My second encounter with the AFP

On 19/01/2011 2:33 PM, Geoff Lock wrote:
On 19/01/2011 11:42 AM, Steve Ball wrote:
Geoff Lock:

Some weeks ago, I posted my experience with the Australian Federal
Police whilst riding along Qantas Drive at Kingsford_Smith Airport.


Out of interest, why ride on a busy road when there's a cycleway
adjacent?

I ride on the road for precisely the reason John Tserkezis mentioned - I
can get better speeds, for longer, on the road. My cadence is usually
around 90-100.


I know it is poor form to follow up on one's own post and it shows me up
for the lightweight amateur that I am

I realised that I was bragging, as usual, about my normal cadence of
90-100

Realistically, I am probably more between 80-100 for over 60% of almost
every ride and 60-80 for about 20% (depending on terrain).

I think my best ever was around 125 going downhill before I started to
run out of road and had to slow down

Must get another cadence monitor.

On 19/01/2011 7:04 PM, John Tserkezis wrote:
Steve Ball wrote:

Legal on both as it turns out, but more sensible on the road.

snip
. I'm interested in Geoff's reasons.

The legals here are clear. If there is a "bicycle lane", as in the
definition of a Bicycle Lane as far as ARRs (*) go, then a bicycle MUST
use that bicycle lane.

(*) As defined, it is a lane designed for bicycles, and has a
rectangular sign, showing an image of a bicycle with the word "Lane"
underneath. Signs should be placed at the start and end of said lane as
required.

Thanks for bringing that point up, John. Can I trouble you for a link, pls?

I have always been puzzled by my obligations towards cycleways/bike
lanes. Do I HAVE to use them or not? And when?

I also note the post by TimC regarding the adjacency of the lane to the
main road as this is EXACTLY the situation I encounter along Coward
Street, Mascot, and Heffron Road, Maroubra.

I gladly use those cycleways as they form part of the main thoroughfare,
are clearly demarcated and allows me to smoothly change lanes between
the cycleway lane and the normal road lane in the event of having to
avoid any obstruction on the cycleway - eg there are folks who will park
cars right on the cycleway lane blocking it completely.

Whilst I applaud the NSW Govt for the "green cycle lanes" they have
scattered around Sydney City, I feel that (1) they are a bit too narrow
(2) the concrete separator(?), whilst well-intentioned, is ugly and
prevents smooth transitions between lanes.

Perhaps a better option is to replace the concrete separator with normal
lines, thereby opening up the road a bit and putting on more parking
inspectors/OCR cameras/whatever to fine those who block the cycle lane.
WE will then have the dual benefits of improving the looks of the
streets AND that favourite past-time of all governments - revenue
generation .. .eeerrr sorry.. I meant, educating the public to be more
civic minded

Geoff Lock glock@home wrote in :
did not actually stop the bike I did not count that

I have been wondering what would happen if I did get a fine. I would
obviously contest that fine and there is a good chance the fine will
get thrown out of court BUT can I get compensation for wrongful
"whatever" and trauma and hurt and stuff like that?? Cos if I can
sue for damages, next time, I'll seriously think about goading them
into giving me a fine I could do with a new carbon fibre bike or
three, you know

I'm from Qld and have no idea of NSW law. Here it is illegal to
disobey a police directive. If this applies in NSW, they could
issue you with an on the spot fine for this.

On 20/01/2011 8:19 PM, Peter Gordon wrote:
Geoff Lockglock@home wrote in :

I have been wondering what would happen if I did get a fine. I would
obviously contest that fine and there is a good chance the fine will
get thrown out of court BUT can I get compensation for wrongful
"whatever" and trauma and hurt and stuff like that?? Cos if I can
sue for damages, next time, I'll seriously think about goading them
into giving me a fine I could do with a new carbon fibre bike or
three, you know

I'm from Qld and have no idea of NSW law. Here it is illegal to
disobey a police directive. If this applies in NSW, they could
issue you with an on the spot fine for this.

I am reasonably certain that it would also be illegal in NSW to disobey
a copper.

Maybe what got me off the hook was that when the copper said that I
should have been riding to the left of the lane, I did tell him that I
was sorry but I was not going to do it becos it was not safe. He asked
me why and I told him that I would get squeezed. So maybe what saved my
ass was due to me giving him a good reason for NOT following his
directive

We did have a bit of a debate as to where the safest spot was in a lane.
I did not agree with him that the left of the lane was safest and he
didn't agree with me that the middle of the lane was the safest. After
continued repetition of my mantra, I think he just gave up

After some thought, I am resigned to the fact that if I had been hit
with a fine, the best I will probably get is to have the fine waived -
nothing more No compo, no carbon fibre bike, no nuffin Damn!!

On 2011-01-20, Peter Gordon (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:
I'm from Qld and have no idea of NSW law. Here it is illegal to
disobey a police directive.

Yeah, but you come from the land of Sir Joh. In more civilised parts
of the country, we recognise that the police are sometimes horribly
wrong and corrupt.

--
TimC
If I had encountered Bill Gates today, I would have shaken his hand,
said "hello", and stopped kicking as soon as there was nothing left
but a bloody stain on the floor. -- Shag

Geoff Lock wrote:

On 19/01/2011 2:33 PM, Geoff Lock wrote:
I ride on the road for precisely the reason John Tserkezis mentioned - I
can get better speeds, for longer, on the road. My cadence is usually
around 90-100.


I know it is poor form to follow up on one's own post and it shows me up
for the lightweight amateur that I am

At least you didn't start with "Well I couldn't agree with me more."


BTH

--
Posted at www.usenet.com.au

On 21/01/2011 11:04 PM, BT Humble wrote:
Geoff Lock wrote:

On 19/01/2011 2:33 PM, Geoff Lock wrote:
I ride on the road for precisely the reason John Tserkezis mentioned - I
can get better speeds, for longer, on the road. My cadence is usually
around 90-100.


I know it is poor form to follow up on one's own post and it shows me up
for the lightweight amateur that I am

At least you didn't start with "Well I couldn't agree with me more."

I'll agree with that

On 22/01/2011 4:30 AM, Geoff Lock wrote:
On 21/01/2011 11:04 PM, BT Humble wrote:
Geoff Lock wrote:

On 19/01/2011 2:33 PM, Geoff Lock wrote:
I ride on the road for precisely the reason John Tserkezis mentioned
- I
can get better speeds, for longer, on the road. My cadence is usually
around 90-100.


I know it is poor form to follow up on one's own post and it shows me up
for the lightweight amateur that I am

At least you didn't start with "Well I couldn't agree with me more."

I'll agree with that

Some people do.

"TimC" wrote
On 2011-01-20, Peter Gordon wrote
:
I'm from Qld and have no idea of NSW law. Here it is illegal to
disobey a police directive.

Yeah, but you come from the land of Sir Joh. In more civilised parts
of the country, we recognise that the police are sometimes horribly
wrong and corrupt.

In the land of Joh I believe the exact same applies, but only if you leave
out the 'sometimes'.

Theo

On 2011-01-22, Theo Bekkers (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:

"TimC" wrote
On 2011-01-20, Peter Gordon wrote
:
I'm from Qld and have no idea of NSW law. Here it is illegal to
disobey a police directive.

Yeah, but you come from the land of Sir Joh. In more civilised parts
of the country, we recognise that the police are sometimes horribly
wrong and corrupt.

In the land of Joh I believe the exact same applies, but only if you leave
out the 'sometimes'.

They didn't appear to recognise it at the time, or at least they kept
on displaying their ignorance by voting the fsckers in all the time.

It has improved somewhat since then since the ******* carked it.

--
TimC
cat ~/.signature
Passing cosmic ray (core dumped)