Another Canberra foible

I was *gasp* driving home tonight (took the car coz I had to pick up my
new bike wheels from the post office ) and I decided to go through ANU.

Going up Liversidge St, I passed a cyclist, being careful to wait till
there was enough room to do it while staying on my side of the road. As
soon as I get past, a falcodore coming the other way swerves *all* the
way into my lane to avoid a cyclist on his/her side, probably assuming I
would swerve left as people in Canberra tend to do in such situations
(wide lanes you see).

However, being a cyclist myself I was acutely aware of the guy I had
just overtaken, and just as well coz he whizzed past. I had to lock up
my brakes and still the bashtard barely missed me. Seriously, there is a
real lane discipline problem here!

Must be a lack of patience - I see people hoon around stopped buses and
cyclists like this every day, it's downright scary at times and wouldn't
fly in a city with normal width lanes.


Sigh.


--
//Adam F

In aus.bicycle on Wed, 09 May 2007 22:24:55 +1000
Adam F wrote:
Must be a lack of patience - I see people hoon around stopped buses and
cyclists like this every day, it's downright scary at times and wouldn't
fly in a city with normal width lanes.

Exactly.

People will do what they think they can get away with. Make the lanes
wide, they'll use all the width.

The car driver mentality is usually "The journey I am on is an
unpleasant pause between where I was and where I want to be. I wish
it to be over as soon as possible, and will do anything I can to speed
it up."

For me on two wheels I want to be riding the bike, not sitting in
traffic hence the lanesplitting. But because the consequences of an
action can be immediate and nasty, I have to be careful in the actions
I choose to take. The consequences to someone in their airbagged
crumplezoned cage are different and not as obvious to them.

THere's also the empathy thing. Two wheels or four, I can think
"won't hurt me to let them in and I'd like it if it was me" or "watch
for the cyclist/motorcyclist, I know what they'll do".

I find many drivers have empathy and mannners, it's why the bad ones
stand out. As an exercise, count every car that does the right thing
on your commute.

Zebee

Adam F wrote:
I was *gasp* driving home tonight (took the car coz I had to pick up my
new bike wheels from the post office ) and I decided to go through ANU.
snip

If you keep reporting driving and riding problems in Canberra Adam, I'll
have to make a kill-file, otherwise we'll never read anything else!!

--
Bean

"I've got a bike
You can ride it if you like
It's got a basket
A bell that rings
And things to make it look good
I'd give it to you if I could
But I borrowed it" Pink Floyd

Remove "yourfinger" before replying

Bean Long wrote:
Adam F wrote:
I was *gasp* driving home tonight (took the car coz I had to pick up
my new bike wheels from the post office ) and I decided to go
through ANU.
snip

If you keep reporting driving and riding problems in Canberra Adam, I'll
have to make a kill-file, otherwise we'll never read anything else!!


Hehe OK sorry.


--
//Adam F

"Adam F" wrote in message
...
Bean Long wrote:
Adam F wrote:
I was *gasp* driving home tonight (took the car coz I had to pick up my
new bike wheels from the post office ) and I decided to go through
ANU.
snip

If you keep reporting driving and riding problems in Canberra Adam, I'll
have to make a kill-file, otherwise we'll never read anything else!!


Hehe OK sorry.


--
//Adam F

Adam,

You could always try moving to a real city???

Campag_nut wrote:

You could always try moving to a real city???

Hey watch it! ;-)

--
Bean

Remove "yourfinger" before replying