Cyclist nearly crushed to death twice.

Comment by Georgie Boy on September 5, 2012 at 12:44pm

I got sick & tired of being run off the road & flattened so I decided to purchase a cheap cam. This was my 1st ride out. What you are about to see will amaze you that this in fact is not a 3rd world country but our Whitsundays at Airlie Beach.

The sad part is that local Council has plenty of signs warning motorists of cyclists, they even have a training circuit (where the footage was taken along)

This only goes to prove the dysfunctional approach motorists take toward cyclists.

Please share this video.

Comment by Jason B on September 5, 2012 at 12:57pm

In a built up area, either ride fully in the shoulder or fully in the lane (ie left vehicle wheel track).

If the shoulder isn't wide enough, then always fully in the lane.  if you are riding 1 inch into the shoulder, then you have to give way to all traffic in the traffic lane, and if you ride along the shoulder line, you are completely in no-mans land, where the guiding factor will simply be the general driving optimism of the driver as to whether or not you were in the shoulder and whether or not they fit.

 

On approach to a roundabout you should be taking steps to ensure that the traffic is serialised around you, and not trying to overtake you (ie find a gap and centralise to prime position in the lane).

 

Yes I understand the frustration, but from behind it will look like you are intentionally leaving those spaces for the motorists to use.

 

Comment by Colin on September 5, 2012 at 1:23pm

Many drivers in Australia are a bit clueless about how to drive around cyclists, so you need to send strong signals to them. Like Jason says "from behind it will look like you are intentionally leaving those spaces for [them] to use". Better to shut down their unsafe options by using up the whole lane so that if they want to pass they have to wait until there's a gap in oncoming traffic. The people that would have overtaken dangerously will instead beep their horns and get enraged, but that's better.

Comment by Rob Berry on September 5, 2012 at 2:03pm

There are a few good BikeWise blog posts about this:

http://www.bikewise.com.au/2012/08/excuse-me-taking-space-in-a-smal...

http://www.bikewise.com.au/2012/05/navigating-the-roundabout/

You really have to make it impossible for cars to overtake you sometimes.

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