Now, this is how you write a cyclist hate article

boss
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Now, this is how you write a cyclist hate article

Postby boss » Wed Dec 12, 2012 4:17 pm

Possibly the best (worst?) anti-cyclist article I've read in a while. A call to arms of sorts. I like the part where he drives three kilometers to go for a run.

Don't click the link, it just gives them ad money... but for those who don't believe someone actually wrote this...

http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/201 ... inion.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
MEERS: Time to curb pedal power

THE time has come to declare war on cyclists.

They should be forced to register their bicycles, have insurance and be subject to breath tests.

Book them when they hog half the road and motorists can't get past. Book them when they cut motorists off at roundabouts. Book them if they are outside the bike lanes and book them for having a pack mentality.

Enough is enough. They are running the roads and it is downright dangerous.

Police and the State Government love giving themselves pats on the back for statewide traffic operations. Stopping speeding and drink-driving and lowering the road toll, but nobody ever mentions a word about cyclists.

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They are a law unto themselves and they know it.

Their arrogance on the road can't even be measured.

As a journalist, I often get asked what politicians, sports stars and celebrities are "really like".

Nobody, I repeat, nobody shares the arrogance that cyclists have.

Each morning I go running. OK, some of the power walkers overtake me running, but I still run.

I meet a friend at her place every morning which is about a 3km drive from my home.

It takes me a good five minutes to get there.

Why?

Because at 5am the streets of Broadbeach and Surfers Paradise are filled with cyclists. They ride in packs, big packs of 20 and they take up the whole road in their lycra gear.

I'm stuck sitting on 30km while they ride.

They know I'm behind them, yet they make no attempt to move.

A couple of times you consider passing them, but it's too risky.

If I was to knock one over it would be my fault.

Why do they do it?

Because they damn well can.

Authorities let it happen.

The two-wheeled, arrogant, lycra-clad people look at motorists as if they are invading their territory. It's plain wrong.

There's a rogue peloton of cyclists abusing fellow road users and screaming to wake sleeping residents as it barrels through Surfers Paradise every morning at 5.

Woken residents who return fire with yells of "shadup!" are subjected to tirades of abuse from riders as they blast along narrow Garfield Terrace.

"It's like something out of Lord of the Flies," said one resident.

The above story is a daily occurrence on our streets and nobody seems to care.

Police need to start cycling operations. Make them too scared to do anything wrong.

Now, the cyclists will argue there aren't enough bike lanes on the Gold Coast. Council and government don't provide them with the facilities to ride.

There's a reason for that -- you wouldn't use them anyway.

It would be a waste of money building more cycling lanes because cyclists think they should be running the roads.

If the police did their job and cracked down on the cyclists for a while motorists might get the roads back to themselves; after all, they were invented for cars.

Bicycles are just as big a danger to road safety as some of the other driving crimes which contribute to serious accidents.

Driving on a busy road trying to dodge cyclists when cars are coming in the opposite direction is one of the most dangerous things you could do on a road.

Yet police do nothing about it. Start an operation and if it doesn't work, ban bikes full stop.

Enough is enough. Motorists need to start manning up and being vocal about the issue.

Roads are for cars, not bikes.

Make some noise people, win the roads back before something really bad happens.

And believe me, it will.

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AUbicycles
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Re: Now, this is how you write a cyclist hate article

Postby AUbicycles » Wed Dec 12, 2012 4:35 pm

I am guessing it is just a stunt, the writer probably feels this way (and certainly should be avoided when he is in a car) but has drummed it up to gain reaction, unbelievable that such garbage would be actually published.
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Re: Now, this is how you write a cyclist hate article

Postby george-bob » Wed Dec 12, 2012 4:40 pm

I think he's right! How dare we, as cyclists, increase his journey time by LITERALLY seconds and make no effort to risk our safety so he can pass! We are the entitled arrogant ones :roll:
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Re: Now, this is how you write a cyclist hate article

Postby Mulger bill » Wed Dec 12, 2012 4:46 pm

There's a broader discussion in the safety and advocacy section. Ashamed to admit I went to the chipwrappers site to read it. :oops:
...whatever the road rules, self-preservation is the absolute priority for a cyclist when mixing it with motorised traffic.
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Apple
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Re: Now, this is how you write a cyclist hate article

Postby Apple » Wed Dec 12, 2012 4:56 pm

Mulger bill wrote:There's a broader discussion in the safety and advocacy section. Ashamed to admit I went to the chipwrappers site to read it. :oops:
:shock: Shame on you, I didn't read it. I thank my lucky stars he doesnt live in sydney :mrgreen:
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Re: Now, this is how you write a cyclist hate article

Postby jules21 » Wed Dec 12, 2012 4:58 pm

~~ a guide to selfish living in 2012/13 ~~

you are being inconvenienced in some shape or form
I
are you a contributor to the cause of the inconvenience (e.g. traffic congestion when you're also driving)
I I
Yes No (e.g. i don't ride a bicycle)
I I
better keep your mouth shut! screw them, there's in it for me so they can go to hell

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Re: Now, this is how you write a cyclist hate article

Postby azzurribike » Wed Dec 12, 2012 6:58 pm

Do I hear another 2day FM here, I'm sorry but calling cars to action, really! "something bad will happen"! Has this journalist ever been out of the country to Europe where people show respect.
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Re: Now, this is how you write a cyclist hate article

Postby Mozz » Wed Dec 12, 2012 7:26 pm

From memory it's a 40kph along that Garfield stretch of road and along the surfers esplanade, with lots of 50kph as well in the surrounding streets, in surfers/broadbeach... don't know how much "holding up" would be going on with group rides in these areas...

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Re: Now, this is how you write a cyclist hate article

Postby greyhoundtom » Wed Dec 12, 2012 8:48 pm

Fixed it :mrgreen:
It’s time to curb the insane reliance on motor vehicles

THE time has come to declare war on motorists.

The cost in infrastructure to accomodate their ever increasing numbers, the destruction of our environment due to air polution, and the drain on our health system due to the carnage caused by motor vehicle crashes is simply unsustainable.

They should be restricted to one motor vehicle per household, and should only be allowed on the road after obtaining a permit for each individual trip they intent to make.

Enough is enough. They are destroying our world, it’s climate and ecosystem.

State and Federal Governments have pandered to the motor vehicle lobby long enough, and have cost tax payers billions of dollars every year and to what end, other than the destruction of our environment.

Unless it is stopped now, the amount wasted on supporting the insane spread of the motor vehicles will increase each year as it’s unsatiable monster that will devour our nation and our world.

Have your say on the feedback form below

They are a law unto themselves and they know it.

Their arrogance in the belief that they own road can't even be measured.

As a journalist, I often get asked what politicians, sports stars and celebrities are "really like".

Nobody, I repeat, nobody shares the arrogance that far too many motorists have in the belief that they can drive however they want, because accidents always happen to someone else.

I used to go running each morning. But now I can no longer participate in my chosen exercise as the polution caused by the cars on the road cause me severe respiratory distress.

Why has that happened? Because the roads are choked with cars moving at 20 km per hour spewing their filth into the air we breathe.

I'm stuck sitting in my airconditioned office as that is the only place it is still safe to take a deep breath.

Why is this happening?

Because most people are too lazy to even walk let alone consider riding a bike to their destination.

Authorities not only let it happen, but encourage more cars onto the road by building bigger and so called better roads, that in only a couple of years turn into congested parking areas full of filth emiting motor vehicles going nowhere.

It's plain wrong.

The above story is a daily occurrence on our roads, it’s getting worse and nobody seems to care.

Police and the courts should be doing their bit to help reduce the numbers of cars on the road by more stringent penalties for drivers that do not obey the rules of the road or behave dangerously.

Such as an automatic loss of licence for ten years for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Loss of license for 20 years for driving in a dangerous manner, and loss of license for life if the dangerous behavior causes an accident.

Now, motorists will argue that they need to use their car to get to work or do the shopping, and yet most car trips are less than 15 km. A distance that can easily be ridden by bike, and there are bikes available designed especially for shopping.

Or they will argue that riding a bike is too dangerous. Yes it can be, but only due to the dangerous behavior of motor vehicle drivers.

It is a complete waste of money building more roads, because as soon as more roads are built they become clogged with cars. It would be far better to close a lane on each road to cars, and make this available to cyclists, as this would rapidly result in more people abandoning their cars and riding bicycles.

With an instant reduction of road congestion, and an instant reduction of motor vehicle air polution.

A win win situation that would not only improve the general health of the population, but would also go a long way towards curbing the National obesity crisis that is just around the corner.

If the police did their job and cracked down on the motorists for a while cyclists might get the roads back to themselves; after all, they were invented for bycicles.

Motor vehicles are the only culprits that cause serious accidents.

Riding a bike on a busy road trying to dodge car drivers that should never have been issued a license to drive because of the dangerous way they behave is fraught with danger for cyclists.

Yet police do very little about it. Start an operation to get dangerous and inattentive drivers off the road.

Enough is enough. Cyclists need to start manning up and being vocal about the issue.

Roads are for cars AND bikes.

Make some noise people, win the roads back before something really bad happens.

And believe me, it will.

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Re: Now, this is how you write a cyclist hate article

Postby isabella24 » Wed Dec 12, 2012 9:02 pm

Greyhoundtom power to you :D
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Re: Now, this is how you write a cyclist hate article

Postby elantra » Wed Dec 12, 2012 9:12 pm

Plagiarism !!! it has all been said before.
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Re: Now, this is how you write a cyclist hate article

Postby schurms » Wed Dec 12, 2012 9:13 pm

Bicycle Queensland's considered response.

http://www.bq.org.au/news/bq-response-t ... -bulletin/

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Re: Now, this is how you write a cyclist hate article

Postby Howzat » Thu Dec 13, 2012 11:44 am

"... win the roads back before something really bad happens. And believe me, it will." - Daniel Meers
Ah, capped with a the non-specific threat of violence if the writer doesn't get his way... the favourite trope of the frilled-lizard, wet-pantsed tough-guy.

Does opinion-writing get any better than this?

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Re: Now, this is how you write a cyclist hate article

Postby 13bute » Thu Dec 13, 2012 12:30 pm

''Because at 5am the streets of Broadbeach and Surfers Paradise are filled with cyclists. They ride in packs, big packs of 20 and they take up the whole road in their lycra gear.
I'm stuck sitting on 30km while they ride.''

This guy is a knob lol all he needs to do is run faster on his run each day .. bingo !! and get in front of us cyclists he he "run forest run" :mrgreen:
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Re: Now, this is how you write a cyclist hate article

Postby birdbrain » Thu Dec 13, 2012 12:59 pm

13bute wrote:
This guy is a knob lol all he needs to do is run faster on his run each day .. bingo !! and get in front of us cyclists he he "run forest run"
He can't run faster. :lol:
Each morning I go running. OK, some of the power walkers overtake me running, but I still run.
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Re: Now, this is how you write a cyclist hate article

Postby burger » Thu Dec 13, 2012 1:05 pm

13bute wrote:''Because at 5am the streets of Broadbeach and Surfers Paradise are filled with cyclists. They ride in packs, big packs of 20 and they take up the whole road in their lycra gear.
I'm stuck sitting on 30km while they ride.''

This guy is a knob lol all he needs to do is run faster on his run each day .. bingo !! and get in front of us cyclists he he "run forest run" :mrgreen:
but, but . . . . he's still driving to his friends place . . . . . I mean really what could they be thinking holding him up *HEAVY sigh* :roll:
of course he could get in an extra 3km run . . . . sounds like he needs it :twisted:
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Re: Now, this is how you write a cyclist hate article

Postby high_tea » Thu Dec 13, 2012 1:08 pm

Howzat wrote:
"... win the roads back before something really bad happens. And believe me, it will." - Daniel Meers
Ah, capped with a the non-specific threat of violence if the writer doesn't get his way... the favourite trope of the frilled-lizard, wet-pantsed tough-guy.

Does opinion-writing get any better than this?

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Re: Now, this is how you write a cyclist hate article

Postby high_tea » Thu Dec 13, 2012 1:18 pm

Howzat wrote:
"... win the roads back before something really bad happens. And believe me, it will." - Daniel Meers
Ah, capped with a the non-specific threat of violence if the writer doesn't get his way... the favourite trope of the frilled-lizard, wet-pantsed tough-guy.

Does opinion-writing get any better than this?
It does. PJ O'Rourke wrote basically the same article about 25 years ago, except it was funnier and had more style. I also don't recall any incitements to violence.

Disclaimer: I'm not suggesting plagiarism here. The GC article is far too badly written for that.

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Re: Now, this is how you write a cyclist hate article

Postby cavebear2 » Thu Dec 13, 2012 6:48 pm

I just wouldn't/won't bother to read it in the first place..... :roll: :roll:

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Re: Now, this is how you write a cyclist hate article

Postby velocopedant » Thu Dec 13, 2012 8:15 pm

So if this guy was driving at the 50 km/h speed limit, the 3 km trip would take him 3 min 36 sec. Due to the unbearably intolerable presence of cyclists, he's taking an extra 1 minute & 24 seconds. If that isn't an irrefutable argument for banning all bikes from the road then I don't know what is.

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Re: Now, this is how you write a cyclist hate article

Postby g-boaf » Thu Dec 13, 2012 10:58 pm

I just feel ashamed to be Australian when some of our fellow citizens behave like this. :(

It's a great trolling ploy for this guy's social experiment though. I'm not even interested in reading the article in detail.

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Re: Now, this is how you write a cyclist hate article

Postby Mulger bill » Thu Dec 13, 2012 11:04 pm

g-boaf wrote:I just feel ashamed that this bloke is an Australian. :(
Edited for clarity :wink:

Maybe someone local should write a response to the editor about this knuckle dragging mouth breathing jogger who slows all the bicycles down early in the morning???
...whatever the road rules, self-preservation is the absolute priority for a cyclist when mixing it with motorised traffic.
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Re: Now, this is how you write a cyclist hate article

Postby redned » Fri Dec 14, 2012 12:13 pm

I am not sure exactly what he wants the police to enforce. Nothing he describes sounds like it is an illegal act.

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Re: Now, this is how you write a cyclist hate article

Postby boss » Fri Dec 14, 2012 12:34 pm

Daniel was interviewed on ABC radio, actually kind of funny because he takes the moral highground - he wants to have a discussion about cyclists, but the 'pack mentality' of cyclists resulted in over 500 tweets attacking him.

http://blogs.abc.net.au/queensland/2012 ... ists-.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The only illegal act that he referred to in his interview and in the article was riders riding more than two abreast.

Not defending the cyclists, but I see drivers doing things that are wayyyyyyyy worse in the scheme of things than riding two abreast.

And as many have pointed out - if Daniel did a 5km drive (AT) 50kmph with no traffic lights, he'd be there in just under 4 minutes. With a few traffic lights, it's not unreasonable to expect the journey would take 5-6 minutes.

A bunch of hot air from a 'journalist' wanting attention.

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Re: Now, this is how you write a cyclist hate article

Postby gorilla monsoon » Fri Dec 14, 2012 5:58 pm

What we have here is a journo who wants to fast-track his career (and weekly income) by becoming a self-opinionated dick, much like Piers Ackerman, Andrew Bolt and co.
I'd suggest his editor and he conspired to come up with it.

Someone should offer to lend him a bike and take him out riding one morning and explain to him where he went wrong in his thinking.
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