2010
Feb
17
Bayside Council Ruling Last Night
There was an ordinary council meeting last night to make a judgement as to whether the Bayside Council would follow suit with the Kingston and Port Phillip councils to make Beach Road a no stopping zone between the hours of 6 AM and 10 AM on the weekend to allow clear passage for cyclists to avoid negotiating parked cars. Obviously if this ruling had been in place in the Bayside Council area during my ride in June 2008 I would not be a quadriplegic today. I attended this meeting with Monica and a friend and spoke about my experience. Please see the Cycle Safety page for more details.
February 18th, 2010 on 4:33 pm
Cycling Scum – serves you right Forbes, Beach Road is for CARS not arrogant unlaw lycra thugs.
February 19th, 2010 on 1:26 pm
Gordon,
You really need to have a good hard think about your sense of what is right and wrong – you are so wrong on this.
If you can’t show some sense of civility to thers then please crawl back under the rock from which you seem to have just appeared from.
February 19th, 2010 on 1:49 pm
Congratulations Michael for your efforts to make Beach Road, and by extension, Melbourne, a safer place for cyclists and others.
I am perplexed by the notion that roads can be used as parking spaces, especially major thoroughfares. What a waste of resource.
Congratulations, too for not replying to, or deleting Gordon’s (real name?) post. It only serves to show how badly the public understand safety, the law, or even common sense when ensconced in their 2 tonne projectiles.
February 19th, 2010 on 3:24 pm
Geez Gordon you need to get out more. Even the most rabid opposition supporter at an AFL game would not wish a serious injury on an opposition player.
BTW if you believe in Karma I’d advise you to find a safe spot and never emerge. God only knows what might happen to you…
February 19th, 2010 on 3:39 pm
Gordon’s comment reminds us that with cycling, we are not dealing with rational people.
Unfortunately, society is made up of people like Gordon who are clearly of lower intelligence, and who have only a tenuous control of their emotions.
Rightly or wrongly, society gives such people the right to be in posession of lethal weapons (cars).
Let’s highlight the fact that people like Gordon exist in significant numbers, and are in posession of lethal weapons which they are prepared to aim at cyclists.
Cyclist Hatred is completely irrational. We won’t solve it through rational debate. It is an example of road rage. It should be labelled as such, and should be clearly forbidden by authorities as being ugly, deadly, and unacceptable, at all times.
February 21st, 2010 on 8:51 pm
Oh my God! What a sick sick man you are Gordon. Seriously, you need help. Good luck Michael I have been following your website since the accident and am humbled by your courage. Sadly I believe there is nothing we can do about the Gordons in this world but to hope we never have to come in contact with them.
February 22nd, 2010 on 9:21 am
Dear Michael,
You are even more of a hero by not dignifying Melville’s vitriol with a response.
If I was you though I might just have been tempted to reply with “You poor man. I feel more sorry fo you than I do for myself.”
Looking forward to seeing you Wednesday and hearing your ideas for cycling safety.
Alistair
March 1st, 2010 on 7:41 pm
Mike,
I refuse to acknowledge Gordon’s reply. I took the time to read about the ruling from the council (http://www.bayside.vic.gov.au/council_9DBADEA59ADC4E298E549E835B139665.htm). It seems like a great deal of bureaucracy to investigate what may or may not happen in a corridor strategy! The council’s inaction really disappoints me, and seems like a great waste of council and VicRoad funds. There is a 3-word phrase that I think applies to this matter, and aligns to why you have come so far – ACTION PRECEDES CLARITY. I don’t hold much confidence in the study, other than wasting money in a corridor strategy.
Pete
March 10th, 2010 on 2:08 pm
Gordon,
I kind of agree with you, ROADS are for CARS. That is, for CARS to drive, freeways, highways and main roads, are not CARPARKS, side roads, driveways and garages are for parking cars.
If I understand correctly “Michael was involved in a traffic accident on 28 June 2008. He was struck by a passing truck and ricocheted into the back of a parked four-wheel-drive”
Get rid of CARPARKING on main roads,
Licence cyclists and police them like motor vehicles to make cyclists as accountable as drivers,
BUT ease up with the attitude, nobody should be suffer such a horrific accident when not breaking any laws.
Rob
March 18th, 2010 on 10:42 am
Geez Rob, don’t I pay enough rego already on my Mazda and Alfa?
If I’m out on my bike, I’m not driving them and therefore giving you guys more road space, reducing the amount congestion around you, reducing the wear and tear on the infrastructure, keeping myself fit and healthy and thereby saving the health system. the list goes on and on. Cyclists are accountable and must obey the road rules already, a few don’t obviously, but I’d wager that many many drivers don’t follow the rules to the letter either.
Cyclists and drivers are people and often drivers are cyclists, cyclists are drivers.
April 16th, 2010 on 10:53 am
Gordon, you should look into your heart and grieve for yourself that your compassion and humanity have waned so much. KB