RIP fellow cyclist.
Fuck, a 4WD strikes again. My thoughts are with the man’s family.
He got hit from behind turning into his driveway! I bet she was talking on mobile/changing CD etc
I fear this every time I slow down to pull off the road.
Because of some cretinous, woman in (yet again) a 4WD/SUV someone on a bike’s dead. I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve had so many close calls with these retards. They buy these fucking, gigantic things and then can’t drive them and continually misjudge the size of the things. How often have you had one pass and almost graze your shoulder cos they’re so far over to the left cos they’re scared of the oncoming traffic?! They want to feel ‘safe’, yet endanger everyone else on the road. Fine if you clip a car, but when you clip a bike… we die.
This is bullshit and the laws have to change. This is manslaughter, nothing less. The bike lobby have to get of their asses and do something to force some change in the laws and reflect the severity of their actions. A totally avoidable loss of life!
It happened to me just last week, a guy in one of those obscene Range Rovers nearly took me out on St. Kilda Road. When I pulled up along side him to protest, he had no idea what I was shouting and gesturing about. The TAC need to do more to educate drivers about cyclists (and not just cyclists, educate them on why it’s important to be a god damn fool) - that series of videos being talked about to educate cyclists, whilst good, is misguided. I’d bet the major cause of these deaths (and numerous other accidents) is selfishness and sheer bloody ignorance on the part of driver.
“I didn’t see them” is just another way of saying “I made no attempt to see them because I do not consider driving a dangerous activity and would prefer to be caught up in my own lifestyle obsession than show any awareness of what is going on around me. After all, the multi-national car manufacturers have lulled me into a false sense of security by telling me in multi-million dollar advertising campaigns that I won’t be hurt in an accident, now where’s my iPhone?”*
* Possible generalisation
picking up where Nexus left off - to take up the banner for safer cycling then consider the following options
Join or harass Bicycle Victoria (You can discuss the effectiveness of this organisation (moar bike lanez!!11~) in another thread, or vandalise their wiki, a popular form of protest)
Donate to the Cycling Promotion Fund
participate in the next Ride of Silence ride, and get involved with Wheels of Justice in the mean time. Have a chat with Chris over a pot of Earl Gray and meet her many cats.
participate in the next Amy’s Ride or donate to the Amy Gillett Foundation if you’re having trouble with descents on your fixie
contact the Bicycle Federation of Australia for information on cycling advocacy groups in your area
find out about Bicycle User Groups in your area, using teh googles, eg Moreland BUG for residents of the Glorious People’s Democratic Republic of Moreland
kick off the mirrors of all the 4WDs in your street, or maybe the next street over, secret squirrel, if you’re into that direct action kind of thing
do nothing and cross your fingers next time you ride in traffic
become an olympic track legend by getting involved in track racing and speak up for cyclists during the media rounds at the London Olympics. There’s a four year turnaround on this one though. 1411 days to go!!1~
and this one just occurred to me: participate in current mainstream media during drivetime talk shows, morning and evening commutes. Use that time you save beating the metal slugs for some pro-active engagement on the front line.
ABC Melbourne 774: talkback 1300 222 774 or ZOMG SMS RUSH: 1977 4774 (mobile sms/text)
3AW / Tragic 6931278: (03) 9243 2000 (admin / sales, sorry) or http://www.mytalk.com.au
seen a Y-Gen texting while they drive? call JJJ and give them a serve: 1300 055 536
direct action: remind cyclists you see on the road to wear a helmet and use lights after dark. Red-light jumping is still a personal preference I hear so good luck with that
rant ends, ball’s in your court
Useless is all im gonna say
Quoted for emphasis, it’s still a legitimate avenue of protest. Tell them to pay less attention to their fundraisers for a moment etc
edit: incidentally the thread over there is still hot if you want to make some friends: Bicycle Network | Making bike riding easier for everyone
This post is probably more appropriate here than the Swanston St thread…
While it’s horrible that this happened, and good to see something done about it quickly, regardless of whether it’s a knee jerk reaction or not, the only way to solve this is with both driver and rider education. There are now thousands of people out on bikes who either haven’t ridden one before, or ridden one since they were a kid. They’re out there mixing it up with some of the worst drivers in the country, totally without any street sense at all. It scares the hell out of me to see some of the insane stuff they do. And I’m not saying that the cyclist who had the accident did anything wrong, just commenting that this may be the case.
On the other hand, myself and a guy on a cool Bianchi almost got taken out by a Range Rover (turning right against the traffic- just how I got totalled earlier in the year!) in Burwood rd on Thursday night. When I had a go at him his response was, “I didn’t see you”. “That’s because you didn’t look you f@ckwit!”
So, it goes both ways, and both can have the same awful consequences.
And we shouldn’t just accept that that’s they way it is. Collectively we have the ability to contribute to make changes for the better and we should do that. Take up some of the things mentioned previously (good post b0rken). I certainly don’t want my kids getting run over by idiots and I hope that things change before they get out on the road.
That’s my 2 cents worth… just take care out there.
It’s a shame that drivers always use the same excuse that they just didn’t see you.
Of course they will not see you if they are checking a text message from a friend or quickly checking the weather on the phone or whatever.
I have had bad experiences with cars like most of us probably have and when police arrive it often seems to be the driver of the car that is protected unless you as the cyclist end up dead.
4years old… thread dig leader.
Still relevant though, this clown got charged for “Aggrivated dangerous driving causing death” instead of “Manslaughter” last week and may be out in less than 5 years. The justice system is a joke here in WA too:
Drunk hit-run driver jailed for five years for death of cyclist in Cottesloe | Perth Now
Should have got Murder in my book, considering he was so drunk (apparently that absolves you from killing an innocent person). But the fact the cnut driver went and parked his car around the corner and got a lift with a mate after the accident tells me he wasnt that far out of it to use that as an excuse.
If you’re maggot and you cant remember what you did - you get some leniency. Gues there is some justification for me 420’ing full time now.
You fucktard! Do you want the contact details of the last criminal (he was charged) that tried vandalising my (4wd) work ute?? Or would the medical certificate suffice. Need I go into to many details, but my red cattle dog which you’ll find in the “this threads gone to the dogs” thread put multiple puncture wounds to his inner thigh whilst doing what she does best, protecting “her” car.
This moron had broken into several other cars in the street that night, and stood there and argued with me about the deep cuts to his leg, right up until the local constabulary arrived.
more reasons to get a red heeler!!
Team Red Beard Mascot!
This thread’s too old and you’re too loud.