Bloody Cyclists

[Ixion]

Well, about a year ago, I tootled down our (longish, shared) driveway, on my way to werk one morning (yes , I werk Saturdays). At the end of the driveway are a bunch of dudes with armbands.

Stop. You can't go out, we're holding a bicycle race. Eh, what. How long for . You can't go out until (about an hour away). Like hell I can't I'm already late for werk.

Much argument later, I went out in defiance of Little Mr Hitler.I'm confident I can keep out of the way of a ruddy treadley. Bugger that, since when did bloody cyclists get the right to imprision people in their houses ! Never had motorcycles, cars, trucks, or pedestrians try that lark.

Now I can't remember ever having any problems with individual cyclists. Indeed I empathise with them, they have to cope with moron cagers as we do (and occasionally I am even a psychlist myself).

But when they get together in groups, they seem to become the most inconsiderate, arrogant people on the roads. I think it is some sort of gang mentality thing. And these racing ones are the worst of all.

[snuffles]

It's not Joe Public pootling along on his pushie that we have an issue with, I'll give him plenty of space and a little wave.

IT'S THE LYCRA CLAD FUCKWITS THAT TAKE OVER THE ROADS FOR THEIR 800 STRONG POOF UP.

Next time I'm taking a pocketful of thumb tacks, just in case......

OOOhhhhh thumbtacks, theres an idea.

[Rashika]

But when they get together in groups, they seem to become the most inconsiderate, arrogant people on the roads. I think it is some sort of gang mentality thing. And these racing ones are the worst of all.

shit that sounds like another group of people I hear about all the time...
namely us.
Better stop congregating in groups huh? they might make a law against it

But I do feel for you... ever been along dyers pass road during training season for the Le Race, its scary as fk being in a car or Mbike

[inlinefour]

But when they get together in groups, they seem to become the most inconsiderate, arrogant people on the roads. I think it is some sort of gang mentality thing. And these racing ones are the worst of all.

I cannot understand the attitudes displayed by these people and the selfishness towards other roads users. I believe that the majority are actually OK and its the minority that are preforming like trained seals. However what puts them all into disrepute is that within the group the minority are not sorted out and are permitted to keep preforming. Ive got a way to deal with them but it tends to upset people here on KBer, so I'll keep to to myself. Good luck with dealing with the trained seals. Have fun and don't let the shyte bother you too much.

[The_Dover]

I cannot understand the attitudes displayed by these people and the selfishness towards other roads users. I believe that the majority are actually OK and its the minority that are preforming like trained seals. However what puts them all into disrepute is that within the group the minority are not sorted out and are permitted to keep preforming. Ive got a way to deal with them but it tends to upset people here on KBer, so I'll keep to to myself. Good luck with dealing with the trained seals. Have fun and don't let the shyte bother you too much.

what the fuck are you talking about tons of fun?

[James Deuce]

If we rode motorcycles in a bunch that spilled onto the other side of the road at speeds 40-50km/hr slower than the posted limit and then claimed it was an organised race, there'd be a bunch of motorcyclists in court losing their licenses on the MOnday.

They have no license, they have no registration, they have no WoF, they pay no ACC levies and yet we're the bad guys when they wobble in front of powered traffic and get killed, or ride around a mountain bend with no clear view of what's coming, at least six abreast, and we have to take avoiding action.

That dadgum Road Code thingy says they can only ride two abreast. But they have no license, they have no registration, they have no WoF, they pay no ACC levies, so there's no comeback. There's not even a vehicle seizure clause for bicyclists behaving badly.

[dawnrazor]

correction: i say access road, but really mean the hill I live on.....please note the irony

You might need to look up a definition of IRONY at some stage, 'cus your current grasp of it is way off the mark.

[ManDownUnder]

If we rode motorcycles in a bunch that spilled onto the other side of the road at speeds 40-50km/hr slower than the posted limit and then claimed it was an organised race, there'd be a bunch of motorcyclists in court losing their licenses on the MOnday.

Good points... so what process do organisers go through to set up a cycle race/event. What permissions do they need to get and what notifications do they need to give?

And - once permissions have been given, what special rights (if any) are those involved entitled to? Are they actually allowed to ride more than 2 abreast in an organised meeting?

[t3mp0r4ry nzr]

guys, remember these are RACES that are held infrequently and if you cant/dont want to SHARE the road for a one off race then doesnt that say more about yourself than that of the cyclists.

[James Deuce]

When they block people's driveways and they haven't knocked on the door a month earlier to negotiate then they don't have a leg to stand on. They are also far from infrequent, as unorganised training rides of 30 or more people happen every couple of weeks in the Wellington/Wairarapa region. These are just cycle club rides and the literally do block the road and they don't move over.

Remember the Wairarapa sprints? A lot of people went to a lot of trouble to make sure that the people who lived on Dalefield Rd knew about it ahead of time. Cycle clubs tend to give a weeks notice in the Public Notices section of a newspaper.

[Deano]

The road needs to be closed by Council if they want to legally restrict resident's access. Resident's need to be (should be) notifed of this however.

Put the shoe on the other foot - the Gladstone Hillclimb and Sprints, Wanganui Cemetry Circuit and Paeroa all require that the local road(s) be closed.

Give and take eh ?

6 abreast on a public highway however.......

[snuffles]

You might need to look up a definition of IRONY at some stage, 'cus your current grasp of it is way off the mark.

Again, thanks for your input

[sunhuntin]

yep! i can handle cyclists as individuals [hell, i was one, and my dad is one] but as said above, when they gather in their groups, shit starts flying.
2 abreast when the road is wide enough to allow it, but single file when its narrow or coming up to a corner...those should be the rules, and they should be followed....as i said....single or pairs of cyclists are fine, its when they race that they cause problems.

i was comin home last night...bout 7pm. saw 4 or 5 joggers running on the side of the road, in the cycle track. this track is about a meter wide, if not more. also runs alongside the trees of a park, so is rather shadowed.
one jogger was running right on top of the white line, virtually on my side of things....no reflective gear, nothing, and barely moved over. that person was lucky i saw them, otherwise it could have been a major injury. there aint no need to run that far out, and the park has a "road" through it anyway suitable for joggers.

[The_Dover]

guys, remember these are RACES that are held infrequently and if you cant/dont want to SHARE the road for a one off race then doesnt that say more about yourself than that of the cyclists.

crackhead alert.

No it doesn't, these cunts want to race then let them fuckin hire a racetrack or piss of to a velodrome.

We don't race on public roads, unless they are closed, and the participants that do all hold race licences.

[James Deuce]

The road needs to be closed by Council if they want to legally restrict resident's access. Resident's need to be (should be) notifed of this however.

Put the shoe on the other foot - the Gladstone Hillclimb and Sprints, Wanganui Cemetry Circuit and Paeroa all require that the local road(s) be closed.

Give and take eh ?

6 abreast on a public highway however.......

Road closures for those events are notified well ahead of time and in more than one media type and instance. The Wairarapa Times Age runs a piece on each event to both publicise them and raise public awareness.

There are also at least one cycle meeting per weekend in the Wellington/Wairarapa region in the 4 months of late Spring and Summer.