Bike Lanes - & "car dooring"...

On a different but similar note... Us Victorian's are extremely lucky that we have 2 x Motorcycle Fast Response Ambulance/Paramedics, permanently in the city. Not sure about 2am-5am time of day... But these blokes are there in the city, to be first on the scene, to save anybody, from anything! Pedestrians run over, stuck under a tram... heart attack... etc!

It's essentially a "free"(*) service too... We live in The Lucky Country!




* yes, not entirely free...

I think that chick was a dimwit, she clearly didn't know her rights either. What does she think someone stopping in a taxi is about to do? Have a 5 minute chat with the driver... no, they are getting out. I'd almost put her at fault, or maybe a 50/50 fault case.. S**t happens, get over it and move on.

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Haydn24 said..

I think that chick was a dimwit, she clearly didn't know her rights either. What does she think someone stopping in a taxi is about to do? Have a 5 minute chat with the driver... no, they are getting out. I'd almost put her at fault, or maybe a 50/50 fault case.. S**t happens, get over it and move on.

No look again. The cab pulled up behind another car that pulled up. It looked for all the world like it was just stopped in traffic. If the cab was unloading it should have been against the kerb. Bloke in the cab didn't know the bike lane was there presumably just thought the cab was close enough to the kerb and decided to exit. He didn't look, just threw the door open. I'd say he bears 100% of the blame just as he would if he decided to exit a cab from the middle lane while stopped at traffic lights and another car hit him. It's an understandable error but it's his.

You guys need to actually watch the video.

The taxi was stationary in a lane of traffic at a traffic light. It was not parked. It did not have an indicator on to show that it was parking. It had not moved to the left.

It is a no standing zone next to a tram stop. The taxi could not stop there to let out passengers even if it wanted to.

Cyclists are allowed to pass vehicles on the left unless they have a left turn indicator. The taxi did not have a left turn indicator on.

I am guessing the taxi passengers decided they would just leap out of the taxi and walk to their appointment.

Confusion about bike lanes is completely irrelevant. The cyclist was technically and morally in the right, but she should have been more careful. Unfortunately people do leap out of cars stopped in traffic.

Similarly there is no law that says you can car door someone if there's no bike lane. The guys getting out of the taxi broke so many laws and rules of common sense that it's not funny.

My take on this, dopey militant cyclist chick bumps into pathetic fat bastards in suits and they all come off looking like arseholes. At least the woman was polite, if a little insistent. Suit guys were just pathetic. I love it that Suit #2 now has video evidence of him brown nosing his boss.

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Chris6791 said..

I'm at a loss as to why that's newsworthy? No real injuries or damage.

Why do bicycle and motorbike riders feel they have 'special victim status' when someone says 'sorry, I didn't see you'?

Because anti cyclist f*tardery is topical.
I don't know about 'special victim status'. What's that?

The rule of no overtaking on the left should apply ( as it does to motorbikes )

Problem Solved

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NotWal said..

Chris6791 said..

I'm at a loss as to why that's newsworthy? No real injuries or damage.

Why do bicycle and motorbike riders feel they have 'special victim status' when someone says 'sorry, I didn't see you'?

Because anti cyclist f*tardery is topical.
I don't know about 'special victim status'. What's that?

I won't say all, but many bike riders that have been in a crash or near miss feel like they are being victimised or targeted, they take it personally when a driver says 'I didn't see you', more so than any other road user would. **** happens, you're riding something small, harder to see and are more vulnerable by your own choice.

And before someone assumes I'm a bike hater I ride a motorbike to and from work every day.

Dunno about there but in WA the offence is "opening door when unsafe" so it is ALWAYS the door opener's fault.

So regardless of if it was silly or should have forseen it - cyclist is in the right.

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harry potter said..

The rule of no overtaking on the left should apply ( as it does to motorbikes )

Problem Solved

I agree. I have personally been fined for 'overtaking on near side' whilst riding a motor cycle in an identical situation to this. If cyclists are bound by the same rode rules as the rest of us then they too would be prohibited from riding up the inside of traffic at lights and signs or any other intersection. When driving a vehicle past a cyclist you must maintain at least 1 meter between your vehicle and the cyclist so why would it not be that a cyclist must maintain 1 meter between their bicycle and any vehicle they are passing. I personally don't have an issue with bicycles on the road because I don't live in a built up area and rarely encounter them, but, riding a bike on a road with cars and trucks is complete madness. Cars crash into each other all the time so why is everyone so surprised when a cyclist is hit. They are harder to see and can barely travel at a fraction of the speed limit. Your ego is no match for a 1.5 tonne landcruiser and only your friends and relos can continue your argument for you if you ever collide with one. As I have said I ride a motorbike on the road and take the risk but at least I am travelling with the flow of traffic which allows me to maintain complete awareness of my surroundings and take evasive action when necessary which happens to be quite often.

There's obviously not enough space to safely cater to everyone. I read a report today that there are four areas in Melbourne known to be particularly bad for car dooring, including the one in this instance. I don't know Melbourne at all, but if the problem is that bad maybe they ought to stop cyclists using those areas - either detour around or just get off and push your bike on the footpath for that stretch.

What I mostly don't get though is why people choose to cycle (or jog for that matter) in that sort of traffic. Makes me cringe just imagining doing it - get your body working hard and end up flat out deep breathing vehicle fumes. Yuk!