Is there something in the air? - Page 2

lostdude · 08-05-2008, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neoxr6

Did you read the article? they cant train anywhere else. they were doing the speed limit

:

I'm sure there's alot of things we can legally do but we don't as common sense would prevail. In this case they decided its ok

: to train at peak hour on one of the busiest roads in sydney because they have no where else to train?

I sympathise with the people who got hurt and this guy is a tool but lets all take a step back and

for his creativity and that extra 45 seconds he saved.

:

XlR8TED · 08-05-2008, 08:27 PM

My Canberran heritage might show through here...but since when is 6.30 in the morning peak hour?

Charge the pr!ck with attempted murder IMO. The attitudes of some drivers are sickening.

gz1 · 08-05-2008, 08:33 PM

re the cyclists, (maybe this should be split off to a new thread?.)
on page 1 quote Kersten "we were pushing 60kmh, sprawled all over the road"
on page 3 quote Michelle Ferris " We were doing about 40 kilometres an hour "
so which one is it?
On page 2 heading "Motorists jeered". That shows the frustration these bike riders had caused to peak hour motorists.
Sure the guy break testing them was a tool, but no bigger tool than that bike group. FFS why train on a major road in peak hr? surely there must be plenty of side roads that you can use, surely you can train outside peak hr.
Not much different to that critical mass group that deliberately disrupt traffic really.

edit.. yes Southern cross drive at 6:30 am is well into it's peak hr.

Yellow_Festiva · 08-05-2008, 08:47 PM

As bad as it was, it was an unwise move for the bike riders. Yes, they are allowed to use the street however knowing the area very well, there are by far safer places for these people to have done their training.

If they simply went the opposite direction, they would have had 1/4 of the traffic to deal with. Better still, if they wanted to use a freeway, they could have joined the M5 westbound after the last tunnel, where the breakdown lane is often as wide as a single or double lane.

Either way. The sicko that did this needs to be locked away for a long time. A guy in the group called the radio and explained in detail what happened and it was quite chilling.

9triton · 08-05-2008, 08:51 PM

yeah -

when i'm cycling to work at peak hr and i come across lanes of stationary traffic in my way -

FFS - cant they queue in a side road or out side of peak hr - the inconsideration of some mororists!

shows what lacking on our roads - CONSIDERATION and patience with/for other road users - all round

brett
melb

lostdude · 08-05-2008, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 9triton

yeah -

when i'm cycling to work at peak hr and i come across lanes of stationary traffic in my way -

FFS - cant they queue in a side road or out side of peak hr - the inconsideration of some mororists!

shows what lacking on our roads - CONSIDERATION and patience with/for other road users - all round

brett
melb

but you don't cycle with 50 of your best mates do you?

lostdude · 08-05-2008, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

As bad as it was, it was an unwise move for the bike
Either way. The sicko that did this needs to be locked away for a long time. A guy in the group called the radio and explained in detail what happened and it was quite chilling.

did anything else happen? i only read whateva was available on smh.com

**ebxr8240** · 08-05-2008, 09:00 PM

When are these yuppies ever going to learn ???

Yellow_Festiva · 08-05-2008, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lostdude

did anything else happen? i only read whateva was available on smh.com

From what I heard, the car sped up and slowed down several times, taunting the riders, then swerved in front of the group and slamed the brakes, where some riders rear ended the car and physically mounted the vehicle from the impact. The car then pulled over, and then looked to have stopped to help, but then just drove off at high speed.

A semi driving close behind locked up and went sideways in an attempt to not hit anyone.

Pretty serious...

steamin63 · 08-05-2008, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ED Classic

Agree with this, why would you leave and get his rego if you didnt know why he was getting out or slamming the brakes on? No ones silly and the 1st thing that will be asked is what started this and whats his side of the story?

pull your head in.haven't you been reading the papers. people are getting dragged out of there cars and bashed every second day by these maggots. i had a similar thing happen at the start of the year. some tony soprano wannabe jumped out of his bmw 4wd and threatened me because i was going to slow for him [70 in a 70 zone]. he shut up when i threatened to reverse my work ute into his pride and joy.

ILLaViTaR · 08-05-2008, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neoxr6

Did you read the article? they cant train anywhere else. they were doing the speed limit, this moron has caused tens of $000's of dollars worth damage and might have even shattered some peoples olympic dreams, for what? arriving to work 45 seconds later.

:

Well maybe the smart thing to do would be to ride out of peak hour when people don't have commitments (places/work.)

Why don't they train on bike tracks or proper cycling tracks?
Good for their DREAMS, people in REALITY need to get to work.

However if they were doing the limit then there's no problem (unless they're all over the place), the dude in the falcon is an idiot.

I've never seen a cyclist doing the limit on the road. I even had one of them cut me off in main street.

Hence my hatred for them. I never noticed them until I got my license.

EDIT: I realise they were doing 40km an hour. In that case I applaud the driver.

Silversurfer · 08-05-2008, 09:19 PM

Is there something in the air.

yes definetly as I just let one go, zaziki and homus dip really do let off some serious air biscuit flavours.
back on the dunny.

pauljh74 · 08-05-2008, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTP006

Re the cyclists - fair enough they can use the road and what happened is appalling but FFS, what a pack of [50] morons to be riding in such a large group, in peak hour, on a major arterial - IN SYDNEY!!

Surely there is a better time & place to be training than on such a major road in peak hour.

6:35am is peak hour? Like many people who do sports training, before or after work is the only time they can do so and this organised training group with experienced cyclists - some on the national cycling team were out training. When would you like them to train? Where would you like them to train? I'm sure if someone told you to go well out of your way to go about your daily business, then you'd tell them to go jump. We see heavy traffic all over our cities on a weekday morning, from the inner-city to the outer suburbs, so wherever they went, they would be criticised for their choice of road. The police don't have a problem with their choice of road. Elite cyclists would train more per day then most people commute by car. They probably would have already travelled some distance from another area

The cyclists were going about their day lawfully and the only moron I can see here was the guy that caused all this. In the case of the potential Olympians, a few years of hard work has been put in jeopardy because of 1 idiot. How would you like your life dream taken away because of one impatient moron?

As for one rider's claim about going 60km/h and being sprawled all over the road with trucks going past, I think he was saying they were travelling up to that speed and after the accident were sprawled everywhere as a result with trucks whizzing past the scene.

[Tonko] · 08-05-2008, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ILLaViTaR

EDIT: I realise they were doing 40km an hour. In that case I applaud the driver.

I am far from a cyclist fan, but mate, you are an idiot.
Would you still applaud him if someone had died?

lostdude · 08-05-2008, 09:31 PM

[QUOTE=pauljh74]6:35am is peak hour? QUOTE]

Yeap it is, i live about 40km and its usually blocked all the way till that point when i leave home at 7 to go into the city.

pauljh74 · 08-05-2008, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ILLaViTaR

Well maybe the smart thing to do would be to ride out of peak hour when people don't have commitments (places/work.)

Why don't they train on bike tracks or proper cycling tracks?
Good for their DREAMS, people in REALITY need to get to work.

However if they were doing the limit then there's no problem (unless they're all over the place), the dude in the falcon is an idiot.

I've never seen a cyclist doing the limit on the road. I even had one of them cut me off in main street.

Hence my hatred for them. I never noticed them until I got my license.

EDIT: I realise they were doing 40km an hour. In that case I applaud the driver.

Stick yourself on a bike - chances are you couldn't do the speed limit down a steep hill let alone a flat section. If a truck or other motor vehicle is doing less than the limit, would you applaud cutting them off and slamming on the brakes? If so, please do everyone else a favour and do it to a loaded Kenworth tomorrow.

A bike path is not a suitable place for a serious competition cyclist, paths are not made for those speeds, the roads are more suitable.

These riders - for some, their work is on the bike, so they are going about their job.

Sounds like you've never or rarely ridden a bike and missed out on that in your teen years. If you did, you would have developed some road skills before you went for your licence. It definitely sounds like you are lacking in the attitude department at the very least.

9triton · 08-05-2008, 10:00 PM

mods - can you keep an eye on this thread and lock when necessary - its going to degenerate into one type of road user versus another slanging match ie car/ trucks/motor bikes/cyclists/tractors/buses etc - very similiar to a couple of threads a few months ago...

at end of the day all are legal road users ...

brett

lostdude · 08-05-2008, 10:03 PM

just read through more details on smh.com
it said it was a dark blue falcon

<-------------------------
i just want to say, i was at home all day.... i swear....

Yellow_Festiva · 08-05-2008, 10:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lostdude

just read through more details on smh.com
it said it was a dark blue falcon

<-------------------------
i just want to say, i was at home all day.... i swear....

And the radio keeps saying it was a dark green/blue Comodore Ute... You would think either way they can at least get the car right!

Edit.. seems all the online media has now settled on "a grey EL model Ford Falcon sedan."......

Edit again... "Kersten described the incident involving the driver of a green Commodore sedan and up to 60 riders as a “ disgrace”."...

ILLaViTaR · 08-05-2008, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by [Tonko]

I am far from a cyclist fan, but mate, you are an idiot.
Would you still applaud him if someone had died?

Lol the second sentence got leftout of that EDIT.
The sentence said "Although it was a bit severe".

And the obvious answer to your question is.. No, a death so avoidable would be disgusting

But dude. That Kate chick has already had an encounter like this with her friend dying and she still chooses to endanger her life so needlessly (i'm not saying give up cycling I'm saying buy a bike rack, take a 20min drive and do it somewhere safe).

Yes it's a shame that this happened but imo they shouldn't be bitching when they're spread across all lanes doing 40km when people have to work to feed their families.

Pinch · 08-05-2008, 10:17 PM

They were riding away from the peak, not with the flow. Traffic impact would have been minimal. Since when is a vigilante response likely to kill or injure others the answer to a slight traffic delay, whether the bikes were in the wrong or not?

They are now reporting it was a Commodore, originally it was reported as a Falcon. Doesn't matter, the bloke is still a tool and I hope he is walking for 3-6 months or more (hardly going to ride a bike is he if he is psychotically opposed to them).

I was going to say, what is next - someone 'brake testing' a loaded truck or a towing car travelling at less than the limit? Probably already happens!

There are bike all around my place, they sometimes slow me down, but I have never really been held up for more than 15 seconds. Yeah, I am so damn important that it is worth me attempting to kill people over a few measly seconds. Yeah Rrght.

It is getting to the point that you cannot drive in Sydney anywhere without being to the subject of road rage, no matter how much you comply with all the road rules AND go further and drive empathetically and in consideration of others. Some people just consider your mere presence as an affront to them and that they are justified in taking what ever action they see as justified for you being in their 'way'.

Honestly some of these threads (in terms of what has happened to members), and what has happened on the roads in the last few days makes me sick.

On a slightly different tack, there are traffic law cases where 'brake testing' a following vehicle has resulted in the person doing the 'brake testing' being charged and liable for any damages.

While it is a statutory duty (contained in road regs) that a following vehicle must leave a gap, and 'prima facie' is at fault in a rear end accident, this is not always the case. While it is presumed that when someone hits the rear of another is at fault, the facts of the case, such as 'brake testing' can prove otherwise under the common law tort of negligence. This lack of knowledge is dangerous as people think that they will never be held liable in a rear end accident if someone hits them. Not so. I was driving a loaded 6t pantech down a steep hill on the braking limit with exhaust brake on. A car raced in front of me and slamed on the brakes. I ran over the back of the car. The cops charged them. People who 'brake test' someone behind either as a response to tail gating, or as an act of road rage are not only playing a dangerous game in terms of potential for injury to them, other road users or property, they are playing a dangerous legal game as well.

I have to say though the responses on this forum are markedly more mature than those on the Daily Telegraph site. It is comforting to know there are some decent drivers out there that I am sharing the road with.

pauljh74 · 08-05-2008, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ILLaViTaR

Lol the second sentence got leftout of that EDIT.
The sentence said "Although it was a bit severe".

And the obvious answer to your question is.. No, a death so avoidable would be disgusting

But dude. That Kate chick has already had an encounter like this with her friend dying and she still chooses to endanger her life so needlessly (i'm not saying give up cycling I'm saying buy a bike rack, take a 20min drive and do it somewhere safe).

Yes it's a shame that this happened but imo they shouldn't be bitching when they're spread across all lanes doing 40km when people have to work to feed their families.

Left lane = all lanes does it?

ILLaViTaR · 08-05-2008, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pauljh74

Left lane = all lanes does it?

I swear I read in the article that they were sprawled all over the road.

lostdude · 08-05-2008, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ILLaViTaR

I swear I read in the article that they were sprawled all over the road.

i think that was after the accident.

pauljh74 · 08-05-2008, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by from SMH article

Police - including an off-duty officer who witnessed the crash - quickly closed the lane down while they investigated the incident.

One lane
So the actions of 1 driver held up traffic more than anyone else did.

ILLaViTaR · 08-05-2008, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lostdude

i think that was after the accident.

"We're so lucky somebody isn't dead, we were pushing 60kmh, sprawled all over the road with trucks going past. I really don't know how someone isn't dead, that's all I can say."

Yeah I read it fast. What a poorly arranged sentence.

Ah well my mistake then. As long as the car could get past then he had no need to abuse them. Although I guess in peak hour 1 less lane is stressful.

Pinch · 09-05-2008, 01:19 PM

News to hand from the Daily Telegraph 9 May:

He (motorist) denied claims he deliberately swerved in front of them then braked - leading to several running into his rear and injuring themselves - instead saying his car "backfired" while he pulled back in having overtaken responsibly.

"I had time to put my hazard lights on and go to park," he said.

"Half a dozen cyclists rode past me then as I stopped one or two went 'bang, bang' into the back of the car".

Jason then claimed he was surrounded by 50 riders who seemed furious and appeared to want to do him harm - and with his terrified girlfriend in the car, he drove off.

The claims his new Falcon 'stalled' when he pulled back in front. Miraculously it started again first go when he took off. Should we put this in the 'tech' threads - how to fix a stalled BF - have 50 pushies run into it???

Click here for an on air exchange between the motorist and Ben Kersten (2GB):
http://media.dailytelegraph.com.au/m...ex.html?id=915

TheSneakiness · 09-05-2008, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pinch

The claims his new Falcon 'stalled' when he pulled back in front. Miraculously it started again first go when he took off. Should we put this in the 'tech' threads - how to fix a stalled BF - have 50 pushies run into it???

TPS problem... ;)

My stance is yes, cyclists can use the road, 2 abreast MAXIMUM. Anymore than that then it's idiocy at its greatest.

X000BOSS · 09-05-2008, 02:04 PM

when jasons car stalled, he couldnt re-start it on lpg, when he flicked it over to petrol it fired up right away then he took off to get away from 50 people wearing tights. heard the lpg part on the news today.

Pinch · 09-05-2008, 02:41 PM

The LPG part is remotely plausible, but Jason claims it stalled when he booted it when overtaking in the adjacent lane. It seems very strange that someone in that position would immediately slam on the brakes and move left, especially as they were in the process of overtaking at the time. There remains a lot more to come out about this incident, but if Jason is as innocent as he claims I think a really good lawyer is in order. To most people this seems a case of 'brake checking' road rage that came back to bit him, well, in the rear!