Cyclist legally allowed to run red lights

[radiojake]

I'm presuming the tram operators pay rego (or their version of it) but bikes don't?

Yet you're telling me despite not contributing to the service a bike rider gets compensated by it? And that is perfectly acceptable?

You're bringing up hypotheticals that I don't know the answer too -

How do you know cyclists get TAC payouts ? If they get knocked off their bike by a car, and the car is in the wrong, the car's insurance pays for it -

If a cyclist came off their bike on a wet tram track, would they even get a payout? You seem to think so?

 

[little graham]

Whinging campaigners with holier than thou attitudes.

so you hate vegans and cyclists? anyone else?

We hate bogans because they are ignorant, arrogant, uncouth sexist foul mouthed unhygienic sugar addicts who hate cyclists and vegans.

 

[little graham]

If you are struggling to maintain your balance you need to gtf off the road.

To much pot

 

[radiojake]

Whinging campaigners with holier than thou attitudes.

Are you making this judgement based on PETA tumblrs?

how many vegans do you actually know?

Also, when was the last time that mainstream culture constantly mocked your lifestyle decision? It's pretty easy to get defensive as a vegan when meat is everywhere and in your face constantly

 

[Dazb86]

You're bringing up hypotheticals that I don't know the answer too -

How do you know cyclists get TAC payouts ? If they get knocked off their bike by a car, and the car is in the wrong, the car's insurance pays for it -

If a cyclist came off their bike on a wet tram track, would they even get a payout? You seem to think so?

The TAC covers transport accidents directly caused by the driving of a car, motorcycle, bus, train or tram. You can apply for payment for services if you are injured in a transport accident as a driver, passenger, pedestrian, motorcyclist, or in some cases, a cyclist

 

[radiojake]

OK cool

so in some cases, a cyclist can apply for a TAC payout if they are injured on the road...

That implies not all cases...

It be interesting to know the breakdown of TAC payments to cyclists compared to other accidents...

 

[Dazb86]

Are you making this judgement based on PETA tumblrs?

how many vegans do you actually know?

Also, when was the last time that mainstream culture constantly mocked your lifestyle decision? It's pretty easy to get defensive as a vegan when meat is everywhere and in your face constantly

I just find them difficult. I know a few, only get on with one because he doesn't take himself too seriously.

 

[radiojake]

bit like anyone who takes themselves too seriously, eh?

Their diet has nothing to do with it - You're just merely attributing something as arbritary as diet as an all in descriptor for a whole group of people, mostly based on the fact that you don't conform to said diet - It's an easy out for you, plus it's easy joke fodder. I mean, vegans, come on, do they even lift?

 

[BALKAN]

People need to cut the shit and admit they hate cyclists because they slow them down. Them paying some money wouldn't change the fact that people see them as some kind of obstacle they need to get around as quickly as possible. The whole paying rego thing is just a poor rationalisation for their frustrations.

And I don't even ride a bicycle.

 

[radiojake]

Traffic jams slow cars down more than cyclists...

 

[lmach]

And on my motorbike then? It's 100x safer for me to be in front of traffic or even away from it. Can I just roll on through?

Sure why not

 

[kfc1]

Traffic jams slow cars down more than cyclists...

MUST GET IN FRONT! (to the end of the queue at the next red light 50m down the road)

 

[Punchy Bassett]

So what about people who catch public transport to work? I'm actively reducing maintenance for roads and I pay rates and taxes. So I shouldn't have to pay for a tram ticket right?

 

[radiojake]

So what about people who catch public transport to work? I'm actively reducing maintenance for roads and I pay rates and taxes. So I shouldn't have to pay for a tram ticket right?

I completely agree with you - Public transport should be free -


However, the argument about cyclists paying rego is ridiculous

 

[knife]

I occasionally cycle and get frustrated at night when at some intersections, the induction loops (the metal 'square' built into the road at the traffic lights) don't register the presence of a bicycle (and there are no cars around to help out) and hence fail to trigger a light change.

In a lot of countries, (Some states in the US, many countries in the EU) bicycles and to a lesser extent motor vehicles, can treat red lights as give ways to turn left (or right, depending on whichever side of the road they drive on) as long as they yield to pedestrians, bicycles and vehicles. This is a lot less controversial and I think a common sense initiative, especially if you're turning left onto a road with a dedicated bike lane.

As for treating red lights as give ways to go straight or turn right, I'm have mixed feelings about it. I'm very supportive of allowing it provided it was lawful to be done between certain hours when the risks for all road users is minimized, for example maybe something like 9pm-5/6am when traffic is substantially lighter. Outside of that I'm not so sure.

 

[MarcusP2]

So what about people who catch public transport to work? I'm actively reducing maintenance for roads and I pay rates and taxes. So I shouldn't have to pay for a tram ticket right?

Except the tram ticket pays for, you know...the tram. Not the road it's on.

 

[Punchy Bassett]

Except the tram ticket pays for, you know...the tram. Not the road it's on.

Isn't that what my rates and taxes are for?

 

[DrKrieger]

Eh, it'd depend how it was implemented, but bicycles are fundamentally different from cars so it's good to see the government recognising that. (If only they'd recognise the same about motorcycles and legalise filtering, but that's for another thread)

I think most agro drivers would be happy with some sort of identification, a la number plates, being mandatory, a lot of the rage seems to stem from the fact that, if cyclist hits your car or something else of the sort, there's no way to fund the responsible party unless they stop and offer to repair it. I've no idea how this could be implemented though, and if it would even make an actual difference.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Traffic is horrific and we're a nation of massive fat campaigners, few more of us could probably jump on bikes I reckon.

 

[The Coup]

Public transport is the way to go. If people are doing to drive, they should ride motorbikes or scooters.

There's a reason the car companies killed it off. To make people buy more cars and use more oil.

 

[The Coup]

I completely agree with you - Public transport should be free -


However, the argument about cyclists paying rego is ridiculous

True but they should wear an identifier of some kind for the purposes of insurance and crime, a number of people have been run over and killed by cyclists in Melbourne.

 

[radiojake]

killed by cyclists?

 

[The Coup]

Has anyone here spent a lot of time in a "bike city"? It's totally different. As in, bikes take precedence on roads, then cars, then pedestrians. I think it actually works better than what we do.

 

[The Coup]

killed by cyclists?

Yeah. A lot more common than you'd think, we are just so blind to cyclists in Australia that even pedestrians don't see (or hear) them coming.

 

[radiojake]

Yeah. A lot more common than you'd think, we are just so blind to cyclists in Australia that even pedestrians don't see (or hear) them coming.

I certainly know that a lot of people are fairly oblivious to bikes, it's pretty frustrating when pedestrians step out onto a bike lane without even looking (i.e Swanston St) - Would they step out onto a road without looking? I don't know...