Recreational cyclists

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Culprit
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Post by Culprit »

I love cycling and in saying that you cycle on the road you are putting your life at risk. A friend of mine who loved cycling is no longer with us. He was run down by a truck driver who kept going. He was riding with his mate and they got separated. He didn't know what happened until police pulled him over and asked him if he saw the truck and then they realised his mate had been killed.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-17/ ... h/10722188
watt price tully
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Post by watt price tully »

Culprit wrote:I love cycling and in saying that you cycle on the road you are putting your life at risk. A friend of mine who loved cycling is no longer with us. He was run down by a truck driver who kept going. He was riding with his mate and they got separated. He didn't know what happened until police pulled him over and asked him if he saw the truck and then they realised his mate had been killed.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-17/ ... h/10722188
That's terrible news mate. Not just terrible for the bloke & his family but the poor ol' other rider too. What a scumbag of a truckdriver. At least they got him.

We need to build safer roads with big "shoulders"
Highway riding is a hell of a thing.
“I even went as far as becoming a Southern Baptist until I realised they didn’t keep ‘em under long enough” Kinky Friedman
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Skids
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Post by Skids »

I just finished a nice 40k ride. Didn't go on the road at all (except to cross it).

Went 7.5k down Hepburn Ave, beautiful cycleway all the way to Hillarys, then rode along the coastal cycleway to Trigg Point. Stopped for a bit of a breather, then rode back the same route. Much easier with the Freo Doctor behind me.

I'll ride to Craigie leisure centre tomorrow for a swim. That's a cycle way that runs along the length of the freeway.

There's just no reason for bikes to be on the road.
Don't count the days, make the days count.
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Post by watt price tully »

“I even went as far as becoming a Southern Baptist until I realised they didn’t keep ‘em under long enough” Kinky Friedman
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Post by HAL »

That sounds like a plan.
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Post by stui magpie »

Every dead body on Mt Everest was once a highly motivated person, so maybe just calm the **** down.
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Post by watt price tully »

“I even went as far as becoming a Southern Baptist until I realised they didn’t keep ‘em under long enough” Kinky Friedman
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Post by stui magpie »

I could be a country member, and don't say "could be?"

:P :wink:

However, I'm tipping that most cyclists who just use it as transportation aren't members (actual as opposed to metaphorical) and therefore aren't covered, which is why a uniform registration and insurance system would make sense.

A licence plate on the rear would be able to be picked up by red light cameras and identify rogues.
Every dead body on Mt Everest was once a highly motivated person, so maybe just calm the **** down.
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Post by Skids »

Just leave the roads to the; cars, trucks, buses and other big fast things that can crush you very easily.

Why put yourself in that position... coz it's your rite?? Ridiculous.
Don't count the days, make the days count.
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Post by watt price tully »

Skids wrote:Just leave the roads to the; cars, trucks, buses and other big fast things that can crush you very easily.

Why put yourself in that position... coz it's your rite?? Ridiculous.
That's a stupid set of assumptions skids where you posit a straw man argument to provide your own limited answers:

1. I can't talk about WA except for the magnicent 8 days I had riding through the big forests, beaches etc on a WA ride (organized of course by Victorians) ? about 8 or more years ago
2. We have bike lanes on a lot of routes in Melbourne and outer suburbs: There are more bicycles and less driving lanes with slower speeds for cars. It won't be to long before we have a congestion tax to make driving prohibitive to the CBD etc for most.
3. Beach road is great place to cycle in Melbourne and most cars are respectful most of the time. In fact most cars, trucks and bicyclists are respectful and careful of one another most of the time. The exceptions in terms of cars are a few tradies; mostly young male hoons who probably get their attitudes from older tradies or their families, anglo-saxon tow truck drivers and the odd yobbo.
4. I'll be riding to the G most of the time on St KIida road & it's a great thing. You need to be sensible but don't have to worry about traffic, cars, trains, trams etc.
5. There's going to be more bicycles not less on roads: we need to support that by building better infrastructure. You need to simply improve your car driving awareness and manners: not too much of an ask
6. A little bit of decency goes a long way.
7. Like almost all adult bicyclists I drive too.
8. Just remeber when you're driving you should always say thank you to a bicyclist because:

8.1 there is one less car on the road
8.2 there is one less car causing pollution and reducing traffic congestion
8.3 There is one less car causing wear & tear on roads therfore making cheaper for you
8.4 There will ben more fit people improving the well being of the populaton

Next time you see a bicyclist on the road smile, say g'day and well done. Take the time and good things will happen to you.
“I even went as far as becoming a Southern Baptist until I realised they didn’t keep ‘em under long enough” Kinky Friedman
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Pies4shaw
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Post by Pies4shaw »

8.50am today, cnr LaTrobe and Elizabeth Sts. Lights about to turn green for pedestrians and vehicles travelling along Elizabeth St, a female hoon cyclist heading down the hill along LaTrobe from Queen Street goes belting through the intersection against a red light at full speed (and, I might add, a speed faster than any car would ever travel through that intersection, which is watched by "road safety" cameras). Dangerous, stupid, unacceptable behaviour. I see this sort of thing from cyclists virtually every time I step outside my home or my office. It must stop.
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Post by Skids »

watt price tully wrote:
Skids wrote:Just leave the roads to the; cars, trucks, buses and other big fast things that can crush you very easily.

Why put yourself in that position... coz it's your rite?? Ridiculous.
That's a stupid set of assumptions skids where you posit a straw man argument to provide your own limited answers:

1. I can't talk about WA except for the magnicent 8 days I had riding through the big forests, beaches etc on a WA ride (organized of course by Victorians) ? about 8 or more years ago
2. We have bike lanes on a lot of routes in Melbourne and outer suburbs: There are more bicycles and less driving lanes with slower speeds for cars. It won't be to long before we have a congestion tax to make driving prohibitive to the CBD etc for most.
3. Beach road is great place to cycle in Melbourne and most cars are respectful most of the time. In fact most cars, trucks and bicyclists are respectful and careful of one another most of the time. The exceptions in terms of cars are a few tradies; mostly young male hoons who probably get their attitudes from older tradies or their families, anglo-saxon tow truck drivers and the odd yobbo.
4. I'll be riding to the G most of the time on St KIida road & it's a great thing. You need to be sensible but don't have to worry about traffic, cars, trains, trams etc.
5. There's going to be more bicycles not less on roads: we need to support that by building better infrastructure. You need to simply improve your car driving awareness and manners: not too much of an ask
6. A little bit of decency goes a long way.
7. Like almost all adult bicyclists I drive too.
8. Just remeber when you're driving you should always say thank you to a bicyclist because:

8.1 there is one less car on the road
8.2 there is one less car causing pollution and reducing traffic congestion
8.3 There is one less car causing wear & tear on roads therfore making cheaper for you
8.4 There will ben more fit people improving the well being of the populaton

Next time you see a bicyclist on the road smile, say g'day and well done. Take the time and good things will happen to you.
My point WPT, is that as a cyclist, on the road, you are relying on the competence of all other roads users.
If you want to take that risk, go for it. I've seen too many dills on the road and making an educated assessment of the risk, don't ride on the road.

Remember the hierarchy of controls?

1 = Elimination..... IE: Don't put yourself in the line of fire.... the road.
2 = Substitution.... IE: Use a path, instead of the road.
3 = Engineering controls... IE: Cycle ways, signage etc.
4 = Administration... IE: Road rules, driver education etc.
5 = PPE... IE: Bike helmet, high vis clothing, lights etc.
Don't count the days, make the days count.
watt price tully
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Post by watt price tully »

Pies4shaw wrote:8.50am today, cnr LaTrobe and Elizabeth Sts. Lights about to turn green for pedestrians and vehicles travelling along Elizabeth St, a female hoon cyclist heading down the hill along LaTrobe from Queen Street goes belting through the intersection against a red light at full speed (and, I might add, a speed faster than any car would ever travel through that intersection, which is watched by "road safety" cameras). Dangerous, stupid, unacceptable behaviour. I see this sort of thing from cyclists virtually every time I step outside my home or my office. It must stop.
I can point to any number of cars & pedestrians doing the wrong thing almost al the time when I'm: driving, walking, bicycling etc

I'm currently working with Police every day these last few days inclding this pm. You should see how many drivers are pissed, stoned, driving unregistered vehicles, speeding, tailgating etc: the reports come across Police radio for a given sector that I'm listening to for mental health jobs (I do the latter to stop police and ambulance from taking people to ED for Assesmsent so I can assess in situ when they forget to call us or my colleagues in another patch: but that's another story)

I stop and have a go at cyclists not stopping at red lights, not stopping at trams tops when the tram is aprked with the stop signs on when I'm on my bike. I invariably tell 'em they are giving all of us a bad name when they flout the law & provide ammunition for stick in the muds to complain about: I want the moral high ground.
Last edited by watt price tully on Wed Jan 23, 2019 1:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
“I even went as far as becoming a Southern Baptist until I realised they didn’t keep ‘em under long enough” Kinky Friedman
watt price tully
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Post by watt price tully »

Skids wrote:
watt price tully wrote:
Skids wrote:Just leave the roads to the; cars, trucks, buses and other big fast things that can crush you very easily.

Why put yourself in that position... coz it's your rite?? Ridiculous.
That's a stupid set of assumptions skids where you posit a straw man argument to provide your own limited answers:

1. I can't talk about WA except for the magnicent 8 days I had riding through the big forests, beaches etc on a WA ride (organized of course by Victorians) ? about 8 or more years ago
2. We have bike lanes on a lot of routes in Melbourne and outer suburbs: There are more bicycles and less driving lanes with slower speeds for cars. It won't be to long before we have a congestion tax to make driving prohibitive to the CBD etc for most.
3. Beach road is great place to cycle in Melbourne and most cars are respectful most of the time. In fact most cars, trucks and bicyclists are respectful and careful of one another most of the time. The exceptions in terms of cars are a few tradies; mostly young male hoons who probably get their attitudes from older tradies or their families, anglo-saxon tow truck drivers and the odd yobbo.
4. I'll be riding to the G most of the time on St KIida road & it's a great thing. You need to be sensible but don't have to worry about traffic, cars, trains, trams etc.
5. There's going to be more bicycles not less on roads: we need to support that by building better infrastructure. You need to simply improve your car driving awareness and manners: not too much of an ask
6. A little bit of decency goes a long way.
7. Like almost all adult bicyclists I drive too.
8. Just remeber when you're driving you should always say thank you to a bicyclist because:

8.1 there is one less car on the road
8.2 there is one less car causing pollution and reducing traffic congestion
8.3 There is one less car causing wear & tear on roads therfore making cheaper for you
8.4 There will ben more fit people improving the well being of the populaton

Next time you see a bicyclist on the road smile, say g'day and well done. Take the time and good things will happen to you.
My point WPT, is that as a cyclist, on the road, you are relying on the competence of all other roads users.
If you want to take that risk, go for it. I've seen too many dills on the road and making an educated assessment of the risk, don't ride on the road.

Remember the hierarchy of controls?

1 = Elimination..... IE: Don't put yourself in the line of fire.... the road.
2 = Substitution.... IE: Use a path, instead of the road.
3 = Engineering controls... IE: Cycle ways, signage etc.
4 = Administration... IE: Road rules, driver education etc.
5 = PPE... IE: Bike helmet, high vis clothing, lights etc.
Be noticed not just seen, always wear safety gear, make eye contact. Riding on the road is safe & safer than the footpath. Shared paths are dangerous too. Where I live make sure you're seen and I'm lucky I know how to whistle very loudly hands free that gets people's attention.

Always say "sir" when you're about to have a go at the transgressing motor cyclist coming from behind using a bicycle lane as a way to beat the traffic when they're wearing club colours; indeed ask what direction they'd like their coffee stirred. The latter invariably makes riding a bicycle safer :wink:
“I even went as far as becoming a Southern Baptist until I realised they didn’t keep ‘em under long enough” Kinky Friedman
watt price tully
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Post by watt price tully »

At work, police radio: a policeman was just rammed in the CBD minor injuries when directing traffic by a ....... (not a cyclist) but as ewes know a car. They got the phucker. A very distressed call. Lost my driver to that job. Hopefully the Police Officer is OK
“I even went as far as becoming a Southern Baptist until I realised they didn’t keep ‘em under long enough” Kinky Friedman
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