Vicious Cycle

15 Mar 2010 02:06a.m.

Zarfster wrote:

cyclig makes more sense in big cities - lets make the city a 10 km cycle walk zone ban the cars!

25 Nov 2009 06:44p.m.

Dr Mungus wrote:

I began to write a tirade on how, being a Kiwi living in Southern California, I am suprised to watch and read about this, but then I realised this isn't really so much of a suprise.

I describe New Zealand to friends here as fowardly backward, hmm why's that? Alot of New Zealand tries to be mature, but it (the good ol kiwi bloke and shela) hasnt grown up and cottoned onto the fact that its OK to have a maturity passed that of a teenager and God forbid shows some responsibility and not be a dork twenty fours hours a day

Enough with the finger pointing, both groups need to grow up and take responsibility. Cyclists loose the attitude and respect everyone else on the road (your more likely to get road rash if you crash, regardless of who's at fault), motorists get used to it, there will be bikes on the road for years to come. Remember, you take a cyclist out and they die, you will have done that, not your car, you the driver, their blood is on your hands.

GET OVER IT PEOPLE, its not that complicated, just realise no one wins when people get killed, or has the intelligence level dropped so far in kiwi land that uh duh, no one can figure that one out, eh mate, yeah mate, no worries mate,and all that knuckle dragging crap.

For such an awesome country its a shame there are so many idiots that live there.

And for the record, I ride road and mountain bike, I drive sixty miles to work and back everyday. I can approach this as a cyclist, motorist.

Please keep in mind those individuals featured in this story that have either been killed or injured , and also their famlies, their wives, husbands, partners, sons, daughters, and think how you would feel if it was your family that was impacted forever because some idiot thought they'd have a laugh, didn't look, or was just down right lazy and didnt pay attention, have a good long think about it and then honestly say if you want that for you or your family, yeah mate.

10 Nov 2009 08:19a.m.

Rachel wrote:

Its time the government put cycle lanes at the top of their agenda. Cyclists should be safe, it keeps people fit, lowers carbon emmissions and reduces the pile up of traffic in Auckland. It can only make sense to have cycle lanes in as many places as possible - take a look at Denmark, where something like 30% of the population in Copenhagen cycle to work without crash helmets!!! In reality it will take so long to achieve due to red tape and arguements in Council that we will see a lot more deaths from cars not seeing cyclists and yet they ban mobile phones first for 20 demerit points and $80 - how many lives have been lost due to mobile phone use versus cyclists getting hit by cars!!! And they say New Zealand is Clean and Green - Yeah Right - said the Tui advert!

09 Nov 2009 08:47p.m.

Jack hebden wrote:

Ezra I fully agree with you :) very informative

08 Nov 2009 10:10a.m.

Dave Cole wrote:

God the media love to beat up an issue don't they? I'd hardly describe it as a war, but sure there are people getting hurt. I'm a pedestrian, cyclist and motorist. As a cyclist, I see cyclists doing things that look like arrogance and inconsideration to others - pedestrians and motorists. Being so vulnerable, cyclists as a group will benefit from showing more consideration to others, even if they don't have to. The courier rider shown may not have broken any laws, yet the way he flitted through the traffic may well have surprised and startled motorists and this is hardly going to endear him to them. The next cyclist they encounter may well feel their disgruntlement.

07 Nov 2009 10:52p.m.

Leroy wrote:

Holy crap Ezra!

06 Nov 2009 11:59a.m.

Ezra Phillips wrote:

In saying all that, sure when ridding with confident riders in single lane you should be single file especially if you hear cars from behind{which the that particular group practice}. As for the cycle courier rest assured there is no danger in his behavior, but I did observe many dangerous drivers in the clips. The opening scene the courier rides behind a Subaru that changes lanes without indication and later on the couriers going down another hill where the presenter makes remarks about pedestrian's which id actually label blatant J-walkers. And as he turns left from kitchner down Victoria st, a parked car swings out on him without the correct indication, he then turns left again on to queen street zig zaging...in your perception this might look dangerous yet if you look again you'll see there no oncoming traffic and all the cars he is weaving through are stationary in grid lock, no one should be opening doors nor changing lanes{unless they indicate for the minimum 3 seconds which he would see}. On a white line it is perfectly legal for any vehicle to over take traffic that is not traveling at the speed limit, providing you have the required 100 meters of clear space. Cycle couriers exists purely to get office junk across town in a hurry and they all take pride in there riding and make sure they do not disrupt traffic or actual pedestrians providing everyone is following the rules or J-walkers are watching where there going. We don't ever run red lights, we only approach them brake asses the situation and merge in with the traffic that's at the correct following distance{much like Han Solo floating away with the garbage}. The scary thing is when normal cyclist or teenagers on BM X's and fixie riders that aren't confident mimic our behaviour with a slight miss iinterpretation and actually run the lights in front of the cars disturbing the peace and potentially causing themselves harm{experienced confident riders that I come across riding any of the three disciplines or any form of cycle are fun to ride with} but I havent seen any dangerous riders in town for a few years now. Auckland's central Police station even use us to get stuff to court hearings. The Police keep a close eye on us and if they see us do anything that endangers anyone else they pull us up and usually give hefty penalty's, so its our Job to make our body language clear to them as well as show we are looking in all directions whilst cruising through a pedestrian crossing in right front of them. For those that had moan about us we are just a easy target and I think you lost the point to the story, the message was for car drivers to just drive like it says in the good book, 3 seconds to indicate{changing one lane at a time}, don't tail gate, don't speed, don't cut the center line unless passing{and not around a blind bend} and give us cyclist at least 1.5 meters clearance.
And the final bit of dodgy driving I saw was a car pull out of a driveway in front of a pack of cyclist, but that could just be the zoom on the camera

It all may sound a bit hard yet I know exactly where most of you pro car people are coming from. I was once a small man syndrome Muppet car enthusiast {when I was in my teens, alot of you are adults now..}. I couldn't ever gage the distance between the bars of cyclist and my big 73 valiant charger, and I would often cut to close and didn't see why they were all pulling the finger at me, I also swerved for a girl in my class for a joke who was cycling to school in my little orange ford escort. Once I sold the charger I bought a bike and have seen the light and now can confidently pass a cyclist while driving any big vehicle. PS i also apologised to nerida my former class mate last year. 16 was far to young to have a licence.

05 Nov 2009 06:26p.m.

Ezra Phillips wrote:

mm where to start maybe people shouldn’t be cutting the corner at high speed, patience is a better approach, ignoramus don’t stop to wonder why they maybe two abreast, the male usually sits out a bit to shield his lady or son or daughter there ridding with, well at least trying to get that 1.5m clearance from you and the bars. Most of us cyclist drive cars too, NZ seems to assume since we ride bikes we can’t afford cars.
whilst sitting on there lard, angry and aggressively clenching the wheel impatiently waiting the big 3 minutes it takes to find a clear gap of road to pass the cycle bunch, only to find their efforts were worthless as they have just bet the cyclist(s) to a red light or round about queue. The cyclist(s) pass through and the Jealousy of the bike freedom pushes the cholesterol further into their chest. They toot their horn to show their concern, once through the intersection they try to pass again but this time there is no gap so they try create one by cutting close to the last rider, a oncoming vehicle comes around a bend cutting the corner on to their side of the road {they think its the cyclist fault that threes no room, because cutting corners is just how they drive over the apexes in there cheep plastic Tonka toys on Bathurst}. Finally they see a straight with clear road and make the pass giving the cyclists 1mtr of space, they suck at judging the distance and not knowing how big their arse is and cut in to soon, nearly clipping the front riders elbow or bars. They feel somewhat relieved and fail to see the rider they nearly clipped pulling the finger at them in the rear or side mirrors {because no one ever needs or uses them...}. It has been a big decent down this hill but oh well home now, they turn off into their drive without giving the minimum 3 seconds indication, bang goes the whole bunch into the rear quarter of the car. But oh no it wouldn’t have been the cars fault they had their indicator on aye... With patience and maturity the outcome may have been different.
Everyone icluding myself should have to sit a far more extensive driving test that teaches people how to actualy drive{eg mirrors following distances and indicating}, if you want to be a bathurst driver just imagine that the white and yellow lines are the concrete walls and that the speed limits are the actual limtits of your big eggo trip mid life chrisis vehicle.

Just over a month ago, I was riding down Symonds st on the motorway over pass bridge when i felt hands pushing againts me. I lent towards the hands to avoid comming off, the passenger who seemed like you average P addict, looked shocked that I had'nt died back there, he nearly feel out of the moving vehicle{50km}attempting to off me. I pulled the finger and begain my pursuit, they hung the first left on to Krd and threw road cones in my path while making the turn. They saw me comming so pulled over outside the rockshop, I didn't have any time to grab the plate number as the diranged non gentalman like{i'd say agressiveman} skinny maori chap got out and chassed me on foot. All I could do is split through the light and get out of there. Once I had a good resting spot i called *555 and reported it, but no plate no can do.. I probably would have broken my neck on the double decker kerb had he been successfull, riding my track bike probably didn't help, yet anyone should be able to ride there bike without interferance.

The majority of drivers in NZ have no understanding or respect for cyclist and do not get the concept that there driving can cause death, if concrete and flesh or panel and flesh were to meet. Even simple things like corect following distance go out the window when motorists are behind a cycle, the stupid thing is that there only gona sandwich you between the next car at the next red light.

I also recon they should also get rid of the keep left rule, since it has claimed so many tourists lives and road cyclists on our open roads. Some simple minded people don't know what to do if law says keep left and they encounter a bike.

05 Nov 2009 09:45a.m.

Stephen Taylor wrote:

This focus on it being a WAR between Cars and Bikes is not going to help anything. I don't believe it is a war, I have commuted and ridden for fun along Tamaki Drive for over 8 years prettywell every day. The last 2-3 years have seen a noticable increase in the number of cyclist. The vast majority of drivers are great and often extra considerate. The few incidence I have had in the last 2-3 years are associated more to drivers not actually seeing me, often despite actually looking at me. BUT there are the occassional arrogant or perhaps ignorant drivers as there are some arrogant and ignorant Cyclist. Niether group is perfect and there are a percentage of drivers that simply can't be bothered waiting just a few seconds to pass a bike safely. Thanks for a great article. PS: The Courier Rider must have multiple lives I'd never ride like that in Ak. John Bridges had the best handle on it.

04 Nov 2009 08:46p.m.

Ross F wrote:

Isn't this the typical kiwi behind any type of wheel. They seem to get possessed and the only one on the road that can drive properly is them. Be it a cyclist, motorist, truck driver,etc. we see them ever day, come on get yourself sorted and take a long hard look at yourself. Yes if you can honk your horn give a jester with your fingers what are you proving.Your just as bad as the other person if not worst. Just wait a couple of seconds and drive properly.