Lady cyclists: please be killed politely

Aeek said :

That’s what TAMS has to say. However its not what the road rules say. The effect is the same, and TAMS’s phrasing is simpler.

What TAMS says, and what the road rules say are completely in agreement. The road rules say that it’s only an offence if there’s a law in the local jurisdiction which prohibits it. There is no such law in the ACT.

My point was that in your first post, you said that it’s an offence to ride on a footpath in the ACT, but that is negated by the fact that there are no footpaths in the ACT, as they’ve all been declared to be “shared paths”. Both of those statements are incorrect.

As you say, the effect is the same, but if you’re going to talk about the road rules it’s best to get it right.

what a jerk…car drivers are so stupid sometimes. glad you’re ok!!!

DrKoresh said :

I think you’re assessment was pretty bang on, there’s not much more to be said. I’m not much of a rider, but even if I were I don’t think I could handle riding on the road/cycle lane, I’d be too worried about crap like this. I think it’s an offence of somekind to cycle on a footpath but I’ve never been pulled up for, nor heard of anyone who has so I prefer to take that risk to the risk of cycling on the road.

Hope you’re not too shaken up, Poetix.

+1 I ride on footpaths on busier stretches too. I figure if the cops ever pull me over then I’ll happily pay the fine. It’s a small insurance given that I have previously had my front wheel run over by taxi while WALKING a bike across a pedestrian crossing in Bruce.

Jono said :

Pork Hunt said :

Aeek said :

johnboy said :

It is not an offence to cycle on the footpath in the ACT.

It is still an offence. However, there are no footpaths in the ACT. They have all been declared to be shared paths.

Well that makes sense.

It might make sense, but it’s not correct. Here’s what TAMS has to say on the subject:

That’s what TAMS has to say. However its not what the road rules say. The effect is the same, and TAMS’s phrasing is simpler.

To the OP, you used the word “I”, “me” or “my” 20 times in your original post, and a further 19 times in your follow up post (#19). Just pointing it out. A little bit self-important are we?

I think you can do better here. I really do. In my opinion, your counting is good, but at this stage I believe it is merely Trolling 101 (or CI to increase my quota). Surely it is important (three more i’s right there) for you to focus on the extension skills. But that’s just me.

To the OP, you used the word “I”, “me” or “my” 20 times in your original post, and a further 19 times in your follow up post (#19). Just pointing it out. A little bit self-important are we?

When you write about yourself do you refer to yourself in the third person?

To the OP, you used the word “I”, “me” or “my” 20 times in your original post, and a further 19 times in your follow up post (#19). Just pointing it out. A little bit self-important are we?

It happened to me, so using ‘I’ is pretty standard, I think, but please correct me if I have made a mistake.

There’s another swag for you.

Perhaps ‘we’ should post something ‘ourselves’ and use say, first person plural for no apparent reason. Unless ‘we’re’ the Queen…

Thank you to all the Rioters who have expressed concern.

I am a wimp. However, it would be a shame if only gung-ho types felt comfortable riding bikes. I’m glad a made a point of criticising his behaviour, even if, in retrospect, I can think of wittier ways of doing so. I must make a point of dinking Oscar Wilde’s ghost.

Props to the OP for being aware and riding defensively.

Props to the driver for at least saying ‘sorry’.

Now put your cleated foot through his window and cave the door skin in to teach that total wanker a lesson.

Masquara said :

Poetix do you wear a helmet? I think you’ve mentioned on a previous thread whether you do – but if you didn’t, perhaps you would in future after this episode!

Yes, I always wear a helmet. Thanks though.

Just after Shane Rattenbury said that cyclists need to learn etiquette you drop the F-bomb…

Poetix clearly is a lady, if not she’d have succumbed to temptation and flogged the crap out of the d***head. Arrogant ignorant pea brain.

The headline sounds like a lady cyclist was hit by a car and killed. Perhaps it should read, Lady Cyclist gets no thanks for avoiding an accident?

Pork Hunt said :

Aeek said :

johnboy said :

It is not an offence to cycle on the footpath in the ACT.

It is still an offence. However, there are no footpaths in the ACT. They have all been declared to be shared paths.

Well that makes sense.

It might make sense, but it’s not correct. Here’s what TAMS has to say on the subject:

Footpath/laneway

Cyclists in the ACT are permitted to ride on footpaths. In NSW however, only cyclists under the age of 12 are permitted to ride on footpaths, as well as supervising cyclists of all ages.

When riding on footpaths, cyclists are required to keep left and give way to pedestrians.

The relevant section of the Australian Road Rules says:

250 Riding on a footpath or shared path
(1) The rider of a bicycle who is 12 years old or older must not ride on a footpath if another law of this jurisdiction prohibits the rider from riding on the footpath.

Which has always struck me as a very odd way to word the road rules, but it’s fairly clear. Seemingly there are local laws in NSW prohibiting the riding of bikes on a footpath, but not in the ACT.

poetix said :

DrKoresh said :

I think you’re assessment was pretty bang on, there’s not much more to be said. I’m not much of a rider, but even if I were I don’t think I could handle riding on the road/cycle lane, I’d be too worried about crap like this. I think it’s an offence of somekind to cycle on a footpath but I’ve never been pulled up for, nor heard of anyone who has so I prefer to take that risk to the risk of cycling on the road.

Hope you’re not too shaken up, Poetix.

I was shaken up, a little. I find intense selfishness difficult at the best of times. But I should be grateful I wasn’t actually injured.

I am also pleased I didn’t start crying in front of him. But I did notice later that I could not have identified the type of car, although I could remember him, I think.

buzz819 said :

Soo… Looking at your title and your tags it looks like you have thrown in a battle of a sexes vibe to this thread, I don’t understand this as there appears to be absolutely no reason for it?

It is quite clearly a bike v car v stupidity of government thread – it has nothing to do with the fact that you are female, the driver was male etc.

He would not have brought up the ‘lady’ thing if I were not female. Indeed, if I were a large, burly bloke, I wonder if he would have acted in the same way after he knew he had cut me off? I doubt it, somehow. I wish I did sound less ladylike when I swore!

It struck me as bizarre that he could have killed me, and then criticised me for his expectations of how a woman should act.

I still find it bizarre that you are beating the sexism drum??

He would have acted the same if you were a weedy bloke wearing a top hat and black rim glasses. So the sexism is out the window there.

Calling you love is not sexist, you might find it derogatory or demeaning if you don’t like being called that, I don’t like being called mate, but I don’t pull the sexist card every time it happens.

Stating that swearing is not lady like is like saying that his actions were not gentlemanly, still not sexist.

Stick to the facts, you were riding, he cut you off then put you in danger by reversing into a stop, he would have hit you, had you not stopped, is that a terrible thing? Yes.

poetix said :

It’s funny, too how what might be seen as a comparatively minor thing can affect you. I keep going over it; have I exaggerated? Is my recollection accurate? Did he really do this or that? How should have I reacted? Was this partly my fault? I realised I was shaking when I was driving earlier, as I thought how it would have affected my family if I had been injured. I’ll probably replay that cheery thought in my head for a few days.

I can see how some people would really lose their confidence after this sort of thing. But it could be so much worse. (Cue thoughts about how it could be worse…)

I’ll just have to slap myself like the male lead in a 1950s film and tell myself to stop being hysterical (-: And get back on the bike!

Dont over analyse it too much, you came out of it OK.

I have had so many near misses that only the really close ones rile me up now. I had a guy in Kingston the other week nearly pull out on me, a lady pulled out as there was enough time but when he went to go I was starting to cross the intersection. It wasn’t until I screamed “STOP DICKHEAD” that he stopped. You know the kicker? He looked at me twice!

I will give you a tip, make your intentions known ( might not have worked in this case) but I try to give drivers plenty of notice if my intentions. If I am crossing a green lane I hang my am out to show them I am travelling straight & not turning off. I if a car is approaching and I think there might be an issue I turn my head to look at the car.

Its amazing how just doing something other than pedaling on the bike will make a driver sit up and take notice of you.

Anyway, I want to hear about you riding tomorrow…..OK?

I’m sorry, but I’m just not buying this fraudulent and belated attempt on the April Mully. Cars, bikes, parking, sexism. It’s the Perfect ACT Storm. Too perfect. Disqualify please, moderators.

IP

knuckles said :

Gungahlin Al said :

knuckles said :

If I’m driving my car and the car in front pulls up at a car park and reverses in, I stop my car and wait for them to park or go around when it is safe to do so. That’s what happens when you use the road.

Don’t be a pratt. You don’t overtake another car and then park immediately in front of it. Not without expecting the same sort of abuse Poetix served up to this guy. You stay behind them for the 4 or 5 seconds it takes them to pass the parking space then get on with your business. Because your 5 seconds is not more important than the cyclist’s skin/life.

I’m sorry Al, but could you point out to me the part of the op where it states the car pulled in immediately in front of her? All I can see is where she states it pulled in ahead of her and started to reverse.

& then she said she had to take evasive action, so what do you think?

Do you think Poetix just kept riding towards the rear of the car for the fun of it?

As Al said, don’t be a prat.

Riders don’t have to take evasive action for nothing. Its usually when something happens pretty close to them. Some people wonder why we get really cranky when these things happen. Luckily, most drivers are ok.

Pork Hunt said :

Well that makes sense. It’s a bit like the ACT copper at the RBT I was pulled up at yesterday who pointed at my expired (NSW) rego label.
They issue them any more but apparenly, it’s illegal to have an expired one.
In my opinion they have, since Jan 2013, become just like any other sticker you may put on your car.

That can be your opinion but you still have to take it off, it is illegal to have expired rego labels on your car, even in NSW.

Poetix do you wear a helmet? I think you’ve mentioned on a previous thread whether you do – but if you didn’t, perhaps you would in future after this episode!

knuckles said :

Gungahlin Al said :

knuckles said :

If I’m driving my car and the car in front pulls up at a car park and reverses in, I stop my car and wait for them to park or go around when it is safe to do so. That’s what happens when you use the road.

Don’t be a pratt. You don’t overtake another car and then park immediately in front of it. Not without expecting the same sort of abuse Poetix served up to this guy. You stay behind them for the 4 or 5 seconds it takes them to pass the parking space then get on with your business. Because your 5 seconds is not more important than the cyclist’s skin/life.

I’m sorry Al, but could you point out to me the part of the op where it states the car pulled in immediately in front of her? All I can see is where she states it pulled in ahead of her and started to reverse.

Have another read Knuckles:

…I managed to move slightly into a car parking spot to my left and stop. Then he eventually braked. The left hand side of his car was about 2 cm away from my right pedal…It’s only because I am so slow that I managed to stop my bike and move over into the car parking spots…

Bit hard to have a 2cm miss from 50m up the road, no?

Um is it possible that the car driver only saw the car park after he had passed you?
And it sounds like you were the one to instigate the nastiness.

He may (very hard to judge from your rant) have been in the wrong but I don’t think your behaviour was appropriate either.

Ps. How exactly was your life in danger?

Glad to hear you are ok and weren’t physically injured by what sounds like a very stupid and inconsiderate action. If you recognise him (or the car again) you should name and shame. More people will think twice about risking cyclists (and pedestrians) lives if they see a downside.

It’s funny, too how what might be seen as a comparatively minor thing can affect you. I keep going over it; have I exaggerated? Is my recollection accurate? Did he really do this or that? How should have I reacted? Was this partly my fault? I realised I was shaking when I was driving earlier, as I thought how it would have affected my family if I had been injured. I’ll probably replay that cheery thought in my head for a few days.

I can see how some people would really lose their confidence after this sort of thing. But it could be so much worse. (Cue thoughts about how it could be worse…)

I’ll just have to slap myself like the male lead in a 1950s film and tell myself to stop being hysterical (-: And get back on the bike!

Aeek said :

johnboy said :

It is not an offence to cycle on the footpath in the ACT.

It is still an offence. However, there are no footpaths in the ACT. They have all been declared to be shared paths.

Well that makes sense. It’s a bit like the ACT copper at the RBT I was pulled up at yesterday who pointed at my expired (NSW) rego label.
They issue them any more but apparenly, it’s illegal to have an expired one.
In my opinion they have, since Jan 2013, become just like any other sticker you may put on your car.

Nice work, Lady.

I would have remained blocking his carpark and told him I wasn’t moving.

Gungahlin Al said :

knuckles said :

If I’m driving my car and the car in front pulls up at a car park and reverses in, I stop my car and wait for them to park or go around when it is safe to do so. That’s what happens when you use the road.

Don’t be a pratt. You don’t overtake another car and then park immediately in front of it. Not without expecting the same sort of abuse Poetix served up to this guy. You stay behind them for the 4 or 5 seconds it takes them to pass the parking space then get on with your business. Because your 5 seconds is not more important than the cyclist’s skin/life.

I’m sorry Al, but could you point out to me the part of the op where it states the car pulled in immediately in front of her? All I can see is where she states it pulled in ahead of her and started to reverse.

Gungahlin Al said :

knuckles said :

If I’m driving my car and the car in front pulls up at a car park and reverses in, I stop my car and wait for them to park or go around when it is safe to do so. That’s what happens when you use the road.

Don’t be a pratt. You don’t overtake another car and then park immediately in front of it. Not without expecting the same sort of abuse Poetix served up to this guy. You stay behind them for the 4 or 5 seconds it takes them to pass the parking space then get on with your business. Because your 5 seconds is not more important than the cyclist’s skin/life.

Yes, if I’m already behind someone who stops to park I pause to let them park, but why would the intending parker rush around past to get in front if they know that as soon as they’ve gotten in front they are going to stop and park? That part makes no sense. Unless they are the sort of people who can’t think beyond “I am at A and want to get to B and don’t have the brains or the courtesy to be aware of anything else around me”. Putting aside cyclist vs car and male vs female and pedestrian vs shopping trolley and any other combination you can think of, I reckon that’s a big part of the basic problem, too many people who are only interested in ME ME ME and don’t see the bigger picture around them.
Btw, adding my own rant, what’s with the people stopping to talk right at the end of escalators, it’s happened a few times in the the past few weeks and it’s getting really annoying especially when theres usually a lot of space just a few steps away. What do you want me to do, push the emergency stop button so that you can keep talking while the rest of us just stand on the escalator waiting????? Same thing, ME ME ME and no idea what’s going on around them.

BicycleCanberra said :

This is one of ACT Roads so called bicycle route streets. Which offers no reduction in speeds or dedicated lanes, just a symbol on the road. The analogy here is ‘share the road’. Sadly there isn’t any roads signs to go with it.

This should be a bicycle priority road where cars give way to those on bicycles but again we do less that a half job here in Canberra.

they reduced the speed limit on Challis St from 60 down to 50 with the introduction of the bike symbols.

There’s a Traffic message board reminding drivers of the speed limit change.

Challis street is wide enough to accommodate a full bike path though. Anything to alleviate the parking woes in the Dickson restaurant area is a good idea in my book.

Of course had you been a formidable looking male there’s no chance in hell that he would’ve pulled off a stupid stunt like that for fear of copping a smack in the head.I’m sure he was thinking she’s only a female so i’ll resort to bully boy tactics coz what the hell is she gonna do.What an absolute arsehole!

Solidarity said :

poetix said :

Solidarity said :

Oh no some guy stopped in front of me and then started reversing, giving me enough room to stop and somehow this almost killed me. Pffft. Try riding a motorbike some time.

I used to ride a motorbike. At least then you can accelerate quickly, and here, he would not have been able to overtake a motorbike going at the same speed, in order to stop and reverse. But the problem of not giving way/recognising motorbikes is similar to things that cyclists experience. I gave motorbikes up eventually.

What i’m trying to say is that it’s one of the risks of cycling. No point in having a whinge about it.[/quot

Yes, I’m the only person to have a whinge in the history of RiotACT 🙂

poetix said :

Solidarity said :

Oh no some guy stopped in front of me and then started reversing, giving me enough room to stop and somehow this almost killed me. Pffft. Try riding a motorbike some time.

I used to ride a motorbike. At least then you can accelerate quickly, and here, he would not have been able to overtake a motorbike going at the same speed, in order to stop and reverse. But the problem of not giving way/recognising motorbikes is similar to things that cyclists experience. I gave motorbikes up eventually.

What i’m trying to say is that it’s one of the risks of cycling. No point in having a whinge about it.

bugmenot said :

BicycleCanberra said :

The analogy here is ‘share the road’. Sadly there isn’t any roads signs to go with it.

so these are half-arsed sharrows, then?

A new word! Thank you.

BicycleCanberra said :

The analogy here is ‘share the road’. Sadly there isn’t any roads signs to go with it.

so these are half-arsed sharrows, then?

Solidarity said :

Oh no some guy stopped in front of me and then started reversing, giving me enough room to stop and somehow this almost killed me. Pffft. Try riding a motorbike some time.

I used to ride a motorbike. At least then you can accelerate quickly, and here, he would not have been able to overtake a motorbike going at the same speed, in order to stop and reverse. But the problem of not giving way/recognising motorbikes is similar to things that cyclists experience. I gave motorbikes up eventually.

This is one of ACT Roads so called bicycle route streets. Which offers no reduction in speeds or dedicated lanes, just a symbol on the road. The analogy here is ‘share the road’. Sadly there isn’t any roads signs to go with it.

This should be a bicycle priority road where cars give way to those on bicycles but again we do less that a half job here in Canberra.

peebus said :

So he pulled into a carpark on the side of the road near where you were – without a designated cycle lane – and wanted to park his car? Shock horror. I don’t see the problem if he was in a designated parking spot and you were mearly cycling on the side of the road. It would be different if there was a painted cycle lane and he was stopping in it, but from what you’ve described he was simply parking his car on the side of the road.
Also, was it too difficult for you to move away from the gutter and go around him like I’ve seen many other cyclists do?

I have patience for cyclists, but I’m growing tired of you/them thinking you/they own the roads when you’re always preaching for equality from car drivers – it goes both ways.

Maybe but what actually happens (& happened in this case unless I am reading a different english) is the car drivers drive past & then conveniently forget you & either cut you off or stop causing the rider to have to take evasive action.

Do that in front of a B-Double & see what happens.

Jim Jones said :

HiddenDragon said :

Even if it takes a long, possibly very long, time coming, I like to think that life eventually catches up with practitioners of spectacularly swinish behaviour – no consolation for those on the receiving end of said behaviour, but just a cheering thought to reflect upon after recovering from the shock.

Karma always needs a helping hand, which is why if someone does something like this to me, I’ll hang around until they’ve left and then kick their rear vision mirrors off.

I went to the op shop and bought something! I didn’t even think of this.

DrKoresh said :

I think you’re assessment was pretty bang on, there’s not much more to be said. I’m not much of a rider, but even if I were I don’t think I could handle riding on the road/cycle lane, I’d be too worried about crap like this. I think it’s an offence of somekind to cycle on a footpath but I’ve never been pulled up for, nor heard of anyone who has so I prefer to take that risk to the risk of cycling on the road.

Hope you’re not too shaken up, Poetix.

I was shaken up, a little. I find intense selfishness difficult at the best of times. But I should be grateful I wasn’t actually injured.

I am also pleased I didn’t start crying in front of him. But I did notice later that I could not have identified the type of car, although I could remember him, I think.

buzz819 said :

Soo… Looking at your title and your tags it looks like you have thrown in a battle of a sexes vibe to this thread, I don’t understand this as there appears to be absolutely no reason for it?

It is quite clearly a bike v car v stupidity of government thread – it has nothing to do with the fact that you are female, the driver was male etc.

He would not have brought up the ‘lady’ thing if I were not female. Indeed, if I were a large, burly bloke, I wonder if he would have acted in the same way after he knew he had cut me off? I doubt it, somehow. I wish I did sound less ladylike when I swore!

It struck me as bizarre that he could have killed me, and then criticised me for his expectations of how a woman should act.

Oh no some guy stopped in front of me and then started reversing, giving me enough room to stop and somehow this almost killed me. Pffft. Try riding a motorbike some time.

HiddenDragon said :

Even if it takes a long, possibly very long, time coming, I like to think that life eventually catches up with practitioners of spectacularly swinish behaviour – no consolation for those on the receiving end of said behaviour, but just a cheering thought to reflect upon after recovering from the shock.

Karma always needs a helping hand, which is why if someone does something like this to me, I’ll hang around until they’ve left and then kick their rear vision mirrors off.

astrojax said :

poetix in lycra? what could possibly rhyme with ‘lycra’?

and still awaiting the rant, btw… the op is an eloquent evocation of an incident in which you were [unjustly] slighted by a bogan buffoon… who nonetheless was quite nice about being a buffoon.

I promise no lycra was hurt, or even involved, in this incident.

knuckles said :

If I’m driving my car and the car in front pulls up at a car park and reverses in, I stop my car and wait for them to park or go around when it is safe to do so. That’s what happens when you use the road.

Don’t be a pratt. You don’t overtake another car and then park immediately in front of it. Not without expecting the same sort of abuse Poetix served up to this guy. You stay behind them for the 4 or 5 seconds it takes them to pass the parking space then get on with your business. Because your 5 seconds is not more important than the cyclist’s skin/life.

So he pulled into a carpark on the side of the road near where you were – without a designated cycle lane – and wanted to park his car? Shock horror. I don’t see the problem if he was in a designated parking spot and you were mearly cycling on the side of the road. It would be different if there was a painted cycle lane and he was stopping in it, but from what you’ve described he was simply parking his car on the side of the road.
Also, was it too difficult for you to move away from the gutter and go around him like I’ve seen many other cyclists do?

I have patience for cyclists, but I’m growing tired of you/them thinking you/they own the roads when you’re always preaching for equality from car drivers – it goes both ways.

poetix in lycra? what could possibly rhyme with ‘lycra’?

and still awaiting the rant, btw… the op is an eloquent evocation of an incident in which you were [unjustly] slighted by a bogan buffoon… who nonetheless was quite nice about being a buffoon.

johnboy said :

It is not an offence to cycle on the footpath in the ACT.

It is still an offence. However, there are no footpaths in the ACT. They have all been declared to be shared paths.

“I told him he was a f***ing idiot,”

KUDOS!

If I’m driving my car and the car in front pulls up at a car park and reverses in, I stop my car and wait for them to park or go around when it is safe to do so. That’s what happens when you use the road.

2 words – helmet camera…

Soo… Looking at your title and your tags it looks like you have thrown in a battle of a sexes vibe to this thread, I don’t understand this as there appears to be absolutely no reason for it?

It is quite clearly a bike v car v stupidity of government thread – it has nothing to do with the fact that you are female, the driver was male etc.

How DOES one ride a bike like a lady? Side-saddle seems a little dangerous to me…

I’ve been almost run over because some guy wanted to beat the red light to get the last free car spot in the office car park. Drivers and car parks. Don’t get between them!

Was he implying your unladylike conduct was the swearing or riding a bike? Seriously though that’s an unbelievably rude and stupid thing he did.

Even if it takes a long, possibly very long, time coming, I like to think that life eventually catches up with practitioners of spectacularly swinish behaviour – no consolation for those on the receiving end of said behaviour, but just a cheering thought to reflect upon after recovering from the shock.

Yeah, I realised as I wrote it that I wasn’t even sure where I’d heard it from. Cheers for the clarification JB

I think you’re assessment was pretty bang on, there’s not much more to be said. I’m not much of a rider, but even if I were I don’t think I could handle riding on the road/cycle lane, I’d be too worried about crap like this. I think it’s an offence of somekind to cycle on a footpath but I’ve never been pulled up for, nor heard of anyone who has so I prefer to take that risk to the risk of cycling on the road.

Hope you’re not too shaken up, Poetix.