Aussie road rage

tunney

http://www.smh.com.au/news/beijing2008/angry-driver-takes-out-50strong-cycle-pack/2008/05/08/1210131112608.html

kenmc

:eek:
I hope they hang the f*cker from the harbour bridge, using the remains of the bikes. What a complete pr1ck. Must've been a great buzz :rolleyes:

GreeBo

While I dont in any way condone what he did, it does drive me crazy when you come across a massive bunch of cyclists taking up the whole road, oblivious to anyone behind them.
2 abreast is the supposed maximum and even thats only if there is room.
I often come across 4 and 5 abreast oblivious to the tailback behind them.

tunney

I have never seen 4 or 5 abreast in my life. Never.

I have seen lots of motorists that do not know the rules of the road.

blorg

At least it appears they know who the driver is. This is beyond dangerous driving as it was deliberate, at least serious assault if not attempted murder, hope he gets a significant prison term.

The article mentions a cyclist saying that the driver appears to have found it funny; honestly there are drivers who just don't think of the consequences to cyclists of their behaviour - I had an oncoming van do a playful swerve across the line at me as I was descending at 70 km/h+ the other day. Slammed on the brakes, but didn't get his reg. Ha ha, hilarious stuff.

Bicyclegadabout

GreeBo wrote: »

While I dont in any way condone what he did, it does drive me crazy when you come across a massive bunch of cyclists taking up the whole road, oblivious to anyone behind them.
2 abreast is the supposed maximum and even thats only if there is room.
I often come across 4 and 5 abreast oblivious to the tailback behind them.

What's your opinion on tractors, horses and street sweepers?

GreeBo

Bicyclegadabout wrote: »

What's your opinion on tractors, horses and street sweepers?

I dont think any of them should ride bicycles more than 2 abreast either.

Chips Lovell

Saw it this morning. It's crazy. Kate Nichols was also involved in this crash after being involved in the incident that killed Amy Gillet last year.

Some of the reader comments on stories in the Australian press are bloody depressing, this one for example.

tunney wrote: »

I have never seen 4 or 5 abreast in my life. Never.

I have seen lots of motorists that do not know the rules of the road.

+1

kenmc

Jeez the Aussie drivers seem even more vitriolic than the ones over here, and that's really saying something!

Chips Lovell

Look at bikeforums, which is very US orientated, and you'll find that Americans are even worse.

kenmc

(as it happens I do)
Yeah but c'mon, what do you expect from the cager capital of the world. Given the Aussies love of the outdoors and sport, I certainly didn't expect to see so much hate towards cyclists. It's almost racist in it's narrow-mindedness.

Chips Lovell

Cyclists should start shooting back.

(Actually, I vaguely remember a thread on bikeforums ages ago when someone quite seriously asked if people brought a piece with them when they rode)

Raam

GreeBo wrote: »

While I dont in any way condone what he did, it does drive me crazy when you come across a massive bunch of cyclists taking up the whole road, oblivious to anyone behind them.
2 abreast is the supposed maximum and even thats only if there is room.
I often come across 4 and 5 abreast oblivious to the tailback behind them.

5 abreast would take up a lot more than one side of the road. What you are seeing is probably 2 or 3, with another 2 tucked in behind and between.

kona

i posted this in motors in response to some gob****e, complaining why cyclists need a escort on N roads during races:rolleyes:

the replies will be typically ignorant of the "my 2.0 dieslel mondeo is the height of motoring pleasure"brigade:D

GreeBo

Raam wrote: »

5 abreast would take up a lot more than one side of the road. What you are seeing is probably 2 or 3, with another 2 tucked in behind and between.

I have to disagree.
An average road is 3m wide, giving each bike 3/4 m thats 4 bikes on a singe side of the road, not including the hard shoulder.
The back road to the airport seems to be a popular spot for this activity.

FYi Im not anti-cyclists at all, Ive been cycling 10miles a day for 15+ years.

Raam

GreeBo wrote: »

I have to disagree.
An average road is 3m wide, giving each bike 3/4 m thats 4 bikes on a singe side of the road, not including the hard shoulder.
The back road to the airport seems to be a popular spot for this activity.

FYi Im not anti-cyclists at all, Ive been cycling 10miles a day for 15+ years.

I wouldn't want to be the guy on the outside!

kenmc

The only time I've seen cyclists in very wide groups, other than in a race etc, is gangs of kids going to school through a housing estate. In fairness, they're a fecking nuicance, as some of them cycle on the wrong side of the road, some of them stick to the left kerb and then swerve out and around parked cars and back in again to the kerb, some of them cycle on the paths,and there's always at least one showing off by doing a no-hander or a wheelie or something. I'm always wary about overtaking them on the bike even, as they are all over the place.
Have never seen any training cyclists out in more than 2 abreasts. Even on the saturday spins we're 2 or 2 1/2 (i.e. tucked in behind and to the right of the bike in front) abreast - and usually we're strung out singles anyway...

GreeBo

Raam wrote: »

I wouldn't want to be the guy on the outside!

Its a peloton, everyone has to take turns "out there"

Raam

GreeBo wrote: »

Its a peloton, everyone has to take turns "out there"

I'm going off topic here, but I'm hoping to avoid being that guy this weekend!

tunney

GreeBo wrote: »

I have to disagree.
An average road is 3m wide, giving each bike 3/4 m thats 4 bikes on a singe side of the road, not including the hard shoulder.
The back road to the airport seems to be a popular spot for this activity.

FYi Im not anti-cyclists at all, Ive been cycling 10miles a day for 15+ years.

Amazingly this is my training ground and I've never seen it. Again I think you're talking through your hole.

(Bar races there)

GreeBo

tunney wrote: »

Amazingly this is my training ground and I've never seen it. Again I think you're talking through your hole.

(Bar races there)

Well since you are probably travelling at the same speed as these guys then unless you are part of it, you wont see it. (Im assuming you dont cycle with binoculars, but maybe you do)
However, I am driving a car and (eventually) get to pass out many groups of cyclists.

As for the "talking through your hole" comment.
Keep it up, it adds tremendous weight to your argument.:rolleyes:

Xavi6

Greetings from a non-cyclist!

This isn't the first such incident over here. One I can remember off hand happened last year here in Perth just down the road from my flat. Group of young fellas were actin the eejit on the road at about 7 in the morning, the P-plate driver lost control and plowed into a bunch of cyclists. They drove off but the young fella's dad found out after seeing the car's description on the news and marched him straight down to the local cop shop!

Obviosuly it wasn't as malicious as this particular incident but it does happen quite a bit. Maybe you could say it's bad Aussie drivers rather than cyclists.