Cyclists.

I simply can't believe the constant vitriol this thread has generated. Why does everyone get so mad at each other? In reality, some bike riders do dumb ****, and some car drivers do dumb ****. That is the nature of the human race. In between all that dumb ****, most people are doing - or trying to do - the right thing. We're all human and make mistakes sometimes.

I too have been held up by bikes at times - I just wait patiently until there is a safe opportunity to get around them, and carry on. I give them a wave and get to my destination maybe a minute later than I would have otherwise. I will always give a rider the room they need, they are just as entitled to use the road as a car driver - if you don't like the law, then petition your local member about it, because moaning on a forum sure won't change anything.

Life's too short - chill out.:)

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Originally Posted by bacicat

I simply can't believe the constant vitriol this thread has generated. Why does everyone get so mad at each other? In reality, some bike riders do dumb ****, and some car drivers do dumb ****. That is the nature of the human race. In between all that dumb ****, most people are doing - or trying to do - the right thing. We're all human and make mistakes sometimes.

I too have been held up by bikes at times - I just wait patiently until there is a safe opportunity to get around them, and carry on. I give them a wave and get to my destination maybe a minute later than I would have otherwise. I will always give a rider the room they need, they are just as entitled to use the road as a car driver - if you don't like the law, then petition your local member about it, because moaning on a forum sure won't change anything.

Life's too short - chill out.:)

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What he said!
A minority of cyclists are doodle brains, and a minority of motorists are too.
Pointless tarring all cyclists / motorists with the one brush.
The majority of both groups are doing the right thing and going unnoticed.
34 pages of pfaffing to and fro, getting all het up and insulting one another, and nobody's changed their view one iota.
Nor in my view are the rules and laws going to change.
Better off trying to find common ground and work out how we can all coexist on the road in a courteous and peaceful and safe manner.
With good manners.

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Originally Posted by bee utey

sum peeple looz 20 IQ points whenever they get outa bed and try comenting on the internetz wit dere folty speling grammer and punkshooashon:angel:

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sad thing is i made that post from bed.

also sad that you are attacking the poster but not the argument. and you have done it more than once.

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Originally Posted by bacicat

Life's too short

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life is too short to be held up by cyclists.

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Originally Posted by Eevo

sad thing is i made that post from bed.

also sad that you are attacking the poster but not the argument. and you have done it more than once.

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You can take my post anyway you like it, report it to the mods if you feel it's justified. Your argument is that cyclists lose IQ by getting on a bike? Spare me, that's an unevidenced ass-exertion not an argument.

Evidence shows the opposite, anyway:

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The research, commissioned by the British Heart Foundation to mark their 39th London to Brighton Bike Ride, found cyclists are considered to be 13 per cent more intelligent and ?cooler? and ten per cent more charitable than other people.

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'Cyclists are more intelligent, charitable and cool than the average person' says study - Cycling - Sport - The Independent

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Cycling makes you more intelligent!


Well, this isn't something I have cooked up. I read it in the news today: "Sich bewegen bringt doppelt Segen" (to take exercise is a double blessing). The article is based on a scientific study carried out in Sweden and claims that sport increases intelligence and slows down aging.

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Cycling is good for you: Cycling makes you more intelligent!

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Originally Posted by Eevo

life is too short to be held up by cyclists.

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Yet you have plenty of time to whine about it on the internet. :)

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Originally Posted by Eevo

life is too short to be held up by cyclists.

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Just glad you live in Adelaide. I pity the cyclists over there if that's your attitude. I hope your impatience won't get you in trouble one day, for the sake of the other road users.


Why are people always rushing these days. Sit back, relax, enjoy the ride. its a lot less stressful. You and others will live longer.

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Originally Posted by Eevo

life is too short to be held up by cyclists.

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And you only shorten it by stressing about cyclist's

It really is surprising that so many of you hate cyclists, because every time a cyclist gets on a bike he or she is doing you a huge favour. They are improving their health, so more hospital beds will be available for you to use. They are leaving their car at home, so you have less traffic to worry about and more parking spaces. They are cutting down on air pollution so the air you breathe is fresher and they use less fuel, so you don't have to wait in line at the pumps. They keep bike shops in business so less people are on the dole and they spend vast sums of money on expensive coffees so cafes can thrive. They pay taxes, but don't put any wear and tear on the roads. The list goes on and on.

Best of all, even though you are living in the age of pain free dentistry, with long life expectancy, in a first world country with an incredibly high standard of living, cyclists give you an opportunity to whine like spoiled children in the hope of attracting attention.

So next time you see a cyclist struggling up a hill, give him a wave of encouragement and remember that he's suffering for you too. Your own personal Jesus, in a small way.

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Originally Posted by Dave_S

It really is surprising that so many of you hate cyclists, because every time a cyclist gets on a bike he or she is doing you a huge favour. They are improving their health, so more hospital beds will be available for you to use. They are leaving their car at home, so you have less traffic to worry about and more parking spaces. They are cutting down on air pollution so the air you breathe is fresher and they use less fuel, so you don't have to wait in line at the pumps. They keep bike shops in business so less people are on the dole and they spend vast sums of money on expensive coffees so cafes can thrive. They pay taxes, but don't put any wear and tear on the roads. The list goes on and on.

Best of all, even though you are living in the age of pain free dentistry, with long life expectancy, in a first world country with an incredibly high standard of living, cyclists give you an opportunity to whine like spoiled children in the hope of attracting attention.

So next time you see a cyclist struggling up a hill, give him a wave of encouragement and remember that he's suffering for you too. Your own personal Jesus, in a small way.

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Dave I don't want to burst your myths, but being pedantic I have to say something.

Secondly I support your right and the right of other cyclists to use the road.

Myth one. "so more hospital beds will be available for you to use", cyclists are improving their health yes, but that could also be done by jogging around the local park. Cyclists do frequently fall off their bikes and not always because of impacts with cars, sometimes it is because of other cyclists or pedestrians and sometimes the cyclist was attempting someting in the wrong manner or too fast for the environment they were using. These cyclists take up beds in orthopaedic or neurological wards and rehabilitation centres. Therefore the cyclists may actually be occupying a hospital bed longer than than the average patient.

Myth two. "so you have less traffic to worry about" Motorists have to worry about all road users, including the cyclists who are often travelling in shared space at a different velocity to other road users.

Myth three. "more parking spaces" Frequently, particularly in the City of Sydney, cycle ways and cycle lanes have been created at the expense of the loss of roadside parking spaces.

Myth four. "They pay taxes, but don't put any wear and tear on the roads." We all pay taxes and most cyclists also have a car to drive (IMHO usually a Subaru Forester, the Volvo drivers of the 21st Century). Also there is a huge cost in providing cycle ways, Just look at the M7 motorway in Sydney, there are 2 lanes each way for motorists and there are also a cycle lane on the side of the car lanes in each direction plus along most of its length there is an additional dedicated cycle way in the motorway corridor on both sides of the motorway including cyclist only bridges and underpasses. The addition of cycle lane sequences at traffic lights is at huge additional expense to taxpayers.* Dedicated cycle ways place additional costs on local government maintaining the cycleways which is paid for by local ratepayers and profits of council car parks who are mostly not cyclists.

* I was quoted the price of $100,000 by Randwick City Council to change sequencing of the lights at Todman Ave and ANZAC Parade which didn't include placing any additional infrastructure or lamps, just a change in the timing and which lanes had which arrow at what time.

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Originally Posted by Lotz-A-Landies

Dave I don't want to burst your myths, but being pedantic I have to say something.

Secondly I support your right and the right of other cyclists to use the road.

Myth one. "so more hospital beds will be available for you to use", cyclists are improving their health yes, but that could also be done by jogging around the local park. Cyclists do frequently fall off their bikes and not always because of impacts with cars, sometimes it is because of other cyclists or pedestrians and sometimes the cyclist was attempting someting in the wrong manner or too fast for the environment they were using. These cyclists take up beds in orthopaedic or neurological wards and rehabilitation centres. Therefore the cyclists may actually be occupying a hospital bed longer than than the average patient.

Myth two. "so you have less traffic to worry about" Motorists have to worry about all road users, including the cyclists who are often travelling in shared space at a different velocity to other road users.

Myth three. "more parking spaces" Frequently, particularly in the City of Sydney, cycle ways and cycle lanes have been created at the expense of the loss of roadside parking spaces.

Myth four. "They pay taxes, but don't put any wear and tear on the roads." We all pay taxes and most cyclists also have a car to drive (IMHO usually a Subaru Forester, the Volvo drivers of the 21st Century). Also there is a huge cost in providing cycle ways, Just look at the M7 motorway in Sydney, there are 2 lanes each way for motorists and there are also a cycle lane on the side of the car lanes in each direction plus along most of its length there is an additional dedicated cycle way in the motorway corridor on both sides of the motorway including cyclist only bridges and underpasses. Dedicated cycle ways place additional costs on local government maintaining the cycleways which is paid for by local ratepayers and profits of council car parks who are mostly not cyclists.

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Ordinarily I wouldn't bother replying, but I may as well burst some of your myth bursting.

As to "myth one", cyclists do fall off from time to time. They recover quickly. I once fell off and broke my neck in six places. I was in hospital for six days. Another time I broke three ribs, punctured a lung and broke a foot in 3 places. I spent a whole eight hours in hospital that time. People who lead sedentary lifestyles tend to develop chronic illness and take up years worth of hospital time before shuffling off their mortal coil. It's nice of us cyclists to make room for them all.

In "myth two" you assume that all cyclists use roads, or at least major roads, all the time. Most people I know avoid cars, using pathways and backstreets wherever possible. I ride over 20kms each way to work, mostly on pathways. I could just ride 12kms on the road, but why would I risk being mown down by someone who wants to kill me just for being a cyclist?

No doubt for "myth three" you can produce some dodgy statistic about the Sydney CDB, but the reality is that town planners want cars and trucks out of central urban areas. Billions are being spent on bypasses, parking fees are increasing and more clearways are being declared. It's a bit of a stretch to blame cyclists for that. Every time you find a parking space, just be grateful that someone decided to cycle instead of driving their Land Rover and beating you to it.

I don't really know what you're getting at with "myth four", except to point out that you hate people who drive Volvos and Subaru Foresters. I have two Volvos by the way, neither of which is likely to hold you up. If you're saying that it's unfair that cyclists benefit from tax expenditure, are you saying that people who don't have kids shouldn't pay tax that goes to support schools? Whatever you're trying to say, it doesn't seem to make much sense.

At the end of the day, none of this matters. If cyclists are forced to pay registration and banned from most roads, people will still hate them. But bikes are here to stay and sad little people will remain free to hate them.