Bloody cyclists

[Lissa]

All my dad had to do was sit on a Cops Motorcycle before they would give him a licence.. but that prob about 50 years ago.

I once came upon alot of cyclist on the main road out by Gladstone. Riding two a breast. I couldnt pass them safely at one stage and had to ride really slowly behind them for ages.... They should have moved out of the way!!!! Is it illegal to beep your horn at them?

In our local paper regard Lee Pakaraka Road (gladstone/homebush) alot of cyclist ride this road. In the local paper they have been complaining that it is not a 100k area and that alot of motorcyclist have been "speeding" through this area, and because cyclist's use it alot they want the speed limit to be alot lower. Just FYI.

[Jantar]

A side issue: do we feel the same about people that merely ticked a box on their car license form to get a motorcycle license also in the 'old days'?

So are there any riders on this forum old enough to remember this situation? Its certainly long before I started riding. I had to do a written, oral and practical for both my motorcycle and heavy traffic licences. Um, I never did any tests at all for my car licence though, the cop just gave it to me with my heavy traffic. He figured if I could drive either a motorcycle or a 12 tonne Bedford on the Waipori Gorge, then a car wouldn't be an issue.

[Ixion]

How old are we talking here? M/c licence in 1973 and cage in 1974 - had to do a written and practical for the bike, and a practical to add the cage.

Older. Lots older. Drivers licences have been law since 1925 but way back, you didn't need to take any test. Just fill in a form. I think that the first *formal* practical tests were brought in in 1953 (Transport Act 1952 I'm guessing). But for many years you could get a car and motorcycle licence at the same time, without a separate test. I think 1965 was when this changed , with a much more formal testing process.

All these dates are from memory so I may be way wrong.

[jrandom]

Most of us sometime-bicyclists are resigned to unpleasant treatment from other road users, whether or not we're doing anything obnoxious at the time.

A couple of weeks ago, for instance, on SH16, I had a bread roll thrown at me. The mind boggles. Maybe someone thought I looked hungry?

Personally, I prefer to ride alone when not racing in an organised event, for the same road-safety reasons being whinged about here.

It's unfortunate that the noble sport of cycling has failed to gain popular support in NZ. I suspect that the general attitude may shift substantially over the coming few decades, however.

(FWIW, a group of cyclists riding in a bunch is a 'peloton'. Pass the baguettes...)

[forkoil]

I once came upon alot of cyclist on the main road out by Gladstone. Riding two a breast. I couldnt pass them safely at one stage and had to ride really slowly behind them for ages.... They should have moved out of the way!!!! Is it illegal to beep your horn at them?

No, but it IS legal for them to ride 2 abreast!!

[Jantar]

No, but it IS legal for them to ride 2 abreast!!

However, only when they are NOT an obstruction to other road users.

[Ixion]

No, I think a bunch of racing cyclists is a psyclopath.

FWIW , I don't really object to them riding multi abreast, not really any worse than a big slow truck. What does get me is when they ride on the wrong side of the road (around blind bends!) , or just pull out in front of me without any check. Or barrel through red lights across my bows as I'm going through on the green.

Although I do loath bureacracy , I suspect the time is come when they need to be licensed. And some requirements about mirrors etc. No reason why they shouldn't have a rear view mirror , I had one on my bike when I was a kid , most kids did.

The lack of rules about bikes is a hangover from the days when most cyclists were school kids. And back then , there was a lot more effort put into making sure that the kids knew the Road Code (we used to get tested on it at school!) , and rode safely - although there was no official test (there wasn't really for motorcycles, either!), the local snake would come round to schools and give all the cyclists a practical test. If you were too dodgy, the teacher (or snake) would have a word with Mum or Dad.

Things have actually gone backwards.

And nowdays cyclists are almost never school kids, and they are certainly amongst the most agressive, and least courteous of road users.

[Jantar]

No, I think a bunch of racing cyclists is a psyclopath.

[forkoil]

Theres a lot of biased bigotted crap posted in this thread which unfortunately reflects attitudes towards cyclists in this country. Before I had a major accident which put paid to my cycling, I regularly rode, raced and toured, as do some others in Kbers, and had the sorts of crap some in here boast of like truck air brakes, horns, being buzzed (pass real close) by cars, stuff thrown etc etc. It makes me really wild to see it posted here as if it is somehow justified.
Man it is really dangerous to come off at speed with the sort of gear you have on a bicycle. I myself spent 18 months off work, bad concussion, 8 operations on arm and leg.
When racing on a bike, as these people in the news clip at the start of thread are doing, the whole ferkin point of it is to ride in a bunch like that, the tactics, pacing, alliances etc that make cycle racing what it is are inherent on racing in a pack (or peleton as has been said). Would you like the Tour de France to be ridden single farkin file god dammit!!
Why do we in this country have to be so bloody intolerant. And to accuse the cyclists of that is just a way of justifying your own arrogant attitude.
Grrr Grrrr

[MSTRS:Me]

forkoil - at the risk of adding fuel to an already raging fire, there are rules in place that cover ettiquette on the (open) road. Cyclists, whether racing or not, are not exempt. I agree that there are some dodgy things going on what with flying bread rolls etc and I won't defend the indefensible, but the photo that sparked this thread speaks for itself.
Just perhaps, if cyclists were squeaky-clean in their behaviour, they would have a whole lot more support from the rest of the road users.

[Jantar]

Theres a lot of biased bigotted crap posted in this thread which unfortunately reflects attitudes towards cyclists in this country..

Perhaps that is because many cyclist bring it on themselves.

When racing on a bike, as these people in the news clip at the start of thread are doing, the whole ferkin point of it is to ride in a bunch like that, the tactics, pacing, alliances etc that make cycle racing what it is are inherent on racing in a pack (or peleton as has been said).

So go through the process of getting the road closed, like motorcyclists do at Paeroa or Wanganui each year.

Would you like the Tour de France to be ridden single farkin file god dammit!!

Yes, if the Tour de france was ever to be held on public roads in New Zealand, then that is exactly what I would want. But then, it wouldn't be the Tour de France would it. So lets keep this revelent.

Why do we in this country have to be so bloody intolerant. And to accuse the cyclists of that is just a way of justifying your own arrogant attitude.
Grrr Grrrr

Would you like to borrow a mirror?

[forkoil]

forkoil - at the risk of adding fuel to an already raging fire, there are rules in place that cover ettiquette on the (open) road. Cyclists, whether racing or not, are not exempt.

While this is true, cycle racing is a legitimate, healthy sport, and it is not practical to close the roads that racing is done on, but most people know where these are and when the cyclists are racing. I think in this case, the cyclists who are racing deserve consideration for their sport. Bunch or peleton riding is just a part of the race, its not as some here think just to piss other road users off, or to have more conversations with the other riders (in fact hardly anyone says anything for fear they may give away how f*cked they are)

I agree that there are some dodgy things going on what with flying bread rolls etc and I won't defend the indefensible, but the photo that sparked this thread speaks for itself.

Yeah, they are racing ... and they are bunch riding ......

Just perhaps, if cyclists were squeaky-clean in their behaviour, they would have a whole lot more support from the rest of the road users.

As we bikers are squeaky clean ....... say no more

[jrandom]

if the Tour de france was ever to be held on public roads in New Zealand, then that is exactly what I would want...

The TdF runs on closed roads with a fair degree of security in place.

Towns pay hundreds of thousands of euros each year for the privilege of having the Tour route through their main street. It's very unlikely that NZ as a whole will ever approach the level of respect, nay, adoration, for the sport that the Frogs have.

On the question of wing mirrors, personally, I don't see the need for them. I always keep left and ride with the assumption that there's someone behind me, to the right, waiting to cream me. If cyclists forget to do that, it's their own silly fault.

Wing mirrors would have to come off for races, anyway - you'd never fit in a bunch.

[forkoil]

Perhaps that is because many cyclist bring it on themselves.

How, by racing in a bunch, I've covered this. Saying "they bring it on themselves" a way of justifying bad and dangerous behaviour

So go through the process of getting the road closed, like motorcyclists do at Paeroa or Wanganui each year.

Cyclist HAVE to racing very often to keep racing fit. So it aint like an annual event here ......

Yes, if the Tour de france was ever to be held on public roads in New Zealand, then that is exactly what I would want. But then, it wouldn't be the Tour de France would it. So lets keep this revelent. Would you like to borrow a mirror?

This thread is about dishing it out to cyclist for racing more than 2 abreast, so to use your spelling I think it is the accuser who is arrogant (if thats revelant)

[Steam]

Some people here, "joking" about taking out cyclists on purpose, just don't. Even when it's a joke it ain't funny.

How funny is cage-talk of freaking out some learner motorcyclist?
What I heard at work a few years ago:
"Ha, the other day I was cruising around in my impretza, and I saw some dorky learner on a motorbike with an L-plate on. Haha, I pulled right up behind him and like, tailgated him at a meter, it was fuckin funny, he was shittin himself. Dicks on motorbikes, they don't deserve the road. I'll fuckin ram one the next time eh, ha hehehe"

Yep, not very funny really.
Talk about the wrongs and rights of cyclists taking up more than their fair share of the road, but DON'T kid around about hitting or ramming or causing an accident on purpose.
Be a good motorcyclist and be nice.