13 January 2009

GDE Users, Unite!

| BenMac
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I used the GDE every day and put up with the slow moving traffic just like everyone else has to. What really gets me is when I see a silver Mitsubishi Mirage (Unknown rego) driving in the bike lane.

I’ve have seen this on many different occasions during peak hour, with it happening again today. This twat gets on at Ginninderra Dr, gets directly into the bike lane and stays there until he gets off at the Tuggeranong Parkway. Today the traffic wasn’t even stopped, it was moving at a slow pace, but he still decided to drive in the bike lane just to save a few seconds.

So I urge all GDE users, if you see this moron coming up behind you, put your car halfway into the bike lane (assuming there aren’t any bikes in it at the time) and make him use the road like everyone else.

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I think my post @ #11 pretty much covered this already…

I see your +1 and raise you -10000

tylersmayhem said :

Wow Sgt, I can’t see you all the way up their on your horse.

No BenMac – he’s pretty f**kin’ spot on!

+1

and Sgt, good to hear a voice of reason.

tylersmayhem4:40 pm 14 Jan 09

Wow Sgt, I can’t see you all the way up their on your horse.

No BenMac – he’s pretty f**kin’ spot on!

Wow Sgt, I can’t see you all the way up their on your horse.

I think this is getting a bit ridiculous. I’m outta here…

Calls for vigilante action, great. Driving or is the most dangerous task the majority of Canberrans undertake every day. Why make it more dangerous for everyone than it already is? Don’t think for a minute that if you or anyone else deliberately tries to cut off the driver and passengers of the Mirage, that you wont be found at least partially at fault if there is a crash/injuries/fatalities as a result.

What if the driver of the Mirage is on his way to day-care each morning you see him, with his or other people’s children in the back that you haven’t noticed? You cut him off and he swerves as a result, the car rolls and the kids are killed. Hardly an impossible scenario is it? Could you live with the fact that the actions you took or encouraged as a result of your petty jealousy of another person “cutting the queue” resulted in innocent children being killed? What if in your blind rage about someone else saving a few seconds, you failed to notice a cyclist in the cycle lane in front of the Mirage as you were planning to block him, thus running over and crippling the cyclist for life when you made your move? Again, hardly an impossible scenario seeing as cyclits are hard to spot, especially when you’re focusing on a particular car.

Would you condone someone to start throwing rocks in the general direction of someone else who jumped the queue at the bank just to discourage them from doing it again? No? It’s dangerous and could result in the person or innocent bystanders being injured or killed? Then what the hell are you thinking encouraging people to use their several tonne piece of machinery as a weapon to make a point?

Yes, the Mirage driver is clearly an impatient moron with no regard for the road rules and should be dealt with BY THE POLICE. Vigilante action on the road and using your vehicle as a weapon, is unforgivable IMHO, and far worse than the minor offence of driving in a un-trafficable lane. You, BenMac, are one of many Australian drivers who suffer from tall poppy syndrome to such a severe degree that all rational sense goes out the window when you see someone making progress in traffic in a manner you feel is illegal.

Get the guys rego, call the police every day that you see the guy driving in the bike lane, and they’ll eventually come out to deal with it. Then, take a defensive driver course, and begin focusing solely on your driving practices, not anyone else’s.

shanefos said :

Tooks said :

bigred said :

entirely predictable response by Tooks. Seems the Youtube plus natonal media is the answer if one has a problem in Canberra.

If you don’t think police have been keeping an eye on YouTube for years, then you’re sadly mistaken.

Hours and hours of fun to be had trolling through Youtube, huh, Tooks?
And they can check out footage of their brethren doing doughnuts (pardon the pun) and beating up perps!

they have different teams working on all manners of internet sites, you-tube, IM chat, forums, and guys scanning the web for potentially dangerous sites, brag sites, swindlers. In fact, there are several law enforcement agencies across the world doing this.

the fact that Tooks has made his prescence known is a rarity. many police members don’t.

Tooks said :

bigred said :

entirely predictable response by Tooks. Seems the Youtube plus natonal media is the answer if one has a problem in Canberra.

If you don’t think police have been keeping an eye on YouTube for years, then you’re sadly mistaken.

Hours and hours of fun to be had trolling through Youtube, huh, Tooks?
And they can check out footage of their brethren doing doughnuts (pardon the pun) and beating up perps!

bigred said :

entirely predictable response by Tooks. Seems the Youtube plus natonal media is the answer if one has a problem in Canberra.

Actually, traffic complaints like this one are phoned in and dealt with ALL the time. I’m sure you’ll mention your recent experience, but from what I can gather, you made a complaint about that and it was dealt with?

If you don’t think police have been keeping an eye on YouTube for years, then you’re sadly mistaken.

BenMac said :

what does the driver with Silver Mirage do at the Belconnen Way bridge

Today he was able to slot back in with the slow moving traffic, but once when the traffic was stopped, he tried to go across side by side. He realised that it was too narrow and forced he way back in.

Surely someone knows the rego by now?

Don’t like the way a driver behaves? http://www.ratetheplate.com.au

caf said :

Yeah I’ve seen that behaviour at the Aranda ramp as well.

They could fix it by swapping the east-bound and west-bound lanes on the Aranda bridge and then putting a permanent concrete divider all the way across – so you’d have to go all the way across the bridge, u-turn and come all the way back, making it not such a short-cut.

The buses already have enough difficulty turning through that intersection without crossing the lines by meters.

what time of day does he do this?

what does the driver with Silver Mirage do at the Belconnen Way bridge

Today he was able to slot back in with the slow moving traffic, but once when the traffic was stopped, he tried to go across side by side. He realised that it was too narrow and forced he way back in.

entirely predictable response by Tooks. Seems the Youtube plus natonal media is the answer if one has a problem in Canberra.

Mr BENMAC … what does the driver with Silver Mirage do at the Belconnen Way bridge? I take it he would have to “push back in” the main lane. This kind of behaviour is like shoplifting [and using the Aranda Lane] … get away with it once = try-it-again; get away with again, and it is then embossed in brain that the behaviour is ok because the only action taken against me is whinging on the RIOT ACT … now that would have to worry him!

Actually, I take that back. Comment #1 was the stupidest. Carry on.

bigred said :

Maybe the plods who frequent this place and chastise their critics could be a tad proactive in this matter? On second thoughts, too much to expect!

Stupidest comment on this thread. Nice work 🙂

To the original poster, see if you can actually get the rego and as many other details you can, then contact police or crimestoppers.

Maybe the plods who frequent this place and chastise their critics could be a tad proactive in this matter? On second thoughts, too much to expect!

Holierthanthou9:21 pm 13 Jan 09

I’d stick him with my glaive-guisarme-volgue-glaive. That’d learn him.

I agree, dob in the cheeky mud-sucker!

If he’s not caught and stopped now, what will stop him? Hitting a cyclist on a bike?

Not that bikes technically have much stopping power when faced with an oncoming car…

Gee and I thought dickheads in cars were only alive at the Summernats… god how could I be so wrong.

Instead of potentially making things worse by causing an accident or instigating some sort of road rage, take the rego and report them.

Cyclist schmyclist! No-one stands between the Silver Streak and his dental flossing appointment … and lives!!

lobster said :

Hey, the bikes don’t want to ride on bike paths and only ride on roads…
What is good for the goose is good for the gander!
:p

I have thought about doing this many a time.
If I saw someone do it, I would be like “Man, I should have done that!” And then still not do it.

It’s stupid to do though.
Somone will pull out or they will drive over a dead kangaroo or they’ll get done by a cop eventually.

or hit a cyclist.

Hey, the bikes don’t want to ride on bike paths and only ride on roads…
What is good for the goose is good for the gander!
:p

I have thought about doing this many a time.
If I saw someone do it, I would be like “Man, I should have done that!” And then still not do it.

It’s stupid to do though.
Somone will pull out or they will drive over a dead kangaroo or they’ll get done by a cop eventually.

Woody Mann-Caruso4:54 pm 13 Jan 09

I rather fancy this snarkier Granny.

Granny said :

In my day we used to drive through houses to get to work on time.

Yeah, but those houses were all just a “shoe box in middle of t’road”.

tylersmayhem4:39 pm 13 Jan 09

Why doesn’t someone just get on a bike and ride very, very slowly down the bike lane infront of this guy?

You first Kramer!

Because nobody has any stones anymore, Kramer!!

Why doesn’t someone just get on a bike and ride very, very slowly down the bike lane infront of this guy?

Stung said :

I can’t believe people are advocating snitching on here..

He is probably just trying to get to work quicker, not hurting anybody.. Good on him – you probably just wish you had the stones to do it too!

Morning poo in paper bag/glad wrap.
eye on the rear vision mirror.
as he is passing lob on the windscreen and sit back and watch the magic.

In my day we used to drive through houses to get to work on time.

Members of RiotACT unite! Its vigilante time!!

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy4:21 pm 13 Jan 09

Team RiotACT – traffic police!

People just don’t have any stones these days!

Why stop there – why not drive on the opposite side of the road too – there’s a couple of perfectly good lanes there too!

Stung said :

I can’t believe people are advocating snitching on here..

He is probably just trying to get to work quicker, not hurting anybody.. Good on him – you probably just wish you had the stones to do it too!

Good point, Stung! In fact, why have road rules at all? I can’t think of a single good reason that it might be a bad idea for a car to drive in a bike lane … tick, tick, tick … no, still nothing! As VYBerlinaV8 said, perhaps everyone should do it. Why the hell not?

tylersmayhem3:40 pm 13 Jan 09

So I urge all GDE users, if you see this moron coming up behind you, put your car halfway into the bike lane

Yes, please just be careful doing this. I’d kinda like to make it to work and home in one piece!

Growling Ferret3:32 pm 13 Jan 09

Want to get to work quicker? Leave 5 minutes earlier. Doing a run down the bike lane is fine on a motorbike for safety reasons, but should not be in a car…

What makes this halfwit more ‘special’ than every other road user who has to wait their turn?

A handful of nails, an eye on the passenger side mirror, spot the silver Mitsubishi Mirage, wind down the window, deposit nails in bike lane….. and go back later and pick up those that are still there and not adorning the Mirage Tyres…

I can’t believe people are advocating snitching on here..

He is probably just trying to get to work quicker, not hurting anybody.. Good on him – you probably just wish you had the stones to do it too!

Growling Ferret1:33 pm 13 Jan 09

Just have a copper sit 50 metres the other side of the off ramp – and book ever driver who fails to stop at the Stop sign.

Do it for a week from 8-9am and the issue would be solved. Each sucker taking the off ramp and failing to stop would get hit with 3 points and a couple of hundred bucks. Easy fixed.

toby101375 said :

That twat is fighting the system, he/she is stronger than you. You don’t have the balls to do it. I congratulate the f***er.

Yeah, fight the power – drive in the cycle lane!

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy1:17 pm 13 Jan 09

The best idea would be for EVERYONE to drive in the bike lane. That way, everyone gets there quicker, and Mr Silver Mirage is shown his rightful place. Plus, it sends a message to the establishment that we aren’t gonna take this one lane bull$hit when there’s room for two.

April 24, Florence and Normandy

niftydog, according to Terry Pratchett: “The shortest unit of time in the multiverse is the New York Second, defined as the period of time between the traffic lights turning green and the cab behind you honking.”

So the new lane didn’t improve things by the sounds of it? I like how it’s so smooth that you can hardly notice that it was a bodge.

I think a public beating is in order for this guy. Along with the guy who honked me this morning 2 milliseconds after the green light appeared.

Yeah I’ve seen that behaviour at the Aranda ramp as well.

They could fix it by swapping the east-bound and west-bound lanes on the Aranda bridge and then putting a permanent concrete divider all the way across – so you’d have to go all the way across the bridge, u-turn and come all the way back, making it not such a short-cut.

H1NG0 said :

What annoys me with the GDE is the off ramp to Aranda. Traffic at peak hour sucks, at best, but when you get idiots shortcutting the queue by taking the Aranda turn off and then turning left at the top of the road and rejoining teh GDE further down. So many impatient dickheads. Not that it is a problem for me as going straight down Northbourne is a much faster option, but man, those people need to get their dickhole smashed.

H1ngo, I really hate it when people do that too!

Easy there tiger.

There will be useless people everywhere, walking in malls, pushing trolleys, using electric mobility aids, driving cars.

If you get that incensed, probably best to avoid putting yourself in that situation.

Sure there are incompetents everywhere, I see it regularly, but no amount of me stressing is going to make them change, just do what you can to get them acknowledged by the relevant authorities, and when you get out of the car, life goes on…

What annoys me with the GDE is the off ramp to Aranda. Traffic at peak hour sucks, at best, but when you get idiots shortcutting the queue by taking the Aranda turn off and then turning left at the top of the road and rejoining teh GDE further down. So many impatient dickheads. Not that it is a problem for me as going straight down Northbourne is a much faster option, but man, those people need to get their dickhole smashed.

DarkLadyWolfMother12:40 pm 13 Jan 09

Oops, I should have mentioned that the driver was found guilty. Whether the fines resulted in any change of behavior…who knows?

A suggestion for someone who is brave. As you see the guy aproaching, open your car door and let him take it off. In the insuing reports just claim you didn’t see the guy and that you opened the door to liberate a bug/spider. He will be found at fault and have to pay for the repairs. I bet he wouldn’t do it again. Of course you might want to have good insurance and shitty car just in case.

Anyone got a shitbox they don’t care about?

D’oh, Danman beat me.

It’s obvious BenMac, pull out your mobile and video the whole thing … then YouTube it!

Spitfire3 this one’s for you

Made complaint to police, national media coverage, offender dealt with.

Simple. Effective.

DarkLadyWolfMother12:29 pm 13 Jan 09

Spitfire3, I once complained about a Taxi driver being a dangerous idiot. The Police took my statement, and eventually it ended up in court.

Unfortunately I had to take the day off work to be there as a witness, which makes doing this a right pain in the arse. Unless they can give you rough times for court sessions now and not just ‘turn up on the day and wait’?

DJ said :

Get the rego and make a complaint to the Police. Simple process.

That’s supposed to be the correct thing to do, but we’ve heard sooo many times (on this site and elsewhere) that taking such action results in absolutely nothing being done against the problem driver.

Can anyone say that it ever does create an appropriate result? Any anecdotal evidence?

Can I second that nomination?

Toby…. get help.

toby101375 said :

That twat is fighting the system

In what way? If everyone drove in the bike lane that would make things better somehow??

Wow. Flame/nutter of the week nomination for toby?

Toby are you playing with a full deck? Go back to taking your medication.

Get the rego and make a complaint to the Police. Simple process.

So how’s your silver Mirage going toby?

Get to the source of your problem loser. Stop following the crowds and get of the roads during peak times. That twat is fighting the system, he/she is stronger than you. You don’t have the balls to do it. I congratulate the f***er.

But hey, if you want people to fight your battles for you then so be it pussy.

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