Road Hogs

[Zula]

I have mixed emotions on this one.

 

Firstly I am a member of Club100 and a proud one at that. I must admit though, there have been times when we have ben riding (as a club) down busy roads (not the cradle in these pics) and riders still feel the need to ride 2/3 abreast and swerve into the lane etc etc etc.

 

I was talking to a non cycling friend and together neither of us could understand why a cyclist would do that and not ride single file and keep left. In fact I think mototrists would be far more patient and respectefull towards cyclists if they were to ride single file and keep left.

 

Cylists do have a right to use the road, but there are conditions to this, and when in big groups single file and keeping left is one of them. There are times when 2 abreast is permitted, on a road with one helluva shoulder.

 

This war will go on forever as long as cyclists think they own the road and ride the way they do. I have'nt even started on the guys that jump red lights and stop streets!!!

 

If everyone were to start riding single file, keep left and stop at red lights and stop streets I think the situation would change drastically.

[Zula]

This picture proves why motorists dislike cyclists on the road, this mtn sponsored group has got no consideration for anybody.

 

@ Motorist

 

Another thing, you chose to take pics on your phone while driving, this too is illegal! The cyclists are breaking the law but so are you!

 

Its all relative in the end. You think using your phone while driving is ok, they think riding in the traffic is ok.

 

Neither are correct in this situation. GRanted you wanted to expose something, but you did that by doing something illegal.

[Minion]

3 abreast not cool. but by law cyclists are not allowed inside the yellow lane, checked the road traffic act.

As for the yellow line unless marked as a cycle lane it is also illegal for cyclist to ride inside the lane

I used to think that too, until it was pointed out to me that that particular section of the act applies only to motor vehicles. It is legal for us to ride on the verge.

[River Rat]

It is sadly ironic to note that while this thread was hotting up again there were two posts of cyclists killed. In my opinion it shows up many of the shoot the messenger comments in a very poor light and on the other side I suspect that there are many non-cycling motorists who are shaking their collective heads and muttering about how poor road manners from many cyclists are to blame for this sad state of affairs.

 

Hubbers we have to realise that until we get our own house in order we do not have the moral high ground here. It is true that there are many motorists who are totally inconsiderate towards cyclists with some showing downright aggression but there is not much we can do about this. However we can change our own behaviour and those of the cyclists around us. At the very least we will gain the moral high ground which will give us the platform to address the behaviour of the other road users. Until then it is simply an argument of who has the worst road manners and I cannot foresee any meaningful change that would contribute towards saving lives.

[Eldron]

It is sadly ironic to note that while this thread was hotting up again there were two posts of cyclists killed. In my opinion it shows up many of the shoot the messenger comments in a very poor light and on the other side I suspect that there are many non-cycling motorists who are shaking their collective heads and muttering about how poor road manners from many cyclists are to blame for this sad state of affairs.

 

Hubbers we have to realise that until we get our own house in order we do not have the moral high ground here. It is true that there are many motorists who are totally inconsiderate towards cyclists with some showing downright aggression but there is not much we can do about this. However we can change our own behaviour and those of the cyclists around us. At the very least we will gain the moral high ground which will give us the platform to address the behaviour of the other road users. Until then it is simply an argument of who has the worst road manners and I cannot foresee any meaningful change that would contribute towards saving lives.

 

Hear hear!!!

 

My take is this - if the cyclists rode in a decent manner there would be no need to take photos, cross white lines and have a whole debate about approaching directional arrows and the morality of taking photos versus riding 5 abreast.

 

Ride like you would want others to ride, drive like you would want others to drive, stop being twats - it's not that flipping hard.

[CJ-Claudette]

There are certain rules to the road for a reason, its to protect all of us, and I would agree that getting killed by a car just coz u can ride like you want is stupid, and its because of this that motorist are so aggravated by us cyclists, maybe we don’t have to ask what we can do to make them change but rater what we can do to stay alive.

 

Fact is we have been doing this for way to long and chances are motorist will never respect us on the road for this, even if we are not in the wrong- unlike the situation illustrated in these pictures. We are like the taxis.. We all get so freaked out when they do stupid stuff, that even when they are not in the wrong we are still irritated by them just for being there.

 

So stop debating about two wrongs, just start doing what’s right!

[MTB_Roadie]

Is your car a lefthand drive, or were you on the wrong side of the road when the pic was taken?

 

Dumbass

 

HAHA!!

[Tubehunter]

This is such a difficult topic, because there is no black and white in all of it. There are transgressions which are more obvious than others, such as the the very first picture. The only post that makes the most sense is TNT's. Could you imagine the next person who walks up to you and asks you an idiotic question, you decide to shove a screwdriver in their head! That is my take on the junk that comes from most motorist's views regarding how little they respect cyclists, even punkass ones, on the roads. As stupid as the punks in the first pics are or the monkeys drifting slowly along in the critical mass ride in Brazil, no amount of lunacy justifies endangering someone's life and unfortunately even though these two wheeled fools may be on the lower end of the gene pool, the unaccomodating motorists wake up from their rage towards the faceless cyclists when something similar has happened and a family has lost a father, mother, brother, sister, daugher or son, and they have to look these in the eye and see their pain. A pain to be carried for lifetimes mostly due to the driver not having possibly an extra minute worth of patience.

 

I like where the European Union is going with the road laws in that no matter what the situation, the motorist will always be held accountable in any cycle\vehicle confrontation or accident.

 

Irrespective of how many cyclists cycle on the left in single file obeying the road acts, it's only when motorists realise that they are the ones with the power of life or death in every encounter and treat the situation from this perspective, it's only then will peace start to become a reality out on the roads.

Edited March 2, 2011 by Tubehunter

[AndreZA]

Ride like you would want others to ride, drive like you would want others to drive, stop being twats - it's not that flipping hard.

 

 

And it is not difficult.

[Moolz]

 

And it is not difficult.

 

+1

[Choppie]

Doesn't look like there was a problem in any of the pictures. Assume its not too busy a road as there are never any motorised vehicles in sight - just pedal powered vehicles. Like the others have said, there is no cycle lane and riding in the yellow line is both illegal and dangerous. Secondly, there is a general rule that requires all vehicles ride single file, except bicycles that may ride two abreast when overtaking another bicycle. You, in your car, are required to change lanes to overtake any cyclists even when they are single file. Those are the rules - dumbass.

 

Check the first post of the thread. That's not two abreast and they're not overtaking.

[Motorist]

oh come now ZULA do we have to go through this again or is this the perfect example why we hate cyclests cos you see say and do exactely what you want with out thinking past your elbow WE HAVE ALREADY WORKED OUT I HAD A PASSENGER IN THE CAR .now maybe you will think before you act ,the bottom line is the cyclists were in the wrong every body can see this except for a few of you that instead of just admiting you were in the wrong want to argue the same old point please wake up or shut up

[Tumbleweed]

oh come now ZULA do we have to go through this again or is this the perfect example why we hate cyclests cos you see say and do exactely what you want with out thinking past your elbow WE HAVE ALREADY WORKED OUT I HAD A PASSENGER IN THE CAR .now maybe you will think before you act ,the bottom line is the cyclists were in the wrong every body can see this except for a few of you that instead of just admiting you were in the wrong want to argue the same old point please wake up or shut up

 

That you "hate" someone tells us enough.

[Kranswurm]

oh come now ZULA do we have to go through this again or is this the perfect example why we hate cyclests cos you see say and do exactely what you want with out thinking past your elbow WE HAVE ALREADY WORKED OUT I HAD A PASSENGER IN THE CAR .now maybe you will think before you act ,the bottom line is the cyclists were in the wrong every body can see this except for a few of you that instead of just admiting you were in the wrong want to argue the same old point please wake up or shut up

 

 

Your tone is not winning you any friends.If you want to be respected try earning that respect.

You will probably find that none of the cyclists in the pic are members of the Hub.

Most of us agree that they were in the wrong so stop labouring the point.

I think most are just jerking your chain because its so easy to jerk.

Give it a break

[scotty]

Cant defend what the guys in the 1st pic are doing, road might look quiet but if a large truck approaches it will be a problem.

 

The guys in the 2nd pic are ok, i usually do cycle in the yellow lane (legal or not)but there is enough space for a vehicle to move safely around.

Edited March 2, 2011 by scotty

[nuge]

guys, this this is a seriously sensitive issue and one that the bears the following simple principles in mind:

 

to motorists:

 

cyclists have a lot more to lose out on the road on flimsy transportation devices compared to a you sitting comfortably in a steel clad missile. the law of the road is that you should pilot your missile safely at all times.

 

to cyclists:

 

getting angry at fuming nutters piloting steel clad missiles while wearing nothing but your underwear is probably not wise. be cool out there for all of our sakes.