Thread: Disgraceful behaviour by Discovery driver

Originally Posted by cuppabillytea

I recall incidents where pedestrians have been injured and even killed by bicycles..

You mention 'incidents'......how many can you recall?? They would certainly make the news therefore I wouldn't mind researching them.

I read a web page yesterday where a lady was on a training run and was hit by a cyclist and was in an induced coma for a period of time.......she indicated she was at fault.......

Out of the very small number of pedestrians killed I wonder what the % was where the pedestrian was at fault.

Oh, I do tour de suburbs and never ride on pathway as a pedestrian or kid will come off second best when I'm doing 30km/hr. Bikes on pathways should be limited to 8km/hr.

Bikes on pathways should be limited to 8km/hr. What about the killer grannies cruising the footpaths road ways and such in their mobility scoots. You get little if no warning and very often , it seems , you the pedestrian have to give way to them. At least when it comes to myself getting one I will at least try for a small block V8 powered unit. At least they will know I am coming

Originally Posted by weeds

Bikes on pathways should be limited to 8km/hr.

Is it legal to ride bikes on pathways in Australia? In the UK I was always told that it was only legal for kids.
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Edit: Just looked it up. It's not legal in NSW, WA or Victoria, but is in TAS, QLD and the ACT. From Sydneycycleways.net:

"Bike riders cannot:

• Ride on the footpath, unless the bike rider is under the age of 12, accompanying a rider under 12, or the footpath is a designated shared path."

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Accidents may not always be reported, and social media would only be "interested" if there was a video, as with the Disco driver in this thread.

So for example, many years ago I stepped out of a doorway early in the morning, and was clipped by a guy riding at speed along the footpath. There was no way I could see him coming, and he had no chance of stopping. Luckily for me it was a glancing blow, I honestly don't remember if I was injured but it was certainly nothing serious. He, whether attempting to avoid me or simply "bouncing", piled in to the wall sustaining cuts, bruises and a bent bike.

I did not report the event, I was not injured so why would I bother? He (I assume) did not report the event, because he was in the wrong and probably mighty embarrassed by the whole thing. I would assume that much the same would apply to most people if it happened today.

Equally, as a cyclist, I have clipped, and been clipped by people I have been riding/racing with. Sometimes this would result in people being unseated, and sustaining a bit of gravel rash. But those accidents were never reported to the police, and again I assume the same would apply today.

In the event that started this thread, whether the driver was being negligent, dangerous or deliberately aggressive, if it had happened when I was cycling it would have been discussed later at the pub and then forgotten. Nothing more would have happened, and nobody outside the group of people involved would ever have known about it.

It seems very likely that the only events that get posted or reported are those where somebody has an axe to grind, or a desire to get "Likes". So assessing the prevalence of accidents based on social media and official reports may not give the full picture.

Originally Posted by rick130

... ... ....

Just t get it back on topic....

Is there any news on the Disco driver and has he been charged with anything ?It is unlikely he would be charged with anything if no-one was injured and no property was damaged.
Did anything happen prior to the vid we've all seen ?
What happened before is almost certainly irrelevant. It seems that what happened before is that the driver overshot the driveway into which he intended to turn.
Have the police issued a statement ?
I doubt that they would be interested.

I think the police would consider this a bit of a non-event.
The full version of the video strongly indicates that all that happened was that a driver missed his turn and backed up without looking.
While it was very careless of the driver, there is no evidence of road rage and no evidence of malicious intent.
Things might have been different if he had actually injured or killed one of the cyclists, but he didn't.
Drivers, motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians have near misses every day. The police are not likely to be interested in any of them.

Originally Posted by Warb

Is it legal to ride bikes on pathways in Australia? In the UK I was always told that it was only legal for kids.
=========
Edit: Just looked it up. It's not legal in NSW, WA or Victoria, but is in TAS, QLD and the ACT. From Sydneycycleways.net:

"Bike riders cannot:

• Ride on the footpath, unless the bike rider is under the age of 12, accompanying a rider under 12, or the footpath is a designated shared path."

=========

[snip]

I've only been in the ACT since October and Canberra is amazing with cycleways everywhere.
Most all are shared with pedestrians and everyone gets on and gives each other space, and most riders that don't have a bell call out which side they are passing on.
The footpath outside my house is a shared path with a line down the centre. I have to back out blind, trees and shrubs block my view so I crawl out in low range yet most cyclists politely wait and driving in I generally give way to them.
It's all very civilised and courteous.

Originally Posted by vnx205

I think the police would consider this a bit of a non-event.
The full version of the video strongly indicates that all that happened was that a driver missed his turn and backed up without looking.
While it was very careless of the driver, there is no evidence of road rage and no evidence of malicious intent.
Things might have been different if he had actually injured or killed one of the cyclists, but he didn't.
Drivers, motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians have near misses every day. The police are not likely to be interested in any of them.

Ta, I missed that.

Originally Posted by weeds

You mention 'incidents'......how many can you recall?? They would certainly make the news therefore I wouldn't mind researching them.

I read a web page yesterday where a lady was on a training run and was hit by a cyclist and was in an induced coma for a period of time.......she indicated she was at fault.......

Out of the very small number of pedestrians killed I wonder what the % was where the pedestrian was at fault.

Oh, I do tour de suburbs and never ride on pathway as a pedestrian or kid will come off second best when I'm doing 30km/hr. Bikes on pathways should be limited to 8km/hr.

As I recall the pedestrian in the single incident that i was thinking of, was crossing against a red light. That said, the possibility is still there and I think the idea that all of us should be indemnified is not a bad idea.

Originally Posted by MrLandy

Everything on the planet is a shared resource.

Every thing except that which is mine.