New to cycling

[Batmobile]

Originally Posted by fordomatic

I could get flamed for this but im going to say it anyway.

I'll start out by saying that i ride my road bike here in Canberra around 100km a week, to and from work, i also ride my MTB bike at least twice a week. I noticed online all the hate at road bike riders and never really understood the hate from drivers until last week.

In Canberra we have a massive bike scene and everyone rides to the paths and when on the road everyone is courteous, never riding more than two abreast and if there is a shoulder we are riding on it, over to the far left if cars coming. I have never had an issue with a car while riding and when i am driving i have never had an issue with a rider. In general, it just seems we have embraced bikes here in Canberra and the bike riders don't abuse the freedom.

I have just spent the last week at home, the Yarra Valley in Victoria, visiting family before i go away overseas for work. I now completely understand the
hate Victorian drivers give to bike riders down there. I have never in my life witnessed such selfish and dangerous riding. On the Maroondah Highway on
the way to Healsville i had to drive passed riders riding 2-3 abreast in the
middle of the road, they wouldn't even move over and ride on the shoulder.
On the 2 more serious occasions there was around 20 cars banked up in a 100
zone doing 40 and unable to pass. Coming into Lilydale and through Croydon
almost all riders do not ride on the shoulder, they ride about 1m off the white
line in the lane. Is this normal practice down there? No wonder so many bikes
get skittled in Victoria
I am just amazed at the no care attitude of the bike riders i experienced, if it is a two lane road in a 100 zone and you are on a blind corner you are absolutely crazy to be riding off the shoulder, your literally asking to die. Even general road rules, here in Canberra you never see a bike run a red light, in
Melbourne they are going through them all over the place
Interested to hear your thoughts guys, i've only written this as i am truly gobsmacked and can now understand why riders get so much hate sometimes.

In all walks of life , you will find those who value their own wants/ needs and importance over others . Yes , they 're cyclists littled over the place , who display that selfish and dangerous behavior - why?
On Sunday , whilst riding to meet my family after work , I came up to a young lady , who I witnessed neally bowl a tourist walking a green pedestrian light . I stopped and apologized on behalf of the cyclist , as clearly the tourist had been quite shaken by the experience and near miss
By this time , the cyclist had moved up the road quite a way . I thought that is the sort of action that gets motorist and pedestrian up in arms about cyclist , so much so, we are then all labelled as irresponsible pests which should be removed from pathways and roads - yet why should I be labelled as a pest when I have done nothing to warrant this label ?
Well, as I moving up in the traffic , I then witnessed the same female cyclist , accelerate through a red light , after she paused for a moment to check whether it was safe do so.
Motorists in the lane sitting next to me, where shaking their fists and tooting their horns at the cyclist as see run the red light
I caught her at the next lights ans gave her a few strong mouth full , so much so, I think I scared myself
She did apologize , but I told her ,it is because of her actions , that we are get painted with the same 'pest' colour brush
I pleased to have heard in your instance , motorist elected to err on the side of caution , and wait to drive pass the irresponsible cyclist , rather than take the action often seen, and push through the cyclist , because they can , and because they are clearly in the right .
We all have must to do and learn in this space