Just follow the freakin rules
On Saturday morning, a 77 year old man was killed after being hit by a cyclist on Beach Rd in Mentone. That someone was killed walking in front of a bicycle is not surprising. Pretty much anyone who rides a bike in Melbourne will have had a pedestrian walk in front of them without looking at one time or another. The difference in this case is that this man was killed crossing with the 'green man' at pedestrian lights, by a 'peleton' of 200+ unofficially organised amateur riders that were either unable, or unwilling to break the bunch and stop in time.
I can't help but think that bike/car relations in Melbourne are reaching some sort of crisis point. My daily ride to and from work, mainly along bike-friendly back streets, attracts abuse from motorists (and pedestrians) probably once a week on average. People hate bike riders.
As a cyclist, the contempt with which I am treated by those in cars and pedestrians is really quite confronting. A short ride is enough to get the adrenalin pumping as you try not to get cut-off, run-over or run-into. Riding in the city can be a truly scary experience and I think that's one of the reasons cyclists feel they can behave outside the road rules - if someone on a bike is not going to be treated as another car by motorists, then why should they follow the car rules?
This is something I really feel quite strongly about. Put simply, bike riders should follow the road rules. The rules exist for a reason and if cyclists expect to be treated with respect by other road users, they have to demonstrate that they are part of the system by complying with it. Nothing enrages car drivers more than cyclists who ride through red lights.
Which brings me back to the incident on the weekend.
The cyclists traveling in the group were undertaking what apparently is known as the "Hell Ride", a daily ritual among the south-of-the-Yarra lycra-wearers. Traveling from Frankston to Port Melbourne, they travel in a tight group of up to 200 riders at speeds averaging 40km/h and often exceeding 60km/h in places. Those who participate describe the thrill of riding in a big tight group, the surges of power, the borderline control, riding shoulder to shoulder flat out on a road seemingly made for this type of activity. It must be an awesome thing to do.
But it is COMPLETELY inappropriate. Not wanting to get left behind, the 'peleton' will regularly ignore traffic lights, speeding through to maintain momentum, pushing each other on. A group like this would not only be thrilling to ride in, but would also offer protection from the often hostile traffic that travels along Beach Rd. But these are not professional riders competing on a closed course. They are amateur enthusiasts who get together informally, riding on public roads complete with traffic lights, pedestrian crossings, cars, trucks and motorbikes.
It has the same 'fuck you' feel about it as Critical Mass, the monthly protest ride that travels through the CBD during peak hour, deliberately provoking motorists by holding them up and 'making a point'.
No wonder motorists hate us.
I think Melbourne should have more infrastructure to support the growing numbers of cyclists. I think motorists should be more forgiving and much more patient when they encounter a bike on the road. But ultimately, cycling itself needs a cultural change. Those who ride bikes need take greater responsibility for the way they are perceived, whether it's the lycra'd tossers riding their $15,000 bikes in St. Kilda, or the too-cool-to-wear-a-helmet hipsters on Brunswick St.
If you ride a bike, you represent all of us, so do us a favour and don't be an arsehole. At least TRY to follow the road rules and just maybe motorists will start treating us with some sort of respect.
I can't help but think that bike/car relations in Melbourne are reaching some sort of crisis point. My daily ride to and from work, mainly along bike-friendly back streets, attracts abuse from motorists (and pedestrians) probably once a week on average. People hate bike riders.
As a cyclist, the contempt with which I am treated by those in cars and pedestrians is really quite confronting. A short ride is enough to get the adrenalin pumping as you try not to get cut-off, run-over or run-into. Riding in the city can be a truly scary experience and I think that's one of the reasons cyclists feel they can behave outside the road rules - if someone on a bike is not going to be treated as another car by motorists, then why should they follow the car rules?
This is something I really feel quite strongly about. Put simply, bike riders should follow the road rules. The rules exist for a reason and if cyclists expect to be treated with respect by other road users, they have to demonstrate that they are part of the system by complying with it. Nothing enrages car drivers more than cyclists who ride through red lights.
Which brings me back to the incident on the weekend.
The cyclists traveling in the group were undertaking what apparently is known as the "Hell Ride", a daily ritual among the south-of-the-Yarra lycra-wearers. Traveling from Frankston to Port Melbourne, they travel in a tight group of up to 200 riders at speeds averaging 40km/h and often exceeding 60km/h in places. Those who participate describe the thrill of riding in a big tight group, the surges of power, the borderline control, riding shoulder to shoulder flat out on a road seemingly made for this type of activity. It must be an awesome thing to do.
But it is COMPLETELY inappropriate. Not wanting to get left behind, the 'peleton' will regularly ignore traffic lights, speeding through to maintain momentum, pushing each other on. A group like this would not only be thrilling to ride in, but would also offer protection from the often hostile traffic that travels along Beach Rd. But these are not professional riders competing on a closed course. They are amateur enthusiasts who get together informally, riding on public roads complete with traffic lights, pedestrian crossings, cars, trucks and motorbikes.
It has the same 'fuck you' feel about it as Critical Mass, the monthly protest ride that travels through the CBD during peak hour, deliberately provoking motorists by holding them up and 'making a point'.
No wonder motorists hate us.
I think Melbourne should have more infrastructure to support the growing numbers of cyclists. I think motorists should be more forgiving and much more patient when they encounter a bike on the road. But ultimately, cycling itself needs a cultural change. Those who ride bikes need take greater responsibility for the way they are perceived, whether it's the lycra'd tossers riding their $15,000 bikes in St. Kilda, or the too-cool-to-wear-a-helmet hipsters on Brunswick St.
If you ride a bike, you represent all of us, so do us a favour and don't be an arsehole. At least TRY to follow the road rules and just maybe motorists will start treating us with some sort of respect.
One of things that I find interesting is that there's no TAC advertising aimed at cyclists OR at motorists who share the roads with cyclists. I reckon a good TAC campaign that made cyclists aware of the rules that govern them, while sticking it to motorists for being assholes, would go a long way towards legitimising cycle-commuting, and would probably solve a bunch of the problems cyclists and motorists face every day.
ReplyDeleteThings like "it's not appropriate to double-park in the bike lane outside Brunetti while you run in for a three-course lunch BUT if somebody happens to be stopped in a bike lane while attempting a reverse park, it's also not kosher to scrape your pedals along the duco."
I agree Virginia. There is little to no effort put in by either the TAC or local government to try to improve relations between bike riders and motorists.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I have recently noticed the ads by the Amy Gillet Foundation, set up in memory of the Australian cyclist killed in Germany in 2004. They're all about bikes and car drivers being nice to each other. Good on them. It's just a pity that has to come out of the funds of a private foundation.
I'm all for cyclists and motorists being nice to each other - but I think there needs to be some acknowledgement that road and road rules were originally (well, post horse-and-cart) designed with motorists foremost. Cyclists are very much an afterthought, and as such the rules are at times inappropriate for bikes. Just adding in bike lanes isn't enough.
ReplyDeleteBicycles are human-powered, and so need extra respect because of this, and a little more leeway in terms of road rules. For example, i think it should be permissible for cyclists to go the wrong way up a one-way street (in order to shorten a route), or to pass through pedestrian lights (like the ones outside many of melbourne's suburban housing commission flats) when it is clear that the pedestrians are already safely across the road. I'm not saying 'go nuts, cyclists, do whatever you want' but that road rules need to be changed to make these allowances. some progress has been made in places like Swanston street in the city and Canning Street (a popular bike route) where bike-shaped traffic lights have been incorporated into the standard traffic signals.
Cyclists and motorists alike exercise way too little in the way of anticipatory thinking on the road. The Hell Riders are a ridiculous group and should be banned from the roads simply because the ass end of the pack can't see (and therefore anticipate) the conditions ahead. Looking in mirrors isn't enough - anticipatory driving is (for example) the understanding that a bike to the left of you will get cut off when you turn left at the lights. Anticipatory cycling is the understanding that if you swoop right to avoid a pot hole you'll put yourself in front of an accelerating van. Can't wait to see more of it.
ReplyDelete"No wonder motorists hate us." ...
ReplyDelete...
"If you ride a bike, you represent all of us, so do us a favour and don't be an arsehole. At least TRY to follow the road rules and just maybe motorists will start treating us with some sort of respect."
Why are there two standards here?
When a motorist runs a red light (pretty common in Melbourne!) we don't disrespect *all* motorists.
Even if every single cyclist tomorrow started behaving all the road rules (and I advocate that they should) I truly suspect it won't magically give 'us' respect.
This will persist until that time in the future when most people ride bicycles regulary again. At that point, "cyclists" will be percieved as normal, and given as much respect (or lack of) as every other road user gives each other.
Currently, the pro-car majority in Australia dislike bicyclists, just like they dislike everything - speed cameras, school zone speed limits, truck drivers, motorcyclists, cabbies, railway level crossings, volvo drivers, petrol prices etc etc that they moan about constantly and want to blame for their miserable time spent stuck in a cage driving around.
In the meantime - ride safe and have fun y'all
:)
Hi Jeff. You have a point but I guess I think that cyclists should be leading the way.
ReplyDeleteI agree that bike riders will be despised by a fair percentage of motorists regardless of what "we" do. However, what seems to be happening at the moment is a sort of escalating antagonism and while I have little hope that change will come from car drivers, I don't see the point in pissing people off any more than is absolutely necessary.
It's not a big sacrifice - just stop when the lights are red. If nothing else, it at least gives you the high moral ground...
Thanks Tom for your comment.
ReplyDeleteI also found the antagonistic commentry in the Hun to be quite vile - I hope they calm down before they incite violence against people riding bicycles.
But who knows, maybe the shock of last weeks' incident and media coverage will encourage large bunch sport rides to act better, reducing the chance of another needless death of that sort.
BTW, I actually agree with you and a couple of posters such as Virginia, that people who love cycling should exemplify good riding behaviour at all times, including waiting for the green light - I just felt the need to make the point that we shouldn't beat *ourselves* up about the things we can't directly control, like certain people disliking us.
If nothing else, more cyclists being patient, calm and friendly in sharing our public spaces with both pedestrians and drivers will encourage potential new cyclists to make the switch better than a projected image of impatience, stress and mutual aggression.
(I'm still learning how to be calm and zen 100% of the time while riding on the road :)