60 min's Road Rage Against Cyclists

[Jason]

I just switched on the TV and sore the last few minutes of an interview with 2 cyclists reporting on motorist rage against us cyclist sorry I can't tell you more about the interview but I only sore a few min's of it.
     Im not sure if it can be viewed again on channel 9 website worth a look tho, and it would be worth to see next weeks 60 min's to see what people's letters say thanks Jas 

[jock]

Not the usual 'beat up cyclists' reporting, but they did balance it with some wacky guy who was demanding that cyclists be licenced and display rego plates.

Be on the lookout for the Telegraph and SMH to put out there usual 'cyclists are the enemy' diatribe in the next day or so

[Stu Eddy]

Reasonably balanced report. Never going to keep everyone happy and most will only take from the reporting what they want to hear and see.
First time I have ever seen cyclists ride through red lights through oncoming traffic 
I was intrigued with the concept of mounting video cameras on the bike to be able to report drivers to the police with accompanying evidence.

[rosko]

There was an article in one of the papers the other day Jock, once more against cyclists! I didn't read too much of it, there isn't too much interest there to read those articles. As for registration, I would be happy to pay, as long as it is done fairly in regard to the amount of pressure we place on the roads, which would mean a token registration only. The only issue with registering a bike would be the ease at which a vehicle driver would be able to complain, even if not warranted!

[Bex37]

There's no way I'm paying rego unless they give us proper cycleways. And by that, I don't mean a token strip of road shoulder or even a cycleway that's exposed to all the crap that falls off cars and punctures your tyres. No, I already pay rego for three cars and as far as I'm concerned if I've got to ride on the same roads then I should be getting a refund on my car rego when I ride my bike.

[rosko]

When you ride your bike for training as opposed to using it to commute, you are actually adding a road user, a slow one at that! By paying a 'token' registration, you are removing the reasoning many use against cyclists, thereby in their eyes, giving us the 'right' to be on the road.

[dan the bike man]

nice point rosco i never really thought of it that way

[rosko]

Why thank you Dan...
 See... I'm not just a pretty face!   

[Bex37]

Yes, I'll pay that point - hadn't thought of it.

On the other hand, there is no restriction on how much I can drive my car for that yearly rego. If I wasn't riding my bike, I could well be driving somewhere. And I could probably ride my bike 24 hours a day, 365 days per year and still cause less damage to the roads than normal use of a car.

But I do get your point, its a token contribution that would give motorists less reason to complain.

[Chicken]

Number plates 

How to mount ,

As a family I would need five , three for me ( one for each bike) plus one each for wife and daughter.

...............

Rosko , whether we had a plate or not the motorists who say we have no right would still say the same thing.

No such thing as a token amount either, what would happen next is third party insurance would be compulsory and as such a high risk user ( in their eyes) the cost COULD be huge.

[rosko]

Third party! I think you may be looking at this the wrong way.

Should a road user who can cause damage to another vehicle not be insured? Surely this argument would see 'motor scooter' riders present in a similar fashion to a 'B-Double' driver. Third party is insurance to the party you can potentially injure, personal insurance would be required to cover insurance which can be done to ourselves through an error of judgment/accident. As for a cyclist being a greater risk than a motor cyclist, the argument could be had we are less of a risk due to the inherent lack of speed.

Remember, I am a cyclist/car driver/motor cyclist/heavy vehicle driver, my arguments here are not to be seen as biased in either way. Motorists should be given the expectation should a cyclist cause damage to their car, we are not able to just ride away. The idea this could happen is not one which would happen often, yet still, tell me it CANNOT!

[Chicken]

Rosko  , Not disagreeing or agreeing with this notion.

Whether we are registered or not some motorists still would regard us a nuisance and as such take the law into their own hands.

Back to the story , I liked what the cyclists were doing with the cameras, holding car drivers accountable.

 Have to agree though some of the riders actions filmed from cars were ridiculous. Did you see the old fella riding the wrong way down a one way street weaving in and out of traffic  Mind you motorists have done stupid things like that too. That part was biased though, only showing the irresponsible riders.

At least NSW now has a minister ( Keneally) and a Lord Mayor on our side. Plus Tony Abbott in Federal , maybe cyclists will finally start getting a fair go. After all, we are growing in number and becoming a major voting influence. 

[PeZulu]

When you ride your bike for training as opposed to using it to commute, you are actually adding a road user, a slow one at that! By paying a 'token' registration, you are removing the reasoning many use against cyclists, thereby in their eyes, giving us the 'right' to be on the road.

Excuse my ignorance but, if Chris uses his bike for training he adds a road user?? Does someone else then jump into his vehicle & drive on the road in his place when he is training? 

On a serious note, A major, I do think there has to be some differentiation between cyclists & commuters on bicycles.

Col..

[Murphs]

I think Rosko meant, when you are just training/riding socially you are one extra road user, because you wouldn't normally be doing that trip in a car.

Whereas, if you are commuting you are replacing a car trip.

[PeZulu]

I think Rosko meant, when you are just training/riding socially you are one extra road user, because you wouldn't normally be doing that trip in a car.

Whereas, if you are commuting you are replacing a car trip.

So what you are saying is that I'm the only person who drives my training routes by car when I can't cycle them? I must admit that I do struggle to get my car onto Adcock Park most times.