Cyclists

I had a woman cyclist change lanes right in front of me without looking.  Also, have seen (or not seen) some cyclists at night with no lights &/or clothing that'll help them to be seen.

Bikes @ night = not very wise.

Was in the process of posting something else on this thread when I thought I'd give you the answer to being seen at night. This is it New Zealand's finest, 3 years trouble free and I've just had it serviced and upgraded.

 The finest light in the world bar none. http://www.nightlightning.co.nz/endurenz%20details.htm The Mighty Iblasst. Ok it's expensive but it works day in day out in all weather and pays back the money you would waste on other rechargeable systems such as Blackburn and Cateye - believe me they are nowhere near the same league.

This is a professional lighting system that blows everything else away. The customer service is wonderful too.


The reason I'm here, check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z19zFlPah-o bloody hell is all I can say.
ForteanTimes2010-07-25 15:42:39

The reason I'm here, check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z19zFlPah-o bloody hell is all I can say.
Wow indeed.

I feel so inadequate!

Years ago I saw some trials in NZ (when I was only a slightly less crazy MTBer) they were extremely skillful - but nowhere near this.

Cyclist on SH2, turning into Haywards almost made me have a collision today

Ah well it makes up for the usual x2 times a week cars usually pull out on top of me at junctions because they don't look or misjudge my speed because they want to beat the traffic and save a few seconds.

Wasn't quite the situation but oh well. Is it legal to cycle on motorways? I was under the impression it wasn't? Could be wrong though.

Yes you can cycle over the Haywards. With Motorways it varies. For example you can cycle from Paramata to Poririua on the Highway but have to turn off at Porirua. Mad system.

I'd like to see a cyclist get across the interchange without dying.

You can cycle on highways, you can't cycle on motorways.

Good point, I always struggle being british with ideas of motorways, highways and expressways over here.

Basically I just look at for the sign that says get off the road now.

Git orf moi road!

This read must have more more moaning and bleating from people who should know better than any other thread on the site. I am surprised by the INTOLERANCE of so many of teh YOUNGER Posters....

Is this directed at the angst of cyclists or tin-tops, Turkiye? Or both?

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/third-morrinsville-cyclist-dies-3902154 Oceanic62010-11-18 11:20:57

really sad week. 5 cyclists dead in 5 days.

i cycle to and from work every day and the amount of close calls with cars is really astounding.

Said it before in here (I think), I used to cycle to and from work every day in London and never had any real problems. Moved to NZ and used to cycle to and from work in Welly and there wasn't a day went by without a close call with a car.

Not a hatred for cyclists.  Kiwi motorists don't really know how to accomodate cyclists.  We are a car culture.

I've only recently started cycling and most drivers aren't too bad but that may be because I plan out my route very carefully and am very wary of other traffic around me. Has given me a whole new appreciation of cyclists though when I'm driving.

The great thing about Welly is the copius amount of trails that mean you can choose not to be near traffic if you so wish (the wind & precipitous drop-offs might get you though!)

Yeah before everyone bangs on about the dangers of cycling, car drivers are still happily killing each other at an astonishing rate. Cycling deaths just allow the media and people to go on how dangerous cycling is and never discuss the benefits.

Statistically it is slightly more dangerous to ride a bike, yet healthwise if you don't get knocked  off your bike and cycle regularly you'll live longer, be in better shape and enjoy life more because you'll be fit enough to do stuff.

New Zealand needs to look at the whole culture of road use and car use. We as a nation are quiet happy to allow kids to drive souped up cars at a young age with very little in the way of punishment if the speed or hurt someone.

Road design needs to change, cars need to go slower and not faster. Other road users need to be taken in to consideration when roads are designed or roads are retro-fitted to improve them.

But New Zealand needs to full out of love with its cars. Its pretty sad that the whole of society is based on worshiping a metal and plastic object.

Wouldn't it be nicer to live in a place with fewer cars, less noise, (the chipseal here is stupidly noisy), more freedom to just go out for a walk and buy a loaf a bread, nip into a cafe or bar,sit outside in a quite street and have a beer? Without drowning in noise and pollution?

Places that have calmed traffic have proven that they have regenerated communities. Its about time that we freed up the places we live from the noose of a transport system that only works for the car.

Err, I could be the most careful cyclist on the road and I would still come off second best to a car.

Not saying that cycling per se is dangerous, but that the road is shared with other vehicles that are always going to be safer for their occupants than it will be for riders.

If you don't beleive me you could try it out for yourself.

Agree with the rest of your post. But would also suggest that the use of cars here is because our dwellings are spread out so buying a loaf of bread or nipping into a cafe is only do-able for those fortunate enough to live within walking distance to those places (i.e. in the city).

Over Eastbourne way, I slowed for a cyclist on the bend from Sorrento Bay to Lowry Bay. This takes something under ten seconds to get through. The driver behind me went "mental".    

What gives? If it has been a car the other driver would simply have slowed. Why is it some drivers go mental at the site of a cyclist on a near empty road???


There is a YFer who gets the top prize ( I won't mention the name! ) for following a cyclist, on an EMPTY road for nearly half a km , hand on horn the whole way.
Long story but I got asked to pop around and have a word. When  I asked why I got the answer "cyclist shouldn't be on the road!!!". 

The driver behind you probably was already "mental".

People in too much of a hurry these days.

But this is my point. It is entirely logical and appropriate that you slow down when there is a cyclist on a bend. Overtaking and straying over the centre line is rather dangerous as is ploughing through and expecting the cyclist to merge with the bank/drop off.

Unfortunately if you are the cyclist you might find that not all drivers are logical or drive appropriately.

Mind you neither are all cyclists.

Oh come on! They're all f#ckin greenies - of course they are!

Yep.

Yeah I cycle approx 200km a week. Both commuting every working day and for fitness. Stats show that you are more likely to live longer if you cycle despite the risks of sharing the road.I've cycled in Wellington during rush hour and London and Cambridge back home and I commute around Porirua. I don't actually find Wellington too bad. I find the State Highways the worst, the Haywards too locally is an awful road to cycle. The Hutt SH also rubbish.

Wellington for example could really do with traffic restructuring. How many places are actually enjoyable to sit outside at? The cities around the world that have slowed traffic and transformed their urban areas to make them more cycle/ped friendly have seen businesses such as cafes, bakeries, etc spring up to accommodate the increase in foot traffic.

There is more to it than economic sense. It's more about what sort of place do we as a society want to live in? Clean, green pleasant places we can share or the impersonal dirty mess we currently live in? Fit healthy people or the obese that we will struggle to look after when they are old and obese.  Remember also NZ's selling point is it's image and that is being eroded on a daily basis.

I'm well aware of the design of NZ as it pretty much mirrors the USA, but there are cities such as Portland that are streets ahead of anything here in NZ. The only place I can think of and recently heard a talk on in redesigning infrastructure is Hastings - which intends to be NZ's first cycle-friendly city.
ForteanTimes2010-11-19 06:14:38

Its a fair point, we just don't cause the damage car drivers do when we do something wrong.

Sorry I've not done it, always gone through Johnsonville. You could try Vorb http://www.vorb.org.nz/rez_display.php?c=27&mode=posts someone will know on there.
ForteanTimes2010-11-21 10:37:59

Philadelphia Naked Bike Ride

http://www.philly.com/philly/photos/The_2010_Philadelphia_Naked_Bike_Ride_p.html?cmpid=102540079

There are some great bikes there...
ForteanTimes2011-02-19 09:51:05

Some horrendous clip of a Bike Ralley being ploughed by a 4WD in Brazil on Youtube today. Bugger knows how nobody died.

Mrs Junior almost collected a cyclist today.

Stupid f*cker thought he was in some sprint trial and decided that he could speed down Karori Road with his head down.

Tw@ttery, absolute tw@ttery.