through the stop sign. Guys and girls there are groups of us out there that are trying to do something about the image of cyclists and trying to get some respect from motorists and the general public. This type of behaviour does not help our cause it just cements in the minds of motorists that we are a law unto ourselves. :( :( :( :!:

Hopefully some of the riders in that group will read this and take notice that you are noticed....
Yeah, agree. I'm the rider in Lycra who obeys lights... Yet the "pobso" yesterday (for want of better term) insisted on charging straight through at least three red lights. I couldn't quite catch him to complain (because I waited for the lights and he kept going through them). :roll:

He was lucky to not end up as a hood ornament.

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Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...

Postby human909 » Tue Oct 08, 2013 10:21 am

Gordonhooker wrote:Saturday 5th October 2013 at about 9AM - I am heading into the city along Grassdale Road at Belmont (Brisbane) approaching the stop signs on the intersection of Grassdale Road and Tilley Road - a group of about 8 or 9 road bike cyclists out for the morning ride totally ignore the stop sign and entire group ride straight through the stop sign. Guys and girls there are groups of us out there that are trying to do something about the image of cyclists and trying to get some respect from motorists and the general public. This type of behaviour does not help our cause it just cements in the minds of motorists that we are a law unto ourselves. :( :( :( :!:

Hopefully some of the riders in that group will read this and take notice that you are noticed....
Seriously? Rolling a stop sign? I think there are bigger problems on the road.

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Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...

Postby Gordonhooker » Tue Oct 08, 2013 10:39 am

human909 wrote:
Gordonhooker wrote:Saturday 5th October 2013 at about 9AM - I am heading into the city along Grassdale Road at Belmont (Brisbane) approaching the stop signs on the intersection of Grassdale Road and Tilley Road - a group of about 8 or 9 road bike cyclists out for the morning ride totally ignore the stop sign and entire group ride straight through the stop sign. Guys and girls there are groups of us out there that are trying to do something about the image of cyclists and trying to get some respect from motorists and the general public. This type of behaviour does not help our cause it just cements in the minds of motorists that we are a law unto ourselves. :( :( :( :!:

Hopefully some of the riders in that group will read this and take notice that you are noticed....
Seriously? Rolling a stop sign? I think there are bigger problems on the road.
I can assure you this was not a case of rolling a stop sign - this group just rode on through without any attempt to stop, and we are all judged on this type of behaviour.
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Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...

Postby lobstermash » Tue Oct 08, 2013 10:41 am

g-boaf wrote:Oh I've left the helmet behind a few times. Typically go about 100m and realise, before turning back. :oops: Also left the saddle bag behind once too, realised it after 30km. :shock: Luckily, I didn't get any punctures.
Thought I left my helmet behind on a trip to the shops last week. Hand up to head confirmed it was there, just had forgotten I'd just had a haircut!

After tearing my (now quite short) hair out due to Floriade zombies for the last couple of weeks, it was refreshing this morning to enjoy a presumably daylight-saving induced clear path.
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Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...

Postby human909 » Tue Oct 08, 2013 10:43 am

Gordonhooker wrote:I can assure you this was not a case of rolling a stop sign - this group just rode on through without any attempt to stop
If they looked properly and it was clear then I don't see a big deal. If they didn't look then that sounds suicidal.
Gordonhooker wrote:and we are all judged on this type of behaviour.
Just like motorists are all judged based on the bad eggs? Seriously, lets drop this furphy.

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Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...

Postby Gordonhooker » Tue Oct 08, 2013 11:09 am

It is not a furphy at all it is a point that we as cyclist all need to address. I am simply saying it goes both ways - we complain about not getting the respect we should be getting from motorists and lizard brain motorists complain about us not doing the right thing. If you want change it starts with you, me and everyone else that rides bicycles on the road and expect to be treated as any other vehicle on the road.
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Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...

Postby jcjordan » Tue Oct 08, 2013 11:31 am

Gordonhooker wrote:It is not a furphy at all it is a point that we as cyclist all need to address. I am simply saying it goes both ways - we complain about not getting the respect we should be getting from motorists and lizard brain motorists complain about us not doing the right thing. If you want change it starts with you, me and everyone else that rides bicycles on the road and expect to be treated as any other vehicle on the road.
I am with Gordon on this one.

As for it not being of any harm to blow a stop sign 909 would you say the same if was a motorist?

If we want equal rights to the road than we need to obey the law, if not then we have no right to complain when others also break the law.

If we think a law is wrong or inadequate then we have the right to have it changed as you are doing in Queensland and the passing distance requirements to a fixed distance.

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Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...

Postby g-boaf » Tue Oct 08, 2013 11:34 am

Motorists seem to be able to run red lights and nobody calls every other law abiding motorist a red-light-runner.
Gordonhooker wrote:It is not a furphy at all it is a point that we as cyclist all need to address. I am simply saying it goes both ways - we complain about not getting the respect we should be getting from motorists and lizard brain motorists complain about us not doing the right thing. If you want change it starts with you, me and everyone else that rides bicycles on the road and expect to be treated as any other vehicle on the road.
I obey the law and do stop at red lights, all the time. Do you? Or maybe I'll put it another way, you've never ran any orange or red lights, ever?

And what do you do if the light NEVER changes. A week or so back I waited over 5 minutes for a light that never changed (despite many full light change sequences for all cars). I could have waited 30 minutes, and it still wouldn't have changed because clearly something had gone wrong with it.

According to opinions above, my crossing further down the road on foot was against the law and I should be in prison and the keys thrown away because of my terrible crime. Or perhaps I should have simply waited forever. :roll:

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Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...

Postby human909 » Tue Oct 08, 2013 11:39 am

jcjordan wrote:As for it not being of any harm to blow a stop sign 909 would you say the same if was a motorist?
I have no problems if a motorist looks properly, decides that it is safe and then proceeds. Whether actual stop occurs is a legal technicality not a safety one.
jcjordan wrote:If we want equal rights to the road than we need to obey the law
Totally untrue. Besides I don't want equal rights to the road. Cyclists and motorists are not equal and they never will be.
jcjordan wrote:if not then we have no right to complain when others also break the law.
An absurd assertion.


But this argument has been done before so I won't continue it here. The only reason I commented on the stop sign issue is because the infraction is so extremely innocuous especially on a bike. The true purpose of a stop sign is to ensure that you actually look properly, the need to stop is a means to the end and not the end in of itself.

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Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...

Postby Scarfy96 » Tue Oct 08, 2013 11:43 am

When riding with a group it is not uncommon for the first pair to approach the stop sign and slow down and check and if all clear then call CLEAR for the rest of the group, the rest of the group then rolls through (also checking and passing on the clear call - or "car right" or whatever). The whole group really is just one big vehicle like that, first ones are the eyes, check the intersection and make the call. I have no issue with that.

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Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...

Postby DarrylH » Tue Oct 08, 2013 11:46 am

Stop signs are generally there for a reason - otherwise they would be Give Way signs. The motorist who slows slightly and has a look before proceeding is probably the one who will miss seeing a bike.

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Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...

Postby human909 » Tue Oct 08, 2013 11:54 am

DarrylH wrote:Stop signs are generally there for a reason - otherwise they would be Give Way signs. The motorist who slows slightly and has a look before proceeding is probably the one who will miss seeing a bike.
In my experience this is not true. I know of many stop signs where sign lines are perfect and stops are unnecessary for safety. I also know of quite a few give way signs where sign lines are poor and stopping is almost essential.

I must say in the car or on the bike I don't make a distinction between stop signs, give way signs or roundabouts. I will not proceed until I have determined it is safe and I give way to other vehicles as required. Often in the course of me determining whether it is safe or not my vehicle may come to a stop.


(I've been in two accidents where my car was written off. Both involved other cars going through STOP signs without giving way to me. In one case the car did stop. The other case the taxi driver blew the sign at speed without even looking and hit me in my drivers door!)

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Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...

Postby tekapo » Tue Oct 08, 2013 12:24 pm

Scarfy96 wrote:When riding with a group it is not uncommon for the first pair to approach the stop sign and slow down and check and if all clear then call CLEAR for the rest of the group, the rest of the group then rolls through (also checking and passing on the clear call - or "car right" or whatever). The whole group really is just one big vehicle like that, first ones are the eyes, check the intersection and make the call. I have no issue with that.
Mmm.. so if I am driving behind a friend, as long as the friend slows down and gives the all clear, I can just drive right through the stop sign?

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Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...

Postby human909 » Tue Oct 08, 2013 1:11 pm

tekapo wrote:Mmm.. so if I am driving behind a friend, as long as the friend slows down and gives the all clear, I can just drive right through the stop sign?
Surely you can decide yourself if such action is safe. As far as legalities go, the law is quite clear.

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Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...

Postby g-boaf » Tue Oct 08, 2013 1:23 pm

tekapo wrote:
Scarfy96 wrote:When riding with a group it is not uncommon for the first pair to approach the stop sign and slow down and check and if all clear then call CLEAR for the rest of the group, the rest of the group then rolls through (also checking and passing on the clear call - or "car right" or whatever). The whole group really is just one big vehicle like that, first ones are the eyes, check the intersection and make the call. I have no issue with that.
Mmm.. so if I am driving behind a friend, as long as the friend slows down and gives the all clear, I can just drive right through the stop sign?
oh my gosh, so many baited replies and scenarios. :lol:

I propose that each group rider stops individually at a stop sign, in the middle of the lane (to prevent being close-shaved or run off the road) and carefully checks in all directions before going, as they are required to.

And I also propose that car drivers shall be patient and compliant with the bicycle rider(s) while they do this and not blow horns, make rude gestures or use obscene language.

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Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...

Postby Scarfy96 » Tue Oct 08, 2013 2:08 pm

I think there was 22 in our group on Saturday, so 11 pairs each one stopping and checking would really string out the group!

Alternatively front pair pull away from group as it slows (call) and front pair approach intersection. Roll to a near stop, have a good look, call clear and keep going, group has caught up to them by then and roll through, each one checking as they enter the intersection and calling clear for the next pair as they are entering. All pass through safely.

On the odd occasion a car did appear half way through the group one pair would call "car right" and the ones behind would call "stopping" and give way, then proceed resulting in the group breaking into 2 but that quickly re-forms.

Sometimes you just have to use common sense and having 11 pairs stop isn't that!

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