Thread: Cyclist aware drivers... are you one?

They have been listening.
road speed | road safety

Originally Posted by abaddonxi

They have been listening.
road speed | road safety

Good article. We need it in many urban centres in NZ too.

This bit of logic doesn't make much sense to me though.

But the NRMA said reducing speed limits on suburban streets could worsen congestion.

"Dropping the speed limit to 40km/h on these roads could make an already congested road network even less efficient, while doing little to encourage more cycling,'' a spokesman said.

If everyone travels to their usual destination, leaving at the usual time, but travelling slower, how does this increase congestion if everyone supposedly sticks to the lowered speed limits?

EDIT: Thought about it over a coffee and some lunch.

If 20 drivers leave suburb A and need to drive through Suburb B enroute to 'burb C, they are going to take slightly longer to do it so are going to meet 20 folk on the road in the transited 'burbs enroute who they normally wouldn't drive with. Folk in 'burb A will either have to leave earlier or rely on the folk in 'burbs B & C to get on their bikes instead. Over time, the congestion will ease as more motorists see safer roads due to lower speeds and congestions are lessened... easy with a bit of caffeinated logic...

Originally Posted by Dave_S

Someone else might, but there is little point. A person doesn't have to be a cyclist to break the law and behave badly. You (and several others above, particularly Chad) have simply chosen an identifiable group to single out for undeserved abuse.

You are driven by exactly the same motivation as those who demand that four wheel drives be banned. Self righteous indignation and vitriol is often entertaining but rarely persuasive. Your arguments are anecdotal rather than factual and take little account of reality. In short, you've got nothing.

As big guy suggests, it's time to ride some bikes.

Thank You for agreeing that cyclists do break the law and behave badly (as indeed many other demographics may do). Thank You for supporting my point that cyclists are "identifiable" yet they are not held to account for their actions.
Please show me where I have given any undeserved abuse or indeed any abuse for that matter. (I think I have been very reasonable and polite).
Where have I called for cyclists to be banned or demonstrated any motivation to restrict or impede cyclists beyond what is reasonable discussion?
Please read all my posts and you will see my arguments are not anecdotal and are supported by many facts.

In length, I have over several posts pointed out problems that need to be addressed. If you perceive me as self righteous that is fine, I consider that I am giving reasonable argument for my case but as the moderator has already suggested many have made personal attacks on ones character (both sides).

Perhaps it is time this subject is closed (Luckily I am in a position to further my quest to address many of these issues) Part of one of the groups I am currently in a formal discussion group with, is the upgrading of a current busy metro road that is being considered for change to a "clearway" to which I am actively supporting measures to address cyclist safety/road safety in general.

Self righteous and vitriolic I think not.................

Im off this Topic, follow the Rules or Don't ride near me its as easy as that...

If your as Law abiding as you all say...

Then you won't get hit,

Good Luck and stay safe....

But remeber, the law of Physics Never changes, and the Larger, heavier, vehicle will Always win...

So don't CHALLENGE them, show some RESPECT and we should all be HAPPY..

If only it was that EASY....

And by the Way to all you LYCRA wearing Pansies...

Harden UP, i was only **** Stiring you, surely taking Offence to that isn't very Australian???

Take a BAG of CONCRETE with you SOY DECAFE SKINNY FRAPPE MOCHACINNIO, and Harden up a bit.....

Im a little annoyed how Sooky you all get...

Are we on a 4wd site, or talking bout knitting, or Quilting??

There is JOKES on here, about Gays, Muslims and Religion, and you are taking offence to some stirring about the BULGES, you like to show off in your Pretty little Lycra Underwear??

And to one of the previous Posts about me seeing Some of the HOTTIES he rides with, as much as I dislike you all, clogging the Roads 2 or 3 wide, there is definately some hotties in there tights.... Just a bit confronting on how much you should be paying attention, too the until you DECIPHER the SEX...

Chad

I'm an extremely aware of cyclists type of driver.
15 or so years ago, whilst still in my teens, a driver opened their door on me whilst I was riding on the Great Western Highway at Blaxland in the mountains. Sent me flying into the second lane. If a car or truck had been coming past at the same time, it wouldn't have been pretty.

The fact is, it really doesn't take a lot to look out for cyclists. They are extremely vunerable on the roads and will always come off second best. That doesn't excuse some of their behaviour, mind you.

As a 'summer cyclist', (I can't stand riding in the cold winter months in Melbourne!), it irritates me when many of them don't obey road rules, but that goes for vehicles as well.

Before turning corners etc, I tend to look at parts of the road where cyclists could be, and I check my mirror before opening my door. I don't want to be responsible for injuring them.

Cheers
Chris

Thommo wrote,...

So many years ago when I was stepping out of a Postie Van onto the footpath and a cyclist cut off of the road, onto the path to avoid the lights at the intersection, collected me and broke 2 ribs and punctured my lung. Does this mean cyclist do not inflict injury! (Not to mention everyone's mail scattered all over the pavement).

Hello Thommo,

I am sorry that this happened to you, not nice at all. I know that I have never ridden in a manner such as that, and I would doubt that any other cyclist that spends large sums of money on his or her bike would be riding like that either. Having said that there are many bikes that don't cost near as much, and riders that use them in a less than professional manner.

I think that the popularity of cycling as a sport although it is gradually building in Australia maybe a contributing factor to the agitation that does exist between motorists and cyclists from time to time. In Europe where cycling is huge and population densities far higher than in Australia and our cities, there is nothing like the problems that we experience here.

Cycling as a sport is the world's second largest, only Soccer is more popular. The Tour de France is the world's largest annual sporting event, only exceeded in popularity by the Olympic games and world cup soccer, both of which only occur every 4 years. To compare how popular cycling and cyclists (pro racing cyclists) in Europe are compared to sports and sports people in Australia is just not possible.

Cycling is a great sport, extremely tough with the top professional cyclists amongst the fittest humans on earth. You only have to look at their V02 readings for this to be confirmed. The current world road champion is Australian Cadel Evans, and he has one of the highest readings of any athlete tested at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra.

Cozy Beehive: Science Of Cadel Evans From Dr. David Martin | Facebook

Cycling is a great sport,..what is there not to like...



Ron.

Originally Posted by John W

I can get around a round about, about as quick on my bike as a P plater in a WRX and cars just don't expect that so you get to assume that they are going to hit you and so you make allowances to be able to stop in mid flight around the things for those drivers. A mate I ride with had to come to a screeching stop one day in his car as I rode around one, that cost him!

Truck drivers, nothing! Try coach drivers, they would have to be schooled in how to kill cyclists.

Two abreast, well that is legal in NSW. Suck it up.

Over the crest at 100k and nowhere to go to avoid the cyclists? What if it was a cow on the road or a great hole or your mothers car broken down or a horse and cart or tractor or roo or your child who had run onto the road to wave to the cyclists... If you are going over a crest at a speed that you can not stop in the visible road then slow down!

So cyclists can ride at 60km/hr over a hill?How slow do you have to go in a hundred zone before someone else runs up your ass?And i did manage to avoid him but it wasnt speed related as some one doing 40km/hr would have done the same thing.My aunty ran up the back of a bus and she was only doing 60km/hr as the dopey idiot was parked in the middle of a lane over a crest of a hill,now she gets around on crutches.And motor cycle riders arent allowed to ride two abreast for safety reasons why do cyclists think they have the right to do it.

Originally Posted by Matman

So cyclists can ride at 60km/hr over a hill?How slow do you have to go in a hundred zone before someone else runs up your ass?And i did manage to avoid him but it wasnt speed related as some one doing 40km/hr would have done the same thing.My aunty ran up the back of a bus and she was only doing 60km/hr as the dopey idiot was parked in the middle of a lane over a crest of a hill,now she gets around on crutches.And motor cycle riders arent allowed to ride two abreast for safety reasons why do cyclists think they have the right to do it.

We don't think we have the right to ride two abreast, we DO have the right.

A motorbike has a motor-- Simple really-- makes noise -- has proper lights and dominates the road much more than a bike with pedals.

Come on guys, its not rocket science. Give a cyclist some room as we are here to stay and the more we ride the better we look in lycra and the less we clog the health system with obesity related illnesses.

Slow down and live and let us do the same.