Wednesday night I had an interesting encounter. I plopped my bike in the bike box in the left lane in front of a white Holden (because it is the safest place for me to be visible, not get cut off, hooked or close shaved and I knew I wouldn't hold them up through the intersection when the light turned green as I quickly move to the left when the light turns green to get into the short, 10m bike lane on the other side of the intersection). The driver decided to honk and intimidate me by inching the car forward into the bike box, then the passenger shouted at me to move over to the left into the gutter. The cyclist just behind and to the side of the car tried to point out to the driver and passenger that I was in the bike box and allowed to be there. The cyclist behind HIM had no idea about the rules and said that I should move across (even though the light was red).
Then, when the light actually turned green I blasted away and had moved over to let the car through... Only to see that the moron in the car had been overtaken by another car in the right hand lane who had taken off faster at the lights than him. I didn't hold anyone up at all.
To the cyclist who tried to educate the motorists - thank you for trying. To the cyclist who sided with the motorists - I hope you don't learn the hard way about sticking to the gutter and learn safer road positioning techniques.
If you feel like watching the clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHxUdIR_U94 (I started it from when the car first comes along beside me, which isn't very exciting - the interesting stuff happens from 1:12)
Thursday morning I was claiming the lane in Little Bourke St (too dangerous with peds and cars to hug the gutter) and had another white car honk me to get out of his way. As I was turning just up the road I indicated as soon as he honked me, but he saved 0 seconds by trying to speed past as there was a red traffic light that he was racing towards.
Had a bit of a chuckle with other cyclists on the corner of Hoddle and Albert Streets as the drivers on Hoddle Street completely blocked BOTH directions of Albert St Thursday morning - meaning no cars could get through on our green. Of course, all the cyclists got through.
Thursday night and this morning were nice rides.
This was taken by me early morning on the MYT (near the CCF) on 5 March (I know, that was over a week ago, but I haven't looked at my phone since and now that I have this morning I thought I'd post it):
Not technically taken on the commute as it was my early morning run before the commute, but oh well.
michael_w wrote:Yesterday I was forced to visit St Vincent's hospital (Melbourne) for X-rays followed by a slab on my right forearm. Some stupid cyclist (expletive removed) came hurtling down the exit of the Walmer St bridge (PSP) on MY side of the path, on a fricking blind corner and collided with me. The break is at the wrist end - right near the end of the plate inserted 11 months ago after being hit by a car. Furious!!!
Still waiting to find out whether they'll just put it in a cast or operate to remove the existing plate and insert a longer one.
Sorry to hear, Michael..hope they go for the least intrusive option. Was that near or just past the steps at the bottom of the bridge? That's a horrendous section with people flying down the slope on a very narrow and blind part of the trail. Had some close encounters there myself. Heal well!
Lovely 25kph gusting to 35kph tailwind for the commute in, made up for the cross headwind the day before. Did my best time on a road bike (I do commute on a TT bike some times) for the uninterrupted 17.5km segment I use for threshold training
Planned to take the train home and glad I did the wind was a lot stronger this afternoon.
Summernight wrote:Heal fast, Michael_W. Sucky thing to happen.
Wednesday night I had an interesting encounter. I plopped my bike in the bike box in the left lane in front of a white Holden (because it is the safest place for me to be visible, not get cut off, hooked or close shaved and I knew I wouldn't hold them up through the intersection when the light turned green as I quickly move to the left when the light turns green to get into the short, 10m bike lane on the other side of the intersection). The driver decided to honk and intimidate me by inching the car forward into the bike box, then the passenger shouted at me to move over to the left into the gutter. The cyclist just behind and to the side of the car tried to point out to the driver and passenger that I was in the bike box and allowed to be there. The cyclist behind HIM had no idea about the rules and said that I should move across (even though the light was red).
Funny to watch haha. It's good to be back I went home in November and just got back in mid-Feb. Did not get on a bike for 4 months Now I've moved nearer to to university it's a 5 minute ride for me. Have to try and get some excercise
Summernight wrote:Heal fast, Michael_W. Sucky thing to happen.
Wednesday night I had an interesting encounter. I plopped my bike in the bike box in the left lane in front of a white Holden (because it is the safest place for me to be visible, not get cut off, hooked or close shaved and I knew I wouldn't hold them up through the intersection when the light turned green as I quickly move to the left when the light turns green to get into the short, 10m bike lane on the other side of the intersection). The driver decided to honk and intimidate me by inching the car forward into the bike box, then the passenger shouted at me to move over to the left into the gutter. The cyclist just behind and to the side of the car tried to point out to the driver and passenger that I was in the bike box and allowed to be there. The cyclist behind HIM had no idea about the rules and said that I should move across (even though the light was red).
Funny to watch haha. It's good to be back I went home in November and just got back in mid-Feb. Did not get on a bike for 4 months Now I've moved nearer to to university it's a 5 minute ride for me. Have to try and get some excercise
michael_w wrote:Yesterday I was forced to visit St Vincent's hospital (Melbourne) for X-rays followed by a slab on my right forearm. Some stupid cyclist (expletive removed) came hurtling down the exit of the Walmer St bridge (PSP) on MY side of the path, on a fricking blind corner and collided with me. The break is at the wrist end - right near the end of the plate inserted 11 months ago after being hit by a car. Furious!!!
Still waiting to find out whether they'll just put it in a cast or operate to remove the existing plate and insert a longer one.
Sorry to hear, Michael..hope they go for the least intrusive option. Was that near or just past the steps at the bottom of the bridge? That's a horrendous section with people flying down the slope on a very narrow and blind part of the trail. Had some close encounters there myself. Heal well!
Just past the steps and on the blind corner TW. I travel there each day, and on the outward route (downhill) I always take it slow and stick to the left hand side of the path. So many numpties flying down there with no regard for others. Had I been a baby in a pram, it could have been far worse. After all it is a shared path.
Multi-hop commute back on Friday afternoon for Friday catch-up at my brother's place. Felt like a superhero this morning, flying along effortlessly, which is not usually the case on a Monday. Sadly, the performance boost was attributable to a brisk tailwind, rather than my physical prowess....
The ride home Friday was a struggle as I had a free lunch and I ate too much yummy food. I keep forgetting that I can't eat that much and expect to be able to ride home without some form of punishment from my body. But I made it.
Nice ride in today, even with the wind. A cyclist decided to cut in front of me (even though I was faster and was the first in line at the lights). As he was only going 4km/hr slower than I would normally I just cruised behind him and let him take the brunt of the wind. I helped him at the lights as his rear reflector had moved out of position and was causing a possible stack incident if it got caught on the cassette or chain. He was actually quite nice and after he realised I was faster than him it was all good.
So many cars stuck in traffic this morning. Today was a 'count the number of cars you ride past' day.
Ok ride back yesterday afternoon despite the wind. Had to jump back on the bike again to take junior to tennis. It's a nice 5km ride each way, but I'm not to keen on the quality of drivers in the area near the courts. Bizarre incident for me this morning on the Darebin Creek Trail. I was approaching a Y-junction in the path and had started leaning into a hard right turn when my front wheel was trapped in a groove between the two diverging sections. The bike didn't turn, and down I went. Couple of minor abrasions down my right leg, but the more painful bit was the bar end that dug into my upper thigh. Gathered my wits about me, checked out the bike (which is fine, I sacrificed the body to protect it ) and continued on, albeit somewhat gingerly. Video is below, apologies for the poor low-light quality, but the groove and the consequences are fairly clear.
commute was a good one this morning. gave coot-tha an effort and did my best time this year. My cousin was up from interstate so got to ride with him which was great (he smashed me). then we got wet
Glad to hear you rode away TailWind. Has anything changed with that bit of path recently ?
I had a surreal experience on my way in today - construction worker trying to direct me off the road and onto the bike path they have just painted on the other side of the road. I declined as most mornings there are construction vehicles parked all over that part of the road. Sure enough 500m down the road there is a truck parked right on top of the alleged bike path
Not the best of ride these past couple of days: last night (the dooring detailed in the MM thread) and this morning's abusive trade ute driver deliberately close shaving me (also detailed in the MM thread).
The bike is in for a check-up to make sure it is sound enough to be ridden and to replace the damaged cables from the dooring. Should hopefully have it back before tonight's ride home.
As for injuries, I've had worse and bruises and a scraped knee with knee pains aren't going to stop me from doing the things I want to do.
Gawsh, a few of us coming a gutsa lately ... full moon?
Didn't fare too badly this morning, someone whipped up a triple-decker car sandwich on Karrinyup Rd as I was heading out, didn't look like any injuries but a good old mess. Getting to the time of year where there's a lot of sun in people's eyes I guess; suffered from it myself further along, and caught the top of a discarded plastic bottle as I was cornering down onto the detour at the Narrows - I felt the front tyre slip out, hit the skids and was sure I was a goner, but somehow I didn't go down. Angel picked me up by the scruff of the neck? Repaid her by going back and getting the dang thing off the path
Had a cane toad do a loop-the-loop in my front wheel last night. I saw it hopping in my lights then a bit after going past a bit of a clunk and a twang and a toad, arms and legs all akimbo, flying forwards and outwards from my bike back into my lights
Didn't seem to jam up the forks much, as I didn't feel much of a slow down. Was checking the forks anyway and there's a chip and maybe a crack or a crack in the clearcoat on them, probably not related to the toad. If I grip the front wheel between my legs and twist the bars, there is some flex happening throughout the components, I'm not sure if that is normal or not now...
find_bruce wrote:Glad to hear you rode away TailWind. Has anything changed with that bit of path recently ?
Not with the path, but my front tyre is now a 700x25, as opposed to the 700x28 fitted previously. I've gone over this section literally hundreds of times in both directions without issues, will inspect it on the return trip this afternoon - maybe the cooler temps have resulted in a contraction of the concrete sections just enough to grab the 700x25.
Looked like a cyclist got cleaned up by a truck on the Story bridge this morning...saw the ambos loading someone and a bike on the side of the road...hopefully nothing to serious...police were interviewing another cyclist on the bridge and then the police officer stepped back right in front of me..missed him... just. Trying to dry clothes out for the trip home...caught in the rain during a group ride prior to the commute into town...not a fan of putting wet clothes on..and smelly wet clothes at that
“Some say he isn’t machine washable, and all his potted plants are called ‘Steve’.
Summernight wrote:Not the best of ride these past couple of days: last night (the dooring detailed in the MM thread) and this morning's abusive trade ute driver deliberately close shaving me (also detailed in the MM thread).
The bike is in for a check-up to make sure it is sound enough to be ridden and to replace the damaged cables from the dooring. Should hopefully have it back before tonight's ride home.
As for injuries, I've had worse and bruises and a scraped knee with knee pains aren't going to stop me from doing the things I want to do.
Good on you, Summernight, glad these morons haven't dampened your enthusiasm.
I was having a chat with gretaboy when your footage was shown on the project & we both let out a cheer. Yesterday he was more anonymous than a wrong number, today he is assisting police with their inquiries & no doubt tomorrow will be complaining about the damage to his reputation. Cry me a river
Went home from work via Mt Cootha although I have to find a better way to get from Milton to Wynnum Rd during peak traffic, went back through the city and was a night mare. I was also amazed at how many bikes I passed on Wynnum Rd that didn't have lights...I couldn't see them let alone how the cars saw them
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“Some say he isn’t machine washable, and all his potted plants are called ‘Steve’.
I went home in November and just got back in mid-Feb. Did not get on a bike for 4 months 
Now I've moved nearer to to university it's a 5 minute ride for me. Have to try and get some excercise 
I helped him at the lights as his rear reflector had moved out of position and was causing a possible stack incident if it got caught on the cassette or chain. He was actually quite nice and after he realised I was faster than him it was all good.
) and continued on, albeit somewhat gingerly.
