Moron Motorists #3

[Crawf]

I've reported quite a few, and over the last 6mths noticed a big improvement in courtesy and common sense towards cyclists... that was until last night.
I seriously have doubts about this drivers vision and spacial awareness.

[Ross]

I think a lot of motorist "incidents' are ignorance on behalf of the drivers rather than arrogance. Possibly even the cement truck incident where the cyclist was killed. Not saying this is a good thing, well maybe it is slightly better than people deliberately and meliciously trying to hurt cyclists but the end result can often be the same. Some sort of education system about cyclists and how to react around them is needed for motorists, starting with new ones that are just getting their licences and extending to the more experienced drivers as well.

[zero]

I think a lot of motorist "incidents' are ignorance on behalf of the drivers rather than arrogance. Possibly even the cement truck incident where the cyclist was killed. Not saying this is a good thing, well maybe it is slightly better than people deliberately and meliciously trying to hurt cyclists but the end result can often be the same. Some sort of education system about cyclists and how to react around them is needed for motorists, starting with new ones that are just getting their licences and extending to the more experienced drivers as well.

Nope - most of the dangerous acts occur because they believe that being a motorist confers extra rights, rather than the truth which is that being a motorist confers extra responsibilities.

[blkmcs]

I think a lot of motorist "incidents' are ignorance on behalf of the drivers rather than arrogance. Possibly even the cement truck incident where the cyclist was killed. Not saying this is a good thing, well maybe it is slightly better than people deliberately and meliciously trying to hurt cyclists but the end result can often be the same. Some sort of education system about cyclists and how to react around them is needed for motorists, starting with new ones that are just getting their licences and extending to the more experienced drivers as well.

Spot on Ross.

[VRE]

I agree with both Ross and zero - motorists do need some targeted education on sharing the road with cyclists, and many motorists do think a driver's licence confers rights and not responsibilities.

[warthog1]

we shared those 3 dangerous interactions with the BCC bus please PM me, that dangerous driver needs reporting!

Buzzed by another bus today. They refuse to wait and won't move over. Some of the most aggressive drivers on the road IME

[arkle]

we shared those 3 dangerous interactions with the BCC bus please PM me, that dangerous driver needs reporting!

Buzzed by another bus today. They refuse to wait and won't move over. Some of the most aggressive drivers on the road IME

How about introducing a law that all public service vehicles must have forward and rearward facing cameras recording footage continuously, that the drivers cannot erase.

arkle

[rangersac]

Buzzed by another bus today. They refuse to wait and won't move over. Some of the most aggressive drivers on the road IME

+1. Buses are far and away the worst culprits on my commute.

[Lukeyboy]

we shared those 3 dangerous interactions with the BCC bus please PM me, that dangerous driver needs reporting!

Buzzed by another bus today. They refuse to wait and won't move over. Some of the most aggressive drivers on the road IME

How about introducing a law that all public service vehicles must have forward and rearward facing cameras recording footage continuously, that the drivers cannot erase.

arkle

Brisbane already has forward facing cameras on their newer buses. No rear facing cameras. I think some of the Private operators also have rear camera's aswell on their newer buses.

[oxonabike]

Note the position of where the culprit car was parked. From the video description: Person of low intelligence descriptor parks stupidly alongside the cycleway, then nearly doors me while I'm avoiding the kid that was running around on said path. Often have to deal with contents of backpacker vans strewn across this same section.

[jules21]

[Mulger bill]

Indeed.

In cases like this, I've found that making THIS sorta noise just as they go to open the door can be very effective...

[Mulger bill]

It is very hard on ones throat however

[TigerFilly]

My 10 year old nearly got run down earlier tonight by an idiot young driver.
We were crossing the road from the video shop to our local Coles. It's actually the road we live in, but right down the other end. Two busy lanes on each side. We were crossing at a much-used set of pedestrian lights. The green man had just gone green, a car in the lane closest to the curb had stopped, and my son was just accelerating to run across, his usual rate of motion being as fast as possible (yes, of course he shouldn't run across the road, hopefully that will sink in now), when a car squealed through the red light in the lane closest to the centre line. I screamed to him to stop, and fortunately he hadn't got going enough yet and stopped. If he hadn't stopped he would have been run down.
I followed the car as it turned off into the Coles car park. It was a young employee, presumably running late for his shift. I wrote down his car make and number plate and went in and complained to the manager and she said she would give him a blast.
Is it worth reporting him to the police, or will there be nothing they can do? (I would love it if they went round and gave him a telling off, I'm not expecting they would do more than that, but I suppose it's just my word so they can't do anything?)

[Percrime]

Frankly it depends on if the local rozzers are decent or not. Its a fair bet the kid on the desk wont want to do anything.. but if you go in and ask if you can have a word with the bloke in charge for just a minute and put it to him just like this, you might do some good.

[kenwstr]

A driver deliberately tried to kill me last year in the village of Eglinton. I was riding by myself for exercise doing a shade over 20 just to the left of the traffic lane up a wide, slightly rising street in mid afternoon sunshine on a cloudless day. I had flashing lights on and was wearing a white T shirt. The 4WD travelling in the same direction began to overtake on my right. I just noticed the front bumper in the edge of my vision when he did a left turn that would have run me right under his wheels had I not noticed and been able to take the turn with him. I barely managed to avoid collision by just a few inches.

Even at this speed I would have cleared the intersection in just 1 second.
Given there was plenty of visibility and not much traffic (he wasn't tailing any other cars) he could not have failed to see me, yet for the sake of just 1 second was willing, even eager to murder me with he 4WD.

Had a few other close calls since then. The last was a tar truck roaring past under full throttle to miss my handle bars by a hand width. This despite my being right on the edge of the pavement,bare metres from reaching paved verge and him having 2 clear lanes in which to pass, again with flashing lights and white shirt. Goes to show, they would rather kill you and then rot in jail for years than delay even split second until you can get clear.

Oh, and then there was the incident when a red van swerved out of the car lane into the bike lane to deliberately buzz past me while I was again cycling alone on the left side of a dedicated Vale Road cycle lane with no other traffic in sight.

Yes, they are most definitely doing it deliberately folks. Must get a camera!


Regards,
Ken

[ldrcycles]

This despite my being right on the edge of the pavement,bare metres from reaching paved verge

Not despite, BECAUSE. For your own sake learn about 'riding big'.

[KonaCommuter]

Goes to show, they would rather kill you and then rot in jail for years than delay even split second until you can get clear.

They won't rot in gaol and that's a fact http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/quee ... 6635894242" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[kenwstr]

This despite my being right on the edge of the pavement,bare metres from reaching paved verge

Not despite, BECAUSE. For your own sake learn about 'riding big'.

If space is restricted , I ride in the middle of the lane to prevent this kind of thing but if there is space and I don't move over, they get cranky and give me a close call. So if there is space as in this case I give more space and most people see that and give me more room too so I have far fewer close calls that way.
But some just think its fun to buzz you whatever you do.

[queequeg]

This despite my being right on the edge of the pavement,bare metres from reaching paved verge

Not despite, BECAUSE. For your own sake learn about 'riding big'.

If space is restricted , I ride in the middle of the lane to prevent this kind of thing but if there is space and I don't move over, they get cranky and give me a close call. So if there is space as in this case I give more space and most people see that and give me more room too so I have far fewer close calls that way.
But some just think its fun to buzz you whatever you do.

I have very few issues with motorists these days. Ride big like you are meant to be there, and provide clear indications of what you are doing. Yrs, you'll get a moron now and again, but don't let them bully you. If you cower in the gutter, they'll take the chance. Make it clear that a 2m wide car won't fit into a 1m gap and suddenly motorists will change lanes.
I am lucky on my morning commute as I quite often see the same cars every day. They know which way I am going and what I am going to do, and I am happy to say I have had no issues in well over a year!

[InTheWoods]

This despite my being right on the edge of the pavement,bare metres from reaching paved verge

Not despite, BECAUSE. For your own sake learn about 'riding big'.

That's a bit harsh IMO. It's not always just a matter of claiming the lane - sounds like the driver was deliberately intimidating and for those it doesn't matter where you ride. I've had heaps of close passes in the centre or right wheel track of a multilane road. It's punishment for being on their road.

[Lukeyboy]

Not really a moron but this got a giggle out of me

[mikesbytes]

Not really a moron but this got a giggle out of me

Did that for about 30 metres once kinda makes it hard to use the rear vision mirror. Reminds me where the indicator has been left on, doesn't the click click click sound annoy after a while

[ldrcycles]

Point taken InTheWoods, I could have been a little less blunt, you're right that riding big wouldn't have absolutely guaranteed a different outcome, but riding in the gutter definitely wouldn't have helped.

[InTheWoods]

Point taken InTheWoods, I could have been a little less blunt, you're right that riding big wouldn't have absolutely guaranteed a different outcome, but riding in the gutter definitely wouldn't have helped.

Yes. These days, especially after the Richard Pollet jury decision, the lane is "mine" if I'm not willing to share it. If its wide enough to share, I will. But otherwise, why ride in the gutter if I don't want to share it. Saw heaps out this morning (I was in the car) riding in the gutter, with people close shaving them. On a multi-lane road, which allows parking in the left lane outside peak hours. So if you're allowed to park a car in it, why do people get upset about riding a bike in it. At least the bike is moving.