Courier Mail March 5

Bleve wrote:
There's a very good case for bike lanes *not* being as safe as riding
normally on the road, like every other class of vehicle. If you're not
where drivers are looking, they won't see you. If they don't see you,
they run into you. Drivers don't look in bike lanes, and no amount of
politicing, education etc will change that. Ride with them, and be
seen, and be safer.


As a driver, I always see cyclists, even if they're in the bike lane on
St Kilda Rd in Melbourne which is the only road I usually use that has a
bike lane.

I think the drivers who wouldn't notice a cyclist in a bike lane are the
same ones that wouldn't notice a 120kg+ cyclist wearing an effing bright
orange work jacket then crash into the side of him, instead of giving
way. (happened to a cyclist friend of mine)


I haven't ridden since i was 16, back in 1992. I've recently pulled my
bike out of the back of the shed in an attempt to get a bit fitter, and
I only ride around Albert Park lake, on the road at lunch time.

After hearing of several work colleagues getting hit by cars while
commuting, even when they're in bike lanes, I am very reluctant to try
riding on any road.


--
Ben - Wipe off 25

"My name is Korg from planet dyslexia, your arses are fruity, take me
to your dealer, or you will all be laminated, ." RV, melb.general

On Mar 8, 7:55 am, PHATRS wrote:
Bleve wrote:

[chomp]

I haven't ridden since i was 16, back in 1992. I've recently pulled my
bike out of the back of the shed in an attempt to get a bit fitter, and
I only ride around Albert Park lake, on the road at lunch time.

After hearing of several work colleagues getting hit by cars while
commuting, even when they're in bike lanes, I am very reluctant to try
riding on any road.

This is your choice, and your loss.

Bleve wrote:
On Mar 8, 7:55 am, PHATRS wrote:
Bleve wrote:

[chomp]

I haven't ridden since i was 16, back in 1992. I've recently pulled my
bike out of the back of the shed in an attempt to get a bit fitter, and
I only ride around Albert Park lake, on the road at lunch time.

After hearing of several work colleagues getting hit by cars while
commuting, even when they're in bike lanes, I am very reluctant to try
riding on any road.

This is your choice, and your loss.



I'm curious to know why you think that is my loss.

--
Ben - Wipe off 25

"My name is Korg from planet dyslexia, your arses are fruity, take me
to your dealer, or you will all be laminated, ." RV, melb.general

PHATRS wrote:

After hearing of several work colleagues getting hit by cars while
commuting, even when they're in bike lanes, I am very reluctant to try
riding on any road.


I've also heard of pedestrians getting hit by cars, even at pedestrian
crossings. That's why I never cross the road. However my long walk does
get very monotonous after a while - walk, turn left, walk, turn left ...

daveB

PHATRS Wrote:
Bleve wrote:
On Mar 8, 7:55 am, PHATRS wrote:
Bleve wrote:

[chomp]

I haven't ridden since i was 16, back in 1992. I've recently pulled
my
bike out of the back of the shed in an attempt to get a bit fitter,
and
I only ride around Albert Park lake, on the road at lunch time.

After hearing of several work colleagues getting hit by cars while
commuting, even when they're in bike lanes, I am very reluctant to
try
riding on any road.

This is your choice, and your loss.



I'm curious to know why you think that is my loss.
There have been several studies which show that making cycling a part
of everyday life, in other words using a bicycle as a means of
transport as well as recreation, reduces the chance of heart disease by
40% and that's just one of the benefits.

By riding as little as half an hour a day you'll probably increase your
active life, how old you can get before you need cared for, by 15 years.

In the UK where a cyclist is ten times more likely to die on the road
than a motorist the British Medical Journal state that the benefits of
regular cycling outweigh the risks by 20:1. In Australia cycling is
slightly more dangerous than driving, but by no means 10 times as
dangerous.

The risk of dying from a road accident is in fact quite small when
compared to the risk of dying of a disease that can be linked to an
inactive lifestyle.

So yes, by choosing not to equip yourself with the skills and knowledge
necessary to make cycling an integral part of your life, you're losing.
If you're cycling round Albert Park, fair enough, but you have to find
extra time in the day for that. I get my exercise riding to work where
I would otherwise be standing in a train (I do miss the reading I got
done on the train) or sitting behind the wheel of a car. Cycling is a
much more efficient use of that particular part of the day.

Last but by no means least, cycling for transport is a very liberating
and fun experience.


--
EuanB

On Mar 8, 9:02 am, DaveB wrote:
PHATRS wrote:
After hearing of several work colleagues getting hit by cars while
commuting, even when they're in bike lanes, I am very reluctant to try
riding on any road.

I've also heard of pedestrians getting hit by cars, even at pedestrian
crossings. That's why I never cross the road. However my long walk does
get very monotonous after a while - walk, turn left, walk, turn left ...

daveB


I find that I'm commuting less and less on the bike. It's not just
about the risks. It's
about where I want to spend my time. Do I want to be riding down a
country road or a rail
trail? Or do I want to be spending time with your Australian suburban
car driver?

Let's face it. Australian car drivers have no redeeming features at
all. If a great crack in the earth
opened up and swallowed them, I wouldn't miss them at all. These are
some of the most
aggressive, rude and just plain evil people you will ever meet.

AndrewJ Wrote:
On Mar 8, 9:02 am, DaveB wrote:
PHATRS wrote:
After hearing of several work colleagues getting hit by cars while
commuting, even when they're in bike lanes, I am very reluctant to
try
riding on any road.

I've also heard of pedestrians getting hit by cars, even at
pedestrian
crossings. That's why I never cross the road. However my long walk
does
get very monotonous after a while - walk, turn left, walk, turn left
...

daveB


I find that I'm commuting less and less on the bike. It's not just
about the risks. It's
about where I want to spend my time. Do I want to be riding down a
country road or a rail
trail? Or do I want to be spending time with your Australian suburban
car driver?

Why not both? I have to get to work regardless and frankly cycling's
the option that makes the most sense.


AndrewJ Wrote:
Let's face it. Australian car drivers have no redeeming features at
all. If a great crack in the earth
opened up and swallowed them, I wouldn't miss them at all. These are
some of the most
aggressive, rude and just plain evil people you will ever meet.

I'm finding that's less and less true in the SE suburbs/CBD.


--
EuanB

On Mar 8, 7:55 am, PHATRS wrote:

After hearing of several work colleagues getting hit by cars while
commuting, even when they're in bike lanes, I am very reluctant to try
riding on any road.


I've heard of several coleegues being hit by cars while driving cars
while commuting, even when they're in car lanes, I am very reluctant
to try driving on any road.

On Mar 8, 8:40 am, PHATRS wrote:
Bleve wrote:
On Mar 8, 7:55 am, PHATRS wrote:
Bleve wrote:

[chomp]

I haven't ridden since i was 16, back in 1992. I've recently pulled my
bike out of the back of the shed in an attempt to get a bit fitter, and
I only ride around Albert Park lake, on the road at lunch time.

After hearing of several work colleagues getting hit by cars while
commuting, even when they're in bike lanes, I am very reluctant to try
riding on any road.

This is your choice, and your loss.

I'm curious to know why you think that is my loss.

Because you're making an ill informed risk decision based on a few
anecdotal incidents that were probably preventable and denying
yourself a lot of potential fun and fitness benefits, not only for
yourself, but if you're driving, rather than riding to places, you're
contributing to the problem, rather than being part of the solution,
and you're making it worse for me. So it's my loss that you don't ride
more, too.

I've ridden ~85,000km in the last 5 years on the roads (which is, I
think you'd agree, a lot) and not had a single incident that I
couldn't have prevented if I'd been paying attention. Both times I
had a collision with a car it was my fault. I ride at peak hour, I
ride on country roads, I ride ... everywhere. I am *not* lucky. I
have not been very unlucky (struck by lightening, or an SMS'ing or
drunk/stoned driver or some pyscopath), but the reason I'm able to
ride home tonight is not because I'm a lucky sort of person. It's
defensive road riding (or - vehicular cycling, look it up if you care
enough).

You choose to do your gym workout outdoors at the lake, that's fine,
and it's better than nothing, but basing your decision to not ride
elsewhere on bad data and irrational fear is unfortunate at best.
You're in good company, most people do poor risk analysis and rely on
emotional responses rather than evaluating the big picture. That's why
we have stupid anti terrorism laws and freeways choked with single
occupant cars, amongst other ills.

PiledHigher Wrote:
On Mar 8, 7:55 am, PHATRS wrote:

After hearing of several work colleagues getting hit by cars while
commuting, even when they're in bike lanes, I am very reluctant to
try
riding on any road.


I've heard of several coleegues being hit by cars while driving cars
while commuting, even when they're in car lanes, I am very reluctant
to try driving on any road.

I've never held a drivers licence or owned a car. Ditto I feel much
safer either walking, using PT or out on the pedally. Although recently
PT has actually been a *slower* method of transport. Ah, Melbourne ....


--
cfsmtb