Comments on: ‘Bicycles are the new cars’ http://treadly.net/2007/07/26/bicycles-are-the-new-cars/ Work is just something I do between bike rides Tue, 03 Jan 2012 06:01:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Treadly and Me http://treadly.net/2007/07/26/bicycles-are-the-new-cars/comment-page-1/#comment-895 Treadly and Me Fri, 27 Jul 2007 07:29:55 +0000 http://treadly.thingoid.com/2007/07/26/bicycles-are-the-new-cars/#comment-895 <p>You ought to send that to the papers Doc H.</p> You ought to send that to the papers Doc H.

]]> By: Doc Homebrew http://treadly.net/2007/07/26/bicycles-are-the-new-cars/comment-page-1/#comment-894 Doc Homebrew Fri, 27 Jul 2007 05:27:11 +0000 http://treadly.thingoid.com/2007/07/26/bicycles-are-the-new-cars/#comment-894 <p>I response to Deveny's opinion piece, John Fraser of Thornbury complains, in a letter in yesterday's Age, that as a pedestrian he has "been bullied by cyclists at least as many times as cyclists are bullied by drivers." He then provides a list of anecdotes of cyclist misdemeanours including his near death encounter with a homicidal maniac on a bike.</p> <p>I can match each of John's complaints with incidents where pedestrians have caused me, as a cyclist, grief and even potential injury, especially on shared pathways e.g.</p> <ul> <li>walking two abreast but refusing to step aside so I can safely pass</li> <li>not controlling their dog either on or off the lead</li> <li>not hearing my bell ring due to headphones then stepping in front of me</li> <li>unprovoked verbal abuse<br /> etc.</li> </ul> <p>I guess everyone makes mistakes and does silly things. We are all part of the problem and the solution. The key here is we all need to take responsibility for our own actions and respect other road/path users, whether we are a driver, cyclist or pedestrian.</p> <p>If only the debate could move beyond the blame-game and simplicistic stereotypes, to a meaningful dialogue that leads to real solutions.</p> I response to Deveny’s opinion piece, John Fraser of Thornbury complains, in a letter in yesterday’s Age, that as a pedestrian he has “been bullied by cyclists at least as many times as cyclists are bullied by drivers.” He then provides a list of anecdotes of cyclist misdemeanours including his near death encounter with a homicidal maniac on a bike.

I can match each of John’s complaints with incidents where pedestrians have caused me, as a cyclist, grief and even potential injury, especially on shared pathways e.g.

  • walking two abreast but refusing to step aside so I can safely pass
  • not controlling their dog either on or off the lead
  • not hearing my bell ring due to headphones then stepping in front of me
  • unprovoked verbal abuse
    etc.

I guess everyone makes mistakes and does silly things. We are all part of the problem and the solution. The key here is we all need to take responsibility for our own actions and respect other road/path users, whether we are a driver, cyclist or pedestrian.

If only the debate could move beyond the blame-game and simplicistic stereotypes, to a meaningful dialogue that leads to real solutions.

]]> By: Doc Homebrew http://treadly.net/2007/07/26/bicycles-are-the-new-cars/comment-page-1/#comment-893 Doc Homebrew Thu, 26 Jul 2007 01:46:27 +0000 http://treadly.thingoid.com/2007/07/26/bicycles-are-the-new-cars/#comment-893 <p>Nice opinion piece, but nothing new in it. Just reinforced to me the problem with stereotypes - not all cyclists are lentil-scoffing, tree-hugging, fitness-obsessed freaks who are constantly flouting the road laws as they weave through traffic. In fact, I am sure that most are decent folks who just happen to choose a bicycle as their mode of transport. The majority of car drivers are probably decent foks too, even if most consider themselves to be of above average skill & less likely to have an accident than their peers!</p> Nice opinion piece, but nothing new in it. Just reinforced to me the problem with stereotypes – not all cyclists are lentil-scoffing, tree-hugging, fitness-obsessed freaks who are constantly flouting the road laws as they weave through traffic. In fact, I am sure that most are decent folks who just happen to choose a bicycle as their mode of transport. The majority of car drivers are probably decent foks too, even if most consider themselves to be of above average skill & less likely to have an accident than their peers!

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