Re: Q: Tasmanian helmet laws?

[Hitchy]

wrote:
> [i>
> >
> > --
> NB: When I say right of the lane i mean slightly right of centre. I was
> not hugging the right line. This is the motorcyclist in me coming
> out where being on the left is bad (cars seem to want to go around
> you if your doing 1km under the limit) and the middle is generally
> bad as it peaks and tends to be more slippery.
> Really?
> I do see your point thought that bicycles tend to ride on the left of
> the lane generally. I thought that in this particular case preventing
> the driver from going around my left when stationary would be a good
> thing. I didn't want to be in the left of the lane when going around a
> corner due to the common occurrance of cars deciding to merge left to
> park, which they seem to do with impunity down here making me consider
> an investment in disc brakes...
> I was under the impression that bicycles had the same legal standing on
> the roads as cars? Making undertaking me illegal. As they don't have the
> same physical standing, I would be really interested to know what "the
> done thing is" regarding this.
> Cheers, Brad


G'day Brad

I basically agree with Flyingdutch. I commute 3 or 4 days a week on th
treadly, about 95ks in melb peak traffic. The safest way to do a righ
hand turn (with arrows) is as Flyingdutch described. As for cyclist
having the same legal standing as cars.........you're right!....bu
you'll be telling it to the judge in a full body cast (if you live) i
you try to assert those rights to a 1.5 tonne car (& driver) who want
you out of his way....NOW

cheers

Hitch


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[hippy]

"Hitchy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I basically agree with Flyingdutch. I commute 3 or 4 days a week on
the
> treadly, about 95ks in melb peak traffic. The safest way to do a right
> hand turn (with arrows) is as Flyingdutch described. As for cyclists
> having the same legal standing as cars.........you're right!....but
> you'll be telling it to the judge in a full body cast (if you live) if
> you try to assert those rights to a 1.5 tonne car (& driver) who wants
> you out of his way....NOW,

Obeying laws is nice, being alive is better.

My driving instructor told me to obey the law,
but, if it's a matter of your own or someone else's
safety - law be damned! Pay the fine, enjoy your
life kinda motto.

I make right hand turns from as far left as possible.
Some turns, if I'm going to miss the lights, I will
ride through the intersection and pull into the cross
road - sort of like a hook turn. It is often safer to
do this than move across 3 lanes of highway...

hippy

 

[flyingdutch]

Hippy wrote:
> " if I'm going to miss the lights, I will ride through the intersection
> and pull into the cross road - sort of like a hook turn. It is often
> safer to do this than move across 3 lanes of highway...
> hippy


nice one. been doing this more and more recently. makes life so muc
easier. And drivers seem less likley to want to zoom past as they don
get that childish retribution gland swelling that makes them fee
stiffed athat you got to roll up on their left and pass them..


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[hippy]

"Bradley C. Goldsmith" <brad@black_spam_sheep_spam_software.com.au>
wrote in message news:SRT1c.87635$Wa.47823@news-
> I will be hanging left from now on.

Good lad ;-)

> The comment about having nowhere to go and that drivers will expect
you to
> bail left in a pinch has totally sold me. I was always hanging left
when
> underway - it was just an issue with right hand turns. Its just such a
pain
> to make a right hand turn from so far left when traffic is underway!
How do
> you guys do it? As today I have found myself having to swap to
pedestrian
> at right hand turns and waiting for the crossing as when I have tried
to
> merge when the lane can go right or straight ahead most cars don't
seem to
> happy about it.

I used to do that. Cross at ped crossing and suchlike. It's
a confidence and skill thing. Practice looking over your
shoulder while riding while riding in a straight line. Practice
this with your inside hand off the bars, i.e. signalling a RH
turn. Check for traffic and when clear, signal and move
across. Sometimes I just give up and continue on waiting
for a different gap or waiting to do the cheeky "safety" turn
I described earlier.
Depending on the light cycle, it is sometimes quicker to
do the safety turn, rather than change across to the RH
turning lanes. It is generally safer too.

hippy