Cyclist aware drivers... are you one?

**seano87** · 21st June 2010, 07:07 PM

Well, how many of you consider yourself to be really cyclist aware?

I've been trying to get more into riding my bike to/from work lately, partially because I'm trying to be a bit more fit and active, and also because every time I drive the disco something else seems to go wrong!

Anyway, coming home this arvo, going around a roundabout, a woman had even stopped and hence I assumed she'd seen me (come on, white shirt, fluoro green backpack and all!), oh no, at the worst possible moment she accelerated and managed to slam into me side on, hit fair and square the exact middle of her grill. I got thrown up the bonnet then back off again as she hit the brakes and barrel rolled 4 times along the road.

I am actually fine, just some skin off the elbow, nothing else, bike is an absolute mess, about 2 inch warp on the back wheel, cracked gearset, crank bent under the frame. Woman was apologetic as hell, her husband even competes in road cycling races.

I guess the thing to take from it all is - maybe just be that little bit more aware when you're out and about driving, and look twice, it might be a fellow landy lover out there on a bike!!

Seano

**seano87** · 21st June 2010, 07:08 PM

Oh crap, i forgot the most important bit!!...

It dinted her shiny new Toyota

Treads · 21st June 2010, 07:33 PM

I'm aware that most cyclists I come across are

But I'm glad you're okay

**weeds** · 21st June 2010, 07:38 PM

this post will liven things up a bit

i am very cyclist aware, it only takes a few moment of your time in your trip to work in with them

**Matman** · 21st June 2010, 07:42 PM

Glad your ok,BUT it makes it hard to avoid cyclists when your doing 100kays and you come over a crest of a hill and there sitting in the lane,and you have nowhere to go as there is a truck coming up the hill from the other direction,and the only way to avoid them is by hitting the grass up the inside of them,and make sure the traffic behind you doesnt run up your ass from braking so hard.

**Blknight.aus** · 21st June 2010, 07:48 PM

Im cyclist friendly. except for the ones that try the 3rd lane trick at traffic lights and knock my left hand mirror out of adjustment. They get the fumigator treatment for as many K's as I can manage or untill they offer to adjust the mirror for me.

**one_iota** · 21st June 2010, 07:51 PM

I give cyclists a wide berth and respect that they have to share the road with motor vehicles. The odds aren't in the cyclist's favour so I'm glad that the odds fell in yours.

Having said that I have taken to suggesting out of the window to the odd one or two that insist on riding without lights at night that they should spend a little bit of money on active life assurance. The LED lights for bikes are fantastic and make my trip home so much more relaxing as a motorist.

**seano87** · 21st June 2010, 07:51 PM

Originally Posted by Treads

I'm aware that most cyclists I come across are

But I'm glad you're okay

Ahaha I actually know what you mean. I think some take the "road is there to share" message and miscontrue it as the cyclist can be absolutely oblivious to what goes on around them.

I actually ride a slightly longer route to work so I can do the majority of it on a bike path instead of being a royal nuisance taking up a lane on the road. Where it happened was on a roundabout that there isn't really another choice but to go on it, and she had even come to a complete stop as I was going around it. Ah well.

I wonder if anyone will chime in about how cyclists shouldn't be on the road since there's no rego fees or anything, which I think is actually a damn valid point - another reason I don't object to going a slightly longer route!!

**weeds** · 21st June 2010, 07:56 PM

Originally Posted by seano87

I wonder if anyone will chime in about how cyclists shouldn't be on the road since there's no rego fees or anything, which I think is actually a damn valid point - another reason I don't object to going a slightly longer route!!

oh it will come.....they ride two abreast, they ride through red light, dont stop at stop signs, they are noisy at 5am in the morning riding past my house, they cannot maintain the posted speed limit

re: round abouts, when possible i get out into the middle of the lane when going round, this way you are in the line of vision of the person entering the round about as they normally don't look at the outer edge

**bee utey** · 21st June 2010, 08:10 PM

It's amazing what some motorists can't see, like road signs, stop lights etc. I was waiting to cross at a pedestrian light in the middle of a roadworks area and watched 3 cars travelling nose to tail right through the red light. Yelling abuse at the drivers finally got the 4th one to stop.

Sometimes I think a cyclist would be more visible wearing no clothes at all...

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