Do You Think Cyclists Belong On The Road?

[S.T.K.E]

No they dont pay. It's been looked at many times and concluded that bike registration would be totally unenforceable and probably cost more money to collect and enforce registration than the amount it would actually raise. Seriously, how hard is it to pass a bike? I don't struggle with this I don't see why you do. And how much congestion do they actually cause? I drive through 2 level crossings on my way home every day they cost me more time than 100 cyclists.

Doubt that it would be difficult to enforce registration. It wouldn't be any harder than motor Vehicles. If anything they should have Rec Rego like they do have for Motorbike in VIC IF they are going to be riding on the road. That way they are at least contributing to the overall goal of main roads construction a 3rd party insurance. Also the excuse of "I only use it now and then" won't be able to be applicable.

And I do find it hard having to pass bikes on the road as I have a 4wd, I have to either find a gap in the traffic or merge lanes completely. It's the same that trucks would find it hard if not impossible, with-out having to change lanes further ####ing the traffic conditions up.

It's an utter **** when you are travelling in traffic @ 20k's, you merge to pass a bike all to stop at a red light and having him nip down the middle of the traffic all to repeat the process over and over again.

 

[HamaTime™]

Unfortunately with how busy the roads are getting, it is getting harder and harder for not only cyclists to be safe on the roads, but also drivers being safe. Accidents happen whilst cars avoid cyclists, accidents happen because people don't pay attention or respect cyclists, accidents happen because cyclists don't respect cars.

I don't believe cyclists should be on the road anymore, it is just too busy and too dangerous, unless every road has a designated bicycle lane. But the roads are crowded enough as it is, we need more roads and wider ones at that for the growing population and thus the growing number of cars on the road and demand for transport orientated infrastructure.

My 2c

I am talking about busy suburban Melbourne here by the way.

 

[Zarconia]

Well when I was in school we were taught that bicyclists were just pedestrians with wheels. When you came up to something like the roundabout in the first video you get off and walk across like a pedestrian, not fkn hard to do.

As for bicycles on the road, bike lines yeah, actual road no, just gtfo. Get some headlights, tail lights, blinkers and ability to get to 60km/h on flat road under 20 seconds persistantly then we will talk.

 

[UW1SH]

This is what people should do to cyclist that lean on there car in traffic..

 

[Killr6]

they have every right to be on the road.

its just when they start riding next to each other taking up 60-70% of the lane they gives me the shits.

 

[S.T.K.E]

they have every right to be on the road.

its just when they start riding next to each other taking up 60-70% of the lane they gives me the shits.

They argument should be that they DON'T have every right to be there.

 

[seq4x4]

If they started paying rego like we have to to use the roads, fair call. Untill then, use foot paths and bike lanes, dismount when crossing the road, dont ride right on the line when there is another meter of road you could be using. And please, if you have your front bike light set to strobe, face the ####er slightly down, its dangerous, i have been blinded a few times by them.

 

[Zarconia]

If they started paying rego like we have to to use the roads, fair call. Untill then, use foot paths and bike lanes, dismount when crossing the road, dont ride right on the line when there is another meter of road you could be using. And please, if you have your front bike light set to strobe, face the ####er slightly down, its dangerous, i have been blinded a few times by them.

Strobes should be illegal all together.

 

[Drawnnite]

great idea. lets ask a CAR FORUM about cyclists
as if this isnt going to be one of the most biased debates on here....

I am a cyclist, but I don't have a road bike or wear Lycra, just love slamming along bike tracks on my mountain bike. To access local tracks I have to use roads, and I am very conscious that a number of drivers dislike cyclists so I keep as close to the kerb as I can. If I have to I will use the footpath to go around a parked car rather then cause motorists to slow down because of me.

As a motorist I cannot stand it when packs of spandex spastics take up the left lane. I firmly believe all cyclists should ride single file unless it's the Tour Down Under which is an organised event and the road is closed.

I think the Police should fine any cyclist riding two or more abreast as in their pack they form the mentality they are not moving for anyone. I once encountered a group and I couldn't change lanes so started beeping at them. A few turned and flipped me off but didn't move over. I badly wanted to nudge the back wheels of their bikes just because of their sheer arrogance. If I had hit one, or more, I would have been the arsehole driver who was impatient and intolerant etc.

i cannot agree more.
just like you i ride mountain bikes. dont own 1 piece of lycra either.
at all times i stay off the road (i should state none of my bikes are road legal due to no reflectors/lights, and ill happily admit that most are like that) unless i have no other option. ie where i live has no footpaths or anything. just road. inwhich case ill be as far over as possible.

what people fail to understand is that
OVER THE AGE OF 15/16 IT IS ILLEGAL TO RIDE ON A FOOTPATH
i still ride on footpaths, because most people like to drive, so there are nobody on the paths anyway, and if anyone is on there i move over/out of the way.
mind you i do not live in the suburbs, so it may be different closer in.

as for REGO for a bike, it wont happen. try telling your 5yr old daughter "sorry you cannot have a bike because i cannot pay the rego on it"
and anyway, most likely 90% of all cyclists drive cars and pay rego anyway.
so lets put it this way, they are taking 1 more car off the road so you dont get stuck behind that 1 more car.

some roads, cyclists should not be allowed on.
and alot of cyclists should have some more common sense, as they can lack alot of it.
and yes as Clair has stated. it should be single file unless overtaking, in which case it should be the same road rules of, only when safe to do so, do you overtake.

its a damned if you do and damned if you dont.
so what we will build more bike paths and complain not enough is being done to the roads. (plus where will these get built?)
or do we just learn to share the roads together?

the solution is simple.
BOTH PARTIES NEED TO GIVE SPACE AND HAVE COMMON SENSE

just look at the european countries. do they have these same issues?
maybe we should look at their systems in place and see how we can copy them and improve our own behaviours and attitudes, to mirror their ideas.


honestly i hate when cycling topics come up.
because as usual, half the people who think they know it all dont ride bikes, or havent for a very long time.
and until you have experienced it, you have no idea what you are talking about. especially when it comes to the laws behind it.
oh and for the record, road cycling is probably about 10-20% of all Bike related sports out there. (others include, downhill, freeride, XC, 4X, Enduro and BMX just to name a few)

 

[monkeys437]

I dont see why us car users should haft to possibly drive into a oncoming traffic lane to avoid cyclist??? Especially when someone like jecs is driving a truck and needs the whole lane, why should he swerve towards a car risking other peoples lives to avoid a stupid cyclist that gets in his way?? What if he collides with a car that has kids and they die?? He would go to jail just because a stupid cyclist is riding in the middle of the road and he had to avoid the knobhead.. I have almost collided with cars driving beside me because iv had to move over to avoid a cyclist… Id much run over a cyclist then risk my own life and others thats for sure..

Do you understand what overtaking is? You wait until the oncoming lane is clear then pass. Swerving towards oncoming cars and risking lives is not overtaking champ.

I cant believe the garbage you're writing mate. You say you've nearly collided with cars beside you because you've moved over to avoid a cyclist? You're supposed to wait until the lane next to you is clear, then move over to avoid the lycra clad middle aged man on a bike. if you swerve into another lane without giving way and crash that's not the bikes fault, it's yours.