Commuter Cycling on Adelaide Avenue

niftydog said :

Helen said :

The cycle path along Ginninderra Dr, the part down by Dunlop, is at most 2m away from the road. It runs at this distance, parallel to the road… metal signs every now and then saying “Cycle Route to Belconnen Town Centre”.

Which is great, provided you are going to the Belconnen Town Centre. In reality most commuters are headed for the City or the University.

The route along Ginninderra Dr then via the AIS to the city is wandering, full of very long diversions to and from underpasses, and has many discontinuities in the path. In fact, between Kingsford Smith and Copland Drive I can’t see any paved connection. Then in O’connor the path turns towards Dickson, forcing you onto the roads to get to the city.

The reason why there’s no paved connection is because there is a cycle lane along that section of Ginninderra Dr. I have no problem with cyclists on the road, if there’s a cycle lane or, failing that, the road is wide enough for cars to safely pass. I will not go out of my way to scare a cyclist, or do anything stupid like throw an apple at one.

I only have a problem when cyclists choose to ride on the road rather than on a designated cycle path that runs parallel to the road, which is precisely what happens along the section of Ginninderra Dr northwest of the Florey Dr roundabout. It’s quite clearly dangerous and I don’t understand why they do it… hence my post and my question.

However, I suppose it’s just one of those little quirks of human nature, and talking about it on this fair forum will do nothing to help. But it sure does help the morning pass and Christmas come quicker…

A lot of talk, but it boils down to one thing-
Cyclists are legally entitled to ride on Canberra roads and will do so- in increasing numbers and forever.

Bigots and red-necks note; that statement was not made for discussion, but as a simple statement of fact. Indeed, the more that bigots and rednecks maintain on Riot ACT that cyclists should not/cannot/must not ride on roads, the more we will do it. And there is NOTHING- absolutely NOTHING- you can do to prevent it. You can nash your teeth, shout abuse, honk your horns, display your ignorance and prejudice on Riot Act, and all this will do is make cyclists more determined than ever to exercise thier legal, moral and financial right as taxpayers to ride on roads.

Again: Canberra cyclists will ride on roads and there is nothing you can do to prevent it. Don’t like it? Then leave.

I agree with the comments already made in relation to this being an on-going issue from way back.

Most importantly though, as mentioned by someone earlier in this thread, I agree that those who hurl objects at cyclists are unlikely to read this website. That being said, clearly they are nothing more than cowardly scum – sorry, calling them ‘bogans’ doesn’t cut it!

It’s unfortunate that these issues have become/continues to be a cyclist versus motorist debate, because as a few posts have touched on – aggressors are a minority from both sides. Where an incident occurs, in an ideal world it would great if the cyclist were able to have a constructive avenue to identify the motorist that caused them a grievance/ committed an offence etc. and have it addressed by the appropriate means and for a motorist to have the same opportunity where the roles were reversed. As no such mechanism exists (outside taking plates and reporting the matter etc for cyclists, and no real recourse for motorists) and as adrenaline often hits both parties (particularly the cyclist) often abuse is exchanged instead.

I’ve commuted by bicycle in Canberra on and off for the past eighteen years. In that time I’ve seen the best and worst of both cyclists and motorists. I would like to make a couple of quick points;

– Cyclists who disobey road rules (thankfully in the minority) aggravate / infuriate other cyclists more than they do motorists! This is because as evidenced in this thread, the two groups “tar” each other with broad brushes. If you knew it was John Smith riding that mountain bike straight through the red light you’ve been sitting at for the past two minutes – you’d be pissed at John, not cyclists in general. Similarly if Jane Smith hurled abuse from her car at you as she was “forced” to give way to you at an intersection then you’d be pissed at Jane, not all motorists.

– Cyclists should take all reasonable steps to ensure their own safety. There is no disputing that a cyclist has certain rights (and responsibilities) as a road user, but exercising their rights should not fly in the face of common sense and place a cyclist and/or motorist at undue risk (I appreciate there will be many differing definitions of ‘common sense’ and ‘undue risk’ among readers).

The fact of the matter is that when we ride (and drive) on the road we literally place our life in the hands of others (if you think in pictures, imagine the ‘crumple zone’ of a bike compared to a car!). If we bear this in mind and ride and drive appropriately these issues will occur less frequently.

I was reminded of this the other day when I was riding (well and truly) on a roundabout and a motorist nearly collided with me from my left, having initially held behind the give way line. I shouted (“OI!” For anyone interested…) and he braked and avoided a collision. He would have seen me had he been attentive despite the sun having risen a short time earlier and being at my back (around 6.30am).

Did I have right of way and would the motorist have been at fault had a collision occured?…Absolutely!

Would that matter to my wife and daughter had I been seriously injured or worse?…Not a chance!

Will I reconsider my route at that time of the morning to prevent that situation in the future?…You betcha!

As an aside, in relation to the issue of pedestrian crossings; legally cyclists most definitely have to dismount to cross. One of the reasons some don’t is that it’s quicker to ride across and get out of the way of motorists than to (in some cases) unclip, dismount, and walk across. Just a bit of insight for some motorists who may be irritated by this behaviour. Again – I’m not speaking for all cyclists who do this, just those who are trying to get to where they’re going with minimal fuss, and helping others to do the same.

Stay safe guys!

Helen said :

The cycle path along Ginninderra Dr, the part down by Dunlop, is at most 2m away from the road. It runs at this distance, parallel to the road… metal signs every now and then saying “Cycle Route to Belconnen Town Centre”.

Which is great, provided you are going to the Belconnen Town Centre. In reality most commuters are headed for the City or the University.

The route along Ginninderra Dr then via the AIS to the city is wandering, full of very long diversions to and from underpasses, and has many discontinuities in the path. In fact, between Kingsford Smith and Copland Drive I can’t see any paved connection. Then in O’connor the path turns towards Dickson, forcing you onto the roads to get to the city.

Haha, good for you. 🙂

Yeah a very satisfying rant, capitals and everything. In the face of open hostility it was quite cathartic, though it put diplomacy to the sword. I’m sure smokers probably feel the same way. Like you say, Holden, it’s the same old banging the head against the brick wall. But I’m happy to vent here rather than on the road. This thread will join the countless other re-iterated cycle debates and disappear off the face of the earth.

As for slagging off motorists in general and negating any respect, the slagging off is directed at the ones who show no respect, and probably never will, by seeing fit to tell cyclists what they can and can’t do, irrespective of law, practicality, and reality, and by declaring their intent to harass and intimidate. If that isn’t clear in the post, accept my corrections. And if a motorist identifies with that group and takes offence, I’m not going to be too cut up about it.

I don’t expect my post to make one iota of difference to their perception. But the main thing is that I can relax onto my seat post now.

H1NG0 said :

Sometimes when I am riding my bicycle I feel like I am the only person on the road. If I have my earphones in and the iPod turned up really loud, I cannot hear the car horns and people yelling “Get off the fucking road.” Little compares to the exhilaration of listening to Queen’s ‘Bicycle’ while riding in the centre of a lane at half the speed limit with several hundred cars banked up behind me during peak hour traffic. Riding a bicycle is also an excellent way to quickly go downhill.

~lolz

I dont suppose the assult commiting hoons are likely to be online in a discussion forum….”that aint living!”

But is there anyone here that doesnt agree that bike paths in Canberra could be better?
Better separated from the roads for starters, better maintained / constructed?

How about some specifics – I think Postalgeek got their blood up and went a bit nuts sugesting overpasses everywhere – I struggle up the easiest of hills! The stretch before the incline leading to the hill overlooking the dam is just woeful. did they not realise trees have roots?

and just to share – I got abused over a minor incident when, on a bike i was in a turn right lane, coasting up to the red turning light. car from behind me also turning right almost merges with me as they zoom up to the red light to spend a good few seconds yelling at me – I usually stick to the gutter pretty close but this intersection I was in the middle of the turning lane as car entered the lane and forced me to the median strip gutter- not fast, just v. close coming across my path. Yelling ensued, as I enquired where they were going as they went past, and they screamed that l should use the bike path (isnt actually one there…) once I then passed stopped car at the lights. I am a good yeller, and the poor saddy pulled a knife – not a scary knife, a foldout pocket knife or something, seriously it should have made me laugh, seeing them sitting in their crap car with this pooncy little flick knife, getting lambasted soundly – hilarious! but to see them with weapon in hand just made me madder. Was quite prepared to sacrifice bike through windshield, but did actually need bike to go somewhere. (usually am going somewhere if on bike – perhaps one day I will be able to assult someone with a bike I just happen to have at the ready)

I probably am in a car 4-5 days a week and I cant think of a similar story of stupid or ugly from a bike rider. I do really hate bikes with frikkin 3 phase halogen headlamps that burn out your retina from 150m when Im on my bike! point em at the path you tools or Im just going to ride straight at you seeing I am unable to see where the path goes when you come along – yes Im looking at you nearly every one of you lycra clad racers and mountain bike riding warriors. That or Im going to start riding with a lance!

Ya see piratemonkey I dont just hate inconsiderate car driving throwbacks like your “run them over even if they are going at a snails pace” self !

spread the love….someone else.

@postalgeek, some good points there, and I started a long reply countering some, complimenting others, but figured what’s the point. It’s the same old shit over and over again, haha, as I’m sure you’ll agree.

I will say one thing, though, seeing as you’re only too happy to make bullshit generalisations about motorists, I hope you get a new seat for your bike this Christmas so that, finally, that pole gets removed form your arse.

You can’t expect to gain respect from motorists, no matter how genuine the claim may be, if you slag them off and fail to show the same respect you expect in return.

Two wrongs don’t make a right, and all that. Go read ABC129’s post again.

I don’t think people have a problem with people riding bikes to work. What people have a problem with is when cyclists ride 3 to a lane spreading past the bike lanes onto the rest of the road. Most people drive a car that weighs at least 1 ton, car users are just scared of killing somebody.

Sometimes when I am riding my bicycle I feel like I am the only person on the road. If I have my earphones in and the iPod turned up really loud, I cannot hear the car horns and people yelling “Get off the fucking road.” Little compares to the exhilaration of listening to Queen’s ‘Bicycle’ while riding in the centre of a lane at half the speed limit with several hundred cars banked up behind me during peak hour traffic. Riding a bicycle is also an excellent way to quickly go downhill.

Ream more here: http://27bslash6.com/bike.html

Postalgeek said :

…On a general note there are a couple of commentators who need a remedial lesson in the reasons why cyclists might choose to ride on a road instead of an adjacent cyclepath:
1-Cyclepath eventually goes left away from road and cyclist might want to head right. Hard concept I’m sure but there it is.
4-The condition of cyclepaths, the ones that more than a few fat couch commentators have obviously never ridden on, can vary within a hundred meters and can be very poor and hazardous, including roots, lifting pavement, glass, overhanging branches/hedges, pedestrians and their dogs, woody caltrops, rocks, sticks and general crap. Not all these hazards are perceptible from the road.

The cycle path along Ginninderra Dr, the part down by Dunlop, is at most 2m away from the road. It runs at this distance, parallel to the road, until the Florey Dr roundabout. Here, it goes all of about 10m away from the road – then crosses under Ginninderra Dr via an underpass, and continues parallel to the road. It goes along, parallel to Ginninderra Dr for quite a way, until you go under Ginninderra Dr again and there is a path linking to the start of the cycle lane just past the Companion Dr intersection. The path is made out of asphalt, with a dividing line, and metal signs every now and then saying “Cycle Route to Belconnen Town Centre”. For a lot of the path, there are very few trees, let alone bushes, to rip up the path with their roots or to hit you in the head. Yeah, there will be people with their dogs – but they take all of 2secs to pass. Where there are intersections (such as Florey Dr intersection) there are ramps down to the road to safely cross and get to the road you need.
So what I want to know is why, on a road that is single lane in either direction, with a clearly signposted cycle path, cyclists choose to ride on the road and endanger their life and possibly others? If motorists are such “numpties” why don’t you avoid them as much as possible?

Postalgeek said :

Very Busy said :

It doesn’t matter how far to the left the cyclist is. Riding in the bus lane is illegal (and stupid given that a cycle path runs alongside it).

It seems that we have some of the minority I referred to in post 36 contributing to this discussion.

seeya

Which cycle path running alongside would that be? The one fifty meters away from the road on the other side of a storm water drain? Tell you what, when car drivers stop taking the most direct route to their destination and start using convoluted detours, your contention about cyclists using the most direct route might garner some credibility.

On a general note there are a couple of commentators who need a remedial lesson in the reasons why cyclists might choose to ride on a road instead of an adjacent cyclepath:

1-Cyclepath eventually goes left away from road and cyclist might want to head right. Hard concept I’m sure but there it is.

2- Cyclists have right-of-way when on a road. Wow, that will spin some heads I bet but persevere. Traffic on a side road is generally required to give way to traffic on a trunk road. The cyclepath running parallel to a trunk road is dissected by every side street and requires the cyclist to CROSS the street each time. Imagine if a motorist had to slow down and give way at EVERY SINGLE intersection and every green light, not to mention driveways, but of course there are some out there with FA imagination so forget that analogy. Moreover, many cycle accidents occur at cyclepath/road intersections.

3- Access to a cycle path is limited through lack of on/off ramps to the road. Motorists generally don’t mount curbs to gain access to another street and neither do cyclists. Believe it or not, unless you only ever ride around the block, it is impossible NOT to ride on a road to get from path to path, and sometimes there is no access to the path when you turn onto the road. How crazy is that? What we need is overpasses and tunnels at every single intersection so cyclists don’t have to use the road. Really blow that budget that people already think has been pissed away on cycling facilities.

4-The condition of cyclepaths, the ones that more than a few fat couch commentators have obviously never ridden on, can vary within a hundred meters and can be very poor and hazardous, including roots, lifting pavement, glass, overhanging branches/hedges, pedestrians and their dogs, woody caltrops, rocks, sticks and general crap. Not all these hazards are perceptible from the road.

Pretty much every adult cyclist knows what it is to be a motorist, but there are a lot of motorists who have NFI what it is to be a cyclist. So to those motoring numpties who feel they need to tell cyclists about cycling, I suggest you use whatever hydraulic lift it is you need to get off the couch and find out what it is you are pontificating about.

Wow. Come on Postalgeek, why don’t you tell us what you REALLY think!

jared said :

And if you happen to be riding in Ainslie, beware the weird tall dude in the yellow lada…I ‘forced’ him to give way at the end of Tyson st a few months back, he stalled his car in the middle of the intersection and then proceeded to verbally assail me with cries of ‘Jew, Jew’, ‘go back to israel’ and assorted mad witch like cackles as he bunny hopped his car around the corner. Sad but true.

Borat walks among us!

Postalgeek said :

Imagine if a motorist had to slow down and give way at EVERY SINGLE intersection and every green light, not to mention driveways,

Actually not driveways, drivers are supposed to give way to everyone, cyclists, pedestrians, fish?, rollerbladers, etc. This includes carpark exits.
The trouble is trusting drivers to know the road rules.

Very Busy said :

It doesn’t matter how far to the left the cyclist is. Riding in the bus lane is illegal (and stupid given that a cycle path runs alongside it).

It seems that we have some of the minority I referred to in post 36 contributing to this discussion.

seeya

Which cycle path running alongside would that be? The one fifty meters away from the road on the other side of a storm water drain? Tell you what, when car drivers stop taking the most direct route to their destination and start using convoluted detours, your contention about cyclists using the most direct route might garner some credibility.

On a general note there are a couple of commentators who need a remedial lesson in the reasons why cyclists might choose to ride on a road instead of an adjacent cyclepath:

1-Cyclepath eventually goes left away from road and cyclist might want to head right. Hard concept I’m sure but there it is.

2- Cyclists have right-of-way when on a road. Wow, that will spin some heads I bet but persevere. Traffic on a side road is generally required to give way to traffic on a trunk road. The cyclepath running parallel to a trunk road is dissected by every side street and requires the cyclist to CROSS the street each time. Imagine if a motorist had to slow down and give way at EVERY SINGLE intersection and every green light, not to mention driveways, but of course there are some out there with FA imagination so forget that analogy. Moreover, many cycle accidents occur at cyclepath/road intersections.

3- Access to a cycle path is limited through lack of on/off ramps to the road. Motorists generally don’t mount curbs to gain access to another street and neither do cyclists. Believe it or not, unless you only ever ride around the block, it is impossible NOT to ride on a road to get from path to path, and sometimes there is no access to the path when you turn onto the road. How crazy is that? What we need is overpasses and tunnels at every single intersection so cyclists don’t have to use the road. Really blow that budget that people already think has been pissed away on cycling facilities.

4-The condition of cyclepaths, the ones that more than a few fat couch commentators have obviously never ridden on, can vary within a hundred meters and can be very poor and hazardous, including roots, lifting pavement, glass, overhanging branches/hedges, pedestrians and their dogs, woody caltrops, rocks, sticks and general crap. Not all these hazards are perceptible from the road.

Pretty much every adult cyclist knows what it is to be a motorist, but there are a lot of motorists who have NFI what it is to be a cyclist. So to those motoring numpties who feel they need to tell cyclists about cycling, I suggest you use whatever hydraulic lift it is you need to get off the couch and find out what it is you are pontificating about.

Very Busy said :

It is a great shame about the apple throwing incident but I can’t help but think that this is the result of an absolute minority of idiots on bikes who continually display illegal and inconsiderate behaviour giving the vast majority of cyclists a bad name.

Are you serious mate, or did you make a typo? It’s like saying those who poison dogs are justified because they bark a lot.

I think ABC129 hits the nail on the head. There are idiots on the road full stop. Some drive cars and some ride bikes. Maybe they can all get together and go live somewhere else to leave the rest of us to live like civilised people.

Thanks for everyone’s feedback and robust debate.

I will add that:
1. It was an apple not an apple core
2. I wasn’t doing anything illegal, dangerous or affecting traffic flow
3. Unfortunately I didn’t get a chance to read the licence plate but will be ready to next time (although hopefully there won’t be a next time)
4. Think I will follow the above advice to keep to the bike paths and back streets. Given that I commute on my own it’s probably a lot smarter/ safer for me to keep away from the major roads.
5. Just putting it down to one dickhead and cycling on..

Thanks.

I should add the worst accident I have been in when on a bike with a car was not riding on a road, but riding on a shared bike lane / footpath (yes one marked as a proper bike land with dividing line, the proper width like we have in canberra, not a tiny little concrete pedestrian only path).

I was approaching a shopping centre car park exit where I had already had a problem before, slowed down to less than 5km’h and stopped for a moment before proceeding across. The car park exit had a turn about 15 metres before the exit onto the road where you can’t see what is on the road until you come round that corner. The carpack had a posted speed limit of 10km’s per hour, and just as I had started to cross (as I was building up momentum again from stopping) a car came racing round the corner doing about 50km’h easy and shot straight out, so fast I barely had time to react, just enough to throw myself out of the way kind of rolling over the edge of the bonnet as the car impacted me, the guy braked hard as he hit me and ended up stopped on top of my bike sticking half out into the road. Luckily some other people saw what happened and when the guy tried to drive off someone actually stood in his way and stopped him while someone else called the police (i was told this afterward, already going into shock at the time and not really reacting to what was going on). Only problem was the guys car sat on top of my bike for about 15 mins until the cops arrived and moved it off, by which time the bike was crushed almost beyind repair, teh spokes and tires being bent and warped.

Anyway as a result the driver was charged with dangerous driving (carpark CCTV helped prove how fast he was driving) and the shopping centre were forced to erect extra warning signs as well as huge concave mirrors for both pedestrians walking across and the cars inside to be able to see whats around the corner to them. The funny thing is though is that the accident was caused by the same attitude that causes many accidents on the road, the person shopped there regularly, and because they were familiar with the exit from the carpark they though they could “safely be an asshole” to put it nicely, which was fine except for the one time someone (me) happened to be trying to cross at the same time as they came hurtling round the corner. How many accidents on our roads though are caused by the same problem, a driver too familiar with the road and therefore too willing to break the road rules because they judge it is ok to do so, and then encountering either another vehicle or cyclist who may not be as familiar with that section of road, and getting into a dangerous encounter to “teach the other person a lesson”.

In the end its this vigilante BULLSHIT! that is the problem though. Both drivers and cyclists need to learn to put themselves in the other persons shoe in any situation, and learn to turn the other cheek when confronted by bogans trying to kill you (as a driver or cyclist) and try and train yourself in a situation like that not to panic but to remain calm and remember to record licence plate details etc… so you can actually report them.

The problem is motorists who don’t know the road rules themself and the fact that a cyclist is a vehicle and therefore has the same rights as you do, maybe we need to require more frequent re-testing of road rules in canberra. I would fully support a system of licensing for bicycles, as long as that meant that from now on when I report a dangerous driver the police actually treat me like I am a vehicle as well. Can someone quote me from ACT legislation where it says its illegal for a cyclist to ride in the bus lane also????

The best method I have always found of dealing with aggressive motorists though is carry a D-lock on your bike. The few times in sydney/melbourne in the past when I rode a lot and had a driver get out of their car to confront me, getting off the bike with D-Lock in hand is usually enough to make them get back in their car and on their way again. I am not for a moment suggesting anyone actually assault anyone else, cyclist or motorist alike, but many car drivers do act like “because im bigger i can do what I want” in regards to cyclists, so its hardly surprising that most cyclists are naturally defensive riders in how they ride, just like most motorcyclists are the same due to their smaller vehicle size.

On a positive note, I commute to work on my bike, drive my car sometimes and even occasionally ride my motorcycle. For the most bicycle riding to work in Canberra is a fantastic experience and often the best part of my day.

Canberra has some awesome cycling facilities. Often we have to mix between road, on-road cycling lanes and recreational paths and generally it all works fairly well. Canberra is a beautiful city and lends itself well to cycling.

As a car driver, it’s so rare that bicycles cause even the slightest of inconvenience – especially compared to what other drivers often do. It really doesn’t take much effort just to move over a little and to look out for those more vulnerable including cyclists, pedestrians and motorcyclists. By the same token I hope that big trucks are looking out for me in my car.

Try commuting to work on a bicycle, no parking fees or traffic hassles, you feel better for it, no petrol or car wear and tear and God knows you might even enjoy it.

Helen said :

trix said :

…andhow many drivers have been abused by cyclists? No-one that I know of (including myself)…

A colleague of mine had her car break down on a busy road in Canberra in peak hour not too long ago (can’t remember which road). She managed to pull over out of the main stream of traffic and into the cycle lane before it completely died, but had no hope of getting it up the curb. While waiting for the NRMA to turn up with her hazard lights on, several cyclists yelled abuse at her as they rode past, one slowing down and hitting her window with the flat of his hand, another slamming his fist down on top of her wing mirror. What was she meant to do, get out of the vehicle into peak hour traffic and attempt to push her car up a straight edge curb?

That’s horrible. She’s done everything right here – gotten out of the way of the (motorised) traffic to prevent congestion, put her hazards on.. what is wrong with some people?

I rarely, if ever ride in bike lanes on the road and generally only if there is not an adjacent cycle path. You still get inconsiderate people on the cycle paths who see you coming yet don’t keep to their side of the path, but you’re definitely going to be far more likely to survive an incident on a bike path than one on the road.

Grrrr said :

The desciption was little ambiguous…

Agreed.

Grrrr said :

Very Busy said :

You’re desperately trying to manufacture a situation where the cyclist is in the wrong. The “bus lane” consists of ONLY the last 10 metres before the intersection:

http://maps.google.com.au/maps?sll=-25.335448,135.745076&sspn=49.950825,93.076172&ie=UTF8&cd=1&ll=-35.349044,149.090154&spn=0.001356,0.00284&t=h&z=19

It’s obvious from the description that the cyclist was simply keeping left, to avoid riding through a 3-lane intersection in the middle lane. Whether or not he had ridden through the bike lane before the lights is irrelevant, because he was being tailgated in a shared lane.

Nice logic with the “The bus driver did the wrong thing” followed up by “but the cyclist was more to blame.” You sound just like a 5-year-old explaining why it’s fair to kick someone who said something they didn’t like.

Excusing the apple-throwing behaviour by suggesting it was caused by someone, somewhere who did something silly on a bike is a complete pile of crap, too. There’s no justification in the assault.

It doesn’t matter how far to the left the cyclist is. Riding in the bus lane is illegal (and stupid given that a cycle path runs alongside it).

It seems that we have some of the minority I referred to in post 36 contributing to this discussion.

seeya

It is a great shame about the apple throwing incident but I can’t help but think that this is the result of an absolute minority of idiots on bikes who continually display illegal and inconsiderate behaviour giving the vast majority of cyclists a bad name.

You might think that, but you’d be wrong.

It’s actually the direct result of the actions of a minority of one idiot in a car with anger management issues, engaging in an illegal assault.

Holden Caulfield said :

If my interpretation is correct, I look forward to you finding a road rule that says any vehicle has right of way at roundabouts ahead of vehicles already on said roundabout and approaching from the right.

Of course I won’t be finding any such thing. The way I read it, the cyclist was already on the roundabout and the “corner” was an entrance to the roundabout. The desciption was little ambiguous…

Very Busy said :

I would be very interested to know how this cyclist got to be in this intersection in the first place. The far left lane of this intersection is a “Bus Only” lane. It is wide enough only for a bus and is surrounded by unbroken white lines. Did the cyclist illegaly ride through that lane when entering the intersection.

You’re desperately trying to manufacture a situation where the cyclist is in the wrong. The “bus lane” consists of ONLY the last 10 metres before the intersection:

http://maps.google.com.au/maps?sll=-25.335448,135.745076&sspn=49.950825,93.076172&ie=UTF8&cd=1&ll=-35.349044,149.090154&spn=0.001356,0.00284&t=h&z=19

It’s obvious from the description that the cyclist was simply keeping left, to avoid riding through a 3-lane intersection in the middle lane. Whether or not he had ridden through the bike lane before the lights is irrelevant, because he was being tailgated in a shared lane.

Nice logic with the “The bus driver did the wrong thing” followed up by “but the cyclist was more to blame.” You sound just like a 5-year-old explaining why it’s fair to kick someone who said something they didn’t like.

Excusing the apple-throwing behaviour by suggesting it was caused by someone, somewhere who did something silly on a bike is a complete pile of crap, too. There’s no justification in the assault.

You’re dead right, Holden – in this case I was on the roundabout, heading from Adelaide Ave onto Melrose drive, and this dick on a bike on Yamba Drive pulled out into the roundabout in front of me.

Then, as the topic is all about, he abused me for whatever it was he thought had gone wrong. Which was, of course, that he was a dick on a bike, pretending to be a car, but without the horsepower to get onto the roundabout in a legal and safe manner.

I would be very interested to know how this cyclist got to be in this intersection in the first place. The far left lane of this intersection is a “Bus Only” lane. It is wide enough only for a bus and is surrounded by unbroken white lines. Did the cyclist illegaly ride through that lane when entering the intersection. It is very very highly likely that he/she did which is simply the act of a complete idiot. Choosing to endanger his/her own life by illegally riding in the bus only lane when there is a wide, high quality cycleway along that stretch of road is just asking for trouble.

Any basis for this comment? It’s “very very highly” possible to enter that intersection without touching the 20 metres worth of bus lane on athllon. The bus lane doesn’t continue into the intersection and doesn’t continue into callam street (provided things haven’t changed since the last time I was there and the last time google street view was updated).

Very Busy said :

Sgt.Bungers said :

On the 312 this morning heading north into Woden. On Athlon drive, crossing Hindmarsh, the bus caught up to a person on a bike half way through the intersection. The “professional” bus driver, rather than choose to maintain a safe distance from the person on the bike (who was legally using the road), chose to drive at a distance that I as a passenger found *extremely* uncomfortable.

I would be very interested to know how this cyclist got to be in this intersection in the first place. The far left lane of this intersection is a “Bus Only” lane. It is wide enough only for a bus and is surrounded by unbroken white lines. Did the cyclist illegaly ride through that lane when entering the intersection. It is very very highly likely that he/she did which is simply the act of a complete idiot. Choosing to endanger his/her own life by illegally riding in the bus only lane when there is a wide, high quality cycleway along that stretch of road is just asking for trouble. Those dedicated bus lanes at traffic lights are there to help our public transport system maintain correct timing. The bus driver did the wrong thing, but the cyclist was probably more to blame and deserves to get the scare of his/her life. This is just what happens when cyclists get out and play with the traffic.

True, I’m not clear on the road rules regarding cyclists using bus lanes. That said, if it is illegal, the fine for doing so would be a few hundred dollars at best… and in doing so he held up a bus full of people for no more than 5 seconds, or possibly no time at all given traffic light timings. How can the bus driver justify deliberately trying to intimidate a human being, by endangering his life with a several tonne machine? It is up to the police to write tickets for people who break the law. At what point did it become reasonable to deliberately intimidate a person in a manner where if the *slightest* thing went wrong, they could be killed?

In this case, possible cyclist crime: Illegal use of a bus lane… ~$300?
Bus driver crime: Drive a motor vehicle with intent to menace another person… arrest, up to 1 year in prison (as per ACT legislation) and criminal record.

Fortunately when it comes to using several tonnes of steel to intimidate a human being for whatever reason, the law allows a reasonable punishment. Unfortunately, far too many people in society see nothing wrong with this practice, so long as it’s just to “teach someone a lesson”

Grrrr said :

…

54-11 said :

I was abused by an idiotic cyclist on the Woden roundabout – he thought he was a car and moved into the roundabout just as I was coming around the corner. I had to get out of this dickhead’s way, and he then started to abuse me.

So, if he had been a car, would you have conceded he had right of way? If so, it’s time to brush up on your road rules…

Well, that depends. Clearly we’re not piecing together 54-11’s full picture. However, when I first read the comment I interpreted it as 54-11 was already on the roundabout and the cyclist, turning left, moved out in front of 54-11 who was, presumably in the left lane of the roundabout going straight ahead.

If my interpretation is correct, I look forward to you finding a road rule that says any vehicle has right of way at roundabouts ahead of vehicles already on said roundabout and approaching from the right.

dvaey said :

shiny flu said :

I’ve had half full plastic bottles thrown at me because I ‘forced’ a car to slow down as I was going across an Exit on the green striped bike lane.

With that thinking, when driving, do you also ‘force’ a train to slow down when crossing its path too? Or do you realise small-gives-way-to-big, and dont try to force the train to slow down, just because youre on your ashphelt road?

So you’re saying that cyclists aren’t allowed to use the green bicycle lanes the way that the law stipulates because “cars are bigger than you, like trains”?

You do realise that cars have little pedals in them, which gives the operator the ability to easily slow down and give way to bicycles legally using green cycle lanes? Unlike trains, which take long periods to decelerate and are on fixed tracks?

Your entire argument boils down to “cars shouldn’t have to give way to cyclists, because they’re bigger”. It’s the most retarded post you’ve ever made (which is a big ask given the whole ‘bicycles should be registered’ obsession).

trix said :

…andhow many drivers have been abused by cyclists? No-one that I know of (including myself)…

A colleague of mine had her car break down on a busy road in Canberra in peak hour not too long ago (can’t remember which road). She managed to pull over out of the main stream of traffic and into the cycle lane before it completely died, but had no hope of getting it up the curb. While waiting for the NRMA to turn up with her hazard lights on, several cyclists yelled abuse at her as they rode past, one slowing down and hitting her window with the flat of his hand, another slamming his fist down on top of her wing mirror. What was she meant to do, get out of the vehicle into peak hour traffic and attempt to push her car up a straight edge curb?

Neither side is innocent in this debate, it’s ridiculous to try to paint it so.

Personally, I get irritated at cyclists who ride on roads without cycle lanes – particularly when there’s a cycle path right next to the road (I’ve seen this many times on Ginninderra Drive) or on narrow, windy roads without the room for cars to safely pass (e.g. Kuringa Drive). However, as angry as I get, I will not do something to endanger a cyclist’s life. Even if they’re in the wrong. An incident between a car and a cyclist will always result in the cyclist coming off second best – and I could not have that on my conscience.

Sgt.Bungers said :

On the 312 this morning heading north into Woden. On Athlon drive, crossing Hindmarsh, the bus caught up to a person on a bike half way through the intersection. The “professional” bus driver, rather than choose to maintain a safe distance from the person on the bike (who was legally using the road), chose to drive at a distance that I as a passenger found *extremely* uncomfortable.

I would be very interested to know how this cyclist got to be in this intersection in the first place. The far left lane of this intersection is a “Bus Only” lane. It is wide enough only for a bus and is surrounded by unbroken white lines. Did the cyclist illegaly ride through that lane when entering the intersection. It is very very highly likely that he/she did which is simply the act of a complete idiot. Choosing to endanger his/her own life by illegally riding in the bus only lane when there is a wide, high quality cycleway along that stretch of road is just asking for trouble. Those dedicated bus lanes at traffic lights are there to help our public transport system maintain correct timing. The bus driver did the wrong thing, but the cyclist was probably more to blame and deserves to get the scare of his/her life. This is just what happens when cyclists get out and play with the traffic.

It is a great shame about the apple throwing incident but I can’t help but think that this is the result of an absolute minority of idiots on bikes who continually display illegal and inconsiderate behaviour giving the vast majority of cyclists a bad name.

BTW, I cycle to work every day. I am a cyclist who allows plenty of time for the trip and doesn’t set myself a goal of getting there as quick as a car at all cost.

2200km entirely on bike pathes this year.

The above comments are reason enough for me to justify that.

ALYM – Canberra boasts a vast fraternity of bike hating motorists, ride safe mate.

Oops, I forgot about another cyclist giving me abuse. This time I was at a cross intersection turning left. Adjacent and parallel to the road I was turning from was a cycle path which also crossed the road I was turning onto.

Anyway, I’m turning left and across the road on the cycle path I could see a cyclist approaching, although at this stage a reasonable distance away. So, I look to my right and the road is clear and I start to turn. Meanwhile the cyclist on the cycle path decided I was invisible and began crossing the road.

I continued to exercise my right of way (as there was no immediate danger of collision) and got a bunch of abuse for doing so. Apparently, I must have held up the cyclist for some of those precious seconds they bemoan to car users about. Or worse, maybe I upset his momentum, which is another reason I’ve been given by a couple of cyclists to explain why they don’t stop at traffic lights.

These incidents over the years happened between civic and O’Connor. It seems clear that there are enough examples of cyclists who need to live and let live, just as there are countless examples of motorists who need to do likewise.

On that basis +1 to ABC129 at post #28.

54-11 said :

No, driver aggression toward cyclists is not common.

Wroooooong. Just last night I was in the left hand lane of a 2-lane road at some traffic lights. Car comes up behind me – in the same lane, toots it’s horn and then I get shouted at as they go around me. No good reason for it – just bogans being bogans. They’re wankers who feeli tough cause they’ve got a steel cage around them and a faster top speed than a cyclist.

54-11 said :

I was abused by an idiotic cyclist on the Woden roundabout – he thought he was a car and moved into the roundabout just as I was coming around the corner. I had to get out of this dickhead’s way, and he then started to abuse me.

So, if he had been a car, would you have conceded he had right of way? If so, it’s time to brush up on your road rules.

The OP here has been assaulted for no good reason, and it’s all too common.

ABC129: Well said, well said indeed.

trix said :

I don’t know of any cyclist in Canberra who hasn’t had an “incident” – andhow many drivers have been abused by cyclists? No-one that I know of (including myself). So, no, there is a special breed of moron here.

I’ve been slagged off by cyclists a couple of times. Once a few years back for asking, yes asking, not yelling or abusing, why he didn’t use the cycle path that was less than two metres away. He went off his rocker, haha. Clearly I touched a nerve there, but I genuinely wanted to know why…

The other time was just a few weeks ago when a cyclist was just parked in the middle of London Circuit near Canberra Theatre. It looked like he may have been talking to some pedestrians crossing the road, but they had clearly passed by now. He was in the right lane and not moving. I gave him a gentle beep to say move along, which I think was fair enough under the circumstances (ie. blocking traffic for no apparent reason) and again, clearly I touched a nerve, because a torrent of abuse came flowing my way.

Oh, and the one time I hit a cyclist (fortunately at a very low speed and he wasn’t hurt) was because he turned across me at a T-intersection without making any hand signals (he was turning right). It’s a bit hard to explain these things online, and I’m certainly not absolving myself of all blame, but I had previously seen this guy on the left hand side of the lane seemingly moving straight on at a distance at which it seemed clear to me he would not be turning right, otherwise he would have indicated and been towards the middle of the road. I checked my to my right again, which was clear, and slowly moved off. Obviously I should have double checked the cyclist again, who was now on my bonnet, but as I said, it was a definite case of shared responsibility. Which is probably why he was so reluctant to accept my business card when I offered it to him in case of any sustained damage to himself or his bike. It was only on reflection of the incident that I pieced together his likely movements.

In regards to cyclists riding across pedestrian crossings, a clear example of cyclists wanting it both ways.

In general, though, I don’t mind cyclists doing this and try to make eye contact with the cyclist to establish an understanding of who is going to do what. The trouble is, of course, some cyclists wait, others go straight across without even acknowledging the oncoming motorist traffic.

Riding through red lights is an example of dickheads not discriminating on mode of transport. I know cyclists probably get the raw end of the deal the majority of the time from inattentive motorists, and I’m happy to cut cyclists some slack because of this, but riding through red lights is asking for trouble, haha.

Piratemonkey said :

When it comes to give way signs, stop signs and red lights cars obey them because if they don’t eventually one poor timed mistake will kill somebody.

I often see cyclists ignoring these golden rules cars have to obey, simply because they are on the very edge of the road and it looks fairly safe. It is my opinion this behaviour is one of the main reasons normally sane non road-raging people have such animosity against cyclists. So please for christs sake stop it.

As for people riding across a padestrian crossing…. Its called a padestrian crossing for a reason for crying out loud. If you are walking, cars give way to you. If you are on a vehicle (ie bike as has been pointed out) you have to give way to traffic. Period. As far as I am concerned you know you have to give way and will. Call me an asshole but I will not stop even if you are going at a snails pace. Thems tha rules people.

Because we all know that cars obey the rules all the time. Just ask the cops and the insurance companies. I’m trying to be polite, but fking hell that is a knob statement to make.

And I’m sure the cops would agree with your position if you decide to knock down a kid on a bike at a pedestrian crossing.

Watch out for Taxis, buses, the red plated ACT government cars, P platers…. Maybe just watch out for everything. Taxi/bus drivers are in a hurry by definition and if they think they can avoid having to wait an extra second or two they will…regardless of whether they are breaking road rules or you happen to be in the way or both. Make sure your brakes are tip top! I regularly ride down london circuit and buses are loathe to STOP as they leave the interchange. I.e., they either just go and cut you off or they creep forward and you’ve got no idea what they might do. Be particularly wary when you ride past bus stops. I have buses regularly cut me off to pull into bus stops to the point where i had to jump the gutter to avoid getting hit on corner of london circuit and akuna. On northbourne they sit 2 ft behind you pumping their brakes to give you a handy hint (if you get a chance, stop after the bus stop and take down the route number and number plate of the bus and report to ACTION – there is no excuse for intimidating cyclists by sitting that close not to mention how dangerous it is). P platers just won’t give way. And if you happen to be riding in Ainslie, beware the weird tall dude in the yellow lada…I ‘forced’ him to give way at the end of Tyson st a few months back, he stalled his car in the middle of the intersection and then proceeded to verbally assail me with cries of ‘Jew, Jew’, ‘go back to israel’ and assorted mad witch like cackles as he bunny hopped his car around the corner. Sad but true.

I’m simply amazed that people don’t understand the fact that nobody wins from these ‘altercations’ between cars and cyclists. The whole idea of teaching cyclists a lesson is ridiculous. At the very least you’ll end up with one or all of the following: A scratched or dented car, a busted bike, a bruised/broken cyclist and even more animosity between cyclists and car drivers – NOBODY WINS!!

Fact: People make mistakes on the roads, be they driving, cycling, walking, motorbike riding.

Should we instantly start to enact revenge on people that make mistakes by ‘teaching them a lesson’? As in 54-11’s case, perhaps it was the first time the cyclist had ridden home and thought that was a good way to go? Perhaps they got half way into that roundabout and got totally freaked out. Perhaps they will go via the path next time and never bother another motorist on that piece of road ever again?

ALL road users do silly things. If we see some old biddy reverse out of a driveway without looking your way should you beep the horn, throw up some fingers and hurl abuse? Or should we slow down, let them come out, give a friendly wave when they realise they didn’t see you and know that they’ll have another look next time.

The sooner we all take a chill pill, give ALL road users the benefit of the doubt and realise that nobody wins from ANY altercation on the road the happier we’ll all be.

PS: as a cyclist (AND motorist) I haven’t had any problems on Adelaide Ave before. Perhaps it comes from giving a wave to motorists who let me in or do something courteous. It’s friendly and just common sense.

although I should clarify I don’t ditto the running someone down just because you’re not obliged by the rules to give way!

You’re lucky it wasn’t a banana, apparently they kill now…

pptvb said :

Piratemonkey said :

When it comes to give way signs, stop signs and red lights cars obey them because if they don’t eventually one poor timed mistake will kill somebody.

I often see cyclists ignoring these golden rules cars have to obey, simply because they are on the very edge of the road and it looks fairly safe. It is my opinion this behaviour is one of the main reasons normally sane non road-raging people have such animosity against cyclists. So please for christs sake stop it.

As for people riding across a padestrian crossing…. Its called a padestrian crossing for a reason for crying out loud. If you are walking, cars give way to you. If you are on a vehicle (ie bike as has been pointed out) you have to give way to traffic. Period. As far as I am concerned you know you have to give way and will. Call me an asshole but I will not stop even if you are going at a snails pace. Thems tha rules people.

DITTO

DITTO the DITTO

I have no problem with cyclists on the roads but they should obey the road rules. Then all we’d need is for everyone else to obey the road rules…………

“Call me an asshole but I will not stop even if you are going at a snails pace. Thems tha rules people.”

Someone who only cares about the letter of the law, not the spirit, and clearly has no empathy or concern for the people who are around him.

Yep, I’d say that qualifies you as a grade-A asshole.

basketcase said :

If you have your wits about you you could collect a number plate and complain to the police

This is basically exactly why motorists are required to have identification plates on the outside of their vehicle. If the driver commits an offence, you can report it to the police. Chances are, a vehicle that is going to do these sorts of things is already known to police and could well have other complaints against it.

shiny flu said :

I’ve had half full plastic bottles thrown at me because I ‘forced’ a car to slow down as I was going across an Exit on the green striped bike lane.

With that thinking, when driving, do you also ‘force’ a train to slow down when crossing its path too? Or do you realise small-gives-way-to-big, and dont try to force the train to slow down, just because youre on your ashphelt road?

Piratemonkey said :

As for people riding across a padestrian crossing…. Its called a padestrian crossing for a reason for crying out loud. If you are walking, cars give way to you. If you are on a vehicle (ie bike as has been pointed out) you have to give way to traffic.

Or to put it another way, if a govt ride-on lawn mower attempts to cross the road at a crossing, they give way, even though theyre travelling at 5km/hr and are travelling across a crossing. Both the bike and the mower are vehicles, both at the same crossing, so why would the bike be treated any differently, other than because he’ll whinge on RA, where the mower-rider understands the laws of give way (presumably as to ride a mower, he’s required to have a licence, which he can lose if he breaks the law)

Thoroughly Smashed said :

queeg said :

Re 54-11’s comment – you do know that bicycles are vehicles don’t you? Maybe you have just exposed yourself as one of many car drivers in Canberra who don’t actually know the road rules.

I got the impression that the cyclist failed to give way.

A cyclist was criticised because he “thought he was a car”. As nutter astutely point out: “if you’re on the road you’re treated and should act like a car, if you’re on the footpath you’re treated and should act like a pedestrian.”

Regarding the remark that it happens “anywhere”, not as much as it does in Canberra. I’ve cycled in London, France and various places in NZ, and the only place I’ve ever gotten abuse was when I was cycling in the bike lane on Commonwealth Bridge.

I don’t know of any cyclist in Canberra who hasn’t had an “incident” – andhow many drivers have been abused by cyclists? No-one that I know of (including myself). So, no, there is a special breed of moron here.

Plenty of drivers think that messing with cyclists is funny. Of particular hilarity are they (typically young men) who like to honk/yell abuse just as they’re passing you. That said, the cycle paths in this town are pretty good and for the couple of extra minutes it’ll take, getting away from a) the exhaust fumes and b) the idiots who think they own the roads is definitely worth it. They’re usually far more scenic than the road anyway.

There are plenty of folks (on two wheels and four) who don’t know the road rules. In short, if you’re on the road you’re treated and should act like a car, if you’re on the footpath you’re treated and should act like a pedestrian.

A little tip – when you get to a pedestrian crossing, make eye contact with the driver, 95% of them are courteous and will wave you through, perhaps reasoning that the tiny delay caused by them shifting their foot from one pedal to the other is of lesser magnitude than stopping your momentum. Of course there’s around 3% who will exercise their right of way and around 2% who will make eye contact and then accelerate through the crossing (my personal bugbear are the ones who do this on traffic light corners and end up stopped on the crossing).

Oh and Piratemonkey, it’s actually called a pedestrian crossing and your attitude is cr@p. I assume you look forward to the day you get to mow down a cyclist because they were riding over a crossing? I’ll call you an @rsehole as I live in Australia and because you clearly are one.

queeg said :

Re 54-11’s comment – you do know that bicycles are vehicles don’t you? Maybe you have just exposed yourself as one of many car drivers in Canberra who don’t actually know the road rules.

I got the impression that the cyclist failed to give way.

54-11 said :

I almost ran over a cyclist and he had the temerity to get angry at me for it.

Oh you poor thing. How did you cope?

Piratemonkey said :

When it comes to give way signs, stop signs and red lights cars obey them because if they don’t eventually one poor timed mistake will kill somebody.

I often see cyclists ignoring these golden rules cars have to obey, simply because they are on the very edge of the road and it looks fairly safe. It is my opinion this behaviour is one of the main reasons normally sane non road-raging people have such animosity against cyclists. So please for christs sake stop it.

As for people riding across a padestrian crossing…. Its called a padestrian crossing for a reason for crying out loud. If you are walking, cars give way to you. If you are on a vehicle (ie bike as has been pointed out) you have to give way to traffic. Period. As far as I am concerned you know you have to give way and will. Call me an asshole but I will not stop even if you are going at a snails pace. Thems tha rules people.

DITTO

I’ve been yelled at, had bottles thrown and even taken incoming spud gun fire. All as a pedestrian out for my evening walk.

Bogans are bogans and will target just about anyone. I think that cyclists spend more time in a close proximity to the road and so are targeted more often.

Not sure people realise how much the speed differential means such casual things can hurt or even lead to a serious accident. I was hit by a simple strawberry thrown from a car once (yes just a strawberry!) and it hurt like hell. An apple could have taken right off your bike. Very lucky to stay upright. they wouldn’t want to get pulled up at the next set of lights…

When it comes to give way signs, stop signs and red lights cars obey them because if they don’t eventually one poor timed mistake will kill somebody.

I often see cyclists ignoring these golden rules cars have to obey, simply because they are on the very edge of the road and it looks fairly safe. It is my opinion this behaviour is one of the main reasons normally sane non road-raging people have such animosity against cyclists. So please for christs sake stop it.

As for people riding across a padestrian crossing…. Its called a padestrian crossing for a reason for crying out loud. If you are walking, cars give way to you. If you are on a vehicle (ie bike as has been pointed out) you have to give way to traffic. Period. As far as I am concerned you know you have to give way and will. Call me an asshole but I will not stop even if you are going at a snails pace. Thems tha rules people.

Honestly I have stopped for so many cyclists while they rode their bikes across a pedestrain crossing, and some were going fast, now who would be to blame if the motorist ran into the cyclist?

I hope you took some information from the vehicle in question (rego plate etc), and further I hope you reported the matter to Police. If you were riding in the cycle lane, you are obligated to ride there by law, no driver should have a problem with that.

Sgt Bungers, sure a cyclist has the ‘right’ to be on a road at that point, but they are mixing with vehicular traffic which, as you acknowledge, can be as heavy as several tonnes. I personally would not choose to mix myself in such a hazardous circumstance as that. I prefer to be alive and healthy than right. How’s the comment from shiny flu #7? ‘Don’t worry, they’re only trying to kill you’ That is spot on, no cyclist will come off a winner in that arguement, why put yourself in that situation? You’ll also find menacing driving requires a threat of pesonal injury or damage to property, not by simply blocking a crossing and having a go. The sooner cycle lanes are seperated from vehicular traffic by more than just a painted line the safer for both. Be safe folks.

Pity you didnt get rego and the apple for DNA!

It may not have been deliberate. An quick toss of an apple out the window by some compost loving motorist perhaps.

There is a big cyclist vs motorist debate in the ACT. Personally we have gone a bit mad in Canberra with the cycling lanes on major roads some with horrendously dangerous parts such as that on Streeton Drive with the turnoff into Namatjira, as well as a treacherous points on Adelaide Avenue with merging traffic and the turnoff area into Kings Ave from State Circle etc.

A lot of the cycle lanes are wasted money when there are perfectly good cycle paths built at some cost a few years ago right next to the road cycle lanes eg. Hindmarsh Drive, State Circle.

The cyclists tend to be a bit tetchy about perceived aggression and the motorists a bit defensive in return.

That time of year I guess. On the 312 this morning heading north into Woden. On Athlon drive, crossing Hindmarsh, the bus caught up to a person on a bike half way through the intersection. The “professional” bus driver, rather than choose to maintain a safe distance from the person on the bike (who was legally using the road), chose to drive at a distance that I as a passenger found *extremely* uncomfortable. Obviously at some point in this bus drivers life, he decided that endangering the life of another human being using a several tonne machine, as a result of being held up for 5 seconds, was a reasonable thing to do?

Even better… the incident started up the young girls behind me, who, judging from their ages, had just earned their drivers licences. They started talking about how they *HATE* cyclists, the passion in their voices was eery. Carrying on about how cyclists are so inconsiderate and selfish, expecting everyone to wait for them… how they always beep the horn at cyclists if they get in their way whilst trying to turn. (Expecting the roads to be free of everything but motor vehicle traffic at all times is not selfish, apparently.) The best quote “the road is only for cars, get the f*** off”. Obviously during their driver training these girls were never told that the road is not just for motor vehicle traffic, and everyone is expected to get along and play nice… like adults.

This arvo, waiting for the bus to go home, I witnessed an old coot in a Honda Jazz fail to give way to a cyclist at a pedestrain crossing. Granted, the cyclist is required to dismount and didn’t, however she was riding no faster than walking pace. Not only did this person fail to give way, he stopped on the crossing, wound down his window and began having a go at the cyclist he came close to injuring. When the cyclist attempted to get around the hazard the old fart caused, he again deliberately moved forward into her path. Unfortunately I was a fair way away, or I would’ve had a few choice words.

Cyclist crime: Failing to dismount at a pedestrain crossing. ~$50 fine.

Bus driver and Jazz drivers crimes: Driving a motor vehicle with intent to menace another person, up to one year in prison.

I’m fairly regular on Adelaide Ave, never had an issue. Occasionally I cop a bit of abuse but for reasons I can’t figure out it always seems to be on Canberra Ave in Manuka. A kid threw an apple at me once in Weston Creek 4-5 years ago.

It’s not Canberra, it’s not you… it happens in a lot of cities around the world.

I’ve had half full plastic bottles thrown at me because I ‘forced’ a car to slow down as I was going across an Exit on the green striped bike lane. It really is just a few bogans with nothing better to do than try and kill you.

The best thing to do is find alternative routes if possible. Sure the road surface is nice and smooth but I prefer taking an extra 5 min along the back way with less traffic.

Standby in 5,4,3,2…1 for the same old cyclist/motorist debate.

It must be silly season. Had someone think it would be funny to yell out his car window at me on the way home tonight for no apparent reason (seriously – no reason at all!!). While driving home Thursday night last week (yes DRIVING), I had no fewer than five near misses from other cars. It’s got nothing to do with you being a cyclist.
Re 54-11’s comment – you do know that bicycles are vehicles don’t you? Maybe you have just exposed yourself as one of many car drivers in Canberra who don’t actually know the road rules.

“No, driver aggression toward cyclists is not common.”

Ha !

I think you’ve touched 54-11’s nerve.

Have never had anything thrown at me, just a bit of verbal abuse every now and then. It was lucky you didn’t get hit in the face. Could have done some real damage.

No, driver aggression toward cyclists is not common. However, I can tell you that aggression the other way round is much more common. I was abused by an idiotic cyclist on the Woden roundabout – he thought he was a car and moved into the roundabout just as I was coming around the corner. I had to get out of this dickhead’s way, and he then started to abuse me.

Stupid, ignorant, aggressive cyclists should stay off major highways, specially if they are going to think that they are cars. They’re not – they’re just dickheads.

Been pelted a couple of times, mainly yobos. That’s over a few years so I wouldn’t describe it as normal, especially on Adelaide Ave. If you have your wits about you you could collect a number plate and complain to the police, not that I think they would do anything about it.

Bit like motorcyclists on the footpaths, you just got to live with.