Bike Packs in WA

Interesting article in the Perth Sunday Times newspaper regarding "pack cyclists who are menacing Perths roads and paths and putting people at risk" according to Cycling Wa chief executive Chris Thompson.

What are peoples thoughts or experiences with big groups of cyclists hogging roads, cycle ways. Is it common or a rare occurance?

um well i personaly dont ride on a coulple of bike paths on the week ends for this reason, ridding on the road is safer than a packed padestrian/cycle paths, differant strokes for differant folks i guess. It will get another run in the paper next year, bored jurnnos me thinks.

Its a beat up. The language says it all - "pack cyclists", "menacing Perth roads", etc

I'd like to see something on how pedestrians on shared paths put their and others lives at risk by wandering along as if they were on another planet. Won't happen though.

I rode to work against the easterly wind this morning. As I went over the Causeway, I saw a 'pack' just below me heading along beside the river at 'recovery' pace. Bewdy I thought. If they don't mind, I'll sit on the back out of the wind for a kilometre before I get to my office. Bloody wind - I couldn't even get on the back, let alone ask if it would be OK to sit on. Bloody 'pack cyclists' - they ride too fast and cause fat commuter cyclists to blow up before they get to work in the mornings.



SteveA

Could not agree more. Saw an incident the other day were a girl walks onto the shared path and lets here little fluffy dog of the leash right in front of some poor bugger who was riding along minding his own business. Needless to say he had to brake suddenly to avoid squashing "poochie".

I did point out to the young lady that it was a good way to get your dog flattened.

I can't say that I have come across any large groups of riders hogging the shared paths. I have heared second-hand that it can get crowded around the Swan River nearer the city especially on weekends.

Mate when the boys and me ride the hogs Perth residents shake with fear not only that the tight lycra shorts send fear into the eyes of the poor residents daughters.Lock them up I say

Were here for a good time and not a long time so beware of the cannondale coming into town for destruction will follow.

Bike packs What the hell are they .

Ahhhh, life is sweet in the outer 'burbs. I'm lucky if I see another cyclist on my commute in Rockingham.

My problem is, music lovers with ipods stuck on who have the audacity to wave their fist at you when you ride past because they couldn't hear the warning bell .

Otherwise, all is very fine indeed.

cheers,

AdamVW

Ha Ha

Good one Rambler, I am suitably amused.

Send me a list of your bro's intinerary and I will keep my good womenfolk well away from you bad dudes.

I am having a problem visualising you all with the lycra though .

Cheers,

AdamVW

Article in the "Cycling in the West, Bicycle Transportation Alliance" paper relating to the "Hell Ride" in Melbourne. A cyclist in that race ran a red light and killed a pedestrian. The coroner said the biggest problem was that cyclists riding in packs found it difficult to stop at red lights because they feared being hit by cyclists behind them.

It may be an isolated case but the end result was obviously tragic.

I've had problems with them, not so much as a pedestrian, but whilst driving, I know two wide is aloud but two wide in the centre of the road is pretty frustrateing in peak hour, it's an accident waiting to happen. The other day I was driving and there was a single cyclist riding in the centre of the lane I was driving in. Now thats asking for trouble. I ride on the road but on the side never in the centre. I dunno maybe it's more easy going in kalgoorlie some people like to think

I would like to respectfully disagree - riding in the centre of the lane is the only way to guarantee that some idiot wont try to overtake you when there isn't enough room.

Of the four times I have been hit, three have occured when I have occupied the left side of the lane (One occured at a roundabout when a vehicle failed to give way).

In most cases, it costs a driver maybe 10-15s (at most, which is usually inconsequential) to change lanes - if they're going to get upset about that, then they need to suck it in, and I don't have any hesitation in politely saying to so anybody who gives me a hard time on the roads.

n

It's a rare experience - who else but crazed exercise junkies would be up at 7am on a Sunday morning?

I've only ever hit a pack on a bike path once - they were going the other way to me and I'm very grateful that they were all skilled enough to somehow go from taking up the whole path to squishing into one side in the time it took me to go 'OMG I'm going to DIE'.

I encounter the so called "bike packs" when I commute into work from the South and have never had any problems. When they pass they always provide warnings and always provide plenty of room.

I don't find them intimidating and the best thing I have found is that you need to maintain your line and not be unpredictable.

James

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Bikes:
2005 Giant TCR2
2005 Schwinn Mesa