A complaint letter about cyclists

[sogood]

Just read this on SMH today and thought it's worth sharing.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/heckler/a-gr ... 57987.html

My feeling is that there's some truth in it as applies to certain members of our community but this guy is also grossly over-exaggerating on his points eg. 80kph with a tail wind on the shared path on Iron Cove Br.

[beauyboy]

That is one this that drives me nuts. Pedestrians that scater then use the escuse we moved. The other day I was riding into the city on the floating walkway, Jogger in front going right down the middle of the path so I dinged my bell, B####y A## Blonde decided to move to the right instead of the left. The bit I love is how they always notice the "Cyclist must giveway" bit but never the "dont Block The path" or "everyone keep to the left"
Last Night me and my other half came home along the Coronation Bikeway I told him that it was only Bikeway to show a drop in useage due to it reaching capacity. He didn't Believe me until we got on it. So many pedestrian going for there EVENING WALKS refused to form single file on dinging of bell when there was a bike approching towards them as well as me. Consiquenly many almost lost the right foot because of tight clearences.

Drives me up the wall, it is not that hard to fall in single file for a pedestrian.

Donald

[MJF]

So many selfish a$$holes, so few bullets. I'm guessing parents didn't beat a sense of respect for others into their children for the last few generations.

That includes cyclists - I've noted the number of riders on shared pathways in areas heavy with pedestrians who don't have a bell fitted. And the ones who do have bells, but who don't bother to use them - and then they get all surprised when the pedestrians get startled and react badly.

Perhaps both cyclist and pedestrians should carry blocks of 4"x2", and then we will all learn to respect each other again.

[tuco]

You could have 15 bells on your bike but they'll do no good when so many walkers have ipod speakers jammed in their ears.

[MJF]

That's where the 4"x2" timber comes in...

[tuco]

That's where the 4"x2" timber comes in...

I see now . . . it jars the speakers out of their ears then you ring the bell.

Good thinking 99.

[mikesbytes]

It is physically impossible to get anywhere near 80kph at the location mentioned, this is a narrow flat footpath on the side of a bridge, there is little run up. Such an outright lie invalidates the entire letter, as you can not trust anything that a lier says.

[europa]

It is physically impossible to get anywhere near 80kph at the location mentioned, this is a narrow flat footpath on the side of a bridge, there is little run up. Such an outright lie invalidates the entire letter, as you can not trust anything that a lier says.

Hmm, I do believe an earlier draft of this letter did mention a skinny bloke on a beaten up old racing bike with a crook rear wheel - wasn't you was it Mike?

Richard

[mikesbytes]

I ran accross this path daily for several years and on occassions have ridden accross it. BS is BS.

[Mulger bill]

I'm one of the bell less ones, why carry unheeded weight?

That bloke is typical of his kind, it's not his fault if he and his three friends wander around like farmer Browns' cows, wonder if he shows the same behaviour in his car?

Moron peds don't worry me on Princess, just go round them, the paths are narrow but the reserves are wide around here. CBD is different, hafta slow down for green lights there.

[LuckyPierre]

Don't worry, the little darling also whinges about plenty of other things besides cyclists. You should read the things he says about 4WD drivers. The column isn't called 'Heckler' for nothing!
I found the alleged 80km/hr pretty amusing, after all I know what it takes for me to reach 70Km/her (a decent slope and a fair bit of it ) so I took that with a grain of salt.

[sogood]

It is physically impossible to get anywhere near 80kph at the location mentioned, this is a narrow flat footpath on the side of a bridge, there is little run up. Such an outright lie invalidates the entire letter, as you can not trust anything that a lier says.

Right on, I ride that path most mornings. I am still trying to work out how I can push for 80k. 30+k is probably the best I've done so far. If I do get to 80k, I'll just run over that guy to settle his problem for everyone.

[sogood]

I know what it takes for me to reach 70Km/her (a decent slope and a fair bit of it ) so I took that with a grain of salt.

I also wondered, what's the guy doing taking a leisurely walk when there's a cyclonic wind blowing in the area... Is he mad?

[moosterbounce]

Don't worry, the little darling also whinges about plenty of other things besides cyclists. You should read the things he says about 4WD drivers.

Glad I don't live over there...I'm not only a cyclist, but I own and use a 4WD!! Of course I take it offroad, but it is our only vehicle, so is used for all manner of things. And then there are those big scary dogs I have which little dog owners take offence at (after their little dogs have bitten the ankles of mine and made them bleed and had no retaliation!!).

Some people make me wanna...

I'm never going to be with the "in" crowd. Glad you guys talk to me (well, you did before I admitted my new cycling shoes don't match the rest of my kit )

Moo...

[LuckyPierre]

... I'm not only a cyclist, but I own and use a 4WD!! ...

That makes two of us!

[camelliott]

moosterbounce wrote:
... I'm not only a cyclist, but I own and use a 4WD!! ...

+1[/quote]

[gururug]

Anyone who uses the word vituperation in a letter that other people are going to read surely feels that they are better important than others.

If your in a car, and the pedestrian doesn't see you what do you do? Arguments and animosity are often more destructive than constructive. That said I think it is acceptable to give an ignorant person a swift short to the point blast (at your own risk!!!)

[mikesbytes]

What happens on this path around Iron Cove bay, is that you get groups of walkers that block the entire path and on such a busy pathway these selfish people make a real nusence of them selves. There is a constant stream of joggers who have to go around these road blocks.

Some of the councils have put some real effort into accomodating everying, by building separte bike only paths, next to pedrestian only paths. They are clearly marked. Guess what, the bike only path is covered in pedrestrians, even though their path is right next to it.

[pugsly]

Same here around PPB. The wife and I have taken to riding from Brighton to St.Kilda/Port Melb along the bike tracks - there are sections where there are two paths - clearly marked, but the peds don't care
They don't walk on the road when there's a footpath, why walk on the bike track?

[sogood]

Some of the councils have put some real effort into accomodating everying, by building separte bike only paths, next to pedrestian only paths. They are clearly marked. Guess what, the bike only path is covered in pedrestrians, even though their path is right next to it.

Interesting that the walk/jog path is finished in dirt while the cycling track is paved. No wonder that some walkers wants to walk on the bike path.

The worst are those dog owners who walk their dog across the width of the path ie. The owner on one side while their dog on the other side. When riding b/n them, you have no idea if the dog would do a sudden dash across the path. And then there are those with a long dog leash... Gees!

[mikesbytes]

Some of the councils have put some real effort into accomodating everying, by building separte bike only paths, next to pedrestian only paths. They are clearly marked. Guess what, the bike only path is covered in pedrestrians, even though their path is right next to it.

Interesting that the walk/jog path is finished in dirt while the cycling track is paved. No wonder that some walkers wants to walk on the bike path.

The worst are those dog owners who walk their dog across the width of the path ie. The owner on one side while their dog on the other side. When riding b/n them, you have no idea if the dog would do a sudden dash across the path. And then there are those with a long dog leash... Gees!

Depends on which section of path you are referring to, the section I'm mentioning is sealed for both pedrestians and cyclists.

I think the concept of the dirt path was to provide a softer surface for the joggers to jog on, but the problem is that the traffic was too high. Most has been replaced with seal.

Dogs not on leashes are even more dangerious, there is a leash off area, but a few unresponsible owners take their dogs out of that area off the leash. Its also not fair on the dogs, they could get injured due to not being controlled.