Be Careful in Bendigo

Hylife · Guru

RE: Be Careful in Bendigo

JackoFJR · Senior Member

rtv47 wrote:
I have been riding between San remo and Cowes of and on for the last 3 weeks . Bus's are the least tolerate , as close as 1/2 a Mtr ! Scary !!

Scary you say , but you keep doing it , why ?

It amazes me some of the roads bike riders ride and the risks they take , even if they are in the right they will come off second best .

I ride a motorcycle , I can at least flow at the same speed as the traffic , I know full well I need to look out for myself

greyhoundtom · Senior Member

So many erroneous statements made about cyclists that I don't know where to start.

No cyclists are NOT allowed in any State of Australia by law to ride 3 abreast except when one is passing the two that ARE allowed to ride side by side.

No cyclists are NOT allowed in any State of Australial by law to just take any and all lanes as they wish, they are however allowed to take the whole of the left lane of a road that has two lanes on the side of the road in the direction they are traveling in.

Any vehicle and that includes cyclists is required to ride as close as PRACTICAL to drive or ride on the left hand side of the road, but that does not relegate cyclists to scurry along in the gutter or the loose stones and rubbish on the left side of a road.

And NO cyclists do NOT have more rights on the road than any other vehicle, and good manner requires any vehicle that is going so slow as to impede other vehicles from time to time moves out of the lane to allow other vehicles to pass. In some situations I do this while towing my van and it becomes obvious I'm impeding the flow of traffic.

Many cyclists do the same and try not to impede the flow of traffic by riding off the road in a road related area, but do this out of courtesy not because the law requires them to do so.

The most important fact still is that all cyclists have the right to ride on the road and should be perfectly safe to do so, and like any other road user get home safely to their loved ones.

Those that think bike riding on the road is dangerous and therefore should not occur are simply condoning the fact that a licence to drive 2 tons of steel that is a lethal weapon in every sense of the word are handed to careless morons that should not be let out in the street let alone be allowed to be in charge of such a lethal weapon.

(Edit) It's interesting that bicycles have been described as needing to go the way of the dodo when in most countries of the developed world the latest trend is to ban motor vehicles out of cities to be replaced by bicycles.

-- Edited by greyhoundtom on Thursday 25th of February 2016 10:23:57 AM

antigoon · Veteran Member

bluemoon2 wrote:

. We were in a right lane, waiting for the arrow and then would proceed to merge into the bike lane. A big bus was behind us.
... She replied that , we should have been on the left arrow not right one.

Let me understand your point correctly ... bikes were stopped in the right hand lane on a dual lane road waiting to turn right while on a green light (the bus was able to drive around, presumably continuing straight through the intersection). Are you aware that Victoria has some specific rules for cyclists, one of which is turning right at intersections: "Cyclists can make a hook turn to turn right at any intersection (unless there are signs restricting this)."

grahos · Guru

I also live in Bendigo,our council has to be the worst in Australia,No idea of common sense on designing roads and bike tracks and bus stops,they always strive to fix things that are not broken.

Tony Bev · Guru

Hello bluemoon2
I also have a bicycle. I will not enter into the argument about who was in the right or wrong, concerning your post. As others have said, you must hear both sides of a story, to form an opinion. I personally do not ride on the roads in built up areas for safety reasons, but I do thank you for your advice to be careful in Bendigo.
When there is no bicycle path, I will walk.
My interpretation of the road rules, are that it would do me no good, to have my kinfolks argue that the driver of the vehicle was in the wrong, after I had been run over by that vehicle.

bluemoon2 · Senior Member

Thankyou all for your input on my blog.
This morning I rode from Golden Square to Ironbark (Bendigo suburbs.) The paths are very erratic with lots of bumps, broken slabs, poor exits or lack of. At one stage I had to travel about 100 metres on the road as there was no path. I was in a designated bike lane. Trucks come within 1/2 a metre often and I appreciate that they are large and find it difficult to give you space but they don't slow at all. Really scares SSSssshhhh...t. out of you, because you don't know what to expect I feel the roads should not have been painted with bike lanes as they are too narrow. In Queensland, for some reason, the width of road and bike path is sufficient and they must by law, give you a metre space when passing or 1.5 if travelling over 60klm/h . I don't blame Bendigo, just that it was poorly planned. Sometimes here on the paths I feel my bike is going to shake to pieces. We like it here a lot so I better stop whinging before I am extradited !!

Onedodger · Guru

I would like to see a law that states that where a Cycle way is available all cyclists must use the cycle way and not the road. And yes I too cycle.

greyhoundtom · Senior Member

Onedodger wrote:
I would like to see a law that states that where a Cycle way is available all cyclists must use the cycle way and not the road. And yes I too cycle.

That would OK except for the fact that in Australia at least 90% of al so called bike paths are in fact shared paths. While these are great if all you want to do is go for a lesurely Sunday ride, but absolutely hopeless if you are using your bike as your main transport to get to work. So many of these bike paths wander all over the place, often just run into a dead end, and just not suitable in most instances.

Then we have those wonderful bike paths that consist of a white line painted about a metre away from rows of parked cars along many roads. Great stuff if you want to get doored by some moron opening their car door right in front of you, hurtling you into the traffic, and killing you in the process.

There is only one way for a cyclist to get home safely after his or her journey, and that is to ride the roads they need to travel on in such a manner as to be clearly visible to other traffic on the road, and that does not mean riding on the edge of the road trying to stay out of the gravel, or ducking in and out of behind parked cars, but riding roughly in the left wheel track of all of the other vehicles on the road.

This makes them clearly visible the other traffic, easier to pas safely, and all it takes is for drivers to recognise they have a right to be there for them to get home safely.

Moron bike riders? Off course there are absolute morons that ride bikes who do the wrong thing far too often, and believe you me if I see anyone riding a bike in a stupid and dangerous manner I'm the first one to jump down their throat and tell them so.

BruDi · Senior Member

Get in touch with the schools and speak to the principal. As an ex school principal I know that I would have followed it up. Also there are new bike rules to cover bike riders, well in SA there are; the one metre and 1.5 metre rules.

Her response to your wife is racism and schools have policies with consequences for that.

Di

Magnarc · Guru

Bike riders would perhaps be tolerated more if they paid a rego fee like the rest of us. I am an ex bus driver in Melbourne and, whilst I do not endorse the attitude of the driver in Bendigo, I fully understand her frustration. Riders are a nightmare during peak periods when trying to maintain schedule times. If you want to ride a bike at least make a financial contribution instead of freeloading.

End of rant.

greyhoundtom · Senior Member

Magnarc wrote:
Bike riders would perhaps be tolerated more if they paid a rego fee like the rest of us. I am an ex bus driver in Melbourne and, whilst I do not endorse the attitude of the driver in Bendigo, I fully understand her frustration. Riders are a nightmare during peak periods when trying to maintain schedule times. If you want to ride a bike at least make a financial contribution instead of freeloading.
End of rant.

Believe you me if governments thought that they could obtain extra revenue by making all cyclists pay a registration fees it would have been in place a long time ago. However several State governments have done feasibility studies and have concluded it was going to cost more to collect it than they would gain.

However if bike regigistration were implemented, are you going to make every parent with kids that ride bikes pay registration for those bikes? If not, at what point or at what age is going to be the cutoff point?

Should registration be paid for each individual bike or will the registration be attached to the individual rider? Mmm if it was the individual that has to obtain registration for their own person instead of their bikes the rider would need to wear some sort of number plate to clearly show they were registered.

Registration fee should that, as it is with a lot of vehicles, be based on the damage that vehicle does to the roads? If that was the case bike registration would need to be about 20 cents per year.

That whole business of registering bike riders or their bikes "to make them pay their share of the road" is huge Furphy trotted out by those that simply see bike riders as a nuisance that get in their way, and as a way of trying to portray them as second class citizens that have no rights being on the road.

There is no way in the world that having cyclists pay registration is going to change that attitude. If it magically ensured that all drivers would respect the right of cyclists to be on the road I have no doubt that all cyclists including me would happily pay a registration fee.

Then there is the fact that currently registration fees do not pay for the roads, as car, truck, and bus registration fees fall a hell of a long way short of paying for either their upkeep or new road construction, as all of that is financed out of general revenue.

Speeding fines? Now that is another story. furious

Cupie · Guru

greyhoundtom wrote:
Magnarc wrote:
Bike riders would perhaps be tolerated more if they paid a rego fee like the rest of us. I am an ex bus driver in Melbourne and, whilst I do not endorse the attitude of the driver in Bendigo, I fully understand her frustration. Riders are a nightmare during peak periods when trying to maintain schedule times. If you want to ride a bike at least make a financial contribution instead of freeloading.
End of rant.
Believe you me if governments thought that they could obtain extra revenue by making all cyclists pay a registration fees it would have been in place a long time ago. However several State governments have done feasibility studies and have concluded it was going to cost more to collect it than they would gain.
However if bike regigistration were implemented, are you going to make every parent with kids that ride bikes pay registration for those bikes? If not, at what point or at what age is going to be the cutoff point?
Should registration be paid for each individual bike or will the registration be attached to the individual rider? Mmm if it was the individual that has to obtain registration for their own person instead of their bikes the rider would need to wear some sort of number plate to clearly show they were registered.
Registration fee should that, as it is with a lot of vehicles, be based on the damage that vehicle does to the roads? If that was the case bike registration would need to be about 20 cents per year.
That whole business of registering bike riders or their bikes "to make them pay their share of the road" is huge Furphy trotted out by those that simply see bike riders as a nuisance that get in their way, and as a way of trying to portray them as second class citizens that have no rights being on the road.
There is no way in the world that having cyclists pay registration is going to change that attitude. If it magically ensured that all drivers would respect the right of cyclists to be on the road I have no doubt that all cyclists including me would happily pay a registration fee.
Then there is the fact that currently registration fees do not pay for the roads, as car, truck, and bus registration fees fall a hell of a long way short of paying for either their upkeep or new road construction, as all of that is financed out of general revenue.
Speeding fines? Now that is another story.

A lot of the implementation costs of things like Bike Rego on individuals could be easily solved by micro chipping all humans at birth (just like we do to dogs & cats) & recording the data on a world wide super data base. (Secure of course !!!!!)

All of your financials etc would be linked ... including shopping loyalty cards, Toll cards, registration for all thingos including push bikes & hover boards not to mention rates. Use the chip just like the 'Touch & Go' on your current cards.

Appropriate fees/fines etc could be deducted by Govt entities. Takes Orwell's 1984 Big Brother to another dimension.

The opportunities are almost limitless ... Think ... security Terrorists, Teenagers into nightclubs, entrance to X rated cinema movies . even porn sites on the internet .... the list is limitless.

Nothing to worry about. You do trust your Pollies & Public Servants ..... & scammers don't you?

Evie n Rhys · Senior Member

As a past resident of Bendigo I apologize on behalf of those nice citizens of that lovely city. The driver was out of line and there is no excuse. Having lived on beach rd Elwood I could complain about some cyclist but they are not all a problem just like not all drivers are like her. I hope you don't hold it against the city in general. Personally I would not ride on the road at all. I'm strictly a cycle path girl myself. Not very confident either.

Branchie · Senior Member

Well I guess that's Bendigo of our bucket list...

03_Troopy · Guru

Branchie wrote:
Well I guess that's Bendigo of our bucket list...

That sort of reasoning is not going to leave many places on your bucket list confuse

aussie_paul · Guru

03_Troopy wrote:
Branchie wrote:
Well I guess that's Bendigo of our bucket list...
That sort of reasoning is not going to leave many places on your bucket list

As with most things in life, just got to take the good with the bad.

Aussie Paul. smile

brickies · Guru

Anyone that leaves Bendigo off their bucket list well sure be the loser , Not Bendigo lots to see and do .

Cupie · Guru

We found Bendigo a great place to visit. I'd put it back on the list.

The Chinese 'Museum' with its mamouth Dragon and gardens was great as was the undergound gold mine tour near the center of town.

I love the achitecture & the old classic workers cottages.

I'm currently reading yet another book on Eureka, set in the Bendigo Ballarat area of course. This one is by Peter Fitzsimons who writes great historical novels. It brings out the proletariat in me. Though I must admit that my first Australian forebear was part of the establishment ... a NSW (Rum) Corps Soldier. He was not involved in Eureka Stockade uprising but did march on Australia's Vinegar Hill incident. He spent many years at Paramatta beside the river & took up a grant of land at Windsor.

dieseltojo · Senior Member

What surprises me is the lack of friendliness toward cyclists.
The I am bigger, I go faster, I am in a hurry, I pay my rego comments etc. become tiresome. And we are talking about a valued member of the community and another member of someones family. Suddenly it is ok to terrorize them on some pretext of being in a hurry. Al because theat person is on a bike.

A bloke has two cars and a Caravan all registered, and somehow he is a wrongdoer due to fallacious claims that rego covers the costs of road making in Australia. The monies actually come from the overall internal revenue; yes folks the pedestrian on the path shares the cost of road building.

I ride in Narrie Warren and Dandenong area in Vic and believe me it has very busy roads.
But what exactly places a motorist, and that includes me, in a more prominent privileged position on the road than the next bloke.

Ok in this post a bus driver is demanding his/her right of way due to an alleged time table or as put forward I am bigger All these expressions assume that when I am on a bike that I am not in a hurry. I actually like to ride to my ability and that means mostly as fast as I can. Mind you that will be slow compared to motorised transport.

Consider that in Vic a bike rider is generally not permitted on a foot path and must use the roads. Incidentally, the term Right of way is no longer in any road rule.

I try to do any trip under five kays on my bike, if everyone did this say for a week that would put 500 bikes on the road and take 500 cars out of say Bendigo. Doesnt it make sense to the average thinking person? You need only a second to overtake a slow moving cyclist as compared to a car that takes much more room.

And of course the one metre rule will panic the slow thinkers that have never had a car a 100 mm of their elbow. I like the analogy of standing on a train platform a metre from the platforms edge as a train comes in, and not flinching. Then you would automatically understand why a cyclist doesnt get a fair go from motorists that do not ride a bike.

bluemoon2 · Senior Member

Thankyou all for your input into my post. I had no idea it would create as much feedback as it has.
We have been in Bendigo now for about 3 weeks and like it a lot. Its been a bit hot lately but that's ok. People are very friendly and if you enquire for directions they fall over you to help.
I feel now that my wife and I must ride as safely as possible here and not let some unthoughtful drivers ruin our voyage around this beautiful place.
Something again ? !! Yesterday I was riding back to the Caravan park where we are based and was travelling in the bike lane, coming back from the bank. Sun was out , life was great, love my wife ! and life. Just humming along safely in my bike lane. Next thing,BBBRMMM whooshhhhhh!!!......a large crane truck flew past about one foot distance from me, I swear. I literally panicked and peed myself. I drive a 60 ft all up coach and trailer and in 3 years have never ever come close to anyone like this . At the next lights he was pulled up and I looked up at his open passenger window as I cycled slowly past and yelled !! Heyyyy tooo close. He turned left behind me at the lights into the sunset. I memorised the business name on the vehicle and thought , why not give them a ring, before he runs over some poor school kid. What in the heck is his hurry??? . For god sake, I am not hard to see ! I have 2 flashing high intensity white LED tail lights and a yellow riders vest and a high intensity flashing led light on front .
I rang the Crane company when having a coffee at home . I do not ring up people to rant and rave. I compose myself and explain my complaint. I was answered by a very nice fellow who turned out to be the owner of the crane company . I explained my dilemma and he knew the truck and driver. I had given time and position of my scary encounter.
He thanked me very much and told me he never ever condones this type of behaviour with his drivers . (nicer attitude than previous bus company who didn't bother to get back to us )
He said, Peter I am very glad you have rung me about this driver, Quote: " This is the nail in his coffin" I have a previous, similar complaint about his driving, and God forbid I don't want a death resulting from my drivers on the road. He thanked me strongly for ringing him and apologised very strongly. I wish the driver no malice but better this than him hurting someone on the road.

Please ! I am not a whinger, just want to know why drivers have this inept attitude. I am 66 and fit. If I had a weak heart, the drivers would bother me .
I realise that bike riding is not for everyone, but for those of us who are fortunate and fit enough to get out there , we deserve to do it safely. Also respect other road users as well.

Bevandy2 · Senior Member

Bluemoon,
Your story would probably make a good discussion in the local newspaper, with the ease of email these days, send it in, as well as to the local council rep, and maybe the state rep as well, from what you say that arrogant bus driver was way out of line, don't know about Vic but here in Qld Ch7 local news are always asking for stories, send it in, live on the edge and give this bus driver and her bosses a real good hard time.

But make sure you were not in the wrong in the first place.