Moron Motorists #3

clydesmcdale
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Re: Moron Motorists #3

Postby clydesmcdale » Fri Feb 22, 2013 11:42 am

human909 wrote::twisted: NOT GOOD. Those cranes are normally at the limit of legal road width. One passing you like that is homicidal! :shock:

The police and the company should be notified. Also try worksafe if you can accurately identify the truck or company.

That said in my experience the operators of these are normally VERY good on the roads. They know they have a massive vehicle and they know that sometimes they will just have to wait, often THEY are the slow ones. Also their operators are use to dealing with danger and making ration safety decisions.
Yeah I've had the same experience with these guys, normally very good. However I have also seen on occasion misjudge their stopping distances and come to an abrupt halt. Also in retrospect the abuse from the driver's cabin was coming from the passenger side, so maybe the driver wasn't totally aggressive more of a misjudgement??
il padrone wrote: I also reckon that if you can ID the firm involved then Qld occupational health authorities may be your best avenue. In Victoria Worksafe would hammer a business that allowed their employees to drive like this. The roads are a part of their workplace.
I'm an Architect and most of my work is large scale commercial and large Hospitals etc and we have to take OHS very seriously, especially with high risk and complex work. Often when acting as Superintendent or as part of our Project Management role we have to report OHS issues and submit reports. If I find who is the PM on the project these guys are involved in I'll be making an OHS submission to them and to their OHS rep, to which they'll be legally bound to follow up and report.

Happy days... :D they've placed someone in the know, within they're industry, in a position of danger and will hopefully be required to undertake due process to placate their employers and the relevant authorities.

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Re: Moron Motorists #3

Postby find_bruce » Fri Feb 22, 2013 1:34 pm

Had a laugh on the way to work today, when a motorbike ride thought I needed some directions. Just a few pointers for our mate
  • what you are pointing at is called a footpath. The signs mean that I can ride there, however I am not required to;
  • What we are both riding in is called a bus lane - the same law that permits you to ride there also permits me to do so;
  • we are travelling at 45 km/h, which is waaay to fast for a footpath;
  • If you were looking where you were going, you would have noticed the van ahead which is blocking the footpath, while they run cable into the big hole in the footpath;
  • opening your visor to talk to me at 45 km/h is a complete waste of time - even if I wanted to, I couldn't hear what you were saying;
  • If you want to give the image of being a tough guy, you might want to rethink riding a 250cc wanna be harley
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jules21
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Re: Moron Motorists #3

Postby jules21 » Fri Feb 22, 2013 1:52 pm

is he riding a Virago? he should be riding on the footpath, if anyone should :D

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GeoffInBrisbane
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Re: Moron Motorists #3

Postby GeoffInBrisbane » Fri Feb 22, 2013 1:56 pm

clydesmcdale wrote:Almost wiped out by a mobile crane this morning coming up Gladstone Road (where Mervin Hull had his fun).

I was in the left lane about 1500mm from the kerb, as is pretty standard there for cyclists. Doing about 20-25 up the hill. Traffic starts backing up in the right lane. Right lane queueing is longer than left. At the rear of the right lane queue is a bus. I come alongside bus still in my current lane position off the kerb, but not fully claiming the lane. A blue and white mobile crane, similar to one of these;
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comes up in the left lane and tries to squeeze between me and the bus. Another cyclist on the footpath yells out to me to look out, I swerve into the gutter, look back and see this crane over my shoulder. The boom is over my head and the hook in front of me. Once I see they've slowed to squeeze I swerve into the middle of the lane, claiming it fully to discourage them. I'm eyeballing them and letting out some obsecenities, they're responding with the the usual blasting of the horn and telling me to get off the effing road.

I continue to go up the hill looking over my shoulder, claiming the lane riding as slow as I could and yelling abuse. The 2 in the cab are on the horn and similarly retorting. Amusingly the guy riding on the footpath is also giving the crane drivers a moutfull. At the top of the hill I get out of the left lane into the turning lane. They come alongside continuing their ranting. I turn left to Dornoch to leave them to continue straight.

Dissapointingly I didn't get their details other than White and Blue Mobile Crane. Also dissapointingly, I should have followed them and seen where they were going. I suspect to the Mater Children's Hospital at the bottom of the hill, coincidently being built by AbiGroup, who have colours of White and Blue. Might make a detour on the way home for a look.

I'll do some digging, but has anyone got a link to letter to be sent to the company, once I find out who it may have been.
Not sure if it helps, but I saw a blue and white mobile crane travelling from Fairfield Rd to Dornoch Terrace yesterday morning as well. It belonged to Hanchard Cranes (07 3274 3377). No idea if it was the same one, but you can always ask... The one I saw yesterday looked like a 100 tonne demag from the pictures on their site - 4 fixed axles behind the first steering axle.
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Re: Moron Motorists #3

Postby il padrone » Fri Feb 22, 2013 2:11 pm

This sort of crane colour-scheme perhaps? Cripes :shock: :!: I wouldn't want that thing swinging his hook over my shoulder

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Re: Moron Motorists #3

Postby clydesmcdale » Fri Feb 22, 2013 2:23 pm

GeoffInBrisbane wrote:
Not sure if it helps, but I saw a blue and white mobile crane travelling from Fairfield Rd to Dornoch Terrace yesterday morning as well. It belonged to Hanchard Cranes (07 3274 3377). No idea if it was the same one, but you can always ask... The one I saw yesterday looked like a 100 tonne demag from the pictures on their site - 4 fixed axles behind the first steering axle.
il padrone wrote:This sort of crane colour-scheme perhaps? Cripes :shock: :!: I wouldn't want that thing swinging his hook over my shoulder
Bam!!! That's it... Nice work. Now to draft a letter. Not sure exactly which crane size it was. Looks as though it could have been a 40, 80 or 100 by the looks of the site. Either way. Nice one, thanks. :)

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GeoffInBrisbane
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Re: Moron Motorists #3

Postby GeoffInBrisbane » Fri Feb 22, 2013 2:28 pm

Glad to be of help. Good luck, hopefully they pay attention. Pathetic behaviour...
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Re: Moron Motorists #3

Postby il padrone » Fri Feb 22, 2013 2:32 pm

Great. Keep us posted on any results from your correspondence :wink:
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Re: Moron Motorists #3

Postby abas » Fri Feb 22, 2013 3:36 pm

clydesmcdale,

In my experience of writing complaint emails to companies I normally go to their website and find some policy statements relating to safety standards and throw that back in their faces along the lines of do they just put it there to fill up the web page and it's only there as a guide rather than a rule. Also ask them for a response and what they plan on doing about it. Your case will be harder without actual details of the truck involved but surely they should have an idea where their trucks are on any given day. This is where cameras pay for themselves.

Looking at the website for Hanchard Cranes the section "About Us" is very interesting in particular the statement:

"c) To protect persons other than employees, and members of the public, from danger to health and safety in respect of any undertaking conducted, work performed or substance, stored, kept, supplied, used or produced at or from that workplace."

The problem is, when I read it again, who are they protecting because it's "persons other than employees and members of the public"?

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Re: Moron Motorists #3

Postby clydesmcdale » Fri Feb 22, 2013 3:39 pm

abas wrote:clydesmcdale,

In my experience of writing complaint emails to companies I normally go to their website and find some policy statements relating to safety standards and throw that back in their faces along the lines of do they just put it there to fill up the web page and it's only there as a guide rather than a rule. Also ask them for a response and what they plan on doing about it. Your case will be harder without actual details of the truck involved but surely they should have an idea where their trucks are on any given day. This is where cameras pay for themselves.

Looking at the website for Hanchard Cranes the section "About Us" is very interesting in particular the statement:

"c) To protect persons other than employees, and members of the public, from danger to health and safety in respect of any undertaking conducted, work performed or substance, stored, kept, supplied, used or produced at or from that workplace."

The problem is, when I read it again, who are they protecting because it's "persons other than employees and members of the public"?

Some good ideas, thanks.

Here's a small extract f the last couple of paragraphs of my correspondence. Keeping it professional, but with a slight veiled threat :wink:
As you may be aware through my contact details I am an Architect. I have significant experience in complex construction where cranes, such as the one that I came across this morning are utilised. Through my experience and contacts within the building industry I am acutely aware of the procedures that you must undertake to satisfy your Occupational Health and Safety obligations.

I find the conduct of your crane operator and the passenger unacceptable, and thereby an unacceptable representation of your company. Your operators placed me in a dangerous life-threatening situation by way of their actions. I will be reporting this incident to both the Police and to Workplace Health and Safety Queensland as part of the Department of Justice and Attorney-General. I trust you understand your legal responsibilities to notify and report WHS QLD of my correspondence.

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Re: Moron Motorists #3

Postby outnabike » Fri Feb 22, 2013 4:29 pm

il padrone wrote:This sort of crane colour-scheme perhaps? Cripes :shock: :!: I wouldn't want that thing swinging his hook over my shoulder

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I had a truck like that follow me once and it got my bike. :D

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Re: Moron Motorists #3

Postby Purt » Fri Feb 22, 2013 4:30 pm

clydesmcdale wrote:comes up in the left lane and tries to squeeze between me and the bus. Another cyclist on the footpath yells out to me to look out, I swerve into the gutter, look back and see this crane over my shoulder. The boom is over my head and the hook in front of me. Once I see they've slowed to squeeze I swerve into the middle of the lane, claiming it fully to discourage them. I'm eyeballing them and letting out some obsecenities, they're responding with the the usual blasting of the horn and telling me to get off the effing road.

I continue to go up the hill looking over my shoulder, claiming the lane riding as slow as I could and yelling abuse. The 2 in the cab are on the horn and similarly retorting. Amusingly the guy riding on the footpath is also giving the crane drivers a moutfull. At the top of the hill I get out of the left lane into the turning lane. They come alongside continuing their ranting. I turn left to Dornoch to leave them to continue straight.
Similar thing happened to me about 2 weeks ago. Pulled up at some lights. Passenger of a truck behind me starts screaming for me to get off the road and use the footpath. Tells me I'm holding up traffic (this is during peak hour - lol).

So I take off slower than usual. Sit in the middle of the lane (multi lane road). Passenger is still screaming out the window. Driver then sits on the horn for about 300m. Finally decides to go into the other lane, and cuts me off. Passenger has his head out the window laughing. They stop at a red light 20m up ahead. I get stuck behind them for about 1km, he actually blocked the head wind for me :D They get stuck at a red turn light, I go ahead on a green. Sadly this always seems to happen whenever I don't have the gopro on :( .

Got this one this morning though, she didn't even see me. Then when I slowed she tried to accelerate ahead of me :| :


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Re: Moron Motorists #3

Postby Marto » Fri Feb 22, 2013 4:35 pm

clydesmcdale wrote:Almost wiped out by a mobile crane this morning coming up Gladstone Road
Scary :shock: Hope you get a lead.

Might have been Mervin in his new vehicle (greater compensation and protection from meanie cyclists).
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Re: Moron Motorists #3

Postby human909 » Fri Feb 22, 2013 4:37 pm

Those cranes are very expensive just to put on the road. An 80 or a 100 would probably cost $5000-$10,000 per day to hire. They would know pretty damn quick if they had a crane travelling on that road! Also the company probably only has one of each so as long as you have the right company tracking down the crane is easy.

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Re: Moron Motorists #3

Postby AKO » Fri Feb 22, 2013 4:55 pm

human909 wrote:Those cranes are very expensive just to put on the road. An 80 or a 100 would probably cost $5000-$10,000 per day to hire. They would know pretty damn quick if they had a crane travelling on that road! Also the company probably only has one of each so as long as you have the right company tracking down the crane is easy.
What human said. Even if they have more than a couple of each type of crane they would almost definitely know which crane was traveling on what road at what time. When you charge up to 2k an hour for a certain piece of equipment, you aren't likely to let your employees duck down to maccas drive through for a cheese burger in it. I think the letter you sent off says what it needs to and is very well written. Interested to hear their response.
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Re: Moron Motorists #3

Postby Summernight » Fri Feb 22, 2013 5:24 pm

Purt wrote:Got this one this morning though, she didn't even see me. Then when I slowed she tried to accelerate ahead of me :| :

Cripes! Luck was on your side then.

That's what almost happened to the cyclist in front of me this morning - there is a keep clear section of the road with a bike lane near the Treasury Cafe (Melbourne), MacArthur Street I believe.

And invariably cars are banked up well down the road waiting for the light to turn so they can cross Spring Street to enter Collins Street and the cycle lane goes on the left of this peak hour 'car park'. So the cars sometimes turn right over the keep clear and cycling lane WITHOUT looking for cyclists who can be riding at speed down that hill. A car doing the right hand turn over a cycling lane without looking almost cleaned me up once, not to mention a ped almost decided to kill herself by stepping out into my path from infront of a stationary bus that was stuck in traffic. Needless to say I am uber cautious around this spot and was surprised that this commuting cyclist that I regularly see wasn't thinking about the possible dangers when he crossed that particular street with the cars banked up and reducing vision.

Glad you're okay.

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Re: Moron Motorists #3

Postby Lukeyboy » Fri Feb 22, 2013 6:59 pm

outnabike wrote: I had a truck like that follow me once and it got my bike. :D

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Re: Moron Motorists #3

Postby trailgumby » Fri Feb 22, 2013 7:57 pm

How the neighbours dealt with one MM:


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Re: Moron Motorists #3

Postby ColinOldnCranky » Sat Feb 23, 2013 5:04 am

clydesmcdale wrote:I continue to go up the hill looking over my shoulder, claiming the lane riding as slow as I could and yelling abuse. The 2 in the cab are on the horn and similarly retorting.
It is a worry (though understandable in the heat of the moment) that you added some incitement by "claiming the lane riding as slow as I could am yelling abuse". That makes for muddier waters when it comes to others bearing witness. Even honest neutral witnesses without an anti-cyclist axe to grind. Or a less than neutral witness with a dash cam.

I am not suggesting that cyclists be timid, but that moment of self-indulgence can come at a price.

Having said that, I can't guarantee that I too would not act in a similar manner in the moment.
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Re: Moron Motorists #3

Postby Lukeyboy » Sat Feb 23, 2013 4:49 pm

Went for a ride today and it certainly didn't dissapoint me with that 36 degrees averaged on the GPS :twisted: Came across a few of the usual Saturday drivers.

Oh, please, I insist that you overtake me closly as possible and also use my bike lane too. I know how little space you have on the right. It's not like I need the bike lane or anything :roll: :roll:
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You going left or straight ahead?? Hopefully not right.
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Red lights don't apply to this guy. Note the green walk symbol on both pedestrian crossings.
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I have a merc so I must floor it through the red light to get ahead of all the traffic! Try to catch me now Mr Cyclist!
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Re: Moron Motorists #3

Postby il padrone » Sat Feb 23, 2013 5:00 pm

With a personalised rego CSM clear on screen, that "cool dude" is a jumped-up enough prat to warrant taking that set of pics (or better yet, video) straight to the Police for prosecution.

Dumb as dog-excrement !!
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Re: Moron Motorists #3

Postby Lukeyboy » Sat Feb 23, 2013 6:54 pm

Two streets over from where those 2 red light runners were today. Very lucky no cyclists were in the bike lane at the time. Its been said that the car ran the red light.
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Re: Moron Motorists #3

Postby Lukeyboy » Sat Feb 23, 2013 7:09 pm

Todays silly drivers.

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Re: Moron Motorists #3

Postby Mulger bill » Sat Feb 23, 2013 7:39 pm

Lukeyboy wrote:Went for a ride today and it certainly didn't dissapoint me with that 36 degrees averaged on the GPS :twisted: Came across a few of the usual Saturday drivers.

You going left or straight ahead?? Hopefully not right.

I have a merc so I must floor it through the red light to get ahead of all the traffic! Try to catch me now Mr Cyclist!
It's a shame cars don't have to have rego plates, you could report them to the cops, they give all motorists a bad name... Oh, wait...
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Re: Moron Motorists #3

Postby AKO » Sat Feb 23, 2013 8:20 pm

Lukeyboy wrote:Two streets over from where those 2 red light runners were today. Very lucky no cyclists were in the bike lane at the time. Its been said that the car ran the red light.
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Pfft. Cant be true. Only cyclists break road rules.
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