The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...

[nuttzo32]

Riding on my commute to work and there is a section of road (mirrabooka ave northern end for people in perth) where for some reason despite there being a perfectly good path pedestrians seem to want to walk(not runners) on the road in the bike lane and often they are salmoning. I'm not sure why this section of road seems to attract pedestrians to the edge of the road and i fail to see what their logic is when they are doing this?

[Baalzamon]

Yesterday commuting home nearing the Mt Henry Bridge I was in a small group and we were overtaking a slower rider, another small group then proceeds to overtake us and I almost push one guy into dirt. Silly move as I pass him again as he has been dropped 300m further on. Bit past that, the other 2 riders that had overtaken had tried a similar stunt and taken themselves and another cyclist down

[twizzle]

I mean to post this one up the other week.

80kph zone, on-road cycle lane, hits a large two lane round-about and the on-road becomes a concrete path around the outside edge of the roundabout before rejoining as an on-road on the other side.

So I'm driving out to a race in The Van to do marshaling, I've just about reached the cyclist as he's reached the end of the on-road, and it's about 30 metres before you cross the give way line at the roundabout. It's also just at the point where you get line-of-sight to the right-hand entry to the roundabout and the temptation is to look to the right.

So luckily, I resisted the urge to look to the right... because numpty decided he didn't want to use the path around the roundabout, he wanted to become a car. He didn't look, he didn't give any hand signals, he just crossed the unbroken white line into my path. My left hand mirror missed him by about 20cm.

[wellington_street]

He'll probably come on here whinging that some motorist shaved him

[wellington_street]

Walking home last night, this POBSO (Pea-brain On a Bike Shaped Object) was riding around in the dark, with dark clothes on, no helmet and no lights. Decided he would leave the footpath and ride into oncoming traffic, as you do, luckily for him the drivers managed to brake. He disappeared behind me and I thought that was it.

2 minutes later, further up the street, he comes flying past me from behind on a very narrow section of the footpath with no warning at all, missing me by centimetres. Startled me a little.

POBSO then proceeded to cross the road against the red man, in front of a left turning car which had to slam on its brakes to avoid hitting him. Instead of continuing straight onto the other footpath, he then veered left in front of the car and into oncoming through traffic to ride the wrong way up the one-way street. All with no lights and dark clothing.

Some people just have a death wish!

[jules21]

i stopped at intersection of flinders/swanston sts, heading westbound. waiting for the red to change at this major, busy intersection, 2 cyclists proceeded through it, threading the traffic. honestly, i don't blame drivers for thinking cyclists are morons, there's just too much evidence of it.

[Lukeyboy]

Parked car waiting to turn into their driveway right up against the gutter... check.
Limited visability corner up ahead... check.
On coming traffic... check.
Going with traffic... check.
Riding a bike slowly in the wrong direction towards the car wanting to turn into their driveway only to then wonder back into the correct lane of traffic before swerving back into oncoming traffic and riding head on up the inside of traffic.....

*sigh* check.

[jasonc]

Riding a bike slowly in the gutter in the wrong direction towards the car wanting to turn into their driveway only to then wonder back into the correct lane of traffic before swerving back into oncoming traffic and riding head on up the inside of traffic.....

fixed it for you. they've got a helmet on because they are riding in the gutter

[wellington_street]

Yesterday's morons of the day were the four cyclists who decided that it was appropriate to ride along the narrow painted median and the wrong side of the road across the horseshoe bridge. The painted median being, of course, where pedestrians stand while waiting to cross the road. There's too many of these morons at this location so whenever crossing the road I am wary that some bellend on a bicycle or moron on a motorcycle is going to come down the wrong side of the road. I'm sure plenty of other peds aren't!

These four idiots probably wonder why cyclists have a bad reputation with motorists

[Lukeyboy]

Todays dumb cyclist had to be that stupid bike messenger on his fixie in the city (that I constantly see running reds and weaving in traffic) who decided to ride the wrong way weaving in between oncoming cars and buses along George Street (3-4 lanes of one way traffic) during peak hour at 4.20ishpm. I don't condone it but someone has to open a door on that idiot to teach him a lesson. I'd post a video but the gopro froze as I was riding through West End-South Bank.

[human909]

I don't condone it but someone has to open a door on that idiot to teach him a lesson.

I cannot possibly fathom why you would say this. With comments like these I am beginning to wonder if the attitudes of cyclists are often worse than motorists.

Thankfully I do recognise that the average cyclist is not any more represented by the arrogant, narrow minded and self righteous attitudes of some cyclists who post on cycling forums as the average motorist is represented by comments on a Herald Sun article.

[Lukeyboy]

I don't condone it but someone has to open a door on that idiot to teach him a lesson.

I cannot possibly fathom why you would say this. With comments like these I am beginning to wonder if the attitudes of cyclists are often worse than motorists.

Thankfully I do recognise that the average cyclist is not any more represented by the arrogant, narrow minded and self righteous attitudes of some cyclists who post on cycling forums as the average motorist is represented by comments on a Herald Sun article.

Oh boohoo. Its d******d cyclists like that which I have no regard for. My attitude isn't any different towards those motorists that recklessly speed, drink drive, drag race, blantly ignore the road rules and put other peoples lives at risk. If you ride towards 4 lanes of oncomming traffic along a 1 direction road through the CBD during peakhour, constantly run red lights or ride through the centre of intersections with people crossing from all footpaths then I couldn't give 2 cents what happens to him. Maybe a good dooring would make him wake up and ride sensibly.

[beauyboy]

Personally when ever I see any reckless behaviour by anyone I have two words
"Darwin's Theory"
I refuse to give respect for someone that does not respect themselves!

Donald

[Boognoss]

Personally when ever I see any reckless behaviour by anyone I have two words
"Darwin's Theory"
I refuse to give respect for someone that does not respect themselves!

Donald

Same here. Sure I've done stupid things, mostly by accident and some deliberately (but I'll blame long distant youth on that) but everyone has to take responsibility for their own actions. That's something that seems to occur less and less in this "it's someone else's fault" society.

[human909]

Personally when ever I see any reckless behaviour by anyone I have two words
"Darwin's Theory"
I refuse to give respect for someone that does not respect themselves!

Donald

Same here. Sure I've done stupid things, mostly by accident and some deliberately (but I'll blame long distant youth on that) but everyone has to take responsibility for their own actions. That's something that seems to occur less and less in this "it's someone else's fault" society.

Who said that cyclist isn't taking responsibility for his own actions? Your willingness to not respect another human being is worrisome. Why all this negativity?

[sogood]

Sydney CBD peak hour observation

2 cyclists "filtering" b/n moving cars on both sides, riding right on the lane divider line. It just takes one 10cm move by one car and they'll be goners. Silly.

[Boognoss]

Personally when ever I see any reckless behaviour by anyone I have two words
"Darwin's Theory"
I refuse to give respect for someone that does not respect themselves!

Donald

Same here. Sure I've done stupid things, mostly by accident and some deliberately (but I'll blame long distant youth on that) but everyone has to take responsibility for their own actions. That's something that seems to occur less and less in this "it's someone else's fault" society.

Who said that cyclist isn't taking responsibility for his own actions? Your willingness to not respect another human being is worrisome. Why all this negativity?

In my case Sydney is rubbing off on me.

My glass is half empty.

[twizzle]

I'm on a continuing road approaching a set of traffic lights where I intend to turn left. And there's a woman jogging towards the lights as well where the pedestrian crossing light is red, as the continuing road has the green light. I started turning to the left, she has run straight across the road, never even glanced to see if traffic was coming from any direction.

Now, I know I am required to give way to pedestrians... but seriously, you expect people to make *some* attempt at self-preservation!

[wellington_street]

I'm on a continuing road approaching a set of traffic lights where I intend to turn left. And there's a woman jogging towards the lights as well where the pedestrian crossing light is red, as the continuing road has the green light. I started turning to the left, she has run straight across the road, never even glanced to see if traffic was coming from any direction.

Now, I know I am required to give way to pedestrians... but seriously, you expect people to make *some* attempt at self-preservation!

The pedestrian is required to give way to you as the pedestrian crossing signal was red.

(and yes, you are obliged to give way to the pedestrian insofar as your duty to avoid a crash, even if another dumb road user has broken the road rules which would have prevented the crash from happening)

[human909]

The pedestrian is required to give way to you as the pedestrian crossing signal was red.

Not correct. The presence of pedestrian lights with a red signal does not change the obligations of the motorist.

[wellington_street]

The pedestrian is required to give way to you as the pedestrian crossing signal was red.

Not correct. The presence of pedestrian lights with a red signal does not change the obligations of the motorist.

What did I say that was incorrect? I said the bit about motorist obligations in the second sentence of my post.

[twizzle]

The pedestrian is required to give way to you as the pedestrian crossing signal was red.

Not correct. The presence of pedestrian lights with a red signal does not change the obligations of the motorist.

What did I say that was incorrect? I said the bit about motorist obligations in the second sentence of my post.

See ARR 62 (1). Drivers are required to give way to pedestrians when turning at an intersection with traffic lights. Also covered by ARR 68 & 69 as well for when there aren't traffic lights. Basically... ped crossing lights at intersections have no effect on the drivers/riders obligations.

[zero]

See ARR 62 (1). Drivers are required to give way to pedestrians when turning at an intersection with traffic lights. Also covered by ARR 68 & 69 as well for when there aren't traffic lights. Basically... ped crossing lights at intersections have no effect on the drivers/riders obligations.

A road user isn't required to give way to someone approaching or on the footpath corner when turning - only someone that is _on_ the roadway. (62-1 in the ACT for this intersection). Relative speeds (and hence visibility through windshield) of the 2 parties on approach actually matter a fair bit, both for police choosing to charge, and for civil torts. Far left corner impact or side impact and the driver is likely to not be charged.

[tubby74]

last week just before olympic park roads wre shut down for the V8's race, cyclist decided to go up the inside of a ute with a trailer, and then a 3t truck, as we were diverted through the bus stop area of the race track. Keep in mind that at the time the inside line was red/white ripple strip , so every chance those vehicles would have clipped the kerbs where he was headed past.

[m@]

wellington_street wrote: The pedestrian is required to give way to you as the pedestrian crossing signal was red.

Not correct. The presence of pedestrian lights with a red signal does not change the obligations of the motorist.

What did I say that was incorrect? I said the bit about motorist obligations in the second sentence of my post.

See ARR 62 (1). Drivers are required to give way to pedestrians when turning at an intersection with traffic lights. Also covered by ARR 68 & 69 as well for when there aren't traffic lights. Basically... ped crossing lights at intersections have no effect on the drivers/riders obligations.

I don't read wellington_street's post as contradicting that though; the pedestrian shouldn't have started to cross but the driver was required to give way to them once they did.

I had a very similar experience a few weeks ago but with a POEBSO (E is for electric) who cruised along the footpath and straight across the intersection I was turning left at (against a red ped crossing). Don't think he heard my sage words of advice due to the ipod...