Road Rage down under

robrauy

Just came across this:-

http://www.smh.com.au/news/beijing2008/cycle-pack-attack/2008/05/08/1210131112608.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1

It's unbelievable to what extent some drivers will go to make a point...

dirk_van_gently

It's also on the front page of bike radar
http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/driver-causes-carnage-in-sydney-bunch-16195

Hope they catch the B@stard and make an example of him or her.
watch out for copycat incidents, the Chavs would love this :?

dirk_van_gently

More here

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/05/09/1210131223896.html

mailmannz

Anger does some pretty stupid things to normally sane people.

Mailman

robrauy

"I was just driving along and I had a car failure and now I'm in trouble - I dunno."

Hmmm...

Surf-Matt

The quotes indicate that he's too thick to be allowed to drive...

always_tyred

He seems to have forgotten to address the actuation of the brake pedal. I don't know about you, but when I have a problem with my car engine, I am not automatically thrown into an emegency stop.

That sort of thing wouldn't happen in the UK. :?

mailmannz

I wouldnt hang around either if I was surrounded by 50 blokes in tights!

Having said that, I reckon this geezer is going to get a world of hurt from the police...and then from the cyclists lawyers for damages! :shock:

Mailman

BentMikey

I wish that were true, but I suspect he'll get off with a light wrist slapping and being told not to do that again.

BUICK

Have just read through some of the comments left by drivers attached to the end of one of those articles...

I feel so angry I could be sick

How can people be so BLINKERED, SELFISH, SELF-RIGHTEOUS and downright STUPID when peoples lives are on the line directly because of their attitude and behaviour towards cyclists? And yet not spontaneously burst into flames or be struck by lightning?

There are people coming across as if actions like this are JUSTIFIED because cyclists 'don't pay roadtax' (which, of course, we know is generally NOT true - not that it's any kind of excuse even if it were true, given the damage to roads, the environment and others lives that cars make versus the vastly different statistics for cycling) and because of the clothes we wear or some kind of perception that we seem smug!?

It makes me wish for a special hell to pack these bigoted idiots into

andrewc3142

I've seen this a number of times done to other cars and to motorbikes but not to cycles. A clearly idiotic excuse given by the driver. But I expect BM is right. A slapped wrist is the most likely outcome, although it would be nice to see him hit by lawsuits and finding his insurance doesn't cover intentionally causing cyclists to crash.

And the comments bring out the old "we pay to use the roads" stuff from drivers. Something I've never understood. I pay to use my car too. Can I have a rebate for when I use my bike? Silly, silly.

NorwegianBlue

Since the idea of a cycle lane round here is usually 5m of red tarmac just before a set of traffic lights I can't see the argument anyway. Actually I would happilly pay the same road tax as a moped for my bikes if the government could be forced to spend that tax money on improving the roads for cyclists.

cee

NorwegianBlue wrote:

Since the idea of a cycle lane round here is usually 5m of red tarmac just before a set of traffic lights I can't see the argument anyway. Actually I would happilly pay the same road tax as a moped for my bikes if the government could be forced to spend that tax money on improving the roads for cyclists.

Why? Its not as if road tax goes into fixing the roads?

NorwegianBlue

That's sort of my point. The tax paid for other vehicles is simply a stealth tax, I wouldn't object to paying road tax for my bikes if the money went on road improvements for cycling. However since it wouldn't be spend on any such thing, but probably on a new Plasma TV for the Lord Chancellor's bedroom then I would object.