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pedestrian crossing laws for cyclists
Opinons please,
Just got home from my weekly ride, this time along the eastlink trail. Coming south towards Princes HWY and need to get from the eastern side of eastlink, crossing over a short overpass (road not pedestrian), and onto to western side of eastlink. So rather than go over the kerb (no ramp that I could see) I travel up the footpath 10m ish (I was knackered and going very slow) and cross at the pedestrian crossing only to have a taxi fail to stop and I had to brake to avoid a collision. After a few choice words passed between us through his open window I rode on. It's my understanding that regardless of who or what is using a pedestrial crossing, vehicles have to give way? Legally I should have been on the road, but I would have had to enter the road over the kerb, ride 20m or so, then go back up the kerb. Cheers all Peter |
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#2
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pedestrian crossing laws for cyclists
In aus.bicycle on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 12:38:30 +1100
Astroboy wrote: It's my understanding that regardless of who or what is using a pedestrial crossing, vehicles have to give way? Legally I should have been on the road, but I would have had to enter the road over the kerb, ride 20m or so, then go back up the kerb. According to the Australian Road Rules: "Note Pedestrian crossing is defined in subrule (3). (2) A driver must give way to any pedestrian on a pedestrian crossing." Were you a pedestrian at the time? Not to mention "(1) The rider of a bicycle must not ride across a road, or part of a road, on a children?s crossing or pedestrian crossing." As far as I know, all states have signed up to those parts of the Road Rules. Zebee |
#3
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pedestrian crossing laws for cyclists
"Astroboy" wrote in message
... Opinons please, Just got home from my weekly ride, this time along the eastlink trail. Coming south towards Princes HWY and need to get from the eastern side of eastlink, crossing over a short overpass (road not pedestrian), and onto to western side of eastlink. So rather than go over the kerb (no ramp that I could see) I travel up the footpath 10m ish (I was knackered and going very slow) and cross at the pedestrian crossing only to have a taxi fail to stop and I had to brake to avoid a collision. After a few choice words passed between us through his open window I rode on. It's my understanding that regardless of who or what is using a pedestrial crossing, vehicles have to give way? Legally I should have been on the road, but I would have had to enter the road over the kerb, ride 20m or so, then go back up the kerb. Cheers all Peter The law says that cyclists have to dismount when crossing at a pedestrian crossing. That does not give any driver with a chip on his shoulder to run down a cyclist. Earlier this week a relative of mine driving a car hit a cyclist riding across a pedestrian crossing at 30 kph. He simply did not see the cyclist coming. He was told by the police that he (the driver) would still get a fine for not giving way at a pedestrian crossing. Having said that, as a cyclist I am used to car drivers not giving me right of way absolutely anywhere. I wouldn't rely on it. After many years I gave up commuting myself when I got two cracked ribs after being hit by a lady driver entering the roundabout I was on from my left and broadsiding me. Now I find it safer to assume I will not get right of way when on a bicycle. Henry. |
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pedestrian crossing laws for cyclists
hemyd wrote:
The law says that cyclists have to dismount when crossing at a pedestrian crossing. That does not give any driver with a chip on his shoulder to run down a cyclist. Earlier this week a relative of mine driving a car hit a cyclist riding across a pedestrian crossing at 30 kph. He simply did not see the cyclist coming. He was told by the police that he (the driver) would still get a fine for not giving way at a pedestrian crossing. Having said that, as a cyclist I am used to car drivers not giving me right of way absolutely anywhere. I wouldn't rely on it. After many years I gave up commuting myself when I got two cracked ribs after being hit by a lady driver entering the roundabout I was on from my left and broadsiding me. Now I find it safer to assume I will not get right of way when on a bicycle. My bicycle commute in Canberra is along a cycle path that runs parallel to a major road with traffic-light-controlled crossings at several side streets. The crossings have slip lanes on either side of the traffic light, and it's a very-very rare sight indeed to spot a cyclist dismounting to ride across it. A year or so the I was riding into the slip-lane pedestrian crossing, going VERY slow and making sure I was going to have a gap left for me, as usual. A rather angry chap purposely moved forward so that he could stop directly on top of the ped crossing, so I rode around the front of his car and into the crossing area proper. http://fat.ly/6qaxc He decided to have the last word, so he called out "I'll give way to you as soon as you get off and walk your bike!" I decided that he hadn't really earned the last word, so I responded "SUCK MY COCK!" BTH (The last word stayed mine!) -- Posted at www.usenet.com.au |
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pedestrian crossing laws for cyclists
On 2010-03-26, BT Humble (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea: A year or so the I was riding into the slip-lane pedestrian crossing, going VERY slow and making sure I was going to have a gap left for me, as usual. A rather angry chap purposely moved forward so that he could stop directly on top of the ped crossing, so I rode around the front of his car and into the crossing area proper. http://fat.ly/6qaxc He decided to have the last word, so he called out "I'll give way to you as soon as you get off and walk your bike!" I decided that he hadn't really earned the last word, so I responded "SUCK MY COCK!" BTH (The last word stayed mine!) And the votes for the worm are coming in.... BTH won that debate! -- TimC Jun 26 14:08:17 kernel: troll-o-meter (pid 15134) killed: memory exhausted |
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pedestrian crossing laws for cyclists
"BT Humble" om.au wrote
in message ... hemyd wrote: The law says that cyclists have to dismount when crossing at a pedestrian crossing. That does not give any driver with a chip on his shoulder to run down a cyclist. Earlier this week a relative of mine driving a car hit a cyclist riding across a pedestrian crossing at 30 kph. He simply did not see the cyclist coming. He was told by the police that he (the driver) would still get a fine for not giving way at a pedestrian crossing. Having said that, as a cyclist I am used to car drivers not giving me right of way absolutely anywhere. I wouldn't rely on it. After many years I gave up commuting myself when I got two cracked ribs after being hit by a lady driver entering the roundabout I was on from my left and broadsiding me. Now I find it safer to assume I will not get right of way when on a bicycle. My bicycle commute in Canberra is along a cycle path that runs parallel to a major road with traffic-light-controlled crossings at several side streets. The crossings have slip lanes on either side of the traffic light, and it's a very-very rare sight indeed to spot a cyclist dismounting to ride across it. A year or so the I was riding into the slip-lane pedestrian crossing, going VERY slow and making sure I was going to have a gap left for me, as usual. A rather angry chap purposely moved forward so that he could stop directly on top of the ped crossing, so I rode around the front of his car and into the crossing area proper. http://fat.ly/6qaxc He decided to have the last word, so he called out "I'll give way to you as soon as you get off and walk your bike!" I decided that he hadn't really earned the last word, so I responded "SUCK MY COCK!" BTH (The last word stayed mine!) -- Posted at www.usenet.com.au The cyclist in question supposedly stated to the attemnding ambulance medic that he was doing thirty kilometres per hour. My sone would not have deliberately moved onto the crossing. He simply did not see the cyclist coming (from between trees). My sondeliberated whether he could have stopped for days afterwards. Now speaking as a cyclist myself, I've become so used to having drivers "not see me" or not give me right of way anywhere, that I would not dare to ride across a crossing in front of a car. My rights are not going to ease the pain of broken bones. Henry. |
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pedestrian crossing laws for cyclists
In aus.bicycle on Sat, 27 Mar 2010 18:09:48 +1100
hemyd wrote: Now speaking as a cyclist myself, I've become so used to having drivers "not see me" or not give me right of way anywhere, that I would not dare to ride across a crossing in front of a car. My rights are not going to ease the pain of broken bones. I slow and look, and give 'em plenty of time to see me. I wave thanks as I ride by. But then I'm neither young nor male, and I suspect that makes a deal of difference. Zebee |
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pedestrian crossing laws for cyclists
Zebee Johnstone wrote:
Now speaking as a cyclist myself, I've become so used to having drivers "not see me" or not give me right of way anywhere, that I would not dare to ride across a crossing in front of a car. My rights are not going to ease the pain of broken bones. I slow and look, and give 'em plenty of time to see me. I wave thanks as I ride by. But then I'm neither young nor male, and I suspect that makes a deal of difference. I personally don't think it makes any difference. Even as a pedestrian, I *gingerly* put my leg forward on approaching vehicles to test them out, see if they slow down or not. If they do, I wave thanks. Sometimes not. If not, I still wave, but with fewer fingers. As with the OP, I may have rights, I may have the law on my side, but the law isn't going to make it hurt less, heal faster, nor suitably penalise the driver who hits me either. |
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pedestrian crossing laws for cyclists
"Zebee Johnstone" wrote in message
... In aus.bicycle on Sat, 27 Mar 2010 18:09:48 +1100 hemyd wrote: Now speaking as a cyclist myself, I've become so used to having drivers "not see me" or not give me right of way anywhere, that I would not dare to ride across a crossing in front of a car. My rights are not going to ease the pain of broken bones. I slow and look, and give 'em plenty of time to see me. I wave thanks as I ride by. But then I'm neither young nor male, and I suspect that makes a deal of difference. Zebee I'm an "old fart" (does 62 qualify me for that?), and between 1995 and 1998 I commuted about 21,000 km from Moorabbin to Commerical Rd near the City in Melbourne. Had many "close ones" but nothing serious. The I commuted to my new place of employment in Murrumbeena (still Melbourne). On-road bike path, but crossing many intersections. I found it was dodgy expecting drivers coming from minor streets to stop for me. Had many more close ones. I got hit at a roundabout. Although, as I later found, I had two cracked ribs, I got up and kept on riding to where I had to work. then, as time went on, I kept on seeing visions of that car front coming at me at speed and about to hit me. Haven't been able to "psyche myself up" to commute to work since then, and ride no more than a few kilometres a week on weekends only. It's the reluctance of drivers to stop that I find so offputting. That and, of course, the aggression displayed to anyone in their path. I am also a driver, and clocked up tonnes of kms in my job as a technician over 30 years. Henry. |
#10
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pedestrian crossing laws for cyclists
Thanks everyone,
I'll be modifying my riding from now on I think. As a pedestrian I don't rely on cars stopping at a crossing, I assume they won't unless I see them slowing. Absolutely no reason not to behave the same way on the bike. I'm not sure why my behavior changed actually, though I notice that I do tend to have the red mist decend more while cycling than while walking or even driving. Cheers Peter "hemyd" wrote in message u... "Zebee Johnstone" wrote in message ... In aus.bicycle on Sat, 27 Mar 2010 18:09:48 +1100 hemyd wrote: Now speaking as a cyclist myself, I've become so used to having drivers "not see me" or not give me right of way anywhere, that I would not dare to ride across a crossing in front of a car. My rights are not going to ease the pain of broken bones. I slow and look, and give 'em plenty of time to see me. I wave thanks as I ride by. But then I'm neither young nor male, and I suspect that makes a deal of difference. Zebee I'm an "old fart" (does 62 qualify me for that?), and between 1995 and 1998 I commuted about 21,000 km from Moorabbin to Commerical Rd near the City in Melbourne. Had many "close ones" but nothing serious. The I commuted to my new place of employment in Murrumbeena (still Melbourne). On-road bike path, but crossing many intersections. I found it was dodgy expecting drivers coming from minor streets to stop for me. Had many more close ones. I got hit at a roundabout. Although, as I later found, I had two cracked ribs, I got up and kept on riding to where I had to work. then, as time went on, I kept on seeing visions of that car front coming at me at speed and about to hit me. Haven't been able to "psyche myself up" to commute to work since then, and ride no more than a few kilometres a week on weekends only. It's the reluctance of drivers to stop that I find so offputting. That and, of course, the aggression displayed to anyone in their path. I am also a driver, and clocked up tonnes of kms in my job as a technician over 30 years. Henry. |
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