Cyclists from Critical Mass blocking the city tonight

[Jamesy]

Mary sent a message to alert staff.......


Just thought you might want to warn the staff that critical mass will be blocking the city friday at 6pm, just in case anyone is planning to drive there or has plans. Critical mass is a bunch of enthusiastic cyclists who want to make there point heard. I wont be there this time but i do know if anyone has dinner engagements or is trying to make an appointment, it can be quite frustrating....

http://critical-mass.info/ (Critical Mass)

Had a look and Critical Mass is a monthly bicycle ride to celebrate cycling and to assert cyclists' right to the road


Seriously, doesn't this just breed more resentment and poor attitudes back to cyclists from all road users. I mean there are a few cyclists who rudely block roads by sitting in the middle of the road (double white lines) so motorists can't pass. Of course this is only a few from many so what does Critical Mass hope to accomplish? How does this help there cause?

This is their local website. http://www.bikesarefun.org/

[Underground]

I think my Grandma's been wanting to drive my car, she's been hassling me since 83' when they revoked her license...I'm guessing tonight would be a good time to head into town, I need a Sober driver.

[Jamesy]

Grannie would be good. Straight around Hyde Park and home Grannie.

This is how the NYPD manage Critical Mass


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUkiyBVytRQ

[Foghorn]

This is how the NYPD manage Critical Mass

The believe that's termed "The full force of the Law"

[Underground]

Critical Mass is a monthly bicycle ride to celebrate cycling and to assert cyclists' right to the road



CM is intended to be a celebration, not an opportunity to cause trouble. Those who want to try to tie up traffic as much as possible and be confrontational with motorists are missing the point. We can assert our right to the road without being rude about it. Focus on the ride, not on the cars that also happen to be on the road.


Celebration eh? I call 40 kg's of Coke, 5 strippers and a bottle of Dimple, and two cleared credit cards a celebration.

[Jamesy]

Celebration eh? I call 40 kg's of Coke, 5 strippers and a bottle of Dimple, and two cleared credit cards a celebration.

I am getting two of those items next month so I readily agree

Seriously, 40kg! I'd call that a coronary

[Underground]

Seriously, 40kg! I'd call that a coronary

It starts with 'C'

[Foghorn]

Seriously, 40kg! I'd call that a coronary

I'd call it..............Oblivion

[Wattie]

as long as the dumb pricks keep their 3 second gap, there will be no problems with me brake checking them.

[Underground]

I think we should unleash Johhny on the Spandex monkeys

http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee167/the_stealcian/johnnyweee.gif

[SIX36]

Where'd Zakks post go... it was good for a Friday arvo laugh....

[2ndclasscitizen]

Damn! That was a huge hit from that cop!

[Jamesy]

Where'd Zakks post go... it was good for a Friday arvo laugh....

Yes, I read something about his waxed sack and then it was gone. He was probably being all inappropriate again like he is at PITS :)

[Captain]

What an a*hole that cop is ... even if the cyclists shit me too, sometimes.

[*Oggy*]

I know it's illegal to run them over in a car... but can we do it on the motorbikes.... (both on two wheels an all).... :rules:


1000 or more bikes blocking the Harbour bridge is fine... they are demonstrating....

If ONE guy walks into a pub with colours.... they are taken away in a paddy wagon.... yep equality.....

[slow bro]

Celebration eh? I call 40 kg's of Coke, 5 strippers and a bottle of Dimple, and two cleared credit cards a celebration. :lmao::lmao::lmao:

[Captain]

Well, Carl Scully is road minister again, so things are about to get interesting ....



To be aired this Sunday (31/1/10) morning on Radio National at 9am:- ABC programme on cycling safety.

Read the transcript, but here's Carl's gem of knowledge


Di Martin: This latest suggestion to ban cyclists during peak hour traffic didn't come from a shock jock, it came from former New South Wales Transport Minister, Carl Scully.

Carl Scully: Well no-one suggests pedestrians should walk in the middle of a laneway in a morning or evening peak. I can't see much difference between a
pedestrian and a pedestrian on a bike.

Cars, trucks and buses are what roads are built for. Tracks for trains, water for boats and footpaths for bikes and pedestrians.

:lmao:

[Linden]

1000 or more bikes blocking the Harbour bridge is fine... they are demonstrating....

If ONE guy walks into a pub with colours.... they are taken away in a paddy wagon.... yep equality.....

Couple of years (ok decades) ago when the Harbour Bridge toll (for bikes) when up from 5c to something lots bigger ($1) a bunch of us (around 100+) showed up with $10 and $20 notes to pay the toll -:blumsmiley: - the cops - :bum1smiley: - then made a bunch of guys pay for the next 9 or they would be arrested (back then this would probably involve some "friendly" encouragement not to do that again

[ottospunkmeister]

I sympathise with cyclists seeing as its a great way to keep fit, be environmentally friendly etc. (probably going to get flamed for that comment lol). Problem is for them to fit in you really need dedicated cycle lanes (not just a picture of a bicycle painted on the side of the road right in the "impact zone" between passing cars and opening doors of parked cars like our current state government is doing whilst claiming to be building hundreds of km of new cycle lanes what a fucking joke they are). Cyclists are basically too slow for the road and too fast for the footpath. Riding in the middle of the lane not allowing anyone to pass is dumb and sooner or later will get you an angry reaction. Dangerous to others as well because after a while of car drivers following you and not being able to pass they just lose the plot and overtake anyway so end up on the wrong side of the road around blind corners. This is not a problem that is going to go away anytime soon and the Nazi attitude of some cyclists is not helping them. It was a great body check that cop did though. Must have been a linebacker in a previous life.

[jase954]

i was riding down the bus lane on epping road the other day and there was a push bike riding down it aswell... i dont think he appreciated the gap i left or the gestures... but seriously? there's a f'ing good bicycle lane (which was virtually empty), but he chose to hold up traffic instead. some of them really are that stupid!:BangHead:
it was peak hour, not in the middle of the night when no cars are around. i felt sorry for the busses that would have gotten caught behind him.

[Wattie]

i've actually on numerous occasions ridden down the inside of wayward bicycle riders up the old road. scares the fuck out of them!

i thinks its sad seing bikes allowed to ride the M7, especially after one got killed not long ago. and there is a multi million dollar bike track running along side.

and if they want to complain about the hills, HTFU arent you riding for fitness?

[Fezz]

People cycle for different reasons Wattie, many who ride the freeway shoulder are usually doing so for a training ride.

I cycle the M7 bicycle path regularly and it can get congested with people walking 4 wide, people riding Thumpster motorbikes, etc...

I always go riding really early to avoid traffic when riding Razorback/Cobbity, etc and have never had a problem with any cars. When riding to Waterfall you will find cyclists take up a whole lane simply to avoid some idiot trying to shoehorn their Landcruiser in the lane with you.

If you hate cyclists, good on you.

In saying that I do not agree with this critical mass bullshit.

[Krack]

Pay rego or take it to the velodrome spandex boy!

[rats666]

I only ride bikes to hangout with chicks in spandex...... not worth being killed by some moron in a cage though, that thinks he owns the road. Cycling is fun (especially for the first reason), and if we were all a little more aware and patient,its not really that hard to get along. agreed there are dicks out there taht think holding up traffic is there god given right.... they are probably the same morons that try and run motorcyclists off the raod as well.

[gav500]

Pay rego or take it to the velodrome spandex boy!

:ayyy:

[SIX36]

Pay rego or take it to the velodrome spandex boy!

And 3rd party CTP, who's insurance pays if they cause a accident......

[Fezz]

Who pays when someones 6 year old kid rides there BMX in to moving traffic and causes an accident?

What about when pedestrians cause an accident?

If you want cyclists to pay rego and insurance, then you'll also have to do the same on your kids 20" BMX bike for when he rides it on the road with his mates...

[Kwaka12r]

Pay rego or take it to the velodrome spandex boy!


ive tried this. the rta says that a pushbike is a non compliance vehicle. i asked for more clarification. they said it doesnt need to be registered according to the australian road rules and they left it at that. with more emails came that "rego" is a registration fee and doesnt pay for any road related costs. and even more obviously insurance only insures the single car in an accident. yet another cost that doesnt have anything to do with a "right to the road". even more emails found out that only trucks pay a road tax. so hey guys everyone get out of a trucks way! they pay for your roads!.
the best one is a car driver claiming he pays his taxes so he has a right to the road. which means all cyclists are tax cheats if they dont pay tax and dont have the same "right to the road".

[SIX36]

Plain and simple they don't belong on Sydney roads... More people would be more accepted to the sistuation if
a. They played by the road rules and not make up their own.
b. They did have some liability when using the rd, not talking about the once a week rider or kids but the die hard cyclists who ride everyday who ride on busy main roads.
Through Homebush groups of theses spandex boys ang girls ride 3 or 4 wide outside the bike lanes never stop for red lights no form of indicating if they are turning.

[mrkotter]

Pay rego or take it to the velodrome spandex boy!

I think is a bullshit argument for a number of reasons:

- Pushbikes cause pretty much no damage to the road. How often do you see a bicycle path being relaid? And its not like they are in crap condition (finding one is a difficult job though)

- Even if they did pay rego its not like that money gets spent on roads its just dumped into consolidated revenue.

- With 1/2 the country fat putting a tax on something which promotes fitness will see people who cycle forced back into cars. So they too could now add to the obseity problem. Further adding to congestion in Sydney

- obvious environmental benefits. Increased taxation in the form of registration will lead to less cyclists and lessen this benefit.

I'm not saying cyclists are gods and I'm not saying they are always right. I've had my fair share of twats on cycles (Pacific Hwy anyone?). But as someone who cycles as well, some car drivers are absolute shits. I've had people cut me off, pass me dangerously on bends, pass me with 1cm to spare, some who can't pass so I've had to wave them through etc. Painted cycle lanes on the road are the worst. You cycle in them you risk getting car doored, cycle safely just outside of the lane you are in the car lane.

Dedicated off road cycle lanes are a god send until you get to mothers with prams who think they have the right to block the entire path and not move out of the way. Or dickheads who just stop on the path and don't take two steps to get off it.

I think generally the RTA is responsible for this mess. They promised cyclists safe cycling while promising cars that they wouldn't get in the way. When the RTA copped out of these promises we have ended up where we are. Crap bullshit arguments like this one though, will do nothing to solve the problem, only make it worse. I would have thought as motorcyclists with the shit we have copped over the years, paying outrageous prices for greenslips that won't cover us, we would have learnt this lesson, obviously not.

[Krack]

Next Syd to Gong Mr Kotter stop and say hello. I'll be at Bald Hill in the banana lounge with esky and bucket of rotten fruit.
Oh, and check out my website, http://www.regoforspandexwearingnancyboys.com.au

Sorry, try this link. http://www.popsucker.net/images/popsucker/spandex.jpg










Just for the record I don't truly believe pushies should pay rego, they just shit me to tears riding 2, 3 abreast around Stanwell Tops and the like. Shit me!

[mrkotter]

Just for the record I don't truly believe pushies should pay rego, they just shit me to tears riding 2, 3 abreast around Stanwell Tops and the like. Shit me!

shits me too. Love it also when they do it early morning on a major road with no lights in winter. Good times practising the high speed weave.

[Evil Manny]

We all have stories about dickhead cyclists. car drivers, truck drivers and even other dickhead motorcyclists.

Basically if these cyclists want respect then they also need to show respect to motorists by not purposely blocking traffic. Simple isn't it?

Would any of you guys ride a 50cc scooter which tops out at 70kph in the middle of a 2 lane highway where B- doubles sit up your arse even when you're sitting on 110?

[Greggy-68]

Thanks Mr Kotter for your input, i also cycle, and love it. And yes, i wear lycra, in fact, ever get a sore arse on the motorbike, after a few hours. Wear some bike shorts under your leathers, and it doesnt happen. It really works. The lyrca acts as a barrier between your arse and the liner, reducing the friction between the two. Too much detail?

The big problem we have here is lack of population, or "critical mass". We dont have the money to spend on infrastructure like they have in Europe, because we dont have enough population, and government is hell bent in spending money in marginal electorates.

The M7 ibike track is ok, if you are recreational. Why dont serious cyclists use it, cause it is a pain in the arse, stop / start, under / over, this way that. What we need is long distances at a nice consistant cadence. BTW, that bike track cost $40million dollars. Imagine this, last year, my father cycled from the start of the Danube river, all the way to the north sea, on a bike track, a bike track about as wide as a suburban street. 1600k's of bike track. We got nuthin here.

A question was raised before about "who pays if the cyclist is at fault". Well it is simple, the cyclist. Thats the law, and is detailed on the RTA website. I have full comprehensive insurance for my bike, as well as third party accident / theft insurance.

With regard to the road laws, i dont condone riding three abreast, however, it is legal to ride two abreast. I never go through traffic lights, always stop at stop signs, etc. It is just not worth the risk. Also, get sprung going through a red light on a pushy and the police can issue infringement notice and points will be deducted from your licence.

[Krack]

Here's a great cycle way that goes on forever. Even good for night riding.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1036/1136917768_a098057bdb.jpg

And if you want right handers you just go the other way.

Sorry, I'm not very constructive, am I.

[Captain]

Why dont serious cyclists use it, cause it is a pain in the arse, stop / start, under / over, this way that. What we need is long distances at a nice consistant cadence. BTW, that bike track cost $40million dollars.
Well, that's what it's like to drive a car around Sydney too ... a pain in the arse, stop / start / this way and that. I'd like to have a road all to myself too.
The roads are the same for everyone, I have cycled a lot in my youth, I even competed for a while, and it's not a problem. The problem is this 'critical mass' ... and by that I mean a mass of cyclist together, because they become worse than a lynch mob; I remember them well - their attitude was that every car driver is an idiot and out to get them, they are drivers too but of course as cyclists, they're better than the rest. It's why I never rode in a large group, I have never liked the ignorance of the 'group'.
It's very simple. I don't mind the cyclist passing me when I'm stuck in a queue, I don't even mind them jumping red traffic lights, but when I catch you, move to the left and let me pass.