The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...
- bychosis
- Posts: 7268
- Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2012 1:10 pm
- Location: Lake Macquarie
Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...
Postby bychosis » Fri Jul 26, 2013 6:30 am
- rheicel
- Posts: 2303
- Joined: Sat Jul 14, 2012 5:01 pm
- Location: Sydney
- Contact:
Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...
Postby rheicel » Fri Jul 26, 2013 6:44 am
Maybe they are on a quality training?AP81 wrote:I also find it amusing that there is always some joker that has a burning desire to overtake road-racers. Most of these idiots barely ride more than a few blocks, but put the hammer down to prove some kind of idiotic point.
I saw a hipster pull into the car lane to overtake a roadie...he didn't look whilst pulling out and almost got cleaned up by a bull-bar.
-
- Posts: 45
- Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2011 8:16 am
Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...
Postby ausmomo » Fri Jul 26, 2013 7:11 am
1) Cruising through Brisbane's Southbank, at about 15kmph (speed limit is 10, but I'm not even sure if that speed is possible). I pass a bloke going the other way, and he's walking these two really weird looking dogs. I spent WAY too much time staring at them. I look back at where I'm going, and I'm about to crash into the back of a couple who were walking. Slam the brakes on and yell a warning. No time to dodge. Stopped about 30cm short of hitting them. Yes, silly me.
2) On Saturday a friend picked up her new bike - her first "real" road bike (one of the $3k Giants)(she upgraded from a flatbar). On Sunday we all went for a gentle, family ride so she could get used to it. I was following one of the group's 10 year old son. A bit too closely. We got to a short, steep section, and the kid slowed down to almost nothing. There was on-coming traffic to the right, and I could hear/sense someone to my left. But I had to stop, stalled, and fell. To my left. On to this friend and her brand new bike. Slightly scratched her Ultegra DI2 rear derailleur. God I feel like an idiot. It's been 6 days and the shame still burns.
Both incidents 100% my fault. Both getting too close to others. Not sure how/when I got too cocky, but will do my best to be more careful.
- VRE
- Posts: 582
- Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2012 9:14 am
- Location: Ringwood North, VIC, Australia
Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...
Postby VRE » Fri Jul 26, 2013 7:22 am
The cyclist could have easily given more room when overtaking.bychosis wrote:That damned Strava, costing humanity common courtesy. Still, the pedestrian should not have stepped out like that into what is obviously a bike zone.
- K2
- Posts: 172
- Joined: Thu May 19, 2011 5:35 am
Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...
Postby K2 » Fri Jul 26, 2013 1:49 pm
Glad you both got away relatively unscathed. People coming out from behind or betwixt parked vehicles (especially vans or bigger) without looking, either onto the road or onto the path, isn't really something you can prepare for. It's happened to me a couple of times when pootling along a path. They bolt across the road to beat traffic, continue on between the parked vehicles, then suddenly appear on the path and decide to stop smack in front of you. Anything bigger than a standard car for the preceding vehicle or two is enough to block any sight of them crossing.AP81 wrote:Had a drunk man the other day walk out from behind a parked car into the bike lane at 8.30am. With about a car's length noticed, grabbed both front and rear, almost locked, hit him at about 5km/h (was probably travelling in the low 30's).
We exchanged words and went on our way.
I find lots of things amusing (as well as beautiful, annoying, etc) whilst out and about, but find it best not to assume too much about other riders because what they're wearing or riding doesn't necessarily reflect what they might be doing.AP81 wrote:I also find it amusing that there is always some joker that has a burning desire to overtake road-racers. Most of these idiots barely ride more than a few blocks, but put the hammer down to prove some kind of idiotic point. I saw a hipster pull into the car lane to overtake a roadie...he didn't look whilst pulling out and almost got cleaned up by a bull-bar.
Fer instance, on my regular jaunts down to the coast and back of a weekend I regularly pass folk kitted out in full advertising hoarding atop featherlite machines (for anyone thinking it, no one else I pass seems to react the same, indeed it is only the odd gentleman thusly attired who ever does) who seem to take offence at being passed by an older chap wearing shorts and a t-shirt aboard a 20 year old cro-mo mtb (for all I know they react similarly when passed by anyone, and it may just be any one of those things that sets them off rather than the whole "just going to the shops" package). Quite regularly some of them see it as a challenge and invariably rub shoulders as they pass by on their merry way (I'm left to assume that they've mistaken a total stranger for someone accustomed to riding in a peloton, or perhaps have a less comradely reason for doing so). Almost as regularly they'll only manage to pull a few hundred metres ahead before dropping back to match my pace, for a short while at least, before either dropping off very quickly or suddenly needing to pull to the side of the road to fiddle with something. Doesn't just happen on the road. Similar thing often happens whilst lapping at the local park.
I think folk doing this fail to realize I (for example) can sit on a fairly constant average around 30kph and on a good day can do so for the 40 to 80ks I'm intending putting in (provided headwinds aren't gluing the tyres to the road). I've often seen them about a kilometre out (depending on the stretch of road) and have watched them toddling along quite happily at 25ish for the 10 minutes or so it's taken to catch up (yes, figures are rubbery). I can even take a pretty good guess at the ones who are going to put in a short spurt as they'll always fail to respond to my "Morning" when passed. And yes, it can be quite amusing when you see someone lift and quickly thereafter discover they were already almost at their limit. Suppressing a little snort as you pass them the second time is best though, for big as you think your day's ride has been (or is going to be), you've got no way of knowing that they aren't nearing the completion of a circumnavigation of the continent, or that you just happened to catch them at the sprint part of their training regime, or indeed that they just got a little excited by a rabbit.
I've taken the long way round, but to my way of thinking you may find you get a little less worked up about being overtaken if you try not to assume too much about other riders. I get passed by all sorts too (obviously) and the only time it concerns me at all is if I am endangered by the act.
We all find whatever reasons we can to overcome the hurt and push on that little bit harder/further. It isn't necessarily fun, but if you can make it so, or find a reason to raise a smile whilst your body/mind are telling you to stop, then all power to you.
I'm not trying to pick on you AP81. I know you were leading up to the unsafe part. There just seems to be a lot of competitive type behaviour (nature of the beast I guess) brought up in this thread and it regularly leans towards the us vs them and MGIF stuff that we call motorists out on....and I felt like a bit of a rant and this seemed like as good a place as any to hang it.
In a similar vein, anyone else get a little slack jawed when some kid next to them on the footpath easily revs it up to in excess of 40kph on a bmx they can't even sit down on whilst pedaling?
- InTheWoods
- Posts: 1900
- Joined: Sun Jul 31, 2011 2:34 pm
- Location: Brisbane
Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...
Postby InTheWoods » Fri Jul 26, 2013 1:50 pm
Why should he. The duck didn't pay for that road.VRE wrote:The cyclist could have easily given more room when overtaking.bychosis wrote:That damned Strava, costing humanity common courtesy. Still, the pedestrian should not have stepped out like that into what is obviously a bike zone.
- g-boaf
- Posts: 21442
- Joined: Mon Sep 26, 2011 6:11 pm
Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...
Postby g-boaf » Fri Jul 26, 2013 2:17 pm
And make sure when you are passing you say hello in a totally effortless manner and look like you are just rolling along easily!
-
- Posts: 315
- Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2011 11:24 am
Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...
Postby AP81 » Fri Jul 26, 2013 4:10 pm
Duly noted, I think g-boaf hit the nail on the head...K2 wrote:
I'm not trying to pick on you AP81. I know you were leading up to the unsafe part. There just seems to be a lot of competitive type behaviour (nature of the beast I guess) brought up in this thread and it regularly leans towards the us vs them and MGIF stuff that we call motorists out on....and I felt like a bit of a rant and this seemed like as good a place as any to hang it.
g-boaf wrote:If you are going to pass, do it properly and don't give them a chance to get you back. If they can't see you in the distance....
And make sure when you are passing you say hello in a totally effortless manner and look like you are just rolling along easily!
- Lukeyboy
- Posts: 3621
- Joined: Tue May 29, 2012 2:38 am
Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...
Postby Lukeyboy » Fri Jul 26, 2013 4:27 pm
Is eating a cheese and bacon bread roll (more like a loaf) from the bakery on the TT bike with one hand on your chin/elbow on the elbow pad and the other hand holding the bread roll/on the bars and saying hello/friendly nod too......much of a tease?.....g-boaf wrote:And make sure when you are passing you say hello in a totally effortless manner and look like you are just rolling along easily!
- Saturnstarzz
- Posts: 267
- Joined: Wed May 02, 2012 9:06 pm
Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...
Postby Saturnstarzz » Fri Jul 26, 2013 5:46 pm
-
- Posts: 996
- Joined: Sun Oct 09, 2011 2:36 pm
Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...
Postby AndrewBurns » Fri Jul 26, 2013 6:17 pm
-
- Posts: 12209
- Joined: Thu Feb 24, 2011 3:40 pm
- Location: Brisbane
Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...
Postby jasonc » Fri Jul 26, 2013 8:22 pm
finally cracked it at the cars driving with a wheel and mirror in the "bike lane" along sylvan rd (toowong). was going slow enough, cars were stopped. said car had 2 wheels (and left hand mirror) in the "bike lane". It got a whack. (cars were banked/stopped). as I rolled away I heard them beep their horn. probably don't even know what they did wrong.
- Lukeyboy
- Posts: 3621
- Joined: Tue May 29, 2012 2:38 am
Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...
Postby Lukeyboy » Fri Jul 26, 2013 9:46 pm
jasonc wrote:Me tonight:
finally cracked it at the cars driving with a wheel and mirror in the "bike lane" along sylvan rd (toowong). was going slow enough, cars were stopped. said car had 2 wheels (and left hand mirror) in the "bike lane". It got a whack. (cars were banked/stopped). as I rolled away I heard them beep their horn. probably don't even know what they did wrong.
-
- Posts: 375
- Joined: Mon Aug 22, 2011 7:02 pm
Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...
Postby tubby74 » Sun Jul 28, 2013 1:13 pm
- ColinOldnCranky
- Posts: 6734
- Joined: Fri Feb 27, 2009 4:58 pm
Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...
Postby ColinOldnCranky » Sun Jul 28, 2013 1:30 pm
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2
- Dragster1
- Posts: 1540
- Joined: Mon Jul 08, 2013 9:46 pm
- Location: Eluding motorist
Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...
Postby Dragster1 » Sun Jul 28, 2013 2:54 pm
I hate that bit of the road, have had so many incidents, one where a D---head pull over to use his mobile and blocked the bike lane and forced me up the gutter and then you get people opening car doors on you.jasonc wrote:Me tonight:
finally cracked it at the cars driving with a wheel and mirror in the "bike lane" along sylvan rd (toowong). was going slow enough, cars were stopped. said car had 2 wheels (and left hand mirror) in the "bike lane". It got a whack. (cars were banked/stopped). as I rolled away I heard them beep their horn. probably don't even know what they did wrong.
- VRE
- Posts: 582
- Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2012 9:14 am
- Location: Ringwood North, VIC, Australia
Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...
Postby VRE » Sun Jul 28, 2013 5:36 pm
When I pass motorists using their phones while parked in the bike lane, I give them a good long AirZound blast just as I ride past their driver's window . Yes, I know, technically I shouldn't be using the horn for that, but when motorists are parked in the bike lane for no justifiable reason, I feel it's my duty to disrupt their phone call.Dragster1 wrote:I hate that bit of the road, have had so many incidents, one where a D---head pull over to use his mobile and blocked the bike lane and forced me up the gutter and then you get people opening car doors on you.jasonc wrote:Me tonight:
finally cracked it at the cars driving with a wheel and mirror in the "bike lane" along sylvan rd (toowong). was going slow enough, cars were stopped. said car had 2 wheels (and left hand mirror) in the "bike lane". It got a whack. (cars were banked/stopped). as I rolled away I heard them beep their horn. probably don't even know what they did wrong.
- Ross
- Posts: 5742
- Joined: Sat Nov 07, 2009 8:53 pm
Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...
Postby Ross » Mon Jul 29, 2013 2:17 pm
Apart from me nearly hitting them (actually they nearly hit me; distinct difference) about 100m behind me is a major tee intersection where vehicles can quickly come around the blind corner onto the road we were on. Luckily for these clowns this didn't happen or that would of been their last bike ride.
- jules21
- Posts: 10555
- Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 11:14 pm
- Location: deep in the pain cave
Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...
Postby jules21 » Mon Jul 29, 2013 2:39 pm
they'll get their driver's licenses back soon enoughRoss wrote:Two tradies riding bikes this morning at about 6.30am in the city area coming toward me diagonally heading on a collision course across their 2 lanes and unbroken centre line across first of "my" lanes and then into the lane I was in. No lights on (though I could see them because they had reflective hi-vis shirt on and I had my AYUPs on plus there were street lamps) and I think a construction helmet instead of bicycle helmet. First guy saw me at the last minute and swerved away, second guy saw first guy swerve and worked out what was happening (I think...may be giving him too much credit! ) and swerved as well.
Apart from me nearly hitting them (actually they nearly hit me; distinct difference) about 100m behind me is a major tee intersection where vehicles can quickly come around the blind corner onto the road we were on. Luckily for these clowns this didn't happen or that would of been their last bike ride.
- find_bruce
- Moderator
- Posts: 10595
- Joined: Mon May 09, 2011 8:42 pm
- Location: Sydney
Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...
Postby find_bruce » Mon Jul 29, 2013 6:55 pm
- Mulger bill
- Super Mod
- Posts: 29060
- Joined: Sun Sep 24, 2006 2:41 pm
- Location: Sunbury Vic
Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...
Postby Mulger bill » Mon Jul 29, 2013 7:04 pm
Had to take the smokebox to the mechanics first thing to get a leak fixed. No drama, throw the Fixed and stuff into the boot the night before so it's just coffee, clothes and away.
Forgot the lid No option but to ride free the 4kms home. Sorta felt good...
London Boy 29/12/2011
- find_bruce
- Moderator
- Posts: 10595
- Joined: Mon May 09, 2011 8:42 pm
- Location: Sydney
Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...
Postby find_bruce » Mon Jul 29, 2013 8:33 pm
- trailgumby
- Posts: 15469
- Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2009 5:30 pm
- Location: Northern Beaches, Sydney
- Contact:
Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...
Postby trailgumby » Mon Jul 29, 2013 9:43 pm
Haha, yes. I was ten minutes into my 30km commute home from Homebush a couple of years ago, and this kid on a department store mtb just winds it up and flies past me up the rise and then pulls into a driveway a few doors up. Cheeky bugger, didn't give me a chance to reel him in!K2 wrote:In a similar vein, anyone else get a little slack jawed when some kid next to them on the footpath easily revs it up to in excess of 40kph on a bmx they can't even sit down on whilst pedaling?
Used to get a few roadies laugh as I went past doing hill repeats "Geez, we can't let a mountain bike beat us! " but I've given back most of those fitness gains and am rebuilding again.
- Summernight
- Posts: 2073
- Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2012 3:40 pm
- Location: Melbourne
Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...
Postby Summernight » Wed Jul 31, 2013 3:33 pm
Zombie pedestrian (wearing earphones with music/whatever clearly up too loud and not looking before stepping out onto the road) from yesterday evening's commute. He didn't turn around at any point in time, even when I was right near him and trying to get his attention.
For a speed reference I was going max 15kph or so as I'd just had to manoeuvre around parking cars.
- BianchiCam
- Posts: 667
- Joined: Mon Feb 18, 2013 12:42 pm
- Location: Sunny Coast. Oop Norf!
Re: The Dumb Cyclists and Pedestrians thread...
Postby BianchiCam » Wed Jul 31, 2013 5:48 pm
How I managed to survive London for 3 years still perplexes me!
Return to “General Cycling Discussion”
- General Australian Cycling Topics
- Info / announcements
- Buying a bike / parts
- General Cycling Discussion
- The Bike Shed
- Cycling Health
- Cycling Safety and Advocacy
- Women's Cycling
- Bike & Gear Reviews
- Cycling Trade
- Stolen Bikes
- Bicycle FAQs
- The Market Place
- Member to Member Bike and Gear Sales
- Want to Buy, Group Buy, Swap
- My Bikes or Gear Elsewhere
- Serious Biking
- Audax / Randonneuring
- Retro biking
- Commuting
- MTB
- Recumbents
- Fixed Gear/ Single Speed
- Track
- Electric Bicycles
- Cyclocross and Gravel Grinding
- Dragsters / Lowriders / Cruisers
- Children's Bikes
- Cargo Bikes and Utility Cycling
- Road Racing
- Road Biking
- Training
- Time Trial
- Triathlon
- International and National Tours and Events
- Cycle Touring
- Touring Australia
- Touring Overseas
- Touring Bikes and Equipment
- Australia
- Western Australia
- New South Wales
- Queensland
- South Australia
- Victoria
- ACT
- Tasmania
- Northern Territory
- Country & Regional
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: Google Feedfetcher, Mr Purple
- All times are UTC+10:00
- Top
- Delete cookies
About the Australian Cycling Forums
The Australian Cycling Forums is a welcoming community where you can ask questions and talk about the type of bikes and cycling topics you like.
Bicycles Network Australia
Forum Information
Connect with BNA
This website uses affiliate links to retail platforms including ebay, amazon, proviz and ribble.