Cyclists on SH16 this morning

[Forest]

Does that just include cyclists? What about U turning vehicles?

I was actually thinking more along the lines of tractors, horses, and wandering stock.

Rural roads are hazardous places. If you ride/drive in a manner that doesn't leave you with the ability to stop safely, you're just contributing another hazard.

[Swoop]

Cyclists plan to lead by example.

Frustrated motorists may see it as a contradiction in terms, but a new organisation is hitting the country's roads this summer to promote the concept of responsible cycling.

Its mission is to make roads safer for everyone by building a more friendly and respectful relationship between cyclists and motorists.

Auckland triathlete Rowan Larsen says he has used proceeds from his Birkenhead-based recruitment business to form the Responsible Cyclists Association to heal deteriorating relations between the two groups.

He describes the not-for-profit association, which he has set up with a small group of helpers backed nationally by the Bicycle Industry Association through its affiliates' bike shops, as a non-political organisation focused on the single goal of breaking a "cycle" of intolerance on the roads.

Members paying a $15 subscription fee are asked to sign up to a 10- point charter of good behaviour and to wear reflective stickers on their helmets to identify themselves to passing motorists as "responsible cyclists".

The stickers, which they are also encouraged to put on their cars, carry the logo of a bike chain shaped like a daisy chain reminiscent of a 1960s peace symbol.

"Motorists will learn to look out for us as 'friendlies' who will make it as easy as we possibly can for them to get past us in difficult traffic situations as well as giving them a cheery thank-you wave in return for their consideration," the association says in a message to new members on a website being developed for them to swap ideas and information (www.rca.org.nz). "Our philosophy is that in order to get respect, you must first show respect."

Mr Larsen, 53, said that his inspiration for founding the organisation was a perverse public reaction to injuries suffered by four cyclists mown down accidentally by a novice motorist on Tamaki Drive in September last year.

"People were sympathetic to start with but by the end of the week there was a huge backlash against cyclists," he said.

That was followed a month later by the death of North Shore GP Graham Robinson, who was knocked off his bike on a training ride near Helensville by a hit-and-run driver who has not been caught.

Mr Larsen said he had given police details of a similar incident in the area a week earlier when he was almost knocked off his bike by what he suspected was the same flat-deck Toyota Hilux ute involved in Dr Robinson's death. "The police thought I was buzzed by the same guy too," he said.

Mr Larsen believes only small minorities of both motorists and cyclists behave unacceptably in hogging the roads.

But he says they are the ones most noticed by other road users, giving everyone else sharing their transport mode a bad name.

"Tolerance means space and patience - if motorists know you don't want to obstruct them they will wait for you to get into a better position and hopefully just glide effortlessly past," he said.

Automobile Association spokesman Mike Noon welcomed the new organisation and said he hoped motorists offered more respect from cyclists would return the favour.

[scumdog]

They could still be done for drunk in a public place.

No such law now Daffyd.

A shame because it would improve behaviour of drunks, it (assuming they could still think) would make them think they had better not act drunk or they'd get busted..

[scumdog]

Why?
Are we all supposed to be knuckle dragging 1%er's?

No.

But it seems the single biggest gripe on KB is about getting a ticket for speeding and how speed limits shouldn't apply to them...

[Patrick]

..... The last car lined me up and one of the young cunts in the car leaned out and punched me from behind as they went past. The assault was random and unprovoked....

I take you got the rego? Name and shame...

[grbaker]

I use to be fairly relaxed around the bicyclist road user arguments... but 2 weeks ago driving out Whitemans Valley on a lovely Sunday morning we came across:

• "Single cyclist in the middle of the road, & he's stayed there too"
• "2 abreats, inside rider wobbling & weaving so his mate sits way out"
• "3 abreast, coming head on, on our side of the road"
• "3 abreast headon, mid blind corner"
• "big fat arse wobbling all over the show"

All the engine rev'ing and horn a honking did not get past the collective IPods & wind noise that 12kph may create.

Wot a bunch of F'tards. Wot makes it worse is that the motorist gets all the blame when one of the heal-coatings get clipped and the f'ers pay no ACC road taxes.. us Motorcyclist pay for the A&E bill.

I must not compare them to rabbits - but you kinda got the feeling the might just freeze looking into the healights as well....

[Toaster]

I don't ride my motorbike a great deal these days. But I typically cycle between 350 to 400km a week on city and country roads. I regard myself as a considerate cyclist and always ride on my own, keep to the road shoulder/berm when possible, and try to avoid riding on busy highways.

On Saturday evening I was riding eastwards along the Kahikatea Flat road as part of a routine weekend training ride. Just before the hill that leads down to the SH17 turnoff, a group of three cars came past at around 80km/h. The last car lined me up and one of the young cunts in the car leaned out and punched me from behind as they went past. The assault was random and unprovoked.

What does this prove? Nothing really - it's just my experience. But I think it's clear that cyclists aren't the ones that need an attitude adjustment.

I basically agree with the other posters in this thread. If you don't have a clear view of the road ahead that it's the rider's (or driver's) responsibility to maintain the ability to stop safely.

What you need to keep in mind id that SOME drivers need an attitude adjustment and so do SOME cyclists. Like anything, there are idiots in both groups for sure.

[Malcolm]

Wot makes it worse is that the motorist gets all the blame when one of the heal-coatings get clipped and the f'ers pay no ACC road taxes.. us Motorcyclist pay for the A&E bill.

This attitude pisses me off. As someone who is paying rego on two bikes and a car (I guess around $1400 a year right?), I think I pay my fair share of ACC levies, and I imagine most other cyclists are paying levies through their motorised vehicles they own too - I don't know why so many people seem to assume someone on a bicycle is a full-time cyclist and pays nothing to be there.

I've found as I've recently gotten back into cycling on the road that if you think car drivers don't notice you on a motorbike, it's a whole new level on a bicycle, and you feel a shittonne more vulnerable out there too.

I think everyone - truckies, cages, bikers and cyclists all need to get out of their idiotic and destructive mindset that they have more right to be on the road than everyone else. It's really quite nice going through life not hating everybody else on the road.

[neels]

[*]"Single cyclist in the middle of the road, & he's stayed there too" [*]"2 abreats, inside rider wobbling & weaving so his mate sits way out"[*]"3 abreast, coming head on, on our side of the road"[*]"3 abreast headon, mid blind corner" [*]"big fat arse wobbling all over the show"

Go for a ride along the summit road on a saturday arvo and you're pretty much guaranteed to see all of the above in one trip. The other night I was following a lady who was obviously a bit scared of falling over a cliff on a downhill bit, so she was wobbling around either side of the centreline I assume to stay safely away from the edge.

I used to ride a roadie, but being slow and unfit ended up riding with the weekend warriors in the back bunches, got sick of all the random and outright dangerous shit they did on public roads so gave it up and sold the thing while it and I were still in one piece.

I have found that the guys in team gear (as in actually ride for a team, not purchased off the internet) that do big training miles are pretty good, it's the bunches of wannabes riding to the latte shop that tend to be the ignorant ones.

[Forest]

I take you got the rego? Name and shame...

Yep - I caught up with them further down SH17 and got the rego. A complaint has been laid and the Henderson Police are investigating.

[Forest]

What you need to keep in mind id that SOME drivers need an attitude adjustment and so do SOME cyclists. Like anything, there are idiots in both groups for sure.

I entirely agree with you. What I should have said that cyclists aren't the only ones that need an attitude adjustment.

[Forest]

Before I forget - and this seems like as good a place as any to post this:

This coming Saturday (October 30) will see the annual K2 bicycle race running around the Coromandel loop. So you should expect to see a largish number of cyclists on the road.

And in case anyone is interested in how these events are policed, here is the message that was relayed by the race organisers.

Dear ####

On behalf of the Eastern Waikato Police area, welcome to the K2 cycle ride.

The New Zealand Police are committed to ensuring the safety of all road users, which includes you as a competitor, spectators and the motoring public

It was pleasing that the overall conduct of cyclists last year was generally very good, however we did receive some complaints from members of the public concerning the impact of this event on the area. This year, with your co-operation, we believe we can eliminate such complaints.

As road users, cyclists as well as motorists and pedestrians, are bound by the laws governing road safety. We ask that you consider other road users and keep to the left-hand side of the marked centreline, and also to allow following traffic to pass when it is safe to do so, particularly when travelling in large bunches of cyclists.

We will be policing this event and any infringements or offending by anyone - cyclists, motorists, pedestrians - will be dealt with by way of enforcement action.

The event organisers have the full support of the New Zealand Police, and we are working together to ensure that each of you enjoy this event and complete the event with safety.

Good luck and stay safe

Glenn DUNBIER
Area Commander
Eastern Waikato

[liljegren]

I'm organising a motorcycle racearound the Coro loop at Easter. I dont give fuck how many people get annoyed or killed, as long as I can ride my motorcycle how and where I like. It's my right.
Next Xmas I'm organising a fuckin horse race around the same loop, and then a fuckin trolley derby.....
Get your fuckin pushbike races on a fuckin track and and stop fucking everybody else off!
Rant complete, and yes I'm an ex-cyclist. Last rode one to school in 1974.

[hellokitty]

Yep - I caught up with them further down SH17 and got the rego. A complaint has been laid and the Henderson Police are investigating.

good job! That was digusting behaviour hitting you like that - I hope they get charged with something

[grbaker]

Sorry Malcolm ye missed the point. Car drivers, motorcyclist, even Van drivers do not drive three abreast and straight at on comming traffic. Yes there are expections but not enough to rant about.

Those mentioned above have passed a drivers license and paid rego (which includes ACC taxes) to use the road. The cyclist dip-sh_ts haven't & don't, and it shows.

This attitude pisses me off. As someone who is paying rego on two bikes and a car (I guess around $1400 a year right?), I think I pay my fair share of ACC levies, and I imagine most other cyclists are paying levies through their motorised vehicles they own too - I don't know why so many people seem to assume someone on a bicycle is a full-time cyclist and pays nothing to be there.

I've found as I've recently gotten back into cycling on the road that if you think car drivers don't notice you on a motorbike, it's a whole new level on a bicycle, and you feel a shittonne more vulnerable out there too.

I think everyone - truckies, cages, bikers and cyclists all need to get out of their idiotic and destructive mindset that they have more right to be on the road than everyone else. It's really quite nice going through life not hating everybody else on the road.