Having fun with cyclists

[RETIRED]

I got pulled over by the police this morning.

I had just overtaken a motorbike.

There were 3 bike riders in the the emergency lane all single file and I passed them.

Next thing there is the wail and lights of a police car so I pulled over and he ambles over. By this time I am out of the car with licence in hand.

I ask him what the problem was.

No problem says he looking at my licence. He notices the quizzical look, the motorcycle goes past, the 3 bike riders go past and wave.

He says to me, "Who taught you to drive?"

" My father about 45years ago." says I with raised eyebrows.

"He did a damned good job then. You are one of the few people I have ever seen that indicates and move into the right lane to overtake a motorbike and cyclists in the left lane. If a few more did that instead of trying to knock their handlebars off my job would be a lot easier and I wouldn't have to scrape them off the road."

One of the few times I have been pulled over to thank me.

The reason that I do overtake that way is because my children all ride motor bikes and enjoy cycling on odd occasions and I would like to think that other motorists treat them the same way.

They don't of course but maybe some will.

[rsser]

Edit: and I were posting at the same time. This was re Cruzi's:

Yeah.

On the motorbike when I'm lane splitting quite often drivers pull sideways to give me more space ( a big diff from the 70's when I started riding when like as not they'd do the opposite) so I always raise my hand in thanks as I go past.

Most folk are sensible and considerate here in Melb at least; it's just the 1% that are criminally stupid.

[Christopha]

i'm really sick of motorists who think they own the road and equally sick of cyclists who have the same mind set. I don't see what's so hard about reaching a compromise where both motorists and cyclists share the road.

yep!

[Luddite]

Sure it was stupid, but some of the things I have seen cycle couriers do in sydney defies belief.
regards inter

I am surprised that comment was missed by the cyclists out there.

Can you please explain to me the relevance of a cycle courier working in the centre of Sydney has with respect to 3 people riding along in South Australia?

Are you suggesting the driver was "stupid", but since there are some bike couriers riding their bikes poorly in Sydney it mitigates the actions of the ute driver?

As a very experienced cyclist, both racing grade and commuting, it seems just about any action of any motorist is somehow justified because there are some foolish cyclists out there. For the record, I stop at every red light, never ride the wrong way up streets, carry lights.......oh, and I have 3 kids at home who would love to see me again.

Forget justifying poor behaviour by blaming the minority. I hate the cyclists who behave poorly more than you do because they alienate so many against the bulk of good, honest cyclists.

Anthony

[Carry Pine]

The discussion about animosity between car drivers and bike riders is academic when I remember a discussion I had with a colleague's partner who is a truckie. He had a serious problem with anything that was smaller than what he was driving. They needed to get out of his way. I hope that he was just grandstanding because he knew we rode bikes but I have wondered about his attitude since that day. he seemed pretty serious to me.

Having said that I find the other 99.99% of truckies very curteous to riders and unless they are coming the other way with a 40km/hr gust behind them, I appreciate the 'pull' which I estimate must be 3-5km/hr on my speed.

Graham

[Foo]

Yep to your post Graham! I am a truckie and was once a competitive cyclist and a little bit of curtisey goes a long way.

[AlexS]

As with 's post, one sometimes has one's faith restored. I was on the Pacific Highway, stopped at the lights in the left lane, with a learner in a driving school car next to me. I could hear the instructor explaining to her why I had positioned myself where I was, what both our responsibilities and rights were and how she should go about overtaking cyclists. Guess the driving school I got to finish off my daughter's driving instruction.
(Marquis, by the way.)

[InterTD6]

I am surprised that comment was missed by the cyclists out there.

Can you please explain to me the relevance of a cycle courier working in the centre of Sydney has with respect to 3 people riding along in South Australia?

Only that one of them has done some stupid things which defies belief

Are you suggesting the driver was "stupid", but since there are some bike couriers riding their bikes poorly in Sydney it mitigates the actions of the ute driver?

Just grouping the stupid together

As a very experienced cyclist, both racing grade and commuting, it seems just about any action of any motorist is somehow justified because there are some foolish cyclists out there. For the record, I stop at every red light, never ride the wrong way up streets, carry lights.......oh, and I have 3 kids at home who would love to see me again.

Nobody is justifiying anything here just stupid acts


Forget justifying poor behaviour by blaming the minority. I hate the cyclists who behave poorly more than you do because they alienate so many against the bulk of good, honest cyclists.

See previous answer above

Anthony

...

[AlexHW]

How absolutely ridiculous, one of the worst/most interesting stories I have heard involving cyclists.

There is no excuse for acting stupid in a huge hunk of metal zooming across the ground at 100km/h.