Around the Bay riders hit by Road Rage

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By Matt Brogan | October 20th, 2008

Around The Bay In A Day cycling event entrants were deliberately rammed by what’s been described as a car load of hoons in the event held yesterday.

Up to ten riders were left cut and bruised on the road as the car sped from the scene. They were travelling in a pack on Nepean Highway at Mt Eliza when the group Mornington Peninsula riders were struck.

It is alleged the car at first drove past and the occupants verbally abused the riders before returning from the opposite direction ten minutes later and veering into the bike lane at an estimated 60km/h.

The road rage incident is being investigated by Police and not only caused injuries to the cyclists, but thousands of dollars in damage to the bikes.

If you have any thoughts on how cyclists and motorists can better share the road, CarAdvice would be pleased to hear from you via our comments section of this article.

Fenno

I know that cyclist have every right to be on the road, but to ride ten abreast without escort is asking for touble.

But the biggest gripe I guess most motorists have is cyclists not following the road rules, or bending them to suit themselves.

So to the cycling fraternity, if you want to ride on the road follow the rules that cars have to and keep as far left as possible. Stop at red lights, make yourself visible and give motorists a reason not to get the sh1ts at you.

The result of this would be a more sympathetic audience if something like the above-mentioned happens again.

BTW whoever you ‘road-ragers’ are, your punishment should be to ride everywhere on a pushbike for six months…might make you realise how dangerous the road is without your little safety coocoon around you.
Frontman

Unfortunatley the mindset of motorist will not change. An unbelievable amount of them believe that they have the sole right to the road. I know that comment will upset a lot of readers, but when you stop and listen to the cry’s of get bikes of the streets, get semi’s off the roadsd as they are dangerous, anyone on a motorbike is a temporary Australian etc etc, you begin to realise that it is a purely selfish mindset.
I was talking to customers about the virtues of an Aurions A pillar compared to a VE’s and mentioned that you could loose a whole peleton in the VE’s A pillar, their comment was (and I quote) “So what’s wrong with that, they’re on pushbike riders”. When asked if they were serious, they didn’t appreciate being told to leave as they do not deserve to buy from me (or words much harsher but had the same effect)
To overcome this situation, drivers need to be taught to share, and cyclists need to stop believing that just because they have right of way, doesn’t mean they’ll get it. They also need to be probably over courteious and give way more than necessary.
Cam

Perhaps if cyclists didn’t block the flow of traffic and kept to the left allowing motorists to pass them safely, these road rage incidents may cease to occur. Instead motorists are being stuck behind a group of pink lycra clad, leg shaving road hogs travelling in a pack at 40km/h on a leisurely Sunday ride whilst some of us need to get to work or other important commitments on time. I suppose in a perfect world our councils and State governments would build a proper network of cycle lanes and then we’d all be happy and safe. I’m dreaming.
http://www.sigma-galant.com Nemesis

The roads were made for cars, not bikes. Simple as that. The government should invest more money into making proper bike lanes and cicle-paths like in Europe. Even Brazil (Rio de Janeiro) has proper bicicle-only lanes located off the road.

I’ve lost count of how many cyclists I see riding side by side or even 3 bikes wide, where clearly there is only room for one bike and when cars beep their horns at them the cyclists just ignore them or swear back at the motorists…
http://navelcontemplation.blogspot.com Supercujo

Nemesis: It is perfectly legal for cyclists to ride side by side, most road users either don’t know this or think it is wrong. No matter which, cyclists are allowed to ride side by side. 3 or more abreast is illegal, that is when a few choice words and a nice loud air horn usually gets them back into line.

Having a passenger armed with a super soaker would be fun for when you overtake them.

Cyclists have as much right as cars to be on the road, drivers just need to be aware of this and drive accordingly. Cyclists also need to show respect to other road users, the lack of indication before changing lanes or turning corners is my biggest gripe about cyclists.
Stocky

Unfortunately In this day and age, it’s the minority that destroys the reputation of all the rest of the riders out there that do the right thing. I am a cyclist and when I see another cyclist without any type of lighting on there bikes, I get very angry and feel light pulling over and abusing the lights out of them and also advise them they are diging there own graves. But everybody else, I’m always on my way to work in my car. There are a quite a few motor vehicle drivers that have no idea what rights we have as cyclist. On a multi lane rd/hwy we are allowed to take up 1 lane with 2 abreast. It is beter and safer for us to take up 1 lane to force the motor vehicle over to the other lane than just pass us by with less than 1mtr in between us if we stick far left. I have been riding for ovr 6 six years and have been doing the right thing and have never had any serious incidents.
WVB

The story is bad, but cyclists have little right to be on the road. The public purse pays for specially constructed bikeways & paths albeit their current existence being small. The public purse also just so happens to let a small space on the roads aswell. Blo*dy stick to them. My gripe is cyclists wear no registration plates, pay no registration fees at all for the privilege nor are required to show any form of positive identification at all except lights at night. The only factor linking cyclists with other ‘registered’ road users is they likely own & drive cars themselves. So having said that, if you own a bicycle and want to ride it on the road then a small percentage of your car’s registration should be used to cover it.
In the event of a traffic incident often (but not always) inadvertently incited by cyclists, what leg does a motorist have left to stand on when the rider/s ride wherever they like, ignoring traffic lights, pedestrians, lane markings, speed zones, school zones, car park speeds etc and then disappear off down a footpath as if they were never there……………..officer. Last year, a cyclist near where I live ran down an elderly pedestrian whilst he was crossing on the green and killed him. The cyclist was given a $400 fine for riding without due care. Ignore the fact he rode through a red light!!
btw I’m not advocating road rage at all.
Stocky

I’m sorry WVB but when you state “The story is bad, but cyclists have little right to be on the road” who r u trying to kid, If thats not road rage in its easiest form well, dont know what else to say. i wouldnt be suprised if you were the one that knocked those cyclist down in Mt Eliza.
Neo

if they want to get all over the road they should pay rego on there bike if they want to get inside the lanes they can pay like everyone else.

cyclists get on the road and slow down traffic and also my pet hate is lean on your car when you have stopped at traffic lights.

i rode a bike for years before i got my license and i made shore i was on the side of the road away from traffic. if you want to get on the road then pay rego like everyone else. as above the money could be spent on bike lanes.
pinkie ponk

what a bunch of aggressive, typical Australian drivers. I ride a pushbike, motorbike, and car. The aggression I am reading here, I see on the road when cycling. It makes me sick. To cite one example of a cyclist allegedly killing a pedestrian. ha, what a joke. I’m sure you all never break any road rules. Have you read of cars killing anyone? Take your blinkers off, get off the grog, steroids or whatever makes you so angry, and smile at the next cyclist, as they are either trying to get fit, not pollute your air, or just trying to enjoy themselves. If your time is so precious, then walk out the door a few seconds earlier, so you won’t be so late for work.
slugger

Well, for a start, those stupid bike lanes that the government cuts into roads are part of the problem.

Take Rathdowne St in Carlton North in Melbourne – they’ve widened the bike lane to force cars into a single lane but then, at Davis St., about a hundred metres before a very, very busy set of lights, the bike lane disappears. Is that clever? Er, no. The Canning Street bike lanes (one block away) are okay, but you get morons at night who don’t have their lights on, there is no visibility turning on to Canning so you can’t see people coming. If I was a bike rider, I’d think the government were doing more to hinder than to help. Oh, and they don’t give way to pedestrians. Heaven help anyone who gets in their way. My young son, who was just three at the time, copped an earful of abuse from a cyclist who should have stopped. Not pretty.

What’s required is an integrated approach – bike riders over 18 must complete a simple safety course at the local TAFE and carry that on existing ID – driver’s licence or whatever. It’s a thirty dollar job and well worth it. I don’t mind that my rego covers bike lanes because if bikes can be pushed away from my car where they’re less likely to be hit following theirs or others inattention/stupidity/bad luck, then I’m all for it. I’m also all for heavier cars paying more for rego and motorbikes paying less for equality (not related, but hey, you’ve read this far, right?).

The integrated approach also means better bike lanes, overpasses for bikes, getting them out of traffic and into segregated lanes. Anyone who has been to Kuala Lumpur may have noticed the separate roads they have for mopeds – we need the same here.

At the same time, bicyclists who do stupid things should be severely punished. Sailing through red lights is incredibly dangerous and ought to be stomped out. Stay off the bloody footpath and obey the rules. Motorists need to be far more aware of cyclists as 95% do roughly the right thing.

The last thing is the attitude – cyclists have a right to use the road but so do cars. Morons on pushbikes who think they’re saving the planet need to realise that life just isn’t that black and white and learn to share the same way motorists are being forced to via a campaign of guilt.
Jamie

Sadly if they can’t ride on the road, they can’t ride at all, as they’re not meant to ride on the footpaths either (anyone over 12)

In dual lane traffic I don’t mind it too much, but when there’s only the one lane it makes it pretty annoying to have to overtake the riders.

It should always be single file too in my books, that’s what we were thought in school, was it not?
WVB

^stocky, when i said bad i meant the subject was a bad or awful thing to happen. you know, like sincerity
Stocky

WVB, I apologise what I wrote but i could have been taken both ways. We all have to agree that the problem is on both sides of the table. As probably 98% of the riders or Drivers do the right thing, its the friken minority that destroys all peace on the roads.
Nick

The only gripe I have with cyclist on the road is at the traffic lights. more often than not they are slower than cars and it drives me up the wall when it takes a while to change lanes to get around them and then they simply ride up the middle of traffic at the next red light all the way to the front and bottleneck traffic again when everyone trys to get back in front. If they come to a red light, they should have to stay in the queue!
Other than that good on them for getting off them arses and and keeping fit.
Hando

I agree with Nick ^^^^^

My only grip is those cyclist who think it is okay to ride to the front of queued cars at a set of red lights. I can honestly say I have had a few ‘words’ to cyclists who i have had to negotiate around, only to have him/them ride to the front of the queue and sit right infront of my car…
Anyone who does that deserves what is coming to them!!
You want to be treated with respect, then respect the road rules that every other motorist has to!!!
pinkie ponk

hando and nick, it is obvious you have never ridden a bike on the road before. swallow your pride at losing pole position. hopefully the world can do with a few less seconds of your time, as you rev and mouth off behind a moronic, selfish, unregistered cyclist. Jeauousy and self-righteousness are very ugly.
Frontman

Pinkie I agree with a lot of what you say, however I also agree (and actually do as) what Nicak & Hando suggest and try to hang back. Particularly if there is only like 5 or 6 cars, totally different if it’s peak hour with a hundred cars sure.
Slugger, great ideas and truths you mention.
To all the Motorists that reckon we don’t belong on the roads and want to be selfish, try looking at a different angle. What if more people rode pushies? There would be more car parks when you get to work, there would be less of a line up at the bowser on tuesdays, there would be less congestion on the road and you would actually get smoother traffic flow. Lets face it most of the congestion comes from some inatentive driver running into someone or something so realistically it’s the drivers that slow you down most.
I have asked the point about rego before, and no-one can honestly tell me how that’ll change peoples attitudes. You get the well we can report them answer but who would, and do you report drivers going through red lights?
My biggest complaint is most of my rides start at 5:00am on Sunday, and in one main sect of road I ride on there is three lanes, we ride to the left of the left lane at 30>35km/h. Why does the handful of cars that pass feel the need to be in the same lane as we are in? there is no intersections for 5kms? Why is it when I am ridding along my favourite beach road at the speed limit of 40km/h that the traffic feels the need to try to pass me only to slow me down when the get to a round about that I could take at 40?
Yet I will allow them to merge in front of me, if they are at a side street and are waiting for me I either wave them out or speed up to get past them?
Hando

You have to understand Pinkie Ponk, I’m not against bike riders, but Im sorry, i think the majority of people do get frustrated by the riders ‘pushing’ to the front.
Its nothing to do with ‘pole position’ at all. Its to do with the fact we ‘motorists’ have previously had to negotiate our way around you (cyclists), avoiding incident and harm to all parties, then to have you put yourself right infront of us again, is a simple disregard for road rules and if anything, your own safety. IMO you are simply compounding the issue but returning yourself to the front, only to be re-overtaken by the same cars.
If you think we are all concerned about obtaining ‘pole position’ then you are very jaded in your thoughts.
http://faster DanMan

So how rego (road tax) do cyclist’s pay. Y’no to use the road?

Just saying. Never understood excersizing amonst heavy traffic… ‘Yeah i will just get fit next to that diesel exhaust, that sounds good).
pinkie ponk

I’m sure there’s a lot you don’t understand DanMan. Maybe everyone should pay road tax, including pedestrians. We could all get number plates tatooed to our foreheads, so road-ragers can report us for jaywalking, or for taking off early from lights so we are not mown down by angry SUV kings of the road. How about we all pay road tax proportionally to the amount of wear and tear, space taken up, pollution, parking etc. I would be happy to pay the 10c a year, and wear a number plate. Try riding a bike one day Hando, and see if you hold to your own lofty ideals. I don’t mind cyclists pushing to the front. I think good on them, and take wide berth. I’m not that important or aggressive. There are so many bad things done to cyclists, there are 2 sides to every coin, just try and be happy, and respect other people.
http://www.sigma-galant.com Nemesis

What I was trying to say is I don’t think it should be legal for riders to ride side by side (two wide or more) when the bike lane is clearly only wide enough for one rider…
MB

I am both a driver and cyclist. My main problems is that alot of riders seem to wear a helment but there is obviosuly no brain to protect. Riding in peak hour traffic is a huge problem sure it might be good for the green effect but think of the lack of green effort that every car makes getting on the brakes, accelerating etc just to get aroudn one cyclist in traffic let alone 2 riding abreast which is perfectly legal.

Also there is no recourse with a cyclist that hits a car. I had a cyclist hit the rear of my car on Barkly Street on the down hill part, he put a scrath in the rear bar and took off…no rego and plenty of cyclists wear Liquid Gas apparel so hard to identify.

I have no problems with the hords of riders on the AM hours along Beach Road Melbourne on the weekends (I’m one too) they are expected but Monday – Friday in peak hours is tempting fate.

BTW if drivers started driving on footpaths to get around red lights or the multitude of other wrongs that bikes do (yes cars do it too) there would be an outcry.

Dont get me started on motorised bikes using bike lanes.
pinkie ponk

I don’t think it should be legal to be so pig-headed. What’s the rush? relax, have a thought, smile, be nice to people. you could save a life. the attitude I am reading is the cause of some of the injury and death on the roads.
pinkie ponk

So where should the motorised bicycles ride? in the middle of the lane. That’d make you real happy. Why does it bother you so much that some cyclists ride on the footpath and take a shortcut? reeks of jealousy. so not on the road, not on the footpath, where should they ride? Cyclists are expected on the road at all times, not just when you think they should be there. I got hit by a car in car park, and no note left, no witnesses. Must have been a cyclist driving, eh MB? You seem to have blotted out the hit and runs on cyclists that cars do, even some deaths. But the horror that your bumper was scratched, diddums.
http://skyline The Salesman

I was amazed at how well the traffic flowed in Asia, there seemed to be no rules at all.
Some lessons here for Aussies, relax; take it a bit slower if you have too, how much time will it really take out of your day?
We have 2 people per 2 square Kilometers, Korea has 300 people.
MB

Pinkie you raise some valid points given you are pushbike, motorbike & car driver like I am. Cant say I have suffered any road rage inccident on the pushy on my regular Saturday & Sundays Beach Road runs.

Not a morning goes by driving to and from work tat I see a motorbikes use the bicycle lane on St kilda Road to pass cars on the left and rejoin the traffic. I have seen the police pull people up for this at hotam Road Brighton for doing this. I could understand if they were turning left @ the next street. I gave up riding road bikes a few years back & stick to dirt bikes on the odd occasion so it is ot as I have a blinkered view.

If there is a dedicated cycle lane use it. You cant have it both ways without recourse…if a rider (bicycle) goes through a red light camera they are not penalised….if a driver does they cop a fine and dermit points.

As for my bumper the scratch was $350 after colouring matching etc…so yes it was a big deal. Not enough to go via insurance (not that I could identify the party) and small enough to pay.
SSBob

So you think road tax covers the full cost of maintaining roads?

It would be interesting to make everyone pay according to the level of wear and tear caused by their vehicle, the level of environmental impact (including such things as the space required to park at the other end, the delaying of traffic in general).

Plenty of cyclists also have cars and are ‘paying’ road tax while they are out cycling, let alone all the other taxes we pay as we go about our daily life.

That argument is a silly one and show a complete lack of thought and consideration of the issue, regardless of where you might sit in regard to the rest.
Bret

The thing that really annoys me is the general lack of knowledge on both sides of the fence.
Near where I work they built a million dollar bike track alongside the road, but the cyclists don’t use it. Instead they are quite happy to break the law and ride on the road, causing heavy vehicles to swerve around them in busy traffic.

Yes, that’s right, break the law by riding on the road when a bike lane is present: the law states that cyclists MUST use a bike lane/track if one is provided, unless it is untrafficable (ie to go around a fallen tree branch).
Bret

SSBob,
The majority of road and petrol taxes is siphoned off into general revenue: It is far more than is needed to actually maintain the roads.
In fact one university study that I read claimed that if only 17.5% of all tax revenue from transport was spent on the roads, then Aust would have one of the best road systems in the world.
WVB

^SSbob, I have more than one car and that one is unregistered. I’ll drive that because as you say I’m already paying road tax on my 1st car. OK. Cheers for that.
Registering cyclists is in part also about demonstrating responsibility as MB will attest.
WVB

Just seems to me that as soon as someone puts a bike helmet on they dis-engage their brain, ignore any rules and ride where/how ever they like.

^Pinkie, I had a scratch removed from my rear bumper recently (not courtesy of a cyclist admittedly but a scratch nonetheless right through the paint) and it cost $200 to fix so I’m with MB on this. Scuffs & scrapes are a pain in the a*se let alone the extra #&&%#!! in MBs case as the cyclist had no ID and just rode off. I’m a car lover here so as I said, cyclists have a little right to the road, that little bit on the side. Please stay in it.
pinkie ponk

I’m not saying that a scratch isn’t annoying. But cyclists aren’t the only ones to hit and run, it’s a dud argument. I wonder why a man’s testicles seem to go into overdrive when getting behind the wheel of a car. maybe we should look at modifying the seating. how about a valley in the middle of the seat, or an airconditoner vent blowing on them to keep them cool
Frontman

The problem with Cycle paths is very simple in Brisbane. The council has spent millions building specific cycle paths to take bike lanes off / away from major traffic areas. They then turn around and sign these as pedestrain priority paths and then the pedestrians think they are okay to walk all over the path completly blocking it. Secondly, you try getting a Sunday peleton of say 80 cyclists to travel along a 4mtr wide path at 30km/h only to find Mum, Dad Jonny and little Suzzie out for their Sunday ride. That is far more dangerous than being on the road.
Yes Cyclist need to be more considerate and also obey road rules. But again I ask how many of you are that worried about people obeying the rules that you dob in the car that snuck through on the red light? or even throw bottles at the car that is slowing you down by travelling along at 20k under the limit?? what about that tool on the honda nifty fifty going flat out at 50km/hr in a seventy zone, do you drive right up close to him swerve towards him blow your horn and laugh your A’s off??
See I have difficulty in differentiating between those people who annoy you and cyclists annoying you. It’s just that a lot of people feel that the cyclist is either unprotected or a threat.
As to RCH well I guess you won’t mind if I laugh when an B doulbe roll right over the top of you, just because you shouldn’t have been in his way………. (stop steeling oxygen)
Joe

This may be a rather simplistic view but I see it like this. If a car hits a cyclist it’s going to be a lot worse than if a cyclist hits a pedestrian.

Quite simply I think wherever possible they should be kept off the road, even if it means being on footpaths. On highways, well there’s (usually) enough room there for cars to get around. Having said that there’s no way I’d go cycling down the highway. It’s dangerous enough to have to pull over on the shoulder sometimes, imagine riding along it for hours.

I don’t think cyclists should be banned from the road or anything, just be allowed to get off the road when possible. The reality is, whether people like it or not, they simply don’t belong on a road.
slowed

I drive and i pay rego for that car, in regards to paying rego on my bike I would love to pay BUT if cyclists pay for rego then they will take the lane and provide even more of the so call traffic congestion. For those who have claimed to have been slowed on the roads while going to work, think about if each on of those cyclists was in a car and had to stop and slow for the traffic lights. Commuters save you time on the road. As was mentioned earlier its the minority who just annoy weather they are cyclists or drivers. Unfortunatly there is no easy solution cycle lanes will help ease the problem but best case is for all to slow down and take a break from the testoserone. The emergency services are pushed to the limit do we need to see more death and destruction on our roads or at your hands?
http://impreza Dave

Let’s face it. This story really isn’t relevant to the everyday issue of bikes and cars sharing the roads. It’s just about a bunch of cowards who are so dickless they have to take our their agression from behind the nice, safe, anonymous position of the drivers seat. Bravo boys, your mummy must be very proud.
matt

i noticed there have beena few calls for cyclists to pay rego, this isn’t new. the reason they don’t is a matter of impact on the driving surface. a bike weighs less then the rider and a good percentage of bike and rider combinations weigh less then most people who drive every where. there for the impact on a surface designed for a bloke in a car weighting at least a ton if not 2 or 3 is so small it isn’t noticed.

it’s hard to imagine a bike making a pot hole or catching fire and melting the tarmac…

oh and yes i have and ride 3 bikes and an old 4×4
Cupid Stunt aka No Name

Totally agree with Fenno, Pinkie Ponk but Nemisis, you’ve proven to us all your pond-life,I’d not be surprised if you were in the car and did this with an attitude like that.

The roads are only going to get more congested with more pressure to get out your cars and onto other forms of transport. We have to be considerate to others, you won’t get where your going any faster.

Try cycling in France, you’ll get way more respect from drivers there, they do not seem to mind hanging around until its safe to clear. Its all about respect.
http://mm mm

my father did this ride and rides every weekend with a group – after seeing the result of an accident he had due to a motorist a few yrs ago and that of his friend in the last 12 months, it is frightening to think that some motorists find it funny to target these riders. There is no buffer as such for these riders, unlike drivers in the comfort of their vehicle. roads are not purely for motorists.
klaus

To all you bike riders especially those who ride around in those large groups on the weekends.

The roads were built and designed for motor vehicles to use under strict rules, not for pushbike clubs to take over when the feel like it.

You don’t have the god dam given right to hold up traffic, congregate at intersections and block lanes on mass as you always seem to do.

You have the right to use the roads the way you want, you always say!

I say to you rubbish,… show me your rego, show me you licence where is your number plate. you have no more right to be there as do do skate board riders, horses clubs and joggers .

You people and riders who arrange these outings are a menace to vehicles on our roads and impede road users from lawfully travelling safely. You put yourself and others at risk, often cause confusion and unecessarily hold up other road users from going about their business.

Let’s face it we would not be having this conversation if it was not for the way these clubs go about distrupting the traffic flow.

Your behaviour on these bikes often cause drivers to come in conflict with your outings. It is you lot who make it unsafe not the motor vehicles. Patience I find is not the vertue of our modern city drivers for many reasons. Bike riders blocking traffic flow enrages people and has disastorous consequences for bike riders.

Sometimes, I am sure you don’t get it. Buses, cars, trucks vans suv’s are bigger than you and belong on our roads. You don’t. You will always come of second best and thats a good reason you should not ride two /three abreast on a single laned road as you are seen to do.

How often do you see many vehicles banked up behind these groups with the riders oblivious to the distruption they are causing behind them.

Often they just don’t care and hide behind the safety in numbers attitude. This is just downright arrogant and stupid.

Take you Sunday bike hikes off our metro roads.

To all of you single biker riders who dice with the metro traffic during the week. Good luck with that.
Neo

Im with Klaus on this one.
pinkie ponk

me King, you get out of my way!
Frontman

klaus Says:
October 21st, 2008 at 1:01 pm
Klaus Ummm utter B.S. Roads were made to allow traffic to flow from one place to another without just trampling through your backyard.
As for my licence and registration and so forth, Well my two cars are fully registered sitting in the garage whilst I’m on my bike, I have my license on me at all times and where my group try to ride is away from major NARROW thoroughfares. But we still get abuse and things thrown at us. Like I said, if we had license plates an dpaid rego etc, you really don’t expect me to believe someone meking the BS comments you just made would actually change your attitude, sit back and wait to get around us??? Sorry I live in the real world, your cooments make me believe you are part of the percentile of drivers that become near neanderthalic with their attitude that everyone else besides car drivers (and preferably not P platers or people over 60) should get the hell off YOUR road!!!!!!! Sorry bud but bikes are still selling more than cars, and when your kids start comming home from school relating some of these stories about cars comming close to hitting them, I’d love to see you response.
pinkie ponk

no patience is not your virtue. it’s a cultural thing. we are an aggressive, self-important, and inconsiderate bunch behind the wheel. shame, really.
slugger

See, Pinkie Ponk, you are part of the cyclist problem, possibly without knowing it. In your posts here, you have suggested that only men are bothered by pushbike riders by saying it’s about testicles in overdrive (weak and, basically, a dull argument), you wave away the damaging of someone’s property by saying (But cyclists aren’t the only ones to hit and run, it’s a dud argument’) as though pushbike riders should be allowed to take some kind of revenge for their fallen comrades. The cars that hit and run can (and should) be pursued by the law because they can be identified. The idiot who was hanging on to the rear wing of my WRX who nearly ripped it off because I was accelerating is not identifiable. He would be rather less identifiable if I hadn’t seen him and got off the gas.

You then justify pushbike riders taking to the footpath (illegally) to dodge lights, if they take to the footpath at all. The operative word is illegal. They shouldn’t do it. Why is it ok?

This is one of my favourites:

‘You seem to have blotted out the hit and runs on cyclists that cars do, even some deaths. But the horror that your bumper was scratched, diddums.’

Okay, well, if you feel that way, may I have your details so that I may sneak around to your home one evening and bend a wheel? Perhaps, daub some battery acid on your front door? After all, cyclists have killed on occasion so a pedestrian like me bending your wheel, well, diddums. Oh, no hang on, that would be wrong of me.

You also seem to be missing basic physics. In many, not all, instances, pushing to the front at lights is simply endangering oneself unless there is a safe bike path. It’s not ‘green’ to hold up traffic by tootling along in the middle of a lane where cars are. It is also not green to ignore bike lanes when they are provided. If you don’t use them, they should be taken away…no? I’m not saying riders shouldn’t push to the front, I’m saying they should be sensible about it. See, sensible? Not ‘get off the road’ but ‘sensible.’ There are ways and means.

So what you’re saying is, pushbike riders are allowed to break the law because their life is in danger doing what they do but drivers should temper their jealousy? You take an interesting line. My line is that pushbikes should and could have dedicated cycleways and obey the road rules when riding in company with cars. Cars are big, steel and glass and they can hurt you if you’re not being careful. They can also hurt you if the driver is being careful. More cyclists need to be aware that bad things can happen to them if they are not watchful. If you were to take your own advice, why are you pushing to the front? Why are you so insistent in being in the middle of motorised traffic?

You show a complete lack of respect for others in your posts and have said little that is even mildly constructive. If your attitude hasn’t already garnered negative comment from other road users, I would be astounded. Remind me to stay away from you because you seem to think it’s okay to be closed-minded and militant about your rights, but discriminate against the rights of others to not have to pay for damage on the basis of how they transport themselves is bigotry of the highest order. You have an immature outlook and no doubt have a number of other blind bigotries to add to the impressive collection you have displayed here. I wish you good luck in your endeavours because I reckon if I had a mouth like yours, I’d have had my teeth removed by force by now.
romo

wow slugger, take a chill pill mate. you are really living up to your name. it’s paternalistic aggression like yours, in people who don’t ride bicycles, which is the problem. you talk about morons on bicycles, then maybe you do ride one.
slugger

Paternalistic aggression? What planet are you on?

I do ride a bicycle (oops, burst your bubble), I also ride a motorbike and drive a car. I didn’t actually call anyone a moron who doesn’t behave moronically – such as someone riding down a street at night without their lights on. How is that not moronic? What a delicate little petal you are if you think that isn’t a ridiculous way to ride.

If what I do is paternalistic aggression (have you not got past first year psychology yet?) then society needs a complete re-think on what it is. Your aggression is marvellously off-beam. Keep that up, I need a laugh once in a while.

Paternalistic aggression…next I’ll be blaming my mother.
romo

“If I was a bike rider, I’d think the government were doing more to hinder than to help.” exercise bikes don’t count. never did psychology, don’t need to to understand the mindset of people like you. Yes of course no lights is moronic. As a bike rider, I can’t believe you would attack someone who is trying to defend th rights of other people to ride their bikes withot fear of being mowed down by some hyped-up bogan in an SUV.
slugger

Hmmm…I think you need to read my post.

I took issue with Pinkie’s aggression towards others, something you are condemning.

Play the ball and not the man.
i used to be a women

Get a seat on ya bike
Andrew

Such an old issue, I’ve ridden and raced for more than 26 years. The road rules are fine, any one who wants to break them can pay the fine riders and drivers included.

Why don’t the police book more cyclists without helmets? riding 3 abreast? disobeying road rules. I believe the Cops need to pull thier fingers out and get vigulant, stop policeing based on revenue raised, get tough and uphold the existing law.

Bike lanes are dangerous for so many reasons, the road rules are fine.

If we all pulled our heads in, and opened our eyes we’d live alot longer.