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Posted
I see what you are trying to say, but I think that translates poorly. My main issue here is that often bicycle riders (I'm one too), While acting within the law, do deliberately provoke confrontation when they could have been considerate. Yes, it cuts both ways, and in Queensland, most driver and cyclists seem to want to take up whatever space is available just because they can. I think that it is a dreadful trait, but when you are in/ on a small unprotected vehicle being right won't help if you're dead. Unfortunately, that is the bottom line.

Or maybe you see a deliberate provocation where they are just trying to stay safe or there's some reason why it's not possible to do otherwise.

 

On topic of riding too far to the right - there's plenty of reasons to do so:

 

- if there is any grave or small debris at the edge of the road (that a car driver wouldn't even pay attention to, but can be deadly on a bike)

 

- if there are cars parked in the bike lane (you either risk dooring, or you need to duck in and out making it way more dangerous)

 

- or just to stop the driver from overtaking you, when there's oncoming traffic and you know that the 3 of you won't fit side by side, but the driver still insist on trying to overtake you as if you were stationary fixed object)

 

Just as you would prefer to be given some extra space in a plane when it's a rough day, and you may not be able to stick to the hemispherical levels, the bike rider may require extra room on a rough or dirty road. Even if for the car driver or RPT pilot the road / air is perfectly fine (or just with small bumps).

 

I won't say that all bike riders are flawless and follow the rules perfectly, but neither are drivers.

 

And I think the comparison between ultralights and bikes is very solid - both are perfectly valid users of their space (either road or airspace), both have some rules not apply to them or some restrictions lifted compared to other and both are very vulnerable next to bigger vehicles sharing the same space.

 

 

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Posted

just imagine if car drivers actually followed the rules, and made room, or god forbid, actually slowed down to accommodate cyclists! as they legally have to, as cyclists are considered vehicles they actually have the right to take up a whole lane, that is the law, like it or not... imagine if the cyclist was a truck, you would drive differently...

 

and if you think bikes should be registered, well then, that will just make it harder for car drivers, as a cyclist myself, if i have to pay rego, i will take all the lane all the time, as my rego entitles me too. as it is now, i ride to be safe as possible and considerate as possible, (something i wish most car drivers would) sometimes the safest course of action is to move into the lane to protect me from cars driving too close and pushing me off the road into whatever may be beside me. be it a car door, or wall, or fence, whatever...

 

 

Posted
just imagine if car drivers actually followed the rules, and made room, or god forbid, actually slowed down to accommodate cyclists! as they legally have to, as cyclists are considered vehicles they actually have the right to take up a whole lane, that is the law, like it or not... imagine if the cyclist was a truck, you would drive differently... ..

Actually in Victoria this is not the case. You must keep left.

 

Division 2—Keeping to the left

 

129 Keeping to the far left side of a road

 

(1) A driver on a road (except a multi-lane road) must

 

drive as near as practicable to the far left side of

 

the road.

 

Penalty: 3 penalty units.

 

Note

 

Multi-lane road is defined in the dictionary.

 

(2) This rule does not apply to the rider of a motor

 

bike.

 

Note

 

Motor bike is defined in the dictionary.

 

Rule 127(2)

 

def. of

 

road train area

 

amended by

 

S.R. No.

 

137/2009

 

rule 8.

 

r. 128 Part 11—Keeping Left, Overtaking and other Driving Rules

 

Road Safety Road Rules 2009

 

S.R. No. 94/2009

 

151

 

(3) In this rule—

 

road does not include a road related area.

 

Note

 

Road related area includes the shoulder of a road—

 

see rule 13.

 

130 Keeping to the left on a multi-lane road

 

 

Posted
Actually in Victoria this is not the case. You must keep left.

Division 2—Keeping to the left

 

129 Keeping to the far left side of a road

 

(1) A driver on a road (except a multi-lane road) must

 

drive as near as practicable to the far left side of

 

the road.

 

Penalty: 3 penalty units.

 

Note

 

Multi-lane road is defined in the dictionary.

 

(2) This rule does not apply to the rider of a motor

 

bike.

 

Note

 

Motor bike is defined in the dictionary.

 

Rule 127(2)

 

def. of

 

road train area

 

amended by

 

S.R. No.

 

137/2009

 

rule 8.

 

r. 128 Part 11—Keeping Left, Overtaking and other Driving Rules

 

Road Safety Road Rules 2009

 

S.R. No. 94/2009

 

151

 

(3) In this rule—

 

road does not include a road related area.

 

Note

 

Road related area includes the shoulder of a road—

 

see rule 13.

 

130 Keeping to the left on a multi-lane road

nope, cant see it, no mention of keeping to the left of a LANE anywhere.. all i read is keep left of the road (unless overtaking) or on a motorcycle.

 

so, keeping as far left as practicable, which in the case of pushbikes, sometimes can be the middle of the lane, someone opening a car door can on you can be fatal, as it throws you into the middle of the road. so, for safety reasons, the middle of the lane it is in some situations, such as narrow bridges maybe.... where riding in the far left will mean an inconsiderate driver will try to squeeze past, risking a collision with the cyclist, or forcing the cyclist off the road...

 

 

Posted
nope, cant see it, no mention of keeping to the left of a LANE anywhere.. all i read is keep left of the road (unless overtaking) or on a motorcycle.

so, keeping as far left as practicable, which in the case of pushbikes, sometimes can be the middle of the lane, someone opening a car door can on you can be fatal, as it throws you into the middle of the road. so, for safety reasons, the middle of the lane it is in some situations, such as narrow bridges maybe.... where riding in the far left will mean an inconsiderate driver will try to squeeze past, risking a collision with the cyclist, or forcing the cyclist off the road...

I have friend who rides a penny-farthing bike at events around the country and he's in Melbourne at the moment. Don't know what lane he rides in, but being so high up and wearing a top-hat, I hope he's noticed and stays safe.

 

 

Posted

So lets apply this to the sky...

 

Small aircraft and especially microlights - get the F___ out of our way says the "bigger", faster, commercial operators (obviously more important planes)

 

 

Posted

Cut and paste from CAAP 166-1 .... I think cyclists and other traffic could use such a clause.

 

3.9.3 Pilots flying recreational, sport or general aircraft should consider giving way to commercial aircraft, provided that this can be done safely and without undue inconvenience to their own operation. Operators of commercial aircraft should never expect a ‘give way’ offer to be assumed or automatic. Any offer to give way must be explicit and its acceptance acknowledged.

 

 

Posted
Small aircraft and especially microlights - get the F___ out of our way says the "bigger", faster, commercial operators

Yes if you know what is good for you.

 

 

Posted

funny how no one mentions irresponsible car driver? just search the web for dash cams Australia, you will be surprised! cant believe how some get their licences..

 

i dont understand the hatred by motorists towards cyclists, i ride to work, on combines cycle paths and backroads only, i do not ride on main roads, its simply to dangerous. but even on 40kph limit backstreets i still get abused by motorists, even stuff thrown at me, even though im riding at the speed limit, and not slowing traffic as the road is easily wide enough...constant yells of "get off the road you phuckin cyclist!" though if i ride on the footpath, you get, ride on the road you phuckin cyclist!' from pedestrians.. (who funnily enough walk all over the place deaf to the outside world with headphones on or earbuds in and dont hear my warnings that im passing them even though the paths are combined cycleways and i pass them with at least a 6 ft gap)

 

it seams to be a uniquely NSW and QLD thing... not so much in Melbourne, but not heard of in Europe.

 

i guess its an Australian cultural thing, the same type of thinking exists in the aviation community, GA Vs Raaus etc et... just imagine how the aviation industry would advance if we treated each other as equals.. just like the aviation industry in the USA... no one at Oshkosh whinges about "those bloody ultralight pilots!!" airline crews dont whinge about "those pesky bugsmasher pilots!"

 

the reasons i ride to work, its easier to loose weight keeping fit than save weight when packing the savannah!! and i dont spend money on fuel.. every Kg i loose, is another Kg of gear i can pack on a fly away!

 

 

Posted

From the video it looks like the truck is about a meter away from the edge of bitumen, so about 70-80cm from the bike (bike seems to be going on the very edge of the road, so it's not like you can complain that he was hogging the road).

 

I'd like to see him pull the same defence speech when caught speeding - officer, it's right I was doing 80 in a 40 zone, but it's just technicality of the law...

 

 

Posted
i dont understand the hatred by motorists towards cyclists,

The logic of some in this thread shows it is a waste of time trying to reason with certain people and for that reason problems will continue.

 

 

Posted

I drove to work and back along Beach Road, Melbourne (with probably the heaviest cycle traffic in the State) for twenty years.

 

Never had an incident with the bike riders, no horn blowing, we just fitted in.

 

Over that time I saw about 5% bad behaviour by cyclists and about 5% for car drivers.

 

 

Posted

If you are in such a hurry that you find it difficult to slow down and wait a few seconds until you can use the full width of the road to go quietly past a cyclist, you are a danger to yourself and to everybody else on the road. Also, you're likely headed for a coronary. It sounds to me as though you are not driving far enough ahead of the car; if you need a "dash" cam, then I suggest that you need to take a long hard look at your driving style. A good driver anticipates, and simple backs off a bit, so when he has an opportunity, he can go by without having to flog his vehicle or burn tyres & fuel in an unnecessary display of fury.

 

You would almost certainly benefit from an advanced driving course. If you're capable of swallowing your pride, and actually learning something.

 

 

Posted
but even on 40kph limit backstreets i still get abused by motorists, even stuff thrown at me, even though im riding at the speed limit, and not slowing traffic as the road is easily wide enough...

I happen to have a picture of Ultralights ...

 

[ATTACH]47477._xfImport[/ATTACH]

 

bike.thumb.jpg.8558a5bd897d2f848d89d962010ab760.jpg

Posted

M61A1 legally or not dead is dead injured is injured whilst there has been so much discussion on the who seen who and who did not see anything for whatever excuse can be thought up,the point is riding a motorcycle and a push bike is dangerous and there is an enhanced risk doing so in a public place.

 

It would be great to get a few posts on here that say you know what in future I am going to make more of an effort to look out for motorcylists and push bike riders in the future no matter how dumb I think their actions are.

 

I have been on the receieving end of both types of poor behaviour from motorcycle and push bike riders but I don't wish any of them any harm.

 

I own and ride 2 motorcycles and a push bike (not at the same time)so am well aware of what happens on the road and have been on the receiving end from motorist poor perception and bikers poor attitude.

 

Be biker aware and make no excuses for not seeing because of a bad choice of colours someone has on as the reality is we did not look good enough if we did not see them, it had nothing to do with the colours, that is just an excuse to justify our own mistakes.

 

M61A1 this is not directed at your comments alone but a general observation of this post that has been going for some time with not much said on the good side of things.

 

Happy cycling everyone be rider smart and riders change your attitude for the better

 

 

Posted
You would almost certainly benefit from an advanced driving course. If you're capable of swallowing your pride, and actually learning something.

Has it ever crossed your mind that that you might not know everything?

 

 

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