Rant: Cyclists, Oz Bureaucracy ....
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="SammyC" data-cid="561744" data-time="1456798111"><p><a class="bbc_url" href="http://www.cycle-helmets.com/netherlands-helmets.html">http://www.cycle-helmets.com/netherlands-helmets.html</a><br><br>
Seeing as we are talking about Australia here I'll elaborate based on that<br><br><span style="color:rgb(46,139,87);"><span style="font-family:Monaco;"><span style="font-size:10px;">In the Netherlands from 2003 to 2007, 27.5% of cyclist casualties admitted to hospital had head or brain injuries.</span></span></span><br><br><span style="color:rgb(46,139,87);"><span style="font-family:Monaco;"><span style="font-size:10px;">In Australia in 2005/06, 25.7% of cyclists with serious injuries had head injuries.</span></span></span><br><br><span style="color:rgb(46,139,87);"><span style="font-family:Monaco;"><span style="font-size:10px;">Based on these figures, the Netherlands has a 1.8% greater proportion of cyclist head injuries than does Australia. The Netherlands had an average 2,150 cyclist head/brain injuries per year from 2003-2007, compared to 1,122 serious head injuries in Australia in 2005/06.</span></span></span><br><br><span style="color:rgb(46,139,87);"><span style="font-family:Monaco;"><span style="font-size:10px;">In the Netherlands from 2003/07, an average 8,000 cyclists were admitted to hospital each year. In Australia in 2005/06, 4,370 cyclists suffered serious injury.</span></span></span><br><br><br>
1.8% more head injuries, wow!<br><br>
In a population where almost nobody wears a helmet when riding about town and country. Yep, that seems a fairly manageable level of increased injury. Nobody here is claiming that helmetless riding has zero risk, just that the negatives of helmet compulsion are not backed up by real benefits.<br><br>
now if we factor in that On average, every Dutch person cycles 2.5km every day and 93% of the population rides a bike at least once a week. Every Australian cycles about 0.1km every day I think the stats show that the helmets are't helping much.</p></blockquote>
That looks suspiciously like pseudo-science. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="SammyC" data-cid="561758" data-time="1456801540"><p>
The debate is not whether wearing a bicycle helmet is safer, its whether mandatory helmet laws increase safety in the community.<br><br>
The 2 are mutually exclusive.</p></blockquote>
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Que? -
I have just got back from 10 days in Napier.<br><br>12 mths ago I was there and thought fuck sakes 70kms of dedicated cycle way. Time to get me a bike.<br><br>Spent two days riding last week and thoroughly enjoyed it. I am a lycra free zone and as soon as I have finished riding I get changed into normal clothes. (although having preciously spent 3 days dressed in a variety of 1930's outfits you tend to lose focus on normal...)<br><br>It's a nice way to cruise around. I don't take it seriously but man their are some total piston wristed gibbons on bikes.<br><br>I also have to deal with both Akl Transport cycling and the various pro cycling lobby groups in my role on the NFP I chair.<br><br>Talk about fucking Nazi's. Very well organised and fair play to them for that, but what a sense of entitlement. There are some real messiah complexes out there. The blessed saints of 2 wheel pedal power will ascend to heaven whilst the rest of us are selfish heathen scum. Total inability to compromise, very narrow focus, no sense of possibly conflicting priorities. The sooner we spend gazillions on a cycling network and close down all roads the closer we are to paradise.<br><br>Some of their tactics are very very dubious and have only a nodding acquaintance with reality - or truth.
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Rancid Schnitzel" data-cid="561777" data-time="1456807859">
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<p>How many of those were killed by trams? Those things scared the shit out of me when I was in Amsterdam. Silent killers.</p>
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<p>I work in the Viaduct where there's a sh*tload of cabs around.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I swear to god I nearly get taken out by a fcuking Prius at least once a week when they sneak up on you crossing the road somewhere.</p>
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<p>someone needs to stick a bell on the front of those fcukers or something.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="WillieTheWaiter" data-cid="561859" data-time="1456874501">
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<p>I work in the Viaduct where there's a sh*tload of cabs around.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I swear to god I nearly get taken out by a fcuking Prius at least once a week when they sneak up on you crossing the road somewhere.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>someone needs to stick a bell on the front of those fcukers or something.</p>
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<p>Do you see the irony in this post?</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Baron Silas Greenback" data-cid="561862" data-time="1456875622">
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<p>Do you see the irony in this post?</p>
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<p> </p>
<p>No.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="antipodean" data-cid="561888" data-time="1456881011">
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<p>No.</p>
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<p> </p>
<p>Colour me surprised. </p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="dogmeat" data-cid="561850" data-time="1456871530">
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<p>I have just got back from 10 days in Napier.<br><br>
12 mths ago I was there and thought fuck sakes 70kms of dedicated cycle way. Time to get me a bike.<br><br>
Spent two days riding last week and thoroughly enjoyed it. I am a lycra free zone and as soon as I have finished riding I get changed into normal clothes. (although having preciously spent 3 days dressed in a variety of 1930's outfits you tend to lose focus on normal...)<br><br>
It's a nice way to cruise around. I don't take it seriously but man their are some total piston wristed gibbons on bikes.<br><br>
I also have to deal with both Akl Transport cycling and the various pro cycling lobby groups in my role on the NFP I chair.<br><br><strong>Talk about fucking Nazi's. Very well organised and fair play to them for that, but what a sense of entitlement. There are some real messiah complexes out there. The blessed saints of 2 wheel pedal power will ascend to heaven whilst the rest of us are selfish heathen scum. Total inability to compromise, very narrow focus, no sense of possibly conflicting priorities. The sooner we spend gazillions on a cycling network and close down all roads the closer we are to paradise.</strong><br><br>
Some of their tactics are very very dubious and have only a nodding acquaintance with reality - or truth.</p>
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<p> </p>
<p>This is the attitude of many cyclists that pisses me off and in their eyes leaves no room for debate or discussion. I'd be very surprised if it wasn't just this narrow viewpoint that is one of the major reasons of motorists and pedestrians angst.</p> -
<p>What's up guys, you let this rant thread be replaced by a freedom campers thread!</p>
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<p>I'll relate my latest cyclist story in the hope of firing up WTW and SammyC ;).</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Was walking along the footpath next to one of the new bike lanes in Sydney today (In the street in between George and Sussex) and this little old Asian lady was walking across the cycle lane when a cyclist came riding along and politely told her to "get the fuck off the cycle lane", well at least I assume that he thought he was being polite, and the little old Asian lady replied with a fuck you back, then the cyclist went round the corner through a red light and got honked at by a passing motorist.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I just stood there chuckling to myself thinking about this thread.</p> -
<p>.</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Nepia" data-cid="562445" data-time="1457085875"><p>
What's up guys, you let this rant thread be replaced by a freedom campers thread!<br><br>
I'll relate my latest cyclist story in the hope of firing up WTW and SammyC ;).<br><br>
Was walking along the footpath next to one of the new bike lanes in Sydney today (In the street in between George and Sussex) and this little old Asian lady was walking across the cycle lane when a cyclist came riding along and politely told her to "get the fuck off the cycle lane", well at least I assume that he thought he was being polite, and the little old Asian lady replied with a fuck you back, then the cyclist went round the corner through a red light and got honked at by a passing motorist.<br><br>
I just stood there chuckling to myself thinking about this thread.</p></blockquote>
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Excellent made me chuckle too mate -
Good article here:<br><br>
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.theaustralian.com.au/life/helmet-laws-and-lycra-make-bikes-unhealthy-for-casual-cyclists/news-story/5aac70b565998742d24f09e3e4c000ba'>http://www.theaustralian.com.au/life/helmet-laws-and-lycra-make-bikes-unhealthy-for-casual-cyclists/news-story/5aac70b565998742d24f09e3e4c000ba</a> -
<p>I gave up writing tickets to people not wearing helmets when I read about a magistrate letting a Sikh off a ticket. The Sikh claimed he couldn't wear a helmet because it would mess up his turban.</p>
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<p>This thread just reinforces to me how irrational the whole Cyclist vs Motorist argument is. Just fucking get along and share the road. There are fluffybunnys on both sides of the argument. I ride and I drive. Some cyclists piss me when I am driving and some motorists piss me off when I am riding. I especially love the arse holes that drive as close to you as they possibly can because they want to show how tough they are while they are all safe and sound in their cars. Give them some abuse and they put on their brakes to show me how lucky they are they didn't stop and beat the shit out of me.</p>
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<p>I once wrote up a 'peloton' for not stopping at a red light. Fuckers like that piss me off because their behaviour annoys motorists and that makes me more vulnerable when I ride. I admit enjoyed it.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Crazy Horse" data-cid="562852" data-time="1457231838">
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<p>I gave up writing tickets to people not wearing helmets when I read about a magistrate letting a Sikh off a ticket. The Sikh claimed he couldn't wear a helmet because it would mess up his turban.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>This thread just reinforces to me how irrational the whole Cyclist vs Motorist argument is. Just fucking get along and share the road. There are fluffybunnys on both sides of the argument. I ride and I drive. Some cyclists piss me when I am driving and some motorists piss me off when I am riding. I especially love the arse holes that drive as close to you as they possibly can because they want to show how tough they are while they are all safe and sound in their cars. Give them some abuse and they put on their brakes to show me how lucky they are they didn't stop and beat the shit out of me.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>I once wrote up a 'peloton' for not stopping at a red light. Fuckers like that piss me off because their behaviour annoys motorists and that makes me more vulnerable when I ride. I admit enjoyed it.</strong></p>
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<p>I was thinking this post was far too rational for the fern until I rad the part in bold. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Well done, please film it next time that is gold.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Crazy Horse" data-cid="562852" data-time="1457231838"><p>
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This thread just reinforces to me how irrational the whole Cyclist vs Motorist argument is. Just fucking get along and share the road.</p></blockquote>
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I couldn't agree more. To help a bit of mutual understanding I would like (in UK at any rate) that more cycling awareness is introduced into the driving test, and that some kind of cycling proficiency is introduced for cyclists so they are more car aware. <br><br>
It seems crazy to me that you need to past tests for motorbikes and cars, but somewhere as busy as London you can potentially jump on a bike without any road experience or the faintest knowledge of the Highway Code and be expected to cycle safely in heavy traffic.<br><br>
I love cycling, but it's a bit rich to complain of lack of cycle lanes etc, when it's the motorists footing the bill through road tax. I would not be averse to paying a cycle road tax, especially if it means pot holes, drains etc get repaired more quickly. Just last week a father of three died when he hit a pot hole. He was out on club ride, just didn't see it time. A lot of the roads around London are shite and it means you cannot cycle close to the kerb because of hazards. This is something that of course infuriates motorists as they don't understand you're taking your life in your hands when cycling over drains etc. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Crazy Horse" data-cid="562852" data-time="1457231838">
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<p>I gave up writing tickets to people not wearing helmets when I read about a magistrate letting a Sikh off a ticket. The Sikh claimed he couldn't wear a helmet because it would mess up his turban.</p>
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</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p>Queensland - making a joke of the safety argument for having to wear a helmet. Apparently Vishnu prevents you bumping your head.</p>