Spare a thought for the cyclists

[Carl 3]

I attended the funeral for my cousin last week that was one of the cyclists killed in that horrible weekend and week on the roads for cyclists. That was really hard for me.You see I am a commuter cyclist myself. I cycle to work everyday on my mountain bike from Petone into Wellington CBD and back. It's a 25km round trip. I'm not a cycling enthusiast, i'm just getting to work and back, I am more of a car enthusiast but it seems as though once you start cycling you get lumped in that cyclist group.

After the horror week that was, this week seems to me to have been the worst I have ever experienced, it's just been really crazy on the roads. I have seen the aftermath of 3 cyclists knocked down this week; 1 just after it happened, 1 just as the ambulance arrived, and today another just out of Petone where the ambulance was already there and a cop was talking to another cyclist.

What gets me is how drivers seem to think cyclists don't exist or think that because we're not cars we don't have right of way or belong on the road. There was a blog on stuff this week that really infuriated me about the mentality some people have (http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/blogs/drivetalk/4359968/A-metre-could-have-saved-her-life). Either this blogger is a complete idiot or is actually a very good troll.

People have this idea that cyclists hold up traffic, that they disrupt the flow. Never have I seen this in my commute. Yes the sport cyclists riding in their groups can be large and on narrow roads they could be disruptive, but i'm talking about urban areas where all these accidents seem to occur, and I certainly don't cycle where I hold up traffic I'm as far left as f**king possible!!!

It seems to me people get so impatient that when they see a 'gap' with a cyclist in it they take it, like the cyclist should stop for them, like the cyclist doesn't have right of way. I can be looking directly into the eyes of someone and see them see me as they make that wrong decision. What is 2 seconds for them could be eternity for me or for another cyclist? I am very attentive but there's a lot of others that may not be, especially if struggling into a head wind that is quite common.

Just this week i've had to deal with:

- a van run red light just as my crossing sign turned green

- vehicles pulling out from/into drives/intersections/parks directly into my path - were I to swerve instead of brake I could get taken out from behind by a passing motorist (think tamaki drive)

- vehicles cutting left right in front of me, particularly into drives where they go slow entering stop and block what little room I have

- A BUS did a u-turn from the other side of the road right in front of me and totally blocked me and the cyclists behind me - like we don't have rights???

One particularly hairy part of my daily commute is just before I get home I have to negotiate the Petone off ramp and round-a-bout. It infuriates me the amount of people that swerve just in front of me to get around the corner when they could wait just a few seconds as i'm not going slow, I have an odometer and I generally travel at 30kph which in 50kph areas is not slow.

It's these drivers that cannot judge speeds, that are too impatient to wait 2 seconds, that misjudge just how fast we are actually traveling, that are making the bad decisions, that chose to speed up and cut in front and take a stupid risk.

WTF, what is wrong with these people, cyclists are dying because people have no patience that for 2 seconds you'd risk a life?

Alter the road advertisements where 'death' spins the wheel to include these scenes with a cyclist in the mix because that wheel of life will have a lot more black segments on it marked death.

[martyyyn 102]

Cant argue with any of that Carl, sorry to hear about your cousin.

[oscar90 0]

I only skim read it because its gonna be a big CAR vs Bike,

Cyclists arent perfect either.. and unfortunately cyclists may go on and think they have the same rights..(should start paying rego tbh stir the pot some more i joke i joke) but you've got to ride with the mentality that it's 1 ton car vs 80kg little old you.

I Used to bike to school.. I know where cyclists come from! I saw many kids knocked off bikes etc! but to be safe its easier to just watch yourself and assume people havent seen you etc.. would rather be like that, than all proud as f**k hitting peoples cars to wind them up more, I have the same rights as you motorists so respect me,

the people that get in a cyclists way just dont give a sh*t so it's upto the cyclist to watch his own ass rather than rely on a dickhead with sh*t for brains

there is ALWAYS the cases where you can be as careful as you want and some muppet still hits you... and it sucks but this is the world we live in..everyman for himself as a cyclist.

EDIT: and before anyone has a whinge and says i'm not being sympathetic or thats stupid etc i'm only offering another view. not saying dickheads hitting cyclists is right at all!

Edited November 25, 2010 by HT.

[Forrest 35]

Totally agree Carl, I am cyclist too and just last week riding out to Whitby and back I nearly got knocked off three times, one which the driver swore out the window at me for no particular reason and told me to "get off the f**king road".

I have been involved in two fairly serious cycling accidents because of some twat of a motorists ignorance and stupidity both of which could have put me far worse off in the equation.

Basically I just treat every motorist as a moron and expect them to do the worst, every idiot on the road seems to be in a hurry these days as you say and this of course flows on to dumb maneuvers on the road which put peoples lives at risk, it is sad society as come to this.

Sorry to hear about your cousin.

[Carl 3]

Actually, I don't want to stir up an argument, it's just me copy pasting from a blog post somewhere else (actually across 4 forum/sites) because it's just been a crazy as week.

It's not an US vs THEM thing. I am a car enthusiast first and foremostWhen I don my cyclist helmet it's just unbelievable the sh*t that I see. I would like to think that I am a better driver having the perspective of a cyclist. Driving now I am more aware of how stupid and inattentive other drivers are, maybe it's just age.

^ you posted in between my reading and posting:

I hear so often of cyclists being verbally abused for nothing and usually whilst obeying the road rules and more. It's just amazing the mentality some people have.

I am in the camp that the Dangerous Driving Causing Death really needs to be changed to a manslaughter charge and I don't mean in the case of cyclists but ALL road accidents. IF you are speeding and overtaking on double yellow lines on a blind corner and kill someone then IMO that's manslaughter and you should go to jail.

Edited November 25, 2010 by pando

[kinetik 4]

Sorry to hear about your cousin.

The attitude of a large number of motorists towards cyclists is unbelievably bad and very disappointing. Seeing a lot of the comments in the newspapers after this last week or so of cyclist horror has been really depressing. It's mindblowing visiting a city like Vancouver, where a huge number of people cycle, are well catered for in terms of traffic management and cycle parking, and are respected by other road users, then coming back home and seeing what it's like here.

[Driftit 2078]

Sorry for you loss mate. But I am with Andrew on this.

I would never ride a bike on NZ's roads. I don't trust the people around me when driving a car let alone riding a bike completely unprotected.

As sad is this sounds. My Dad has always called Cyclists and Motorcyclists 'Temporary Citizens'. And in a way he is right. Just look at the people who's hands you are placing your life in.

[Braeden320 0]

Sorry for your loss, My old man was hit by a car and almost killed in 01, The lady blamed sun strike. Got 6 months loss of license and that was it, not even remorseful.

I was just out mowing my lawns and a road cyclist went past with both hands off the bars talking on her cellphone.

Blame on both sides IMO.

[Michael. 2313]

Sorry for you loss mate. But I am with Andrew on this.

I would never ride a bike on NZ's roads. I don't trust the people around me when driving a car let alone riding a bike completely unprotected.

As sad is this sounds. My Dad has always called Cyclists and Motorcyclists 'Temporary Citizens'. And in a way he is right. Just look at the people who's hands you are placing your life in.

Agreed.

I am with Andrew on this too.

[antil33t 90]

Sorry for your loss man

There are plenty of cyclists I drive past doing nothing wrong, but then there are plenty I see that do stupid sh*t that annoys me. Like run red lights. Some have no regard for actual road laws.

But there are just as many terrible drivers(probably more) as there are terrible bike people.

Personally, Cyclists don't bother me, unless they ride 2 abreast in heavy traffic (so I can't pass them) or just have no regard for road rules.

Car people and bike people could bitch and moan all day till the cows come home, but you'd have to be a f**king heartless piece of sh*t to want to harm someone for making you drive a 20k's slower.

[Apex Effects 3]

Sorry to hear your cousin was one of those people taken out.

I am a car enthusiast and bike enthusiast myself more car these day but still am currently commuting to work on a dirty old Giant road bike. I agree with points on both Andrew/Dan's opinions an also agree with bits of yours Carl, New Zealand drivers in a large generalised consensus are flipping morons at obeying road rules and actually looking at what's around them and not tunnel visioning it straight ahead. But in saying that alot of push bike riders are muppet's too... No helmet wearing, riding with no hands on bars talking on phone or just wobbling all over the road because they trying to look cool riding no handed. I ride and drive with the general mind set if i account for the actions/decisions of every other driver/cyclist on the road being a halfwit harry an not watching what they are doing i will get where i am going fine. I've survived so far

[polley 916]

The sports cyclists I have a problem with, they are the ones that seem to ride 2 + abreast and take up the whole road. I used to live on a road where cyclists set up a circuit every thursday afternoon, and they pissed me right off, they would never move, even taking up a whole lane, I would have to pass them in the oncoming lane. They would also leave all their food wrappers and water bottles lying around afterwards.

Seen alot of arrogant ones down welcome bay road aswell, taking up the whole road and not moving, alot of these guys are asking for it as it is a dangerous road for cyclists even riding on the side of the road.

I have no time for cyclists that dont ride single file, but for a cyclist on the side of the road minding his own business I will slow down and move over and give them alot of room.

Edited November 25, 2010 by polley

[polley 916]

but you'd have to be a f**king heartless piece of sh*t to want to harm someone for making you drive a 20k's slower.

20k's slower? More like 80k's slower lol...

[polley 916]

I have an odometer and I generally travel at 30kph which in 50kph areas is not slow.

Not trying to stir sh*t here, but tbh 30kph in a 50kph area is slow, considering alot of people probally travel at 60kph in a 50kph zone.

[dirtydoogle 383]

My condolences mate. I know what it's like on a push bike and a motorbike, there's less trouble on a motorbike as people aren't passing you.... Plenty of w*nk stains from all modes of transport, some of the idiots just need to grow up and stop having grandiose delusions. A tiny bit of patience would save so many lives!

[cytamen 1]

It's awful in Devonport. I've driven up Lake Road where all the cyclists ride together in the mornings, and they think because it's 7AM they can ride in a cluster blocking pretty much the entire side of the road. I feel pretty uncomfortable driving besides cyclicts, but at least we have actual cycling lanes from Devonport almost all the way to Takapuna. I BMX to work most days, and the annoying this is if you bike on the road in the cyclist lanes, you get honked at and yelled at.. if you ride on the footpath old ladies yell at you. You can't win.

The real geniuses are the ones who just honk their horn when they go past you for absolutely no reason. I HAS A HORN DURRR.

Drivers need to learn a little bit of patience, I bet the same people that get pissed off at the cyclists who are actually riding responsibly are the same drivers who speed and overtake people in residential areas, the ones who end up getting to the lights at the exact same time as you when you travel the speed limit...

[Driftit 2078]

I have noticed recently how many cyclists ride on Ti Irangi Drive. There is no cycle lane on this road. It is a dual lane highway with a speed limit of 80KPH. To pass even a single cyclist on this road you need to move into the other lane. Getting along at 40KPH in a 80KPH zone is suicide in my opinion. This also happens on the Pakuranga Highway. One of the busiest roads in NZ which has narrow lanes and a 60kph speed limit and a crap ton of traffic lights.

Traveling at a much lower speed than the surrounding vehicles is being reckless.

[SRacin 44]

Sorry to hear about your cousin. I felt like I nearly joined the same statistic last week when some clown opened a car door on me at point blank. Luckily it was just a busted up bike and bruises, and i didnt fall under a car as it was in peak traffic on bealy ave. His door and front gaurd was toast. Could have been worse. The guy was a 50 year old sickness beneficary, on drugs and had had a beer (or 2?) and was totally not wit the program from driving, yet somehow it was legal for him to be in control of a car. He got breath tested by the cops and was fine, but got a $150 instant for "carelessly opening a car door". Bit of a slap on the wrist for injuring someone....

However I am just a daily comute rider and I have to agree with most comments you see some retard riders and cyclist and motorists. I think it comes down to a general un attentive and ignorant behaviour. I find chch red bus drivers some of the worst. If people actually realised they are controlling a ton + weapon and had the training to look for hazards and drive accordingly we would be in a much better place.

However road cyclists biking abreast on the port hills... grrrr.......

Logan

[E36ShoppingTrolley 7]

condolences about your cousin, my simple 2 cents is that nz drivers suck. i work part time in an office looking out onto a simple and not overly busy intersection on manakau rd and have probably seen ten crashes first hand in the last two years, luckily none very major ...yet. all because drivers fail to give way correctly or arent paying attention to the road