Bike/Car Wars

[movingtarget]

http://au.news.yahoo.com/sunday-night/video/watch/18552758/war-on-our-roads/


Disturbing story but that is the reality.

 

[Afrank]

That guy they talked to that was against cyclists, what a complete moron. While I may be completely on the side of the cyclists, his arguments are full of flaws. First he lumps all cyclists in together as people who don't follow the rules of the road, sure there are some cyclists that don't (those people are morons), but it's stupid to lump all cyclists in together as people that don't follow the rules. Then he says cyclists don't pay for the roads, we do. We also pay taxes, as well as drive cars. He calls us cyclists pathetic, I say he's the pathetic one.

I may be completely biased towards the side of the cyclists in this, but I've never heard a sensible argument come from a motorist as to why cyclists don't belong on the road. This issue goes both ways, the cyclists that don't follow the rules need to start. But the much bigger thing that needs to happen is the motorists need to follow the rules of the road. In a collision it won't be the motorist that winds up in the hospital after all.

 

[42x16ss]

That guy they talked to that was against cyclists, what a complete moron. While I may be completely on the side of the cyclists, his arguments are full of flaws. First he lumps all cyclists in together as people who don't follow the rules of the road, sure there are some cyclists that don't (those people are morons), but it's stupid to lump all cyclists in together as people that don't follow the rules. Then he says cyclists don't pay for the roads, we do. We also pay taxes, as well as drive cars. He calls us cyclists pathetic, I say he's the pathetic one.

I may be completely biased towards the side of the cyclists in this, but I've never heard a sensible argument come from a motorist as to why cyclists don't belong on the road. This issue goes both ways, the cyclists that don't follow the rules need to start. But the much bigger thing that needs to happen is the motorists need to follow the rules of the road. In a collision it won't be the motorist that winds up in the hospital after all.

The complete segment that aired wasn't actually too bad. A large part of it was aimed at making people more aware of the long term effects of bad decisions. Derryn Hinch and Mark Skaife have antiquated views but I also think that their main beef was with gumby super-commuters and fast freds putting themselves in dangerous positions.

I thought that Mark Skaife would be more open minded considering that 2/3's of the younger V8 Touring Car drivers ride A grade in the off season...

 

[hfer07]

http://au.news.yahoo.com/sunday-night/video/watch/18552758/war-on-our-roads/


Disturbing story but that is the reality.

The disturbing reality is that 80% of the car drivers are as retrograded as the Imbeciles interviewed against bicycling--- some pretend to be ok, some accept it, some deal with it fearing they might get caught & sued -but overall- they will not grasp the single fact that regardless of any minimal indiscretion/miscalculation/indifference/apathy made on the road- its only the bicyclist that faces fatality- not the fvcking driver & that precious car....

 

[leftover pie]

things you don't talk about in australia, politics, religion and cycling.

 

[movingtarget]

That guy they talked to that was against cyclists, what a complete moron. While I may be completely on the side of the cyclists, his arguments are full of flaws. First he lumps all cyclists in together as people who don't follow the rules of the road, sure there are some cyclists that don't (those people are morons), but it's stupid to lump all cyclists in together as people that don't follow the rules. Then he says cyclists don't pay for the roads, we do. We also pay taxes, as well as drive cars. He calls us cyclists pathetic, I say he's the pathetic one.

I may be completely biased towards the side of the cyclists in this, but I've never heard a sensible argument come from a motorist as to why cyclists don't belong on the road. This issue goes both ways, the cyclists that don't follow the rules need to start. But the much bigger thing that needs to happen is the motorists need to follow the rules of the road. In a collision it won't be the motorist that winds up in the hospital after all.

It seems that many car drivers are simply pizzed because bike riders don't have to pay a registration fee to ride on the road. Even if bike riders did pay it still wouldn't change the behaviour of certain car drivers. The young guy that collided with the woman in the TV segment said he simply did not see her and I believe him. Some drivers are simply blind to what is happening around them. Trouble is she spent half a year in hospital and has to learn to walk again because some fool is more intent in getting somewhere quickly than driving responsibly. Opening car doors without looking can kill a cyclist.

My best friend was killed years ago on a training ride. 6.00 PM in Winter, he had a reflector, tail light, headlight and reflective clothing on. The car driver hit him from behind, he was drunk, driving without his lights on and did not stop at the scene. By the time he gave himself up, a day later it was too late to breath test him. His sentence was loss of licence for 12 months and three months community service.

 

[42x16ss]

things you don't talk about in australia, politics, religion and cycling.

Indeed. And not necessarily in that order either. Australia is rapidly becoming the most selfish nation on Earth and it's getting disgusting. Just look at our refugee "policies" for example.

 

[SafeBet]

First he lumps all cyclists in together as people who don't follow the rules of the road, sure there are some cyclists that don't (those people are morons)

Depends on the country.
I tend to break the rules while riding in big cities in Italy. It'd be too dangerous otherwise (no cycle paths, crazy drivers, one way streets everywhere, etc).

 

[42x16ss]

Unfortunately Australians aren't mature enough to accept the difference between bikes and motor vehicles.

They just see someone getting away with things on bikes that they know they can't (or at least shouldn't) do in a car and lose the plot. Then theres the fear of something holding them up for fractions of a second on the way to their oh so important daily activities

 

[elapid]

Depends on the country.
I tend to break the rules while riding in big cities in Italy. It'd be too dangerous otherwise (no cycle paths, crazy drivers, one way streets everywhere, etc).

Having just returned from a vacation in Rome (which I loved BTW), I don't actually think there are road rules in Italy .

 

[SafeBet]

Having just returned from a vacation in Rome (which I loved BTW), I don't actually think there are road rules in Italy .

There are. In fact there are probably too many.
But plenty of people don't care.

 

[Master50]

I was in Italy a year ago and my impression is they are much better drivers than most N Americans. Not saying they are not crazy but all things considered they have generally better skills. They certainly seem to better know the dimensions of their vehicles.
A local driving instructor that has a friday column in the paper observed an intersection for a few hours to see how many cars obeyed the stop sign. He said around 95% of drivers did not make a legal stop when there was no conflict. IE another car who might have the right of way.
Most drivers exceed the posted limit at least 1 time per trip and especially when the speed of traffic is over the posted limit.
The drivers when interviewed were often very defensive that they were following the rules.

 

[SafeBet]

I was in Italy a year ago and my impression is they are much better drivers than most N Americans. Not saying they are not crazy but all things considered they have generally better skills. They certainly seem to better know the dimensions of their vehicles.
A local driving instructor that has a friday column in the paper observed an intersection for a few hours to see how many cars obeyed the stop sign. He said around 95% of drivers did not make a legal stop when there was no conflict. IE another car who might have the right of way.
Most drivers exceed the posted limit at least 1 time per trip and especially when the speed of traffic is over the posted limit.
The drivers when interviewed were often very defensive that they were following the rules.

You might be skilled but still be a threat, especially when you consider bikers an obstacle to showcasing your skills (which is the case more often than not).

Most Indians are amazingly skilled drivers, they must be to survive in that environment. Still, you don't wanna ride a bike in New Delhi (even with a gas mask that is).

 

[leftover pie]

Indeed. And not necessarily in that order either. Australia is rapidly becoming the most selfish nation on Earth and it's getting disgusting. Just look at our refugee "policies" for example.

can't fault you there, as the husband of someone that was at one time a refugee and is now a fully fledged aussie i can't understand it.

our selfishness is so obvious, all year people try and milk the gov't for as much as they can and complain loudly that there isn't more

but come tax time the national passtime becomes paying as little as possible.

but that's another topic for another time. . .

I came in here to post this:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/exclusive-top-teams-threaten-to-pull-out-of-goulburn-to-sydney

This is how we try and do a bike race in Australia, 1 lane for the bike race, the lane next to it 110km/h of motorised traffic.

I can just imagine what will go through the mind of the average aussie driver, ONCE YOU CROSS THAT LINE YOU'RE FAIR GAME BUDDY!

 

[Shirleymccray]

things you don't talk about in australia, politics, religion and cycling..







Freestyle Motocross Gloves

 

[StyrbjornSterki]

I've been riding up long mountain passes on two-lane roads in the Dolomites and in the Italian Alps, with cars backed up behind me hundreds of meters, waiting for opportunity to overtake. When they finally get their chance, as they come around, they often yell "Avanti!" or "Allez!" to me. And if they wave, it's usually with all five fingers.

Bicyclists' safety was not among the factors considered when these "rules of the road" were written. We're not pedestrians, and we're not automobiles, and the rules written for either don't particularly apply. Following them is no guarantee a motor vehicle will not kill you. In fact, strictly complying with the law unquestionably increases the number of conflicts a cyclist will have with motor vehicles. And every time you, the cyclist, enter into a negotiation with a motorist, every time you allow his judgment and decision-making to affect your safety, you run the risk of being killed. You will never win an argument with 2000 kilos of steel.

Intersections are the most dangerous place for a cyclist because that's there the majority of conflicts with motor traffic will occur. One solution is the Idaho Stop Law, which the entire world needs to adopt. In the state of Idaho, a cyclist, in essence, may treat a stop sign the same as a yield sign, and a red traffic light the same as a stop sign (Bicycle-related Idaho Code Title 49, Chapter 7). This can reduce the interval you are in or near an intersection, which reduces your exposure. If a bicyclist rides the Idaho rule to his advantage, he can dramatically reduce his conflicts with motor vehicles, and largely take the decision-making out of the motorists' hands.

 

[Parrulo]

I actually have no reason to complain neither as a driver nor as a cyclist.

As a driver i tend to be very patient with cyclists overtaking them but giving them plenty of room and usually cyclists seem to be fairly calm where i drive. Which consists of my home town and the second largest city in the country which is filed with college students(like me).

As for me as a cyclist i ride almost always on secondary roads, except when i know its a main road with little traffic, and find drivers to be very polite where i ride, which is my home town. They always overtake giving me plenty of room and in fact i have been noticing an increasing trend of drivers slowing down behind me and waiting until i notice them and sign them to to overtake me before actually doing it, even on wide roads.

 

[avanti]

....................
As for me as a cyclist i ride almost always on secondary roads, except when i know its a main road with little traffic, and find drivers to be very polite where i ride, which is my home town. They always overtake giving me plenty of room and in fact i have been noticing an increasing trend of drivers slowing down behind me and waiting until i notice them and sign them to to overtake me before actually doing it, even on wide roads.

Ditto for the Denver-Boulder area of Colorado.

 

[laziali]

can't fault you there, as the husband of someone that was at one time a refugee and is now a fully fledged aussie i can't understand it.

You can't understand it because you are not the intended audience. "Stop the boats" is dog-whistling to racists, pure and simple.

Back on topic, I have found European drivers to be just unfailingly polite to cyclists - maybe one discourteous driver per month. In Australia, I come across red-neck bogans trying to kill me literally several times per ride. So much for the Australia of tolerance.