The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...

[CRV]

Surely others with an ounce of wit can trump this comfortably?

http://memegenerator.net/Mervin-Hull

Surely this should be discussed in the dumb motorist thread

[il padrone]

My take on that article is the riders were moving into his lane, already taking up one lane.

you might want to rethink that.

A WITNESS to the fiery encounter on Thursday between a driver and cyclists in West End has laid the blame squarely on the horn-happy motorist.

Greg Robson, who was riding on his own 75m behind the group of 20 cyclists, claims West End business owner Mervyn Hull's four-wheel-drive vehicle passed within millimetres of a rider's handlebars.

Yes, intriguing news, and BTW, you should always ride/drive to the conditions.

Mr Big4WD Withlights has some learning to do. Surprising they didn't include it on the Weeties box when he got his licence

[Ozkaban]

Surely this should be discussed in the dumb motorist thread

I was just thinking that...

[find_bruce]

was waiting for a witness to come forward. now, will the QPS charge this driver. yeah right

Even without the witness, Mr Hull admits to unecessary use of his horn

"I had given them a toot to move them into their proper lane," he said.

A driver must not use, or allow to be used, a horn, or similar warning device, fitted to or in the driver’s vehicle unless—
(a) it is necessary to use the horn, or warning device, to warn other road users or animals of the approach or position of the vehicle
...
Maximum penalty—20 penalty units

While the maximum fine is $2,200, the on the spot fine is just $66

[InTheWoods]

Back on topic now

No commute today, doc appointment. Drove to the docs. Must have seen 300 cars do nothing wrong. Saw 1 [shirtless] cyclist on a fixie. Cars overtake safely in the other lane, red light ahead, everybody stops ... except ... Fixie lane splits down the middle and flies through the red doing ~40kmh. Same cars have to pass him again as we go up the hill in front of the lights.

It pissed me off, and those drivers now have an even lower respect for people riding bicycles than they did before.

[Summernight]

Saw 1 [shirtless] cyclist on a fixie.

1 question: Good bod or not? Makes all the difference.

[Ozkaban]

Saw 1 [shirtless] cyclist on a fixie.

1 question: Good bod or not? Makes all the difference.

Gender can help here a bit too

[jasonc]

Saw 1 [shirtless] cyclist on a fixie.

1 question: Good bod or not? Makes all the difference.

Gender can help here a bit too

+1 on the gender comment

[jules21]

i tried to have a word but i turned off and she went straight - if anyone knows her please give her some advice.

[g-boaf]

Back on topic now

No commute today, doc appointment. Drove to the docs. Must have seen 300 cars do nothing wrong. Saw 1 [shirtless] cyclist on a fixie. Cars overtake safely in the other lane, red light ahead, everybody stops ... except ... Fixie lane splits down the middle and flies through the red doing ~40kmh. Same cars have to pass him again as we go up the hill in front of the lights.

It pissed me off, and those drivers now have an even lower respect for people riding bicycles than they did before.

Correction - lower respect for shirtless fixie riders!

[Lukeyboy]

Good going! Now all the people in this store think I'm a weirdo for randomly laughing out loud while waiting for my lunch number to be called. Hahaha.

[Summernight]

i tried to have a word but i turned off and she went straight - if anyone knows her please give her some advice.

I'm confused so let me try to clarify what I'm seeing - the advice you would give her is that she was riding too fast for the traffic, and not looking/being aware of cars and trucks and possible squishy moments with said trucks, is that the problem? Or did I miss something in there like her running a red light?

[il padrone]

I think it'd be about the hazards of getting anywhere alongside large trucks/buses (due to your lack of visibility to them).

But I would extend that to "avoid overtaking to the left at any time that you can". My preferred strategy is to ride to the right side of the left-most lane of traffic -usually plenty of room and you don't get boxed in/cut off by left-turners. I know it's not always easy, but I'd suggest this for jules21 as well.

[merlin6014]

I dont know wether this is "dumb" but as a father of two young kids it got me thinking and in my opinion its reckless. Saw a middle aged mum yesterday riding a bike in peak hour just outside the Sydney CBD on the road (legally). She had what can only be described as a baby of about 1-2 years of age strapped into a carrier on the back. It aint illegal but I love my kids way too much to ever risk that. As someone who has ridden a motorcycle and bicycle extensively in peak hour there is no way in a million years i would let my 1 year old anywhere near these roads. I felt really upset even witnessing it to be honest.

[jules21]

I'm confused so let me try to clarify what I'm seeing - the advice you would give her is that she was riding too fast for the traffic, and not looking/being aware of cars and trucks and possible squishy moments with said trucks, is that the problem? Or did I miss something in there like her running a red light?

nup, just the stuff you listed. undertaking the truck was a really bad idea.

[il padrone]

Saw a middle aged mum yesterday riding a bike in peak hour just outside the Sydney CBD on the road (legally). She had what can only be described as a baby of about 1-2 years of age strapped into a carrier on the back. It aint illegal but I love my kids way too much to ever risk that.

Hmm... you weren't working for the Daily Telegraph?

Sounds almost exactly the same as the video response by one of their journos last year to a mum just commuting about town - who has been doing this for some years with her kids.


I guess this would have to be even more irresponsible??

[human909]

I dont know wether this is "dumb" but as a father of two young kids it got me thinking and in my opinion its reckless. Saw a middle aged mum yesterday riding a bike in peak hour just outside the Sydney CBD on the road (legally). She had what can only be described as a baby of about 1-2 years of age strapped into a carrier on the back. It aint illegal but I love my kids way too much to ever risk that. As someone who has ridden a motorcycle and bicycle extensively in peak hour there is no way in a million years i would let my 1 year old anywhere near these roads. I felt really upset even witnessing it to be honest.

When cyclists have attitudes like this we know we have some big problems to overcome. Rather than choosing to get annoying by your attitude I am choosing to be annoyed at how we as a society have encouraged this to occur.

[merlin6014]

Thats nice - as I said its legal but so is running with the bulls in Spain. You can advocate all you want but my 1 year old ain't getting on the back of my bike (powered or unpowered) in peak hour traffic.

Note the bolding of my as in my opinion

[merlin6014]

Actually throw your 1 year old into traffic "cause of the cause man"

[merlin6014]

I dont know wether this is "dumb" but as a father of two young kids it got me thinking and in my opinion its reckless. Saw a middle aged mum yesterday riding a bike in peak hour just outside the Sydney CBD on the road (legally). She had what can only be described as a baby of about 1-2 years of age strapped into a carrier on the back. It aint illegal but I love my kids way too much to ever risk that. As someone who has ridden a motorcycle and bicycle extensively in peak hour there is no way in a million years i would let my 1 year old anywhere near these roads. I felt really upset even witnessing it to be honest.

When cyclists have attitudes like this we know we have some big problems to overcome. Rather than choosing to get annoying by your attitude I am choosing to be annoyed at how we as a society have encouraged this to occur.

encouraged what to occur? I'm not suggesting to make it illegal I am saying its a dumb thing to do. When youv'e ridden a motorbike + bicycle for 10 years in commuter traffic you can get back to me.

[merlin6014]

Saw a middle aged mum yesterday riding a bike in peak hour just outside the Sydney CBD on the road (legally). She had what can only be described as a baby of about 1-2 years of age strapped into a carrier on the back. It aint illegal but I love my kids way too much to ever risk that.

Hmm... you weren't working for the Daily Telegraph?

Sounds almost exactly the same as the video response by one of their journos last year to a mum just commuting about town - who has been doing this for some years with her kids.


I guess this would have to be even more irresponsible??

Yeah how outrageous valuing your babies life over advocating for a cause! my beret popped off reading that from the outrage

[merlin6014]

Just for the record I have a baby mounted bike carrier and love taking the kids for a ride - but off-road at like 10km/h max. Your an idiot if you mix a 1 year old with traffic, pure and simple.

[zero]

Just for the record I have a baby mounted bike carrier and love taking the kids for a ride - but off-road at like 10km/h max. Your an idiot if you mix a 1 year old with traffic, pure and simple.

You are an idiot if you can't spot a particularly vulnerable road user given the trailer and flags and leave more space. its this kind of stupidity and reversal of responsibility that is really tiresome, and surely a motorcyclist would understand that a non-lane splitting, non leftside passing bicycle rider and trailer is under almost no danger during peak hour due to reduced traffic speed, and unlikelyhood of the rider entering a crush area.

[outnabike]

Back on topic now

No commute today, doc appointment. Drove to the docs. Must have seen 300 cars do nothing wrong. Saw 1 [shirtless] cyclist on a fixie. Cars overtake safely in the other lane, red light ahead, everybody stops ... except ... Fixie lane splits down the middle and flies through the red doing ~40kmh. Same cars have to pass him again as we go up the hill in front of the lights.

It pissed me off, and those drivers now have an even lower respect for people riding bicycles than they did before.

Correction - lower respect for shirtless fixie riders!

I cant understand how he got to 40 kays on a fixie. I can't do that with my gears, except going down hill,,,,,as dirty harry said to his mate,,,,,,to much lasagne...

[il padrone]

I am saying its a dumb thing to do. When youv'e ridden a motorbike + bicycle for 10 years in commuter traffic you can get back to me.

Yes, well you see that's where values and preferences come into the whole equation. I've commuted by bike on and off for most of the past 35 years in suburban and inner city Melbourne. My kids were transported from ~18 months old in a child trailer, on all sorts of roads, mostly for recreational rides. I don't favour kiddie-seats at all. But I value my role as a father too much to ever consider riding a motorbike That would be a dumb thing to do.