Tack-dropping since Feb 2014 in inner Melbourne, no end in sight

[Pat "5mph"]

Taking turns in watching could be the answer.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

A bit more info: http://www.news.com.au/national/vic...h/news-story/ae683bf0e89027c17b14d8734c6a18be

Sadly enough, I think all the publicity just gives this nutcase more motivation.

 

[Ganymede]

I'm glad to see in that article that the police are making a good effort. It seemed like you cyclists were on your own a bit to begin with. Also that the net seems to be closing - good luck with this Victor, it really is sick in the head.

 

[atbman]

If he's buying 1000s of tacks, some company must have some idea (unless s/he owns it of course)

 

[classic33]

It's not just plain tacks being dropped though.
How far would 20 kilo of tacks go?

 

[steveindenmark]

Now here's a way you can put all those head cams to good use. If he is following the clean up car around position a couple of dozen head cams in the bushes, send the clean up car down and see what happens.

 

[Arrowfoot]

Now here's a way you can put all those head cams to good use. If he is following the clean up car around position a couple of dozen head cams in the bushes, send the clean up car down and see what happens.

This has been going for a couple of years and its seems the council, the Police, the cyclists and every man and his dog has done everything ordinarily possible. There is also the suggestion it is a cyclist within the same community. The length of the road and the surroundings I understand does not lend itself easily to the usual surveillance operations.

It will probably take a road death that is directly attributed to the tacks and then it will become murder. Thereafter it will go to the serious boys and sophisticated covert stuff such as thermal imaging etc will come into play. The cycling community offer of volunteer 24/7 have not been accepted by the Police.

 

[classic33]

Now here's a way you can put all those head cams to good use. If he is following the clean up car around position a couple of dozen head cams in the bushes, send the clean up car down and see what happens.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-...e-investigators-along-yarra-boulevard/6559688

And the homemade version

http://www.pedestrian.tv/news/arts-...lbou/373423f1-1a6e-4493-8d38-4b057a9c8768.htm

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Now apparently tacks have been dropped on the most popular mountain road in the Melbourne area for cyclists:
https://www.bicyclenetwork.com.au/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=26910&p=676364#p676364
Hundreds of cyclists ride up and down this road every Saturday and Sunday.

This is a 6.75km section of road with an average 4.4% grade, and if cyclists riding down this road, quite commonly at speeds of about 50-60km/h, were to get tacks in their front wheels, the outcome could be disastrous.

 

[steveindenmark]

If I was a sadistic cycle hater. Thats where I would have started with the tacks.

The link doesnt work though.

I bet nobody has thought that this could be a cyclist dropping tacks as he rides along. Why he would do it, I dont know. But this person is a nutter.

 

[Ganymede]

Now apparently tacks have been dropped on the most popular mountain road in the Melbourne area for cyclists:
https://www.bicyclenetwork.com.au/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=26910&p=676364#p676364
Hundreds of cyclists ride up and down this road every Saturday and Sunday.

This is a 6.75km section of road with an average 4.4% grade, and if cyclists riding down this road, quite commonly at speeds of about 50-60km/h, were to get tacks in their front wheels, the outcome could be disastrous.

I'm sorry to hear this, victor.

 

[jefmcg]

I'd guess this is a copy cat. After someone has been able to do this with impunity for 2 years, in a busy inner suburban area, it's no wonder someone else has decided they can get away with it on country roads. They'll never catch this one, so that's a pretty retrograde step for cycling in Melbourne.

@steveindenmark link works fine for me. Here's the text, for your elucidation

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Jay Mboy
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Re: nails at Kew Boulevard, weekend 22/23 Feb 2014
Postby Jay Mboy » Sun 06 Mar 2016, 2:58 pm

The concept of spreading tacks is catching on. Tacks have now been reported on the 1:20 in the Dandenongs.

This is not good news. We should be aware that a group of Hills people are incensed that there will be road closures for the RACV Ascent ride in April. A guy called Larry Colwell has started a petition to have all cycling banned in the Dandenong Ranges. You can see the petition here.

The vocal ringleader is a lady called Tracey Carter

Another anti-cyclist voice is Lisa Doddrell
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BjL73
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Re: nails at Kew Boulevard, weekend 22/23 Feb 2014
Postby BjL73 » Sun 06 Mar 2016, 6:53 pm

Had a look at the petition and if Yarra Ranges had any brains (which they generally don't), then this should be dismissed as frivolous. So it's okay to closer down city streets for 2 weeks to hold a couple of days of F1 motor racing once a year, but closing some roads for a cycling event for a few hours (which is probably a first for the Dandenongs) is a no no?

Accusations made against cyclists in general by those signing the petition are hypocritical at best since most of them can be labelled at motorists as well. The fact is, it's motorists (including the local residents) who cause the vast majority of the problems in the area.During the week, there are no issues. It's on weekends when every man and his pollution belching metal cage on wheels come out of the woodwork which causes the problems. But that's okay because it brings in business. I'd much prefer that business's in the region were wound down to a more manageable level.

And then there's the photo posted on the petition
If they had any credibility at all to begin with, that is long gone.

In fact, the last notable fire alert along the 1 in 20 was from a motor vehicle that had caught fire! So obviously, it's motor vehicles that should be banned from the area. The concerns of the local residents are clearly misplaced but it is largely the reason why such an event has rarely been held in The Dandenongs.

Back to the topic at hand. Is this what people are going to do now wherever they don't like cyclists or get their way. Resort to violence? Very troubling trend to see that using violence against cyclists is now an acceptable part of Australian society.
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mb27
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Re: nails at Kew Boulevard, weekend 22/23 Feb 2014
Postby mb27 » Sun 06 Mar 2016, 7:26 pm

it's disappointing there's a lot of hate towards cyclists on the petition. a lot of the comments are not thought through or an understanding of the road rules, and that the people riding could be their neighbour, friend, relative, wirk collegue.

i do agree with the frustration of clogged roads and not being able to go about your business as normal. apart from commuting, i try to be off the road by lunchtime, if not earlier. but early rides don't suit everyone.

i think the problem lies with driver and rider education. IMO, 95% of riders do the right thing, but i do see the wrong thing being done time and time again by the few. same in any group , ie: car drivers, motorbike riders, trail bike rides, 4wd, jet skiers etc.

i think if a campaign to educate riders and car drivers would go a long way. but, when they do something like this, they are usually so far off the mark, or bias against one group or the other. something needs to be fine to improve the % of people doing the right thing, and to change perception of the non riders.
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Dalai
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Re: nails at Kew Boulevard, weekend 22/23 Feb 2014
Postby Dalai » Sun 06 Mar 2016, 9:31 pm

Wow. My IQ dropped a few points reading some of the comments on the petition! Bunch of very intelligent educated people... not

Update, severe LOLs from me. The petition mentioned above is illustrated with a stock photo taken in Box Hill Surrey.

 

[Drago]

How long before some cycling vigilante gets fed up and starts targeting cars with caltrops an improvised stingers?

 

[glenn forger]

A cynical news manipulator would hire attractive twins to pose with a dog with its foot in a bandage and the headline "Catch this monster!"

And why are they linking the incidents with what some random whackjob says online about cyclists? If the cops did that here they'd have eleventy million suspects.

 

[Ganymede]

A cynical news manipulator would hire attractive twins to pose with a dog with its foot in a bandage and the headline "Catch this monster!"

And why are they linking the incidents with what some random whackjob says online about cyclists? If the cops did that here they'd have eleventy million suspects.

Gonna hafta TMN you there - for the dog, though not for the twins!