Stop annoying me

[BentMikey]

I'm not sure "scary" is the term I'd use, but this is exactly the point I am making. It seems that these "warm weather types" (some don't wear lycra, or have carbon bikes, or clipless pedals - the horror!) are actually making the roads safer, even though their riding might suggest otherwise...

Yes, I'm sure we agree that's the overall and longer term effect, but I'm also talking about the immediate effect of a group of 20 riders right here and now.

Mind you, look at the peloton wipeout in Australia...

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/05/08/1210131112608.html

 

[Origamist]

to a point certainly, too many though are oblivious to anything but their walkman, ride without lights in dark clothes or treat the roads like some sort of video game, which I think enforces drivers' prejudices that cyclists don't care and do whatever they want and shouldn't be on the road

of course plenty are very good, it's not a speed/clothing thing, it's a behaviour/consideration of other road users thing

Possibly. However, the bottom line is that the more cyclists that are on the road, the safer cyclists are.

Increased modal share is an important contributing factor.

 

[Origamist]

Yes, I'm sure we agree that's the overall and longer term effect, but I'm also talking about the immediate effect of a group of 20 riders right here and now.

Mind you, look at the peloton wipeout in Australia...

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/05/08/1210131112608.html

I'd hazard the most common immediate effects will be a few close overtakes, a rear-ending or two (ooh err), road rash and a bit of swearing.

I, for one, am riding more cautiously at junctions as a consequence of the increased number of cyclists.

 

[Tynan]

Possibly. However, the bottom line is that the more cyclists that are on the road, the safer cyclists are.

Increased modal share is an important contributing factor.

not in dispute

 

[mr_cellophane]

Yes, I'm sure we agree that's the overall and longer term effect, but I'm also talking about the immediate effect of a group of 20 riders right here and now.

Mind you, look at the peloton wipeout in Australia...

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/05/08/1210131112608.html

I am a member of a non-cycle forum where the grandmother of one of the cyclists (not on that day) rides. She said damage was around $100 000 ($US90 000, £45 000) and normal Sunday rides are 200 strong.

 

[walker]

Possibly. However, the bottom line is that the more cyclists that are on the road, the safer cyclists are.

Increased modal share is an important contributing factor.

But shouldn't us cyclist's have a little respect towards each other and not wind each other up?

 

[Origamist]

But shouldn't us cyclist's have a little respect towards each other and not wind each other up?

Cycling solidarity, yes, that would be nice...However, because a discourteous person elects to travel by bike, people shouldn't be too surprised when they don't mutate into a jovial, polite individual simply because they're now a "cyclist". Or vice versa.

Mutual respect and consideration between fellow cyclists can sometimes be lacking. Have you seen the way motorists treat each other?

 

[Origamist]

OK.

I am now a new man.

A man of calm, confidence and coolness.

I will not be wound up by cyclists pushing in front of me at lights assuming they are faster then me as they are on racers (I'm still on my hybrid) making me chase them and overtake a couple as happened at Clapham South.

I will not be annoyed, as I wait patiently behind a bus at reds as at the Oval, by the horde of 20 cyclists behind me who surge forwards like a tidal wave, undertaking and overtaking the bus to reach the front.

And I will treat with equanimity those 10 cyclists who jumped the reds at Clapham North, as just me and another lady waited for greens.

Cars? Piece of cake!

More cyclists? Yes. I convince myself they ARE good!!! I'm just going to stay behind the "commuter peoloton" out of their way and overtake when safe.

I am glad you have had this epiphany...I'll look out for a guy on a hybrid with a beatific smile.

 

[spindrift]

Mind you, look at the peloton wipeout in Australia...

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/...131112608.html

Holy shoot, that is horrific, I wonder if they've caught the driver yet?

 

[spindrift]

Cyclists dispute driver's account

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Malcolm Brown
May 10, 2008


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HE IS known in Colquhoun Way, a back street in the Campbelltown suburb of Claymore, as "Huss", a nice guy by neighbours' accounts. But only his dark brown Ford Falcon was there yesterday, with a dented boot - while Huss was elsewhere arguing his case against furious cyclists.
Huss was driving his sedan along Southern Cross Drive at 6.45am on Thursday when he encountered a large group of cyclists returning from a training ride.
The speed limit for vehicles was 80kmh and Huss was obliged to slow. "I've got in front of, overtaken all of the cyclists, and while I'm sort of in the middle lane … another car in front of me, he has slowed down. I've accelerated to get into the left lane - and I just got a car two days that is a gas and petrol thing - and it backfired, the airbox popped."
On his account most of the cyclists sailed past him but two went "thud, thud" into his boot. He found himself surrounded by up to 50 angry cyclists and thought it prudent to drive off. On the accounts of several cyclists involved, there was a pile-up involving injuries to up to 20 cyclists.
Yesterday on Macquarie Radio and calling himself "Jason", he defended himself and said he had even put on his hazard lights. Ben Kersten, one of the cyclists, rang the station to call Huss a liar: "We have 50 witnesses to say everything you have said is false."
Police have interviewed Huss, and last night had laid no charges but the cyclists have intimated they may mount a class action and seek up to $50,000 compensation.
A political row erupted, with the Minister for Roads, Eric Roozendaal, saying it was "not helpful" for cyclists to ride in peak hour traffic. But the Greens MP Lee Rhiannon said he was sending a dangerous message.


http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/cyclists-dispute-drivers-account/2008/05/09/1210131264145.html

 

[John the Monkey]

A political row erupted, with the Minister for Roads, Eric Roozendaal, saying it was "not helpful" for cyclists to ride in peak hour traffic.

I'd be spitting mad if that gentleman was my elected representative. Bicycles ARE traffic (admittedly, smaller, lighter, more good looking traffic, but traffic nonetheless...)

 

[spindrift]

It's "not helpful" to drive a car on urban roads.

 

[BentMikey]

Hehehe, I'm in sympathy. Sometimes it's almost impossible to control oneself when you get the casual flip off like that in response to a threat to your life.

 

[Origamist]

My epiphany lasted until 7.30 am today, sad to say. Car missed me by a millimetre in her rush to beat the lights at Balham tube. She knew she was driving badly as she also gave me two-fingers as she passed, on my shout of "OI!".

Caught up with her 5 secs later, of course - she wasn't expecting that (!)

And then I wondered what to do.

I didn't want to swear. Cars behind me, peds everywhere - didn't want to embarass myslef by losing it.

So I just shouted TWAT at her. She wound down the window and I shouted meaningless verbage intermingled with TWAT and she wound the window up again.

I banged the window and cycled off. I needed some satisfaction

God. I hate losing it. Perhaps I could, in retrospect, cycled even more defensively and even more confidently.

I understand that people (drivers) make mistakes - I certainly do - but then to just offer abuse when one does so (by sticking up two fingers) completly enraged me.

I WILL be calm, confident and controlled on the way home.

It appears that you put a hex on yourself by saying: “Cars? Piece of cake!”

I guess you were going north along Balham High Road and the car that jumped the lights came from either Chestnut Grove or Balham Station Road (or possibly vice versa). If this is the case, I use this route every day and the light phasing on the side-roads (CG and BSR) is quick and cars often violate red-lights here. The driver acted illegally and imperilled you, but were you looking for cross-traffic as you went through this junction?

Or do you mean that a car passed as you were approaching the lights on Balham High Road and it was a very close overtake? This situation is more difficult to deal with as the junction is poorly designed...

I might have had polite words with the driver, maybe made a show of taking down her registration and pulling to pavement in order to bluff that I was going to phone the police, or I might have done nothing.

 

[John the Monkey]

Holy shoot, that is horrific, I wonder if they've caught the driver yet?

According to BikeRadar;

A 34 year-old man from Claymore has been charged with failing to stop after the piled up on Southern Cross Drive last Thursday morning, according to Australian news site Live News.

Full Story; http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/sydney-driver-charged-over-crash-16338

I'd agree with the commenter after the story that it's a shame that the c**ts who shouted abuse at the crashed cyclists aren't going to be traced and prosecuted too.