Taxi drivers used to have a clue

Had a conversation with the driver of M 6084, a Silvertop taxi today Tuesday 21 June 2011 at 15:40. I watched him block both lanes at intersection of Collins and Exhibition Streets. while heading east. Then at the corner of Spring and Exhibition I congratulated him on his evident skill as he came to a sedate stop with all 4 wheels on the bike box. He asked “What bike box” Then he said and I quote. “You cyclists need to remember that the roads belong to us You need to get out of my way” He was entirely serious.

An utterly incompetent, careless (but sadly not carless ) and selfish driver of the sort few of us want on the roads.

What I find particularly annoying about this is that I spent 15 years driving Silvertop Taxi's, My DC was 117951. But the taxi industry does seem slightly on the nose atm. Ever tried to find a number or email to make a complaint directly to the company? Difficult huh?

I will be drawing the attention of the Taxi Directorate , Bicycle Victoria, the Amy Gillett foundation, my local MP, several online forums and anyone else I can think off to this individual and his attitude. I hope someone acquaints him with some brief description of Victorian road law. When inevitably he is involved in a serious accident I will do my best to make sure he is held to account.

Regards

David Thomas.

The Black Box

Heh.  Back.  Blogging regularly.  Lets get the readership thing happening.

OK  Todays subject is about what I think is the best way to change driver behavior that is achievable by riders.    The single thing that would make the roads safer for cyclists would be massive police enforcement of the sort of behaviours that threaten us..  harassment, close overtakes,  hooks and the like.   Thats not going to happen.  We have many coppers on the road but few operational traffic cops and even fewer.. the last number I heard was 6... bicycle cops in Melbourne.   Yesterday  a quarry truck passed us carefully and in the other lane and I thought he was exceptionally courteous until I noticed the police motorcycle hanging behind him.  This enforcement would work brilliantly but with few coppers and most of them and all the cameras very very focussed on speeding and revenue,  the safety of riders is a very low priority

The second most helpful thing would be a change in laws that meant that in any collision the more vulnerable user was assumed to be in the right unless other proof was offered.  That has happened in many places around the world and could happen here.  But I,ll talk about that another day.

But neither of those is actually in the hands of riders.   What can riders do?  Well they can make complaints against stupid and dangerous drivers.   Which usually comes down to "he says she says".   Unless you have a witness.   But...  remember my post the other day?  More and more riders carry video cameras.  The technology has reached the point that a helmet mounted camera can give enough resolution to identify a offender and show the details of an incident.

But will the police and courts accept such video evidence?  The answer is 'yes'.   Here is a link to an Australian Cycling Forums posters  "how to " on getting the police to act on such a complaint.   Poster Oxford  has had several successful prosecutions to his credit.  And he is not the only one.  More and more people are carrying these camera's.   A truly famous incident of  a couple of years ago in the US is this one in which Californian motorcyclist Dawn Champion is clobbered by a car that u turns into her on the freeway.. then claims its her fault.    Guess who was experimenting with a video camera?

We had one with us on Saturday..   Here is  a bit of video of me climbing a truly silly hill.  But later on we were harassed by a truly silly man as detailed in Saturdays post.   Do me a favor and never do any business with this arse$## company.  

 And you know.. this video thing really really pays off.   David.. one of the other riders on Saturday was on his brand new bike  bought with the insurance payout on his old bike.  Dweeb turned right in front of him.. didn't see him because his windows were fogged in the rain.  Because he did not see any  one and because many caterpillars are smarter  than this 'gentleman', he 'knew' he was safe to turn.   David got a payout in the end.. video evidence would not have hurt.  If he had been killed and the other driver had run.. he might not have been ever caught.   You can see how video might at least see some semblance of justice done.


The sooner motorists just expect that cyclists and motorcyclists will be videotaping the accident they cause the sooner the bulb over their head will go off.  Stupid dangerous or harassing behaviour will cost the offender.  The way this will happen is for more of these cases to be publicised.. for us to be more proactive in going after stupid drivers and insisting they be charged... and for us to have the evidence to back it up.. so that motorists think all cyclists or motorcyclists may be videoing them.

The technology is here.  The  camera,s now are sensitive, robust and long lived enough.. even cheap enough to do the job.   But the perfect camera does not exist.  I have a wish list.

A perfect camera would

• Have at least 2 hours life.  
• Take an external battery or be easy to change batteries in
• Give a really obvious low battery warning.
• Retape over its storage medium thus that it saved the previous two hours or so  but did not need media reformatted.
• Have a button that when pushed would save the previous 5 mins or so and stop it being overwritten. 
• Have a G switch or mercury switch .. so if you had an accident it would save the video while you were on the road.  A genuine black box
• Possibly have a high res button that would take and store a single high resolution shot if pushed.
• Be robust and fairly weatherproof  impact proof and fool proof.
• Be affordable and even fairly cheap.

Can you think of any other features?   I will be discussing this further.   

The really stupid make themselves so obvious.

So today  we went for a ride in the hills.  My poor filthy CR1 spent last night having the back wheelbearings replaced in preparation.   However I had no spares or money to fix the drive train.. totally rooted by a winter of perpetual riding in the rain.   So I set off on this epic 100 Km of hills with only the large chainring.   53.    

Vidman had organised the ride from Ringwood to King Lake.  Lots of up.    4 of us set off... Viddy on his brand new exotic italian thing, moi,  Roger  on a near identical TCR to mine.. (Roger bought me a spare chainring to the start..thanks mate)  and Susan on a GT.    We set off.

Good ride..   lots of up,   lots of traffic.. no real aggression except for the incident this post is about... a couple of close overtakes.  Roger had a helmet cam.. if any video turns up I,ll link to it.   We did King Lake by every hill Viddy could get into the route.  Owch.

We finally returned to Ringwood down Doncaster road.  By then  my huge amounts of time out of the saddle.. cos of the lack of gears had left me feeling pretty shakey.    Susan who is a newby rider and had done brilliantly was also struggling.  I was grimly hanging with Vidman..  Roger with Susan.. who was off the back somewhat.

We were in the bus/bike lane..    2 other lanes.  At the lights.   A greenish crewcab Hilux or similar pulled up in the same lane at the lights.

Now this is the bit that gets me.   These guys are almost never brave enough to have a go at the lights.  They will wait till the lights change...  then yell out the window then roar off.  Often weaving close as they do.  If they catch another light they will sit and hope you don't catch up.. if you do usually they will coldly ignore you until the lights change.. wind the window down quickly yell some more abuse and roar off.  Such has been my experience.. and on this occasion thats exactly what happened.  The lights changed, the bloke that had been behind/beside us at the lights for a minute or so   roared past, yelling out the window...

"Single file you %^^$$%"

Class all the way.   Courageous too..NOT.  You had 2 lanes dick head and we were in the bus/bike lane.. as were you.  Oh and.. for your information bikes can ride two abreast legally.    Its in the road laws.  If you dont know the road laws. and I mean all of them then you IMO flat should not have a licence.   Two other lanes.. go use one.    Got no comeback..  Try the "You dont pay your road tax' bleat of stupidity.   Neither do you genius; it doesn't exist.

So far,  normal enough.  Another day another arse.     But their are other rules the stupid obey that are nearly as rigid.    They so often have very recognisable cars... (referred to by the cops as 'bookme cars',  or they have personalised number plates or they have signwriting on the car.  This bloke had sign writing.     For these people www.emeraldproperty.com.au.

Way to go.  I,ll be dealing with you guys from now on.   Exclusively.   I am so impressed with your choice of staff that I could not resist.  Me and Vidman both remarked on the intelligence and personality and indeed knowledge of the law of your employee...employer... owner.. whatever at great length.  We are such fans.

But it gets better.   Later on. we were at the Casa Vidman, happily eating when the subject of road behaviour came up.   As it often does.   "Yes ' says Roger.... "I remember that guy ('guy' was not the word he used)  he pushed up close to us at the lights, didn't say anything then took off yelling abuse... he hit me with his mirror."

Hmmmm.  Hit and run.  Even for a mild collision thats a felony.   Thinking about that camera yet?    And a few seconds later had a go at us.   What a fast learner.    

Who seriously goes out on a Saturday morning to be a high visibility arse to as many people as possible? Why?  Why are some people such an unpleasant addition to a fairly nice planet.. how do they get on when it has to be obvious that they really are not much?    Compensate by driving aggressively perhaps?     I guess its good they are so obvious.. makes harm minimisation easy.   But still.. we are averaging less than one ass a month these days.  The last one was the cab driver who ended up having a very unpleasant time  with the VTD as a result.   There you go..  real asshole.. easily identifiable... not smart.   Its a solid trend.

So add to your  people not to deal with  http://www.emeraldproperty.com.au/  I'll send them an email.. see how they respond.. should be fun

My legs hurt.   A lot.   DISC tomorrow.  I can feel the pain already.