Cyclists experiences

[DennisP]

2. cars coming out of driveways (backwards or forwards) without checking anyone is on the footpath

The road along my school has solved this problem.

Everytime someone drives out of their driveway, they toot their horn a few times to let people know.

Its very off putting the first few times you go down this road (I was walking)

[Joshlikesfish]

The road along my school has solved this problem.

Everytime someone drives out of their driveway, they toot their horn a few times to let people know.

Its very off putting the first few times you go down this road (I was walking)

The car legally has to give way to the pedestrians though?

[Barrie]

The car legally has to give way to the pedestrians though?

Josh lying on the ground half dead under the car telling it that it should have given way?

Nup, the hard powerfull machine that feels no pain has rite of way

Maybe not by law but by health it has

[Joshlikesfish]

Josh lying on the ground half dead under the car telling it that it should have given way?

Nup, the hard powerfull machine that feels no pain has rite of way

Maybe not by law but by health it has

If the drivers did give way pedestrians and cyclists wouldn't have that issue. They wouldn't do it if they saw a car.

Its like the cyclists that break the rode code. Drivers do it too.

[DennisP]

But they can't see out past their driveways.

So they honk to let people know that they are reversing onto the road a little. Which is over the footpath where these kids are ILLEGALLY biking.

(Probably safer on the footpath there as there aren't any drivers opening their doors that side.)

[Joshlikesfish]

But they can't see out past their driveways.

So they honk to let people know that they are reversing onto the road a little. Which is over the footpath where these kids are ILLEGALLY biking.

(Probably safer on the footpath there as there aren't any drivers opening their doors that side.)

The pedestrians can legally be on the footpath though. They still get hit.

[hovmoller]

I've often wondered about cycling in the inner city, is it even possible to get a decent ride in with all the traffic lights and cars?

We don't actually ride around the inner city.. then we'd spend half our lunchbreak waiting for red lights

But we do have to ride through Newmarket to get out on some good rides around the hills in the Remuera, Kohi, St. Helliers area and also a tour of Mt. Eden and One Tree Hill is really good for a lunch time work out..

Traffic is not bad in those areas around midday but as always you have to be super alert in Auckland.

What I notice here is an incredible hatred between motorists and cyclists.. I guess it's because road space is limited which causes all these problems so people get really worked up on this issue.. Where I come from we have bike paths everywhere and cyclists ALWAYS have right of way... it works really well and everyone seems to get along just fine (I know you can't just make bike paths everywhere in auckland)

[Barrie]

What I notice here is an incredible hatred between motorists and cyclists.. I guess it's because road space is limited which causes all these problems so people get really worked up on this issue.. Where I come from we have bike paths everywhere and cyclists ALWAYS have right of way... it works really well and everyone seems to get along just fine (I know you can't just make bike paths everywhere in auckland)

I certianly have no hatred but to me common sense should come into it and cyclists should know that they will end up second best when the motorist makes a mistake.

Often here near schools, kids will simply walk out infront of traffic knowing that the law say the moterist has to give way to those approching a crossing. Car vs person, I know where I dont want to be

Cyclists and those on footpaths take stupid risks against cars and probably rest peacfully 6ft down known they were within the law..

plain stupid

[Joshlikesfish]

Cyclists and those on footpaths take stupid risks against cars and probably rest peacfully 6ft down known they were within the law..

plain stupid

Cars that hit people when coming out driveways

Plain stupid

[redracer77]

Just saw this post,

*edit* and just to clarify, I have never been a roadie,

Here's a pic of my current ride, wasn't cheap but worth every cent!

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k186/ ... urner1.jpg

Nice call, and very nice ride.

I own a bike shop and mainly sell mountain bikes, but still see a lot of car vs bike accidents.

[Barrie]

Cars that hit people when coming out driveways

Plain stupid

My point exactly but who dies?

[Barrie]

Just saw this post,

I own a bike shop and mainly sell mountain bikes, but still see a lot of car vs bike accidents.

Who comes out 2nd best?

The drivers are in the wrong but whos in hospital or worst?

Cyclists are idiots if they dont give way and make allowances for their size and exposure regardless of whos in the right or wrong

[hovmoller]

Barrie I think we get your point now

But I don't agree with just automatically giving way to anything that is bigger than you just because you would come out worse off..

If I'm going straight on my bike and an oposing car wants to turn right into a street on my left then the car has to give way.. I will certainly not stop and let the car go just because it is bigger than me.. Of course I make sure the car has seen me because you can never guard yourself against idiots not paying attention.. What I mean is that IMO we HAVE to follow the road code... cyclist should be very alert because they get damaged easily but we should follow the rules set in place.. If people start making up rules of their own on who should give way then I think even more confusion and dangerous situations can happen.

[the-obstacle]

On a bike assume you have a target painted on your back - in invisible ink just like the rest of you and your bike. If you assume you're invisible and a target you can have an enjoyable ride and it just becomes part of the experience. I used to crap myself on my bikes on the road. After riding a motorbike for a few years I've learnt to assume that I'm invisible and that they ARE out to get me and I make concessions for that. It works for me.

[Barrie]

On a bike assume you have a target painted on your back - in invisible ink just like the rest of you and your bike. If you assume you're invisible and a target you can have an enjoyable ride and it just becomes part of the experience. I used to crap myself on my bikes on the road. After riding a motorbike for a few years I've learnt to assume that I'm invisible and that they ARE out to get me and I make concessions for that. It works for me.

[Joshlikesfish]

]

Cyclists are idiots if they dont give way and make allowances for their size and exposure regardless of whos in the right or wrong

So you're saying I should stop and give way to a car pulling out of its driveway regardless if I'm a cyclist on the road or a pedestrian walking?

Give way rules are in place for safety. If everybody followed them, everybody will be safe.

Drivers are idiots if they don't give way and make allowances for their size and exposure regardless of who's in the right or wrong

[livingart]

Give way rules are in place for safety. If everybody followed them, everybody will be safe.

but everyone doesn't follow them

Drivers are idiots if they don't give way and make allowances for their size and exposure regardless of who's in the right or wrong

yes but idiots in a bigger, heavier, harder machine

[hovmoller]

On a bike assume you have a target painted on your back - in invisible ink just like the rest of you and your bike. If you assume you're invisible and a target you can have an enjoyable ride and it just becomes part of the experience. I used to crap myself on my bikes on the road. After riding a motorbike for a few years I've learnt to assume that I'm invisible and that they ARE out to get me and I make concessions for that. It works for me.

Rather than assuming I'm invisible (cos it would be a pain in the a.. cos I would be too scared to go anywhere) I like to (as my mom told me when I was younger and learning to cycle) think of all other motorists as potential idiots.. That way you don't actually have to stop for everything in sight but just make damn sure they have seen you..

[the-obstacle]

Rather than assuming I'm invisible (cos it would be a pain in the a.. cos I would be too scared to go anywhere) I like to (as my mom told me when I was younger and learning to cycle) think of all other motorists as potential idiots.. That way you don't actually have to stop for everything in sight but just make damn sure they have seen you..

Oh yeah, you learn to make sure they've seen you before you need to jump on the brakes but if you're not sure it's safer to do a big stoppie in front of them and watch the panic in their eyes as they realise what might have happened instead of hoping they will notice at the last second and not kill you. Fear is a very very important thing to have and to understand and you can use it to your advantage - in this case to stay alive.

[Barrie]

isnt it interesting that you can pick a persons age by the way they think they are indestructable

My final word and hope that you cyclists survive another year in this wonderful world

Good luck and may your death be quick and your final words be "but I was in the right"

[the-obstacle]

So you're saying I should stop and give way to a car pulling out of its driveway regardless if I'm a cyclist on the road or a pedestrian walking?

If the alternative is getting killed because they haven't seen you then yes, that's exactly what you should do.

Give way rules are in place for safety. If everybody followed them, everybody will be safe.

yet people keep getting knocked down and worse every day. I'm not taking the chance in assuming that today will be the day when everybody will play by the rules and I'll be able to zone out on my ride to work.

Drivers are idiots if they don't give way and make allowances for their size and exposure regardless of who's in the right or wrong

Drivers are ignorant, not idiots.

It's very easy to zone out when you spend an hour in your car getting to and from work each day. You've got all the creature comforts in your cage - music, comfy chairs, heater/aircon, maybe mates/food/whatever - all you HAVE to do is turn at the right places so you get home. When a car slams on it's brakes in front of you you snap out of your little trance and go "wow, that was close" then drift back into it. You get home an hour later and think "man, that traffic was censored" but have no idea what actually happened outside the cage and the strip of road in front of it for the majority of the time.

[Stella]

You're pretty brave riding around Newmarket, TBH I'd rather be on an exercycle than risking my life sucking in fumes.

Actually driving is worst.

The top two results on google scholar (paper titles in the quote box, main results in bold):

It has frequently been claimed that cycling in heavy traffic is unhealthy, more so than driving a car. To test this hypothesis, teams of two cyclists and two car drivers in two cars were equipped with personal air samplers while driving for 4 h on 2 different days in the morning traffic of Copenhagen. The air sample charcoal tubes were analysed for their benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) content and the air filters for particles (total dust). The concentrations of particles and BTEX in the cabin of the cars were 2–4 times greater than in the cyclists’ breathing zone, the greatest difference being for BTEX. Therefore, even after taking the increased respiration rate of cyclists into consideration, car drivers seem to be more exposed to airborne pollution than cyclists.

A pilot study was carried out to assess the levels of traffic related pollution individuals are exposed to while using different modes of transport on a typical journey to work route. This was carried out during the daily journey to work, and compared train, bus, car and bicycle (the latter both on the road and on an exclusive cycle path). The project monitored for benzene and inhalable particulates in September and October 1996. The car driver’s exposure was on all occasions the highest for benzene and the first or second highest for particulates compared to the other modes. The cyclists on the cycle path had in most cases the lowest or second lowest exposure to both pollutants. The road modes of transport always had the highest exposures to benzene. The cyclists on the road were exposed to significantly greater levels of both benzene and particulates than the cyclists on the path. There was large daily variation in levels of pollution exposure. This correlated with wind speed—the lower the wind speed the higher the levels of pollution. Based on the results of this pilot study tentative policy recommendations can be made. Public awareness should be raised concerning the potential pollution exposures by transport mode. Public transport should be promoted on the basis of low personal pollution exposure. To reduce cyclists’ pollution exposure, cycle paths should, wherever possible, be located away from main roads.

Quite surprising, but makes sense when you think about where the intake is for car ventilation.

[hovmoller]

That is great Stella.. another plus for cycling

isnt it interesting that you can pick a persons age by the way they think they are indestructable

Not sure if you are referring to me here Barrie.. if you are it would be interresting to hear your guess?

In any case I am certainly not a fan of the "I'm right so I will just go" attitude and that is not what I said before either..

[David R]

Nice call, and very nice ride.

Thanks, I had an 06 5spot before that and loved it, unfortunately it was a medium and although it was fun most of the time it was just a bit short for those long rides and I'd end up with a sore back. The large is perfect, and the DW link is really nice too. The Mrs is just getting into the sport and has started riding the old spot and couldn't believe the difference it made going from an old hardtail with V-brakes and suspension that barely worked! That certainly helped justify the cost of the new one...

What I notice here is an incredible hatred between motorists and cyclists..

Kiwi drivers are very arrogant and aggressive, and having spent plenty of time driving trucks classic, and vintage cars I can safely say it extends to any other road users, not just cyclists. People really just need to calm down and show a little bit of courtesy behind the wheel...

[smidey]

On a bike assume you have a target painted on your back - in invisible ink just like the rest of you and your bike. If you assume you're invisible and a target you can have an enjoyable ride and it just becomes part of the experience. I used to crap myself on my bikes on the road. After riding a motorbike for a few years I've learnt to assume that I'm invisible and that they ARE out to get me and I make concessions for that. It works for me.

great advice! i chose not to become a motorcyclist as so many of my family have been so badly injured on them. My cousin lost a leg, my uncle is known as "fingers" in reference to the ones he lost by grinding them off on the road in a smash, he also lost all of the muscle from under his arm in one of many bike crashes & so many other injuries like broken jaws etc & these were in the days of riding the old nortons & trumpies. my old man also has damaged body parts from bike crashes, scars from a clutch lever & other stationary objects he was impailed on. i simply see it as not worth the risk, some of their crashes were their fault, others not but they are the ones lucky enough to live with the scars for the rest of their lives. others aren't that lucky, at least these guys get to talk about it who ever was in the wrong.

So you're saying I should stop and give way to a car pulling out of its driveway regardless if I'm a cyclist on the road or a pedestrian walking?

Give way rules are in place for safety. If everybody followed them, everybody will be safe.

Drivers are idiots if they don't give way and make allowances for their size and exposure regardless of who's in the right or wrong

when you have some driving experience & a few close calls or accidents you will also appreciate the responsibilities involved with driving & how hard it is to see people around corner or behind fences or the ones that are simply to short to be seen over the boot lid. but in the mean time just jump out of the way of a car reversing out of a driveway that hasn't seen you & you will have a happy day, if you don't then you will suffer the consequences but do let us know when this happens & how right you are & how the hospital food tastes, if you survive the incident it that is.