The Dangers of riding on the road
- Thread starter mark22
- Start date
hifiandmtb
Sphincter beanie
Fuck the police. Judging by that story, fuck the police.
Haakon
has an accommodating arse
Police around here are very anti cyclist. Canberra is one of the more aggressive places against us in general, it’s a very rough redneck town for the most part.
The corrupt treatment of this crash was pretty well publicised at the time as well, was criminal no charges against the police were ever laid
The corrupt treatment of this crash was pretty well publicised at the time as well, was criminal no charges against the police were ever laid
Complete bollocks.
mike14
Likes Bikes and Dirt
I certainly didn't enjoy the few times I was able to get out for a road ride during my time in Canberra.
I didn't find Canberra drivers to be 'aggressive', but they didn't like leaving a gap while passing and did seem to enjoy veering back in front of you ASAP.
Brisbane drivers just don't seem to care about/notice cyclists, which for the most part is ok (until one of them pulls up beside you at the lights and the width of his boat knocks you over...)
Melbourne drivers are either super cautious, which is nice but dangerous as they become unpredictable; or really aggressive
I didn't find Canberra drivers to be 'aggressive', but they didn't like leaving a gap while passing and did seem to enjoy veering back in front of you ASAP.
Brisbane drivers just don't seem to care about/notice cyclists, which for the most part is ok (until one of them pulls up beside you at the lights and the width of his boat knocks you over...)
Melbourne drivers are either super cautious, which is nice but dangerous as they become unpredictable; or really aggressive
leitch
Feelin' a bit rrranty
That Mike Hall stuff is horrible, I remember that year of the IndiPac and the day the dot stopped moving.
Speaking of police reinforcing negative attitudes to cyclists:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/7news....iver-who-illegally-overtook-him-c-1343379.amp
Speaking of police reinforcing negative attitudes to cyclists:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/7news....iver-who-illegally-overtook-him-c-1343379.amp
Haakon
has an accommodating arse
No, its not.... To be fair, it's not that much different to anywhere else in Australia. But its pretty bad - everywhere is Australia is dangerous and aggressive, but there is a really strong hoon/redneck/bogan culture here. Canberra isn't a capital city - its a regional centre like wagga or geelong.
Plenty of stories of shit being thrown at people from passing cars...
If you were to compare the 80-100km/hr arterials here for cycling to those in Sydney or Melbourne they'd be just as bad. Maybe you lived in the inner city in Melbourne and didn't ride on those type of roads often.
Canberra also has a network of cycle paths where you don't need to worry about drivers at all. 19km of my 20km commute into the centre of town can be done like this, no exaggeration. Takes 10 minutes more than riding down the arterial and instead winds through the golf course and past the lake. Going for a road ride out past Cotter or whatever is no different to similar roads outside Sydney and Melbourne either.
As for the bogan/redneck thing, I don't quite know what to make of it. You can afford to live in a 'better' suburb, if you don't like working class people or welfare recipients or whoever they are, just move somewhere you like. I have not seen an excess of rednecks in the suburbs I've lived in since being here.
I've bike packed around most of Australia, lived in a few cities including Melbourne, and you still get a hard disagree from me about cycling in Canberra and the alleged bogans.
Canberra also has a network of cycle paths where you don't need to worry about drivers at all. 19km of my 20km commute into the centre of town can be done like this, no exaggeration. Takes 10 minutes more than riding down the arterial and instead winds through the golf course and past the lake. Going for a road ride out past Cotter or whatever is no different to similar roads outside Sydney and Melbourne either.
As for the bogan/redneck thing, I don't quite know what to make of it. You can afford to live in a 'better' suburb, if you don't like working class people or welfare recipients or whoever they are, just move somewhere you like. I have not seen an excess of rednecks in the suburbs I've lived in since being here.
I've bike packed around most of Australia, lived in a few cities including Melbourne, and you still get a hard disagree from me about cycling in Canberra and the alleged bogans.
Haakon
has an accommodating arse
Im not talking about the general ease and the availability of bike paths - its when youre on the actual road, canberra is in no way more friendly to cyclists than anywhere else in this little redneck wonderland country. And whilst there might be a certain proportion of well intentioned well educated drivers, its still got all the redneck and bogans you get in any large regional centre. Thats not confined to my suburb, thats just in general - believe it or not i ride my bike beyond my suburb
Only done cotter road once, scared the shit out of me... Uriiarra loop not much better. Prefer the freeway out to the old federal highway..
The bike paths are handy for sure, but when you venture onto the road its pretty bad. And there are zero bloody police...
Only done cotter road once, scared the shit out of me... Uriiarra loop not much better. Prefer the freeway out to the old federal highway..
The bike paths are handy for sure, but when you venture onto the road its pretty bad. And there are zero bloody police...
mike14
Likes Bikes and Dirt
the bolded just seems like a dig against Melbournians at this point in time...Im not talking about the general ease and the availability of bike paths - its when youre on the actual road, canberra is in no way more friendly to cyclists than anywhere else in this little redneck wonderland country. And whilst there might be a certain proportion of well intentioned well educated drivers, its still got all the redneck and bogans you get in any large regional centre. Thats not confined to my suburb, thats just in general - believe it or not i ride my bike beyond my suburb
Only done cotter road once, scared the shit out of me... Uriiarra loop not much better. Prefer the freeway out to the old federal highway..
The bike paths are handy for sure, but when you venture onto the road its pretty bad. And there are zero bloody police...
Mr Crudley
Glock in your sock
I'm fortunate to have places to take the roadie that doesn't have me dukeing it out in traffic.
See how people drive in Sydney scares me and I avoid riding on the road whereever possible.
Saying that, I used to commute to 35kms from South Wentworthville to Pyrmont return and loved it. You just have to be aware, make eye contact and let the cars go first and choosing routes through back streets is the ticket. It shouldn't be a big stressfest and defeats the purpose of doing it in the first place IMHO. I miss that ride and it made me damn fit.
See how people drive in Sydney scares me and I avoid riding on the road whereever possible.
Saying that, I used to commute to 35kms from South Wentworthville to Pyrmont return and loved it. You just have to be aware, make eye contact and let the cars go first and choosing routes through back streets is the ticket. It shouldn't be a big stressfest and defeats the purpose of doing it in the first place IMHO. I miss that ride and it made me damn fit.
Haakon
has an accommodating arse
Im a melbournian, so im allowed to rub it inthe bolded just seems like a dig against Melbournians at this point in time...
ForkinGreat
Knows his Brassica oleracea
*MelburnianIm a melbournian, so im allowed to rub it in
Mr Crudley
Glock in your sock
* Melbish*Melburnian
Haakon
has an accommodating arse
lol. Doh...*Melburnian
Jpez
Down on the left!
It’s the constant feeling that a truck, car or what ever is going to sideswipe you from behind at any given moment. After having my handlebars almost kissed and confronting the driver up the road( believe or not @Haakon it wasn’t a bogan or even a tradie) and his response was “well I had to get past you! “ I will only ride fairly quiet roads, roads with a big bike lanes(still fucking dangerous as drivers ignore them) or footpaths.
I don’t know how roadies do it. The stress would kill me.
Flow-Rider
Burner
I haven't done full road rides for years but heaps of cyclists have been killed around the SE Qld area. If I need to ride a known pinch point, I usually try to avoid it at best but stop and look at the type of traffic behind before proceeding. Wankers are everywhere and yep, they even give car licences to these wanks. FFS if you ride in QLD, don't ride along Steve Irwin way in the Glass house Mountains, the worst road in the area for cyclists to be on.
Minlak
custom titis
I ride on the road and I’m a cyclist and a rider (they are different things)
Now no one deserves to go out for a ride and never make it home - but - a lot of cyclist make it hard for themselves by having the attitude of “it’s my right” - preserve you’re life people - don’t be so belligerent - avoid roads you know to be narrow - ride single file on busy roads - assume the cars are all going to kill you and move around them and out of their way - yeah yeah I shouldn’t have to but here is the thing cars hitting you hurts.
Now no one deserves to go out for a ride and never make it home - but - a lot of cyclist make it hard for themselves by having the attitude of “it’s my right” - preserve you’re life people - don’t be so belligerent - avoid roads you know to be narrow - ride single file on busy roads - assume the cars are all going to kill you and move around them and out of their way - yeah yeah I shouldn’t have to but here is the thing cars hitting you hurts.