Bloody cyclists

**Lou Girardin** · 28th February 2007, 05:52

Stebels are great on psyclists. The two who were using all the left lane on one of the canal roads heading down to Paeroa are probably still trying to clean the shit out of their tights.

**forkoil** · 28th February 2007, 09:13

Originally Posted by Wolf

What'd he do?

The crime was, being a cyclist, ...... the bastard

**Jantar** · 28th February 2007, 09:44

Here's the story about lil_byte and the cyclist.
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...ad.php?t=38425

**Alice** · 28th February 2007, 09:50

Originally Posted by Wolf

Until the day you go through a red light as you described and someone fails to stop the ton or more of vehicle they're driving quite legally - at 50km/h through a green light - and takes you out. The SCU will find you at fault after they've squeegeed your remains off the tarmac and picked bits of you out of the front grille but that's not going to stop the driver from feeling like shit and waking up from nightmares for years and it won't stop your family and friends from blaming him/her for failing to stop.

Or maybe they'll do a panicked swerve into the other lane and you'll survive - too bad about the motorcyclist or car carrying toddlers travelling quite legitimately in the opposite direction...

Or maybe it will be me that fails to stop on my little XT225 - we could get sequentially numbered toe-tags or whatever it is they use to identify corpses here in NZ. That cock on the treddley that swerved in front of my TS125 endangered both of our lives with his stupidity.

I don't, but I do call a spade a spade and when I see cyclists clumping six abreast without warning, people running red lights or charging through roundabouts without slowing (or even looking), or doing a number of other bone-headed things - irrespective of what vehicle they are in or on - then I call 'em arrogant fuckwits.

Cyclists who move from two-abreast to single file when vehicles approach as per the road code, people who actually stop at red lights and check when they are about to enter an intersection etc I respect and usually acknowledge with a wave or nod. Those who go out of their way to let me out of a side road onto a packed main road or pull over because they know their slow speed is holding up traffic I usually give a wave and a toot on the horn to acknowledge that they are courteous above and beyond the call.

The gist of your post is that you feel you have some sort of right or privilege over other road users. Fine, you're entitled to your deluded opinion but do it in front of me and expect at least the "bird" or the fingers - I won't throw anything at you, though. Get yourself killed doing it and I'll call it "evolution in action". Nothing personal - I'd feel the same about any idiot who removed themselves from the gene pool by doing something stupid. Get someone else killed or injured in the process and you can prepare to be hated... Consequences.

You and forkoil are promoting the myth that cyclists are above the law and free of consequence and "everyone around the world does it as it is our right".

You're both wrong. Only luck has stopped you from being dead wrong.

You complain that people seem to have a grudge against cyclists in the same post in which you brag about flagrantly breaking the law. If you don't want people to think cyclists are dangerous retards without a clue of basic road safety, do something about it: demonstrate that you are a safe rider and obey the fucking road rules.

You complain that people view all cyclists as arrogant and inconsiderate in the same post you admit to being arrogant and inconsiderate. You want people to view cyclists as considerate people rather than arrogant wankers, show consideration for other road users and "keep as far to the left as practicable" like the "Good Book" says.

No, people don't like to have to pull out and swerve around two push bikes blocking the whole lane. People tend not to like having to brake and downshift suddenly, whilst frantically looking to see if it is safe to cross the centre line and pass, when they round a corner to find slow traffic blocking the lane.

Personally I don't like it when cars/vans/trucks/whatever pull out into the road in front of me and practically come to a complete stop before starting on their way again - I don't like it so I make sure I accelerate smoothly out of the side road and up the road out of consideration for other road users.

It's a mix of safety and consideration for others. By your own admission, you seem to care for neither.

Gosh, your imagination has really expanded on the things I said. You are quite dramatic in some of your comebacks.

I do not think cyclists have a right or privelidge over other road users, if we disobey the law then we pay the price just as motorists do, ...when caught. What I said was a bit of a wind up for you good jo citizens. I will never pull out in front of a ten ton truck or a car, I do not have a death wish, nor do I want anyone else to have an accident because of something I do. I said I do not usually run red lights at a t intersection, saying that when training early in the morning and ride up to a set of lights and there is absolutly no traffic, do you think I sit there waiting for the lights to go green, those little scensor things on the road do not pick up a cyclist and change to green. And yes I often scoot around a left hander with a red light, its causing no danger to anyone, even if its the law, the road flows that way. And I do use those things in my head called eyes looking looking all the time for cars , trucks, people that may be about to cross the road, dogs etc.

Cyclist are by law entitled to ride 2 abreast, even in traffic and it does not block the whole lane. I explained that I do so if its safe, if its a narrow busy road then we go single file, a quiet road then I'll sit 2 across, sure the car has to swerve, oh my god, what a major inconvience, but I'm not braking the law or causing any danger, cause the roads clear of oncoming traffic and its not against the law. After 15 odd years in the sport I have never had an crash (on road / off roads another story ) or caused anyone else any grief, had to dodge plenty of crashes in races and seem a person laying on the road dying as a result. That was nothing to do with a car.

As for removing ourselves from the gene pool, well motorcyclists seem to do a better job of that since you brought it up. Not a very nice subject so thats all I will say on that one.

You say I am arrogant and ignorant, whatever, thats your perception, you do not know me. You can view cyclists however you wish, I do not really give a toss, its sorta amusing the hollier than thou attitude of some people, so you never speed hu, hmmmm, find that hard to believe. Do you never park your motorbike on the footpath so someone does not knock it over in their car. Do you always obey every little rule and law.

I am not saying its right for cyclists to be inconsiderate and run every red light in town to the peril of others or ride 6 abreast and hold up traffic but there time and place for everything in my mind, using good judgment and common scense, law or no law.

I think you will find that the people that cause the most hazard on pushbikes are not very experienced, I see some classic examples of what not to do as well at times. Anyone that has spent any time on the road knows the dangers, I could tell you many stories of people being hit by cars through no fault of there own.

**MSTRS:Me** · 28th February 2007, 10:09

I think most of us would agree that arrogant road users come in all modes of transport. It is unfortunate that there does seem to be a preponderance of them in the form of roadracing cyclists tho. This attitude is not only displayed on the road - I was attending a bike meet some years ago and at the parking area afterwards, some dickwad leaned his (poxy) Cannondale against my car. On being told to move it or I would

, his response was that close from earning him a smack in the mouth. That some cyclists believe they have a god-given right to do whatever they want is what upsets me.

**forkoil** · 28th February 2007, 12:01

A pesky cyclist really wants the driver of a white van with tinted windows, who vented his/her road rage at a group of cyclists by the airport yesterday morning and knocked one into the kerbing, to know of the resulting injuries. "Just in case they are interested, I am okay, the ambulance didn't take long to come at all and the surgeon tells me that after two operations on my broken shoulder I should get 75 per cent function again. Awesome ... "

Now wait for the "while I dont condone hitting cyclists, they are not helping themselves by ..... (in other words they asked for it)" inevitable response.

Recognise that while cyclists (like everyone) are no angels, the level and intensity of other road users anger at them is waayy beyond the bounds of reasonableness. Examine your attitudes, and try to see where they come from, honestly ......

**Jantar** · 28th February 2007, 12:20

Originally Posted by forkoil

.....Recognise that while cyclists (like everyone) are no angels, the level and intensity of other road users anger at them is waayy beyond the bounds of reasonableness. Examine your attitudes, and try to see where they come from, honestly ......

forkoil, Over the years I have ridden many thousands of km on a pushbike. I still often ride the 8km to Clyde and back. I have never experienced any hint of road rage, or any bad attitude from any motorists or motorcyclists. Maybe its because I keep well to left and do not obstruct other traffic.

In Central Otago we get many hundreds of visiting cyclists touring on our roads. They also do not cause any problems, and I have never seen any drivers or riders get upset at these ones. It is only the groups of cyclists who ride many abreast and refuse to make room for other traffic that cause any problems at all.

So, let me examine my attitude as you suggest: I have no problem with genuine cyclists, just obstructors.
Let me try to see where they come from: Its obvious that because they are either in a race or training for a race that they believe the road rules no longer apply to them. Unfortunately, because I ride a motorcycle, they are just as much a danger to me as I am to them, so for the safety of all concerned they should obey the road rules and ride only two abreast, or single file if they are likely to cause an obstruction.

**forkoil** · 28th February 2007, 14:20

Originally Posted by MSTRS

I think most of us would agree that arrogant road users come in all modes of transport. It is unfortunate that there does seem to be a preponderance of them in the form of roadracing cyclists tho. This attitude is not only displayed on the road - I was attending a bike meet some years ago and at the parking area afterwards, some dickwad leaned his (poxy) Cannondale against my car. On being told to move it or I would

You dont think you were reacting a bit strongly to this "dickwad" who leaned his "poxy Cannondale" against your car. Its not exactly a 10 ton truck this Cannondale (alu frame, 2.6 pounds weight (yankee things)). Perhaps because he was an arrogant bloody cyclist that added to the situation (good on you for not punching him in the mouth)

**Horney1** · 28th February 2007, 14:25

I had a good laugh this morning at the expense of an arrogant cyclist. Probably worth a mention here...

After battling 40 odd kms of dense multi-laned crawling traffic I used an empty right lane to move to the front at some traffic lights (to go straight) then right at the next intersection. A bicycle was on the right of the straight ahead lane so I pointed my sharp end to his left so when I pulled the trigger I could zip around on his left and not be held up. Another lycra lad pulled up to my left (I was in front of the first car) and moved forward just enough to block my way. Not having a bar of that I moved forward a foot to establish my intent & proceeded to keep an eye on the traffic lights to my left. Of course with my dark visor he took this as a stare-down, stomped his feet and moved his bike forward until his back wheel was a few centimeters in front of mine (still leftish though). Of course he simultaneously blocked the way of a young lady pedestrian who bumped his rear wheel as she squeezed between us (I was in the process on front brake bouncing back to make room). Not realising the girl was even there he gave me a "wtf did you do that for" look and asked why don't I just go around ( I'd already been through that excercise moments before). So I said urgently and quite loudly "The light's green!" (it wasn't, hehehe), at which point he turned forward to go, realised he'd been had and turned back to continue mouthing at me. At which point the lights did turn green, he lost the start, had cars coming at his arse (I guess he liked it) and had me riding towards him close enough that he could clearly hear my unflattering description of him... It would have been so much easier if he had given a little room - not so much fun for me of course! The only bugger is that he had the advantage of being able to get my rego and cause problems for me which I couldn't do for him.

**MSTRS:Me** · 28th February 2007, 14:25

Originally Posted by forkoil

You dont think you were reacting a bit strongly to this "dickwad" who leaned his "poxy Cannondale" against your car. Its not exactly a 10 ton truck this Cannondale (alu frame, 2.6 pounds weight (yankee things)). Perhaps because he was an arrogant bloody cyclist that added to the situation (good on you for not punching him in the mouth)

I don't give a rat's how heavy his bike was...it was MY car, MY paintwork, and I wasn't asked if it was ok.
EDIT: I wonder if he would have minded me parking my car 'up against' his bike?

**pete376403** · 28th February 2007, 15:51

A number of years ago, cyclists in Wellington moaned about the state of the bicycle path that runs alongside the Hutt Rd between Petone and Ngauranga. Because it was in a very bad state, they wouldn't use it - because they wouldn't use it, it became a dumping ground for all sorts of trash. Anyway, after a lot of moaning, complaining about the dangers of riding on the roadway, etc, Wellington and Petone councils spent large sums of money upgrading the cycle path. So will the f*ckers use it now? No way. God knows the Hutt Rd is dangerous enough, several cyclists have been killed and injured - so why won't they use their armco protected exclusive lane?

**MisterD** · 28th February 2007, 16:39

Ok, I'll put my hand up as a cyclist too and here's a recent experience.

A few saturday's ago, the morning the QM2 came in. I'm on my regular training ride along the bays to St Heliers and the traffic is crawling at maybe 20kph.
Me and another guy who happened to be heading the same way are riding two abreast and chatting, as you do, going the same speed as the queue but with possibly a cars length between us and the cage in front....what happens? The plonker behind us in his Legacy wagon starts going off on one hitting his horn, driving inches of our rear wheels and threatening to overtake down the median...all because he could gain 10 yards?

It's no wonder to me that cyclists get conditioned to a "fuck you" attitude.

**KLOWN** · 28th February 2007, 18:19

I rode a bike to uni everyday for a year and rode to school for many years when I was younger and never recieved any abuse or road rage. I always kept to the left always signalled my turns and rode considerately for other road users. I have met some real fuckwits who cycle like they own the road, I and other road users only have proplems with them not the considerate responsible cyclists

**Wolf** · 28th February 2007, 20:50

This happened ages ago:

Ex-fiancee turns up at my place in dire need of a cigarette and a strong coffee. She'd been out in the car with her boyfriend and they'd been arguing. Her boyfriend stops the car at the lights at Victoria St and she gives him a hearty "fuck you" and opens the door to get out.

Psycho-list slams into the door and folds it back on its hinges. Scares the shit out of her - hence the need for a coffee and cigarette.

Of course, we could say it was all her fault - she shouldn't have opened the door. The poor psycho-list had every right to be speeding along between the stopped cars and the curb (no cycle lane) at such a speed that not only was he unable to stop, he practically ripped the door off. The road code is, after all, only a blunt instrument and such considerations as driving/riding to the conditions (and in such a way that you can stop if something unexpected happens) can be ignored at will by certain privileged folk.