Abusive Male Cyclists

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silentC
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Re: Abusive Male Cyclists

Postby silentC » Wed Nov 08, 2017 11:34 am

Yelled at by a cyclist I can believe, I have done it myself. But claiming to have seen a bike 'at least 200m' away? Give me a break. No motorist on the face of the planet would acknowledge the presence of a cyclist that far away. Twenty metres more like, and she pulled out in front of him anyway. That's a story I can easily believe.
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biker jk
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Re: Abusive Male Cyclists

Postby biker jk » Wed Nov 08, 2017 11:40 am

silentC wrote:Yelled at by a cyclist I can believe, I have done it myself. But claiming to have seen a bike 'at least 200m' away? Give me a break. No motorist on the face of the planet would acknowledge the presence of a cyclist that far away. Twenty metres more like, and she pulled out in front of him anyway. That's a story I can easily believe.
It sounds more plausible the way you describe it. Especially if the driver looked into a convex side mirror where objects are closer than they appear. That's one reason why looking over your shoulder as a last check before pulling out is good practice.

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Re: Abusive Male Cyclists

Postby nezumi » Wed Nov 08, 2017 12:00 pm

Duck! wrote:You know that when pulling out into traffic you're required to do so in a manner that doesn't infringe on other vehicles, right?
This was my thoughts when reading the anecdote. If you don't allow sufficient time to judge a vehicle's speed before pulling out, you are putting yourself and other road users at risk.

Had this been a truck/car/motorbike approaching, you wouldn't have pulled out into their path - so why is it OK for you to do this to a cyclist?

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Re: Abusive Male Cyclists

Postby RAYZOR » Wed Nov 08, 2017 2:26 pm

I was thinking about going into “Aussie Ute enthusiast’s” forum and complaining about a ** “hi-viz” clad Ute driver that hurled his empty VB can out the window and yelled abuse at me, but on second thoughts, I don’t think I’d receive the same considered replies to my plight as poor ‘ol “Angela” did.

- Rayzor.

**Sarcasm alert- Didn’t actually happen.

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uart
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Re: Abusive Male Cyclists

Postby uart » Wed Nov 08, 2017 3:13 pm

Mububban wrote:I think it's safe to assume that "Angela's" post count will permanently remain at 1
Indeed. One OP post threads are always either a rant or a troll.

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Re: Abusive Male Cyclists

Postby bychosis » Wed Nov 08, 2017 3:40 pm

uart wrote:
Mububban wrote:I think it's safe to assume that "Angela's" post count will permanently remain at 1
Indeed. One OP post threads are always either a rant or a troll.
...and perhaps if it remains at 1 the thread should disappear as quickly as the OP.
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Re: Abusive Male Cyclists

Postby brumby33 » Wed Nov 08, 2017 4:16 pm

She's peobably been checking her thread regularly having a giggle at how many replies she's got.
Just like a facebooker.
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Re: Abusive Male Cyclists

Postby AUbicycles » Wed Nov 08, 2017 5:14 pm

The mass media spoon feed the public a lot of rubbish and contribute to forming the views and opinions of the broader population... or segments within society.

It means that there are preconceived notions which can very well affect the behaviour of people in a situation - for example blocking a cycling path though not know why it is there, the impact of blocking it and subsequently not understanding a negative reaction.

Cynicism is a familiar friend because at face value the original post is likely a hit and run, an opportunity for a person to vent but coupled with a low likelihood of returning let alone understanding (or even accepting) any views which are not their own.

But sometimes there is a chance for some productive dialogue and for cycling advocate it is a chance. This is why I always see people who don't want to ride as cycling advocates because better and safer cycling is within their direct interest - it costs them less (taxes), it is more convenient for them and there is more clarity in traffic and fewer risks.


It boils down to the way that cycling advocates and enthusiasts present themselves; if the bike riders are the loonies then motorists are 'normal' and by default probably right. The opportunity is that bike riders are the reasonable ones and motorists become the loonies.
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Re: Abusive Male Cyclists

Postby g-boaf » Wed Nov 08, 2017 6:56 pm

bychosis wrote:
uart wrote:
Mububban wrote:I think it's safe to assume that "Angela's" post count will permanently remain at 1
Indeed. One OP post threads are always either a rant or a troll.
...and perhaps if it remains at 1 the thread should disappear as quickly as the OP.
Bingo- if the OP doesn't return, then send the topic to the "archive".

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Re: Abusive Male Cyclists

Postby flywheels » Wed Nov 08, 2017 8:07 pm

Hi Angela,
Sorry you and your child were at the receiving end of verbal abuses. Like all road rages. Most objectionable is when children witness such behaviours that may condition them to act the same way or take in any power hierarchy.
You’re right to communicate here and to confer with cyclists. I believe that we should work towards solutions, which may be gradually achieved.

I do understand some desire for number plates (see AUbicycles’ reply). I’d add that, by extension and for the same reason, pedestrians should then wear number plates? In case some would pick-pocket? I think understanding each party’s needs, and risks, is more important.

At the root, it’s education –being in others’ shoes, both ways.
Many/most cyclists drive and do have that perspective. The reverse is not the case.

How about... requiring drivers to, as part of getting/retaining their licenses, if not actually go through a basic cycling training (unless exempted), go through an audio-visual or Virtual Reality education session and pass a be-considerate-to-cyclists test?
As a gradual process, maybe start with courier/truck drivers, business employees, etc, plus I think all COPS need to do the actual pedal-hours credits.

And education through all schools’ parents and teachers and students' ‘cycling awareness’ session? Can be called ‘Shared-Way’? This would educate both perspectives. The interest is there, to protect their children. And the involvement and awareness can spread through the community more, perhaps quickly too!

But there’re several unproductive responses here, including those that presume or conjecture something beyond what’s stated. Insult the OP and say if the OP doesn't show up to suffer more then it's the OP's fault? Surely, good communication would be more effective to get results than insults and warring… well expressed in diggler’s signature ‘Motorists hate cyclists and cyclists hate the motorists and the pedestrians hate the bikers and everybody hates the trucks.’ And you can see another topic expressed as ‘Moron Motorists’. I don’t think hate wars will get us anywhere but wars.

I concur with this:
ColinOldnCranky wrote: Regrets Angela for those too tribal to give a cogent response.

and
AUbicycles wrote: a lot of backlash but trust that other members will be polite and respectful.
Last edited by flywheels on Wed Nov 08, 2017 10:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.

fishwop
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Re: Abusive Male Cyclists

Postby fishwop » Wed Nov 08, 2017 8:18 pm

The heading is Abusive Male Cyclists (plural) but the tale is of just one. Make of that what you will.

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Re: Abusive Male Cyclists

Postby biker jk » Wed Nov 08, 2017 8:25 pm

fishwop wrote:The heading is Abusive Male Cyclists (plural) but the tale is of just one. Make of that what you will.
She mentions another abusive cyclist later on in her story, although doesn't say whether they were male (either assigned at birth or identifying as male).

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Re: Abusive Male Cyclists

Postby beardi » Wed Nov 08, 2017 8:28 pm

I look forward to the day that we have bike registration. I'm hoping it will make people like Angela feel safer and also give them the opportunity to see what a fruitless exercise it is reporting behaviour like this to the police. I got hit by a car through no fault of my own and spent 8rs in emergency while they cleared me of damage to my spine. The police couldn't care less and so the same will be for all these minor incidents. Take a chill pill Angela, you and your daughter will get over it. The parents of the 13 y/o cyclist fighting for life after a hit run in Melbourne may not be so lucky....

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Re: Abusive Male Cyclists

Postby skull » Wed Nov 08, 2017 8:41 pm

So I was riding down the hill from work travelling pretty close to the speed limit and this lady with her kid in car just pulls out in front of me without looking.

She could obviously see I was coming down the hill but misjudged my speed and pulled out. I yelled out and she noticed but was indifferent about pulling out and almost killing me and flipped a hand gesture. I yelled out she is suppose to give way when pulling out from a side road but her reply was until I pay rego and have a number plate she won't respect cyclists. I then called her an inconsiderate b and rode on.

I should add this car had number plates but when I went to report the incident I was told by the police that there is nothing they can do.

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Re: Abusive Male Cyclists

Postby warthog1 » Wed Nov 08, 2017 8:56 pm

Well, on the off chance she was genuine, I don't expect we have successfully encouraged too much sympathy or advocacy for cyclists here.
It was an outside chance I know.... :|
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Re: Abusive Male Cyclists

Postby Cheesewheel » Wed Nov 08, 2017 9:18 pm

For some reason, when reading the op, this is the image that comes to mind ...

Image
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Re: Abusive Male Cyclists

Postby battler2 » Wed Nov 08, 2017 10:14 pm

this would be like me going on a motoring or motorcycling forum and posting about idiots that passed too close/too fast/abused me.

even with a number plate and/or video footage i'm sure i'd be abused online as well.

plot twist: Angela is really Angelo

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Re: Abusive Male Cyclists

Postby trailgumby » Wed Nov 08, 2017 10:25 pm

Edit: non-contributing post removed,
Last edited by trailgumby on Wed Nov 08, 2017 10:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Abusive Male Cyclists

Postby chriso_29er » Wed Nov 08, 2017 10:27 pm

This 'story' is funny, because in real life I had the opposite situation. I had to remind a woman that her kid was in the car while she was driving erraticaly and hurling abuse at me. This was not even on my bike, actually while driving my car lol. Not suprisingly her car did have number plates but did not curb her behavior!
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Re: Abusive Male Cyclists

Postby cooperplace » Wed Nov 08, 2017 11:51 pm

still no response from "Angela", as she calls herself.
Please be nice to me, I'm not very bright.

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Re: Abusive Male Cyclists

Postby Mulger bill » Thu Nov 09, 2017 12:08 am

brumby33 wrote:She's peobably been checking her thread regularly having a giggle at how many replies she's got.
Just like a facebooker.
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Re: Abusive Male Cyclists

Postby silentC » Thu Nov 09, 2017 9:40 am

Well I must say it is good to see such optimism. Unfortunately I don't share it. You are not going to make the world a better place one motorist at a time. And before any conversation with someone like that can be productive, they need to be honest about the events and I'm sorry but I simply do not believe that she pulled out in front of a cyclist that was 200m away and that the cyclist not only caught her, but was forced to apply the brakes and then was able to overtake her. If anyone here swallows that, all I have to ask is when are you racing next because I would love to come and watch?

To me, if it is at all genuine, this is the classic demonstration of a motorist who simply gives no consideration whatsoever to a cyclist. They just don't consider them to be traffic at all. You may as well be a telegraph pole.

And as for the abuse (deserved in my opinion) I bet she would be the first one on the horn if someone dared to pull out in front of her.
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Re: Abusive Male Cyclists

Postby RobertL » Thu Nov 09, 2017 10:40 am

silentC wrote:...You are not going to make the world a better place one motorist at a time...
I was surprised on Facebook the other day, reading the comments about the new RACV Tv commercial. There was plenty of anti-cyclist sentiment. One woman stated that all cyclists should ride in single file. A couple of cyclists carefully explained the reasons why riding 2 abreast is better - safety, visibilty, easier overtaking and so on.

She replied that she had never realised any of that, and had changed her mind.

So maybe we can reach some people.

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Re: Abusive Male Cyclists

Postby silentC » Thu Nov 09, 2017 10:56 am

Yeah I explained all that to my brother in law and he appeared to accept it. Next family BBQ he was on about cyclists riding two abreast again - arrogant he calls it.

But this is my point. So many motorists I encounter are completely ignorant of the rules around cyclists on the road. They think we are breaking the road rules by being there. You're not going to address that one driver at a time. There needs to be some sort of awareness campaign. I've tried the 'try to explain logically' approach, all I get back is abuse. Waste of time in my opinion but full admiration for those who try. I'm afraid in the case of the OP, I would be the topic of the post :)
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Re: Abusive Male Cyclists

Postby brumby33 » Thu Nov 09, 2017 11:32 am

silentC wrote:Well I must say it is good to see such optimism. Unfortunately I don't share it. You are not going to make the world a better place one motorist at a time. And before any conversation with someone like that can be productive, they need to be honest about the events and I'm sorry but I simply do not believe that she pulled out in front of a cyclist that was 200m away and that the cyclist not only caught her, but was forced to apply the brakes and then was able to overtake her. If anyone here swallows that, all I have to ask is when are you racing next because I would love to come and watch?

To me, if it is at all genuine, this is the classic demonstration of a motorist who simply gives no consideration whatsoever to a cyclist. They just don't consider them to be traffic at all. You may as well be a telegraph pole.

And as for the abuse (deserved in my opinion) I bet she would be the first one on the horn if someone dared to pull out in front of her.
If you came out with me on an ordinary run of the mill day when I'm on a bus route around the Inner west area of Sydney and see what motorists do in front of a 15 tonne vehicle....a bicycle has no hope whatsoever!!
They do U-Turns, 3 point turns..sometimes 5 point turns, slam anchors in front of bus when they see someone put indicator on from a car spot, overtake another car in opposite direction heading straight for me in my lane, oh and one that makes me shake my head in disbelief at times, overtake me in the left lane when it's clear that there are parked cars ahead and cut in front of the bus with a half second allowance for error...one day they ain't gonna make it...they miss the parked cars by Cm's not meters...at speed...a miscalculation will be messy, cars getting stuck behind a right turning vehicle deciding to snap change lanes right in front of my moving bus then abusing me for not letting them in....tradies are worse for this.....this is just on an ordinary day....it's lucky for them my speed only averages around 40-50kph but often slower...so yeah....if they do this in front of a 12.5 metre bus....a bicycle has no chance of getting any leeway....
I've often seen cars trying to undercut semi-trailers on the left side as they attempt to make left hand turns...suicidal...but it just doesn't sink in for so many out there in tin top land....just so they don't lose the vital few seconds of their life...they never think of the consequences. Drivers of the modern car also rely too much on the safety features of their vehicle to get them out of strife...a good one is ABS brakes....how often have you seen a car shooting out from a side road onto a busy road and at the last second hit the anchors before getting wiped out. It's a motorised circus out there!!

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