Recreational cyclists

[Pies4shaw]

https://www.theage.com.au/national/vict ... 519dp.html

[stui magpie]

The entire structure of our built environment is predicated upon massive, powerful, fast objects driving on roads.

Consequently, getting on a bicycle and riding on a road is a very risky act. It's like swimming in the dark in shark-infested waters. Most of us are not stupid enough to do it.

hehe, yep, 100%

See above, not even 10% correct.

Sorry, I disagree.

The road system here was originally designed to accommodate firstly horse and bullock born carriages. If Chumly Wentworth the third got too close to the horses or bullocks on his penny farthing he would have got the whip across his arse.

Then cars and trucks came along and the divide was made between the road and the footpath. One for vehicles and one for feet.

Then cyclists came along and buggered everything up by claiming the right to ride on the road

[watt price tully]

1. The road system was made how many years ago assumes nothing has changed since the time roads have been built.

1.2 Plenty has changed: roads have changed, cars have changed, rules have changed, road users have changed: indeed their are lanes

2. P4S wrote that "the entire structure is predicated" clearly that's wrong (see above)

3. P4S wrote that it's like swimming in shark infested waters. Clearly that's overreach and wrong. It's like swimming in the sea where sharks exist but people who bicycle aren't riding in infested waters; there will be a shark attack now and again. If I go swimming where I know sharks exist and are known to feed (no accommodation for people who ride bikes & no road education either) is a lot different to riding where bike lanes do exist (regular beach going) and most cars most of the time are aware (and are policed)

4. I will never ride on a freeway or say the Ring Road in Melbourne. I do ride on Beach Road and StKilda road: yo need to be aware and mindful as I do crossing the road, driving my car etc.

5. Citing examples of bike riders being killed or injured does not mean shark infested waters - you may as well say pedestrians killed by cars also means using roads can be dangerous.

6. Riding a bike on roads in many ways has never been safer but pick your roads, ride with others as much as possible and not just be seen but be noticed: bright colours, reflective jackets & lights: I see too many riders wear black ec. Always obey the road rules as too many cars don't.

[watt price tully]

Fatal accident: elderly pedestrian crosses a red light

https://www.theage.com.au/national/vict ... 5213t.html

[stui magpie]

Unless the old guy literally stepped right in front of the cyclist, how the hell did he not manage to avoid him?

Yeah most cycles have shit brakes, but if he was watching where was going and had a second or 2 to react, you'd think he could avoid wiping out an old man even if he had to drop.

[think positive]

40k an hour is pretty fast, and he probably wasnt expecting someone to step out. sad. cant blame the cyclist though.

[David]

^ Yeah, I don’t think he would have avoided charges if there’d been any indication of negligence. Kind of awful to realise this happened right outside the building I work in.

[stui magpie]

Not implying negligence, even if he had his head down pedalling hard, he had right of way with the lights. I just have a mental disconnect with the idea that the old bloke just didn't see him which suggests he wasn't 5 metres away so deciding to cross against the lights, and the cyclist not having enough time to take some evasive action.

[watt price tully]

Same killing of cyclists by cars across the ditch

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/ ... ew-zealand

[watt price tully]

This is sad but rivetting. Well done to the local police in Queensland

Part one was last night, part two is next week:

Australian Story ABC (Monday nights at 8.pm or ABC iView)

https://iview.abc.net.au/show/australian-story

[stui magpie]

Yet cycling is statistically far safer in Victoria at least than driving, riding a motor cycle or even walking. http://www.tac.vic.gov.au/road-safety/s ... g-12-month

[watt price tully]

Yet cycling is statistically far safer in Victoria at least than driving, riding a motor cycle or even walking. http://www.tac.vic.gov.au/road-safety/s ... g-12-month

Did you text that while driving?

Seriously though Australian Story this week is well worth a watch.

[stui magpie]

^

Nah, typed it walking down Swanston St while dodging cyclists, food delivery numbats on scooters, beggers and millenials.

[Pies4shaw]

Why dodge them when you can kick their wheels?

[stui magpie]

^

I don't want them landing on me and I like my shoes too much.

Plan B would be to carry some short steel rods in my pocket and just jam them in the spokes as they ride past