Moron Motorists #3

[gretaboy]

Can anyone think of some comeback for the next time ? I could not think of one at the time.....

Yeah an easy one - "I will let your wife know what a crap driver you are the next time I am b..... her" (hopefully this doesnt offend anyone on this site )

[AKO]

Can anyone think of some comeback for the next time ? I could not think of one at the time.....

"Are you going past a hospital on your way home? (Swipe) get that stitched......

[zero]

About two streets from my home, there are two roundabouts preceded by a speed hump. As I came up the rise a couple of weeks ago toward the speed hump, I heard a bus behind me. I crossed the speed hump at about 35 (I can go around it) and the bus crossed after me. I rode toward the first roundabout and as I came toward it, the bus squeezed beside me, pushing me into a rolled curb where I had to unclog and dismount to avoid being run over or caught between the bus and the curb. I yelled some obscenity at the driver and noticed a woman across the street watching the incident. As the bus exited the roundabout, the back swung out and nearly took me out a second time (I had started moving a bit). The bus then slowed and turned right, which I had to wait for! I noted the time and route and on arriving home sent a complaint letter, including reference to the witness. The bus company did write back and after review of their CCTV acknowledged that the driver was clearly at fault and was 'counselled' regarding safe distances from bicycles.

I guess a good outcome, but scary that the driver was willing to take such a risk. I don't have a camera but I think, after that incident, I might get one. And insurance. And a lottery ticket.

About 50m before a roundabout you need to move out, and take the lane. ie the only way a bus can get alongside me in a roundabout is if they crash through the roundabout sign or its a 4 lane roundabout and I'm not turning right.

I agree though that was an incident that would just about have filled my pants. Glad you are ok.

[Summernight]

Lunchtime today (doing a small errand). Decided to take the bike instead of walking to cut about 30 minutes off the round trip. Middle of Melbourne CBD. I think I prefer peak hour drivers...



(and yes, I got the O and 0 mixed up. Whoops. )

[RideLikeTheWind]

Thanks

Yeah I usually do take the lane - not sure why I didn't this time. I have some pretty bright lights on too.. Anyway at least all ended well.

[RideLikeTheWind]

Lunchtime today (doing a small errand). Decided to take the bike instead of walking to cut about 30 minutes off the round trip. Middle of Melbourne CBD. I think I prefer peak hour drivers...



(and yes, I got the O and 0 mixed up. Whoops. )

That was close

[Summernight]

That was close

If you listen carefully you can hear me growl when I realise he is about to be a tool.
Luckily low-ish speeds and I don't ride in the gutter so had room to move.

[jules21]

that's some moronic driving summer but without meaning to rub salt into the wound, a good example of why it's always dangerous to overtake on the inside. i can see that wasn't your intention, but the sad fact is you've got to account for drivers who slam the brakes on and left hook you.

[Summernight]

that's some moronic driving summer but without meaning to rub salt into the wound, a good example of why it's always dangerous to overtake on the inside. i can see that wasn't your intention, but the sad fact is you've got to account for drivers who slam the brakes on and left hook you.

Yup. 100% correct. I don't normally ride that road and it is two lanes (unmarked two lanes in a lot of sections mind you). I didn't want to hold up traffic and thought I'd be good to the cars behind and move further left instead of sticking behind the truck (my preferred option).

This is why I don't like bike lanes on the left gutter (Collins St is a perfect example). Speaking of... time to brave the peak hour (hopefully gridlocked) traffic.

[Mulger bill]

On the way to work today...
Successive shaves seconds apart with horn action, obviously too many to fit in one car.

Straight into Cav mode and caught up with the Lancer at the next intersection. Pulled up alongside and spat through the window that if he wanted to play car hero he should wait for 20 minutes and I'd come back with the Commodore and show him how men bounce young richards who think they can drive off lightpoles. Not a word...

[AKO]

On the way to work today...
Successive shaves seconds apart with horn action, obviously too many to fit in one car.

Straight into Cav mode and caught up with the Lancer at the next intersection. Pulled up alongside and spat through the window that if he wanted to play car hero he should wait for 20 minutes and I'd come back with the Commodore and show him how men bounce young richards who think they can drive off lightpoles. Not a word...

Had a similar thing happen to me a couple of days ago only it was a tradie in a small flatbed truck. I was riding in the bike lane in a 80 zone when this maggot shaved me and gave me the finger through the back window. Unfortunately I don't have a Cav mode and he disappeared into the distance. The scary thing is I only had to deviate my line by an inch or two and my kids were growing up without a dad and mr maggot would have had to come up with about $900 in fines. It was that close.

[gobsec]

Double lights are also tricky, something I soon learned when I started riding motorbikes with twin headlights. At night you appear to be a distant car.

Personally it's flashing lights I have trouble judging distances and speed with in the dark. Solid lights I can tell how far off the cyclist is and their speed, but flashing I find impossible. Many a time I've found myself waiting WAY longer than necessary due to this. It's why I always keep one forward light solid on my bike, especially when it's pitch black. I only use flasher-only at dusk and other still-light times of day.

Yes, funny that, I always run my front light solid, no flashing. I think the rear light flashing was a great innovation, never been so convinced about the front light flashing. I have no problem with others having a flashing front light but for me I prefer a solid front light.

DS

yes, flashing versus solid beam can be a dilemma. i agree that motorists can find a flashing light difficult to assess for distance, although in my experience most motorists will hesitate as a result, which to me is a good thing. however a solid beam light can easily be missed within a background of lights, whereas a flashing light is quite distinctive.

for me, on balance of those considerations, it is always flashing mode whenever i am on the road. the fact that the flashes light up the surrounds as well is a great indicator for motorists that there is a cyclist there.

i almost smidsy'd a cyclist yesterday- and i was on my bike, entering a street from a bike path at the bottom of a steep hill in the dark early morning, virtually stopped. i didn't see the cyclist hurtling towards me at about 50 kmh until the loud "oi!" pierced the air, even though i really thought i had looked quite hard. the article on saccades resonates with me as a result. although the part of the article about visibility also resonates. i couldn't help but wonder that had the cyclist had not been dressed totally in black, and had his front light been more than a dull small pin prick would i have seen him better? if i had been in his place the whole of the road would have been illuminated brightly in flashes, and it would have been "blindingly" obvious that there was a cyclist there. and saccades would have been less of a consideration.

[mick243]

Lunchtime today (doing a small errand). Decided to take the bike instead of walking to cut about 30 minutes off the round trip. Middle of Melbourne CBD. I think I prefer peak hour drivers...



(and yes, I got the O and 0 mixed up. Whoops. )

actually, being a heavy vehicle longer than a certain length (7.5M from rusty memory) he's not doing anything wrong, it would be nice if he indicated for longer. if he got into the left lane first, his back wheels would cut over the footpath (and people waiting to cross) on the corner.

[jasonc]

actually, being a heavy vehicle longer than a certain length (7.5M from rusty memory) he's not doing anything wrong, it would be nice if he indicated for longer. if he got into the left lane first, his back wheels would cut over the footpath (and people waiting to cross) on the corner.

how about

Indicating
The signal must be given for long enough to warn others that you are about to change lanes or direction. You must signal for at least five seconds when moving from a stationary position at the side of the road or from a median strip parking area.

from http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/Home/Saf ... urning.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[queequeg]

Lunchtime today (doing a small errand). Decided to take the bike instead of walking to cut about 30 minutes off the round trip. Middle of Melbourne CBD. I think I prefer peak hour drivers...



(and yes, I got the O and 0 mixed up. Whoops. )

Not so sure that this qualifies as a left hook, since you were behind them the whole time. Long vehicles are permitted to turn left from the middle or right lane, and this truck appeared to require the extra road space (double front wheels). The indication of the turn was a bit late, but in the city I am always on the lookout for late turning vehicles.
I once witnessed a driver in a Tarago attempt to undertake a long truck that was waiting at lights in the middle lane with the left indicator on. The Tarago got squashed like a grape as the mid-section of the trailer went around the corner. Driver was fine, but no sympathy from me as the truck driver was doing everything right.

[AKO]

Lunchtime today (doing a small errand). Decided to take the bike instead of walking to cut about 30 minutes off the round trip. Middle of Melbourne CBD. I think I prefer peak hour drivers...



(and yes, I got the O and 0 mixed up. Whoops. )

Not so sure that this qualifies as a left hook, since you were behind them the whole time. Long vehicles are permitted to turn left from the middle or right lane, and this truck appeared to require the extra road space (double front wheels). The indication of the turn was a bit late, but in the city I am always on the lookout for late turning vehicles.
I once witnessed a driver in a Tarago attempt to undertake a long truck that was waiting at lights in the middle lane with the left indicator on. The Tarago got squashed like a grape as the mid-section of the trailer went around the corner. Driver was fine, but no sympathy from me as the truck driver was doing everything right.

[greatapoc]

The issue isn't that he turned wide as trucks have to. It's that there was about 1 metre to go before he reached the intersection where he slammed on the brakes and hit the indicator and turned immediately. If he'd given enough indication time then there wouldn't be a video to post.

[arkle]

The issue isn't that he turned wide as trucks have to. It's that there was about 1 metre to go before he reached the intersection where he slammed on the brakes and hit the indicator and turned immediately. If he'd given enough indication time then there wouldn't be a video to post.

This is true. The driver slammed on and hit the indicator simultaneously when he found the street he needed to turn down. He made a mistake in this regard. This is normal unpredictable behaviour that we have to expect and prepare for.

Summernight correctly hung back and gave herself enough space and time to brake to avoid a possible left hook and subsequent collision, and her strategy worked perfectly.

What the eff are we whining about?

arkle

[jasonc]

The issue isn't that he turned wide as trucks have to. It's that there was about 1 metre to go before he reached the intersection where he slammed on the brakes and hit the indicator and turned immediately. If he'd given enough indication time then there wouldn't be a video to post.

This is true. The driver slammed on and hit the indicator simultaneously when he found the street he needed to turn down. He made a mistake in this regard. This is normal unpredictable behaviour that we have to expect and prepare for.

Summernight correctly hung back and gave herself enough space and time to brake to avoid a possible left hook and subsequent collision, and her strategy worked perfectly.

What the eff are we whining about?

arkle

exactly. as what is stated above makes the truck driver a moron motorist.

[Ross]

yes, flashing versus solid beam can be a dilemma. i agree that motorists can find a flashing light difficult to assess for distance, although in my experience most motorists will hesitate as a result, which to me is a good thing. however a solid beam light can easily be missed within a background of lights, whereas a flashing light is quite distinctive.

I think it's more a case of the motorist recognises the flashing light as a cyclist and disregards it as nothing important whereas with a solid light they are unsure whether it is a bicycle or motorbike and because of this they err on the side of caution and don't pull out in front of it in case it is a motorbike.

[arkle]

The issue isn't that he turned wide as trucks have to. It's that there was about 1 metre to go before he reached the intersection where he slammed on the brakes and hit the indicator and turned immediately. If he'd given enough indication time then there wouldn't be a video to post.

This is true. The driver slammed on and hit the indicator simultaneously when he found the street he needed to turn down. He made a mistake in this regard. This is normal unpredictable behaviour that we have to expect and prepare for.

Summernight correctly hung back and gave herself enough space and time to brake to avoid a possible left hook and subsequent collision, and her strategy worked perfectly.

What the eff are we whining about?

arkle

exactly. as what is stated above makes the truck driver a moron motorist.

I challenge any motorist on this forum to claim that they have not braked suddenly to turn down a street they were unsure of the location of. It's not moron, it's normal human fallability. Everyone does it. You people talk like you are perfect superhero drivers.

arkle

[jasonc]

I challenge any motorist on this forum to claim that they have not braked suddenly to turn down a street they were unsure of the location of. It's not moron, it's normal human fallability. Everyone does it. You people talk like you are perfect superhero drivers.

arkle

that'd involve me remembering the last time my wife let me drive...

[Lukeyboy]

I challenge any motorist on this forum to claim that they have not braked suddenly to turn down a street they were unsure of the location of

Challenge accepted....oh wait... I don't drive...

[human909]

I challenge any motorist on this forum to claim that they have not braked suddenly to turn down a street they were unsure of the location of. It's not moron, it's normal human fallability. Everyone does it. You people talk like you are perfect superhero drivers.

When I drive, I use my mirrors to know what is behind me. I don't brake and change directions without ensuring that the way is clear. Is it too much to ask that a vehicle check for other traffic when changing direction?

Unfortunately Australian drivers rarely look for pedestrians and cyclists when driving.

[AKO]

I challenge any motorist on this forum to claim that they have not braked suddenly to turn down a street they were unsure of the location of. It's not moron, it's normal human fallability. Everyone does it. You people talk like you are perfect superhero drivers.

When I drive, I use my mirrors to know what is behind me. I don't brake and change directions without ensuring that the way is clear. Is it too much to ask that a vehicle check for other traffic when changing direction?

Unfortunately Australian drivers rarely look for pedestrians and cyclists when driving.

Never made a mistake on the road?