Bloody Cyclists

[Beemer]

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.

That's close to what happens near us every year for the secondary school cycling champs. Our road is a no exit road but they actually race on the road that joins ours. One year I got out to the main road and was blockaded in - yes, we all received a warning of the RACE and the need to take care, but they do not officially close the road and I was extremely pissed off at not being able to get out. It was only when I threatened to ring the police that they moved their cars and let me out, but they still made me wait until the race had ended (they hold about 20 races during the day) - which meant I had more cyclists to dodge as they wove their way back to the start line. They spend all Friday afternoon practising and all Saturday racing and they have very little respect for anyone who lives there. It's a farming community - do they expect the milk tanker driver and all the farmers there to just sit around relaxing all day instead of getting out there and working?

[James Deuce]

thats not on at all and very inconsiderate. My main point is, chill out, so you may be inconvenienced for 10 minutes, its not a big deal really, is it?? And if you do think it is such a big deal, then god help ya.

I think blocking Ixion (or attempting to) from going to work is not on.

For your information, most top level motor sports athlete's cardio-vascular fitness would leave most sport's people in the dust.

I have an issue with being forced off the road or threatened for using a public road. I won't be "chilling out" because cyclists are the least considerate road users I've ever encountered and they do stuff that would have our motorcycles impounded. They are allowed to cause and participate in accidents and the responsibility always lands on the powered vehicle's driver, up to and including manslaughter charges.

Rashika makes a good point, but when we go for a strop we don't tend to do it in a gaggle of 30 or more people in a space of about 50 metres.

It's not a regular event, but my wife and I have both been held up traversing the Rimutakas in a car by cyclists riding in the centre of the lane at speeds that I am sure feel fast to them, but are positively glacial for for anyone with the sense to use a vehicle with an internal combustion engine.

The last Wellington Cycle race (the one that that chipmunk-faced girl won) closed off roads that prevented me from responding to a customer call out that nearly go me fired, because the race organising nazis wouldn't let me into my building. Are you seeing a common theme?

[Paulus]

You should see some of the stunts that get pulled on cyclists in town here. I would hardly ever go out a training ride without at least one idiot failing to give way, opening a door on me, cutting me off or closing a gap over a cycling lane. It goes both ways. Is it worth potentially killing someone to be 15 seconds faster to your next stop?

[Steam]

This is like the "Waving" threads, it comes up every month or so.
It gets a lot of people fired up but nothing new ever gets said.

[McJim]

I can see both sides of the issue here - honestly I can. Many of these organising 'Nazis' have probably been fucked up by cage drivers or motorcyclists in the past, so they generalise and treat all cagers and bikers like wankers.THEY ARE WRONG TO DO SO. Also they are probably parents of competitors and their zeal is a result of desire that their child not be killed.

I just thought that with an online forum there would be the opportunity for me to beg you not to generalise about all cyclists. I have a spare road bike at home and lycra aplenty for you to borrow if you'd like to come out for a spin and experience the road use from the other side THEN you can pass judgement.

I have a problem with people making these sweeping generalisations - it's a shame and it perpetuates the issue - especially in a country renowned for it's lack of road courtesy

[James Deuce]

Oooo an insightful observation. If that's how you feel Steam, come up with something new. Stop cherry-picking the argument.

Bloody GN rider. Male, female, doesn't matter, they're all stroppy. Must be like short-person's syndrome.

GN rider's syndrome. Makes sense really.

[Ixion]

You should see some of the stunts that get pulled on cyclists in town here. I would hardly ever go out a training ride without at least one idiot failing to give way, opening a door on me, cutting me off or closing a gap over a cycling lane. It goes both ways. Is it worth potentially killing someone to be 15 seconds faster to your next stop?

Uh huh. Sounds pretty much like my commute each day. That's just the reality of being on two wheels, powered or not. Your point is?

[McJim]

Oooo an insightful observation. If that's how you feel Steam, come up with something new. Stop cherry-picking the argument.

Bloody GN rider. Male, female, doesn't matter, they're all stroppy. Must be like short-person's syndrome.

GN rider's syndrome. Makes sense really.

Any more of this generalisation and I'll start a waving thread....I'm warning you.... it's all good - at least we're all still talking to each other!

[Ixion]

,,

I just thought that with an online forum there would be the opportunity for me to beg you not to generalise about all cyclists. ,,

Don't think you're being quite fair , there. A number of folk in this thread (including, inter alia, me and Dover) have pointed out that we have no problem with individual cyclists, or even a couple or so together.

It is when hordes of them take over a road completely that people get annoyed.

And , apart from the fact that many motorcyclists (again, including myself) at least occasionally take to pedal power, most motorcylists will have a fairly good idea of the hazards and difficulties faced by cyclists. Most of them are exactly those faced by riders of low powered motorcycles.

[Paulus]

Uh huh. Sounds pretty much like my commute each day. That's just the reality of being on two wheels, powered or not. Your point is?

I would have thought that the point was obvious. Cyclists have to put up with a lot of crap from other road users too.

For me it is actually safer on the road here on a motorbike than it is on a push bike. You cut the number of potential disasters in half. YMMV.

[topher]

This thread is funny considering most people participating at one point or another have complained bitterly about Helen Clarke and her "nanny state" banning stuff and curbing peoples freedom and enjoyement because their activities inconvenience some people.

Eg Banning Fireworks Thread

Oops. I was just going to grizzle about being inconvenienced and suggest banning someone else's activity. Still it's a public place, a public road, pushbikers are public so can use it. Any other publics like me want to organise an 8 ball tournament on the road? It's a public place so it shouldn't be a problem if we inconvenience anyone...

[The_Dover]

what a fucking crock of shit.

once again we're not talking about one or two cyclists out to show off their balls in expensive lycra on their carbon fibre arse crack attachments, we're talking about officially sanctioned, organised RACING on public roads.

There were 800 of the pricks on the coromandel, holding us and many motorists up for the duration of the ride from Tairua to the hill before coromandel.

Not on, fuck off and race on a closed road or a track.

Just make sure you've got a puncture repair kit next time you see "The King" pass you.

EDIT: and I did ride a pushie for a month when I lost my licence. fucking horrible contraption and it reminded me oft he nightmare of youth.

[sunhuntin]

the most common race route here covers part of the main road from national park/paraparas, and is very busy most of the time. it moves from 50k to 80, then 100k. lots of trucks use it [i use to cycle that way just to get the rushes from the trucks]. they do not and cannot close that road, the only alternative i think would be desert highway, and many people would be rightly pissed off.

[dawnrazor]

this thread has the smell of "rant and rave" or PD about it

[The_Dover]

this thread has the smell of "rant and rave" or PD about it

i think that's all those sweaty lycra clad cyclists......