Don't buy Tupperware!

[Shabby]

Was casually cruising along Clarendon Street (South Melbourne) on my home from work last night, when smack, I was collected by the rear view mirror of a white Camry!

Somehow I managed to hold it together and ride in the two inches of gutter I'd been donated by the fat **** in the "Tupperware" car, so I wasn't injured. But as anyone knows, near misses like that are really just luck. One man's near miss is another's broken spine.

The thing that really ****** me off was the fact that when I caught up with the beast of a woman in that car, her response was "I didn't see you". Becase she was reading her diary, which was still on her lap. I should have just dealt out some instant karma then in the form of a punch in the face followed by "Sorry, I didn't see your face".

So I let fly with a few magic words and went to the Cop Shop to report it, only to be told that there was nothing they could do. Hence, I'm now overreacting and starting a worldwide campaign to boycott Tupperware. Let your food perish in non-resealable vessels for the sake of cycling safety!

 

[Blimp]

If you feel strongly about the matter, don't let the coppers fob you off. Insist on making a statement, and ask them to treat is a complaint regarding negligent driving.

If they decline or refuse to act, take the matter to your local state MP and/or police ombudsman.

If this fails, find out where she lives and torch the Camry. I am told a box of firelighters under the tyre works a treat!

 

[Chris_L]

I find it staggering that the cops sat there and said they could do nothing. I have never had that reaction. What sort of details did you give them? Was there a #? What was your tone when you spoke to the police? Is there another police station you could take your complaint to?

 

[MediaCreations]

At the very least, let the local Tupperware head office know how you feel. Tell them you've posted your story to a world wide forum.

I'm sure they'll help you sort things out. They can't afford having people giving their company a bad name by driving around in a company car like that.

 

[Shabby]

Originally posted by Chris_L
I find it staggering that the cops sat there and said they could do nothing. I have never had that reaction. What sort of details did you give them? Was there a #? What was your tone when you spoke to the police? Is there another police station you could take your complaint to?

Hmmm, my tone was that of someone who'd just been almost run over. It was much calmer than the barrrage the fat chick got, but when you're full of adrenaline you always seem a bit wierd..

I gave the car details license and an accurate description, but yes I should have forced them to file a complaint. Planned to ring them and follow up today, but my guess is they'll just speak to her anyway, not even smacking her on the wrist.

 

[Lazy legs]

I agree with MediaCreations, go to your local Tupperware distributors and complain to them, if you get no luck from them let us know and I'll join you in your campaign against them.
The CWC is over now so I've got time on my hand and can just as well use it against Tupperware.

 

[steve]

Originally posted by Shabby
I gave the car details license and an accurate description, but yes I should have forced them to file a complaint. Planned to ring them and follow up today, but my guess is they'll just speak to her anyway, not even smacking her on the wrist.

Its enough to **** you off isnt it!

I have no doubt they'd take a different view of her if they pinged her for doing 103kph on a freeway with no-one around except a pig hiding in the bush waiting to pounce

Your life isn't worth much is it!

cheers!

 

[Blimp]

I gather Steve doesn't like coppers much....

As a former 'pig hiding in the bushes', the best approach in this case is still:

1. Insist on making a written statement
2. Insist your complaint is investigated
3. Ask for a copy of the police report to assist with your civil claim
4. Follow up with the ombudsman if necessary.

Don't forget, police are very lazy. Steve, one day I'll explain how bored, lazy police pass the time. Ever heard of 'police snooker'? A tip, don't drive a red car...

 

[steve]

Originally posted by Blimp
I gather Steve doesn't like coppers much....

No its not that, it just ***** me that an action the puts someones life in danger isn't treated as it should be.

My example of pinging people for speeding is the other extreame, 99.9% of people doing a 'few' km over the posted limit when its safe to do so ARE NOT GONNA KILL ANYONE. Yet they are penalised more than this person for example: http://www.cyclingforums.com/t279.html He got off. This ***** went to work today, came home, ate dinner, had a few beers, watched the news taking special note of the Iraq war, probably then got his rocks off with his wife and then went to sleep. You see he only has to live with himself. The fact this bloke was a peice of **** before he killed the cyclist simply means he has less to lose.

I've had a police officer here in Ballarat say to me "You have to expect that" when some stupid ***** nearly killed me.

I've also complained about a truck driver on the western hwy who spent about 2.5km on the wrong side of the road (2 blind corners and one blind crest) The POS at the Ararat police station said it was to much trouble to do anything about 'him' because he was probably from interstate. Its not hard to firgure out why so many of these drug ****ed truck drivers get killed on this road, 3 in one week not long ago.

This same idiot at Ararat (I sware this guys on the take!) basically told me to f#%k off when I complained about a guy in a green hilux 4x4 who tried to run me over at the Halls Gap/Ararat intersection and then stopped and yelled abuse at me when the stupid brain dead f#$k realised he'd missed me. I guess I deserved it because i'm a cyclist right!

How can anyone expect me to go for the road safety ******** they force on us? Its not poilce I have an issue with, its the overall aproach which they're forced to take.

cheers!

 

[Chris_L]

Steve,

Is there someone else down there you can complain to, maybe a higher ranking officer or a chief-commissioner of police? It sounds like it's a common problem in Victoria (lucking I didn't need the cops down there because no drivers gave me any ****) - and you may not be the only one. Perhaps you could get in touch with Bicycle Victoria and other cyclists who may have copped the same thing. A submission to the chief-commissioner with a few signatures on it might get something done.

As I said before, I have never had this problem in Queensland.

 

[hmwright13]

The police's response is to be expected. You need to get others to back up your desire for action to be taken. Contact the Tupperware corporation and let them know the information on the vehicle that nearly killed you. They tend to be very supportive (at least from my dealings with them. Second, make it public knowledge that the police have refused to take action against a person who was reading and thereby showing criminal neglect in the operation of a motor vehicle. Cyclists are not the only small targets on the road. There are also pedestrians, like small children and elderly, that will benefit from your actions. Maybe if the police department's attitude is put up to public scrutiny, it may make a tiny difference, which is better than none at all. I agree with all the posts here, except for torching her tires , although it would be good to see that happen to the self-centered wench, because I don't think you should dirty your hands with that inferior piece of trash. Make what she did public knowledge. Let parents know that this woman who is trying to sell them things may be endangering their kids by reading when driving. Contact the local schools and give them flyers of what to be on the lookout for, since I know from speaking to crossing guards that often their kids are in danger from careless motorists. If you almost got run over due to her negligence, it is only a matter of time till she really hurts someone. I have three sons and they all ride bikes, the eldest rides to and from school every day. The thought of him out there with these creeps makes me want to torch somebody's tires!!!

 

[Randal Lovelace]

And I want to retire to Australia.....at least I know where not to settle, eh?

 

[HellonWheels]

Originally posted by Shabby
Was casually cruising along Clarendon Street (South Melbourne) on my home from work last night, when smack, I was collected by the rear view mirror of a white Camry!

Somehow I managed to hold it together and ride in the two inches of gutter I'd been donated by the fat **** in the "Tupperware" car, so I wasn't injured. But as anyone knows, near misses like that are really just luck. One man's near miss is another's broken spine.>>

While I agree that what she did was reprehensible, her weight had NOTHING to do with it. I'm also a plus sized woman, and a cyclist, and I took offense at your comment. Commenting negatively on someone's race, religion, sexual orientation, size, etc to me is immature.

 

[Shabby]

Originally posted by HellonWheels
While I agree that what she did was reprehensible, her weight had NOTHING to do with it. I'm also a plus sized woman, and a cyclist, and I took offense at your comment. Commenting negatively on someone's race, religion, sexual orientation, size, etc to me is immature.

Fair comment, no offense intended to you, or anyone else who is overweight. Having lost about 15kg since returning to cycling, I have first hand experience on how much more fun life is when you're not burdened with excess weight.

Her weight is no doubt a product of living in a car, driving everywhere for work and play. Hence, her comfort in the car is why she seemed to forget that she was in charge of a 1500kg machine capable of causing injury and death to others. I'm not anti-car, but the people who make the biggest deal out of me riding to work (and the perceived danger of it) are the overweight, unhealthy people who tuck into massive meals every day. These are often the same people who say they are naturally big, which is an excuse.

Obesity is a societal problem, manifesting itself at an individual level. People like this woman are integral to the maintenance of Australia as the second fattest nation in the world, and they pass on their habits to the next generation (or they induce eating disorders in their offspring.)

 

[HellonWheels]

Originally posted by Shabby
Fair comment, no offense intended to you, or anyone else who is overweight. Having lost about 15kg since returning to cycling, I have first hand experience on how much more fun life is when you're not burdened with excess weight.
>>

Well lemmatellya, it is very easy for ANYONE to become heavy. I was ultra thin most of my life, and when I got away from cycling, got married, had kids, yada yada yada, I packed on the pounds. Took 22 years but I did it. And it only took a couple of years to lose (most) of it. But its very easy, and can happen to anyone, esp. as they age and the metab slows to a crawl. Best attitude to have IMO is, there but for the grace of God go I.

Just keep in mind that there are plus sized cyclists out there. If not for the personal example of one of them (a woman much heavier than I am), I wouldnt have gone back to it myself...I assumed heavy ppl couldnt ride simply because I'd never seen anyone heavy doing it.

 

[Shabby]

Originally posted by HellonWheels
Just keep in mind that there are plus sized cyclists out there. If not for the personal example of one of them (a woman much heavier than I am), I wouldnt have gone back to it myself...I assumed heavy ppl couldnt ride simply because I'd never seen anyone heavy doing it.

I guess the thing is that big people who ride a lot tend not to stay big. So there's less big people out there, and they usually ride for less time than fitter people do. Hence, sightings of 200kg bike riders are few and far between.

Glad to hear your rediscovering the joys of fitness and wellbeing. I always admire really big people who are out running or riding, because they're the 2% of the overweight population who are doing something about it. The rest seeem to think that exercise is something you do to increse your longevity, whereas those of us who are fitter understand that you are also increasing the quality of your life now.

For the record, my "reason" for getting fat wasn't kids, it was shift work and a diet of pizza and beer, coupled with no exercise. They were the reasons, so I made positive changes to my life - new job, better diet => more exercise. And I still enjoy my pizza and beer once a week or so.

 

[HellonWheels]

Originally posted by Shabby
I guess the thing is that big people who ride a lot tend not to stay big. So there's less big people out there, and they usually ride for less time than fitter people do. Hence, sightings of 200kg bike riders are few and far between.

Glad to hear your rediscovering the joys of fitness and wellbeing. I always admire really big people who are out running or riding, because they're the 2% of the overweight population who are doing something about it. The rest seeem to think that exercise is something you do to increse your longevity, whereas those of us who are fitter understand that you are also increasing the quality of your life now.
>>

I used to be around 105 lbs when I was younger, started adding on weight in my early 20s...3 kids, 7 pregnancies (4 only made to to early 3rd tri), lots of other things, added on a lot of weight. I think I was around 300 (lbs) at my highest, I'm now well under 200 lbs. Not familiar with the metric system so not sure about the kg thing. I was very athletic when I was a young adult, so I knew what to do to get back into the swing of things. A lot of very heavy ppl were never athletic, so for them I think its a lot harder to adopt (or in my case re-adopt) an active lifestyle.

I recently had the misfortune to move to the suburbs (husbands idea, not mine), and since I do not know how to drive and am very proud of the fact, I use my bikes for more than just recreation and fitness. I use one for errands, limited grocery shopping, etc. Its my way of rebelling against the very sedentary suburban lifestyle I have been unwillingly submerged into for now.

 

[Chotch]

I think that every driver's test/training program should force people to be cyclists for the day to just be aware of the **** drivers dish out to cyclists. I have changed my driving style so much since I started commuting daily on my bike. I think I may have improved my road awareness (paranoia) ten fold.

 

[jtfleming]

Yes indeed. Here in New Hampshire I make it a point to drive north from my home. I find if I drive south toward the population that commutes long distances, they are far less courteous and cautious, and the more middle class people to the north are actually gracious. Down south a careful driver gives me a foot, where north they give me a lane or stay behind me until they can pass safely.

I think it is important to acknowledge the safe drivers. They may well be your best advocate when talking to or driving with their friends. I always make it a point to give a wave and a smile to a driver who gives me wide berth. Gratitude will lead to peer pressure, and peer pressure will lead to awareness.

 

[HellonWheels]

[I think it is important to acknowledge the safe drivers. They may well be your best advocate when talking to or driving with their friends. I always make it a point to give a wave and a smile to a driver who gives me wide berth. Gratitude will lead to peer pressure, and peer pressure will lead to awareness. [/QUOTE] >>>

I agree. As much as I hate the burbs, it wasnt till we moved here that I actually have met courteous, friendly drivers! One even signaled me to pull over to the side of the road...I thought, "Oh sheet what did I do" but he said he just wanted to say I was the most careful cyclist he ever saw---hand signals, making full stops at red lights, not starting up until the light actually turned green again. etc. Made me feel good.