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Fluff.Originally Posted by V8Ian
City folk. Who cares?
It's best summed up in the last line of this news article.
Interestingly, I was near the city area on Saturday. Beach Road. There were cyclists in the left hand lane, I was in the centre lane. I passed many cyclists without a problem. I passed one who was gaining on two riding two abreast. I slowed due to traffic congestion. The lone cyclist passed between me and those riding two abreast thus riding three abreast which is breaking a road rule. He then stopped and decided to abuse me. I ignored him and continued on my way when the traffic light changed from red to green.Bicycle Network wants to slow speed limit to 30km/h around Melbourne
SPEEDS across the city would be slashed to 30km/h and cyclists would be allowed on footpaths under a plan to get more people onto bikes.
The go-slow streets identified, some where speeds would be halved, include St Kilda Rd, Royal Parade, Victoria St, Brunswick St and Footscray Rd.
But the plan has brewed up a road war and critics have slammed the proposal as “concerning”, saying elderly pedestrians and young children should not have to walk the gauntlet of bikes.
Peak cycling body Bicycle Network wants VicRoads to consider the radical measures
as a congestion-busting plan to solve MelbourneÂ’s growing pains.
Cyclists want the 30km/h limit to apply to all local roads, the CBD grid, and major approach routes to the city.
Bicycle Network chief executive Craig Richards said the difference in impact between a car hitting a cyclist at 60km/h and 30km/h increases the chance of survival from 10 per cent to 90 per cent.
Speeds across the city would be slashed to 30km/h and cyclists would be allowed on footpaths under a plan to get more people onto bikes.
“We believe 30km/h is the magical speed limit,” Mr Richards said.
“If cars and cyclists are travelling at the same speed bike riders feel much more comfortable.
“We want a liveable city where bikes and walking are prioritised and cars barrelling down at 60km/h do not encourage safe riding.”
Lord Mayor Robert Doyle said there was no need to drop the speed below 40km/h.
“Since we lowered the speed limit to 40km/h throughout the CBD grid, I’m pleased to say that we have not had a single road related death,” Cr Doyle said.
Dave Jones, RACV Roads and Traffic Manager, said it was against lower speed limits.
“The RACV believes Melbourne’s CBD should remain consistent with statewide speed restrictions — 40km/h zones are used across the state in areas with high pedestrian activity and where workers are on roads,” Mr Jones said.
Cyclists also want laws changed to allow people of all ages to ride bicycles on footpaths.
In Victoria only children up to 12 can ride on a footpath with a supervising adult.
Mr Richards said Victoria and NSW were the only states that did not allow footpath riding for all.
Since lowering the speed limit to 40km/h throughout the CBD grid there has not been a single road related death.
“It would encourage more people to ride in places where the road is too dangerous,” he said.
While some people might be worried about speeding cyclists on footpaths,” Mr Richards said serious riders would choose to ride on the road.
Victoria Walks chief executive Ben Rossiter said the shared footpath proposal was “very concerning”.
“It is paramount that people feel safe when walking on footpaths without having to worry about being hit by a cyclist,” Dr Rossiter said.
“The footpaths in the CBD don’t have enough room for all the walkers, let alone bikes as well.”
VicRoads said it had no plans to reduce the speed and did not support adult cyclists using footpaths.
The lone cyclist then turned his attention to the car behind me hitting and gesticulating that car. He was rather animated. I was watching this in my rear view mirror as the car ran the cyclist into the gutter and then drove slowly at the left preventing the cyclist from passing on the inside. Whenever the cyclist swung out right to overtake (causing the motorists in the centre lane to brake heavily) the car would speed up and then slowed when the cyclist moved left again. I lost sight of them.
Which brings me to the newspaper article four days ago.
Cyclists need to obey road laws — and pay registration to get respect
OUR roads exist to allow cars, trucks, trams — and bikes — to move people and goods efficiently from A to B. Yet cyclists are easily the most hated road users. And with good reason. Due to a variety of poor behaviours, bike riders are often their own worst enemies. It’s time cyclists either shaped up or took their Lycra elsewhere.
On some days I either drive or catch public transport to work. Several times a week, however, I ride my bike instead. During those cycle commutes I witness first-hand plenty of ugly altercations between bikes and cars. And as a cyclist IÂ’m sorry to admit that in many cases my fellow pedal-pushers are in the wrong.
Motorists hate it when cyclists openly flout traffic rules. IÂ’ve lost count of the number of times when I see fellow bike riders approach a red light, furtively look around and then proceed through the intersection safe in the knowledge no camera will photograph them. That enrages commuters who, sitting in their cars, know if they followed suit, theyÂ’d lose valuable licence points as well as cop a hefty fine. From where do some bike riders develop the arrogance to ignore basic road laws?
Registration (or the lack of it) is another huge bone of contention between motorists and cyclists. Every car, truck, motorbike and Vespa-style scooter in Victoria is required both to pay an annual fee to VicRoads, and display a valid numberplate. That system allows the tracking of vehicle ownership, funds the Transport Accident Commission and facilitates the punishment of traffic rule breaches.
Yet for some reason cyclists are exempt from the registration process. Why?
Bikes use the same roads as motorised vehicles. Already the TAC covers most riders who are injured in traffic-related accidents. And as mentioned, rego enables those who ignore red lights to be caught and fined.
There is no good reason why registration of bikes couldnÂ’t function effectively as it does with cars. Cyclists could display a small identification plate on the rear of either their machines, or perhaps their helmets (which are compulsory to wear). All the tracking infrastructure currently employed by both VicRoads and the police to track errant motor vehicles would work equally well with bicycles. And motorists who maintain their rego would feel much more kindly disposed to cyclists if the latter were paying similar fees.
Footpaths are another conflict zone for bike riders — usually in conjunction with pedestrians. Although it’s illegal for cyclists over the age of 12 to ride where people are walking, plenty of two-wheeled warriors break the rule.
I UNDERSTAND that bike riders are often fearful of riding on the roads alongside cars and trucks; but that is no excuse for putting pedestrians at risk. Cyclists should stay off footpaths or suffer the consequences.
The behaviour of recreational bike enthusiasts on highways like Beach Rd also leaves a lot to be desired. Most of us are prevented from playing our chosen sport on public roads.
For example, IÂ’m not allowed to halt traffic because I want to have a kick of the footy on top of the West Gate Bridge. Backyard cricket games that migrate on to local roads always give way to oncoming vehicles. And even though I want to be a 250kmh V8 Supercar driver, plenty of laws rightly make that dream impossible on suburban streets.
Yet large groups of cyclists who like to dream that they are contenders for the Tour de France routinely block public roads. They take up more than a lane of traffic; at times they ignore people trying — legitimately — to negotiate pedestrian crossings; and at other times, by travelling at speeds well below the limit, recreational bike riders often frustrate other road users who are attempting to reach their destinations on time.
As a commuter myself, I have no problem with cyclists who use our roads to travel to and from work; but I remain unconvinced about sporting riders who treat thoroughfares like Beach Rd as their own private velodrome.
A final reason motorists of all persuasions often hate cyclists is the smug sense of superiority too many pedal-pushers display. Some bike riders like to lecture drivers about the damage their motor vehicles cause the environment; yet the same cyclists conveniently ignore the fact that bicycle components are made of materials like aluminium and carbon fibre — both of which are products of intense (and pollution-creating) industrialisation.
If bike riders demand respect from motorists, they should pay some form of rego, obey all (not just some of) our traffic laws, accept that roads are for transport, not fun — and lose some of the holier-than-thou attitude.
IÂ’m a cyclist. And too often IÂ’m not proud of my fellow two-wheel enthusiastsÂ’ behaviour towards others.
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