JG's WAR ON EVERYTHING - Gripe of the Week #1

#1 CITY CYCLISTS

I may be talking about you here.

Are you a cyclist in Sydney? Do you commute to work with your bike?

You may well be my gripe of the week.

1) Shared Paths - give way to the pedestrians you nasty people!
I walk through Prince Alfred Park every morning and the signs are very clear to ride slowly and to give way to Pedestrians.
Perhaps its because you fly through there too fast to read these signs.
You can ding your little bell all you like but I have right of way and if you whizz past me close enough I will show you another use for that shiny device.
SLOW DOWN and BE CONSIDERATE

2) Bike Lanes - have you seen these green lanes on the road next to the cars?
Thats where you ride people! the picture of the bike even shows you which direction to travel in.
There's now even little green bikes alongside the little green men on the traffic lights to give you access as well.
With all this wonderful advancement of Cycleways in Sydney, why the hell are you still riding on the footpath? Get off, ya hog!
If there is no designated bike lane this does NOT give you the right to cycle on the foot path.
I reiterate, get off ya hog!

3) Traffic Lights - hypothetical - you are being a good cyclist and traveling on the road and you come to a red light. The green man light appears and the pedestrians walk across and so as you want to turn right you follow along with the crossing pedestrians. What a great idea - not! Are you a vehicle or a pedestrian?
Thats right you're a vehicle! You can't pick and choose so obey the traffic light and STOP!
You can't have it both ways!

4) Bubbles - if you are that annoying woman in Redfern with the bubble machine strapped on to the bike frame with the hippy music playing as you ride to the local Thai take away then please leave the bike out on garbage night! It's not only annoying but its dangerous as one of your rotten bubbles burst in my eye and i walked into a telegraph pole. Oh yes I saw your smirk. Get a real car and run a hose from the bubble machine and suffocate yourself on the detergent!

To the four people this week I saw dismount and walk their bikes through the city pathways, I thank you and I salute you for being the considerate people we expect you to be. If only the other 99.9999% of cyclists considered the impact of their selfish arrogant attitudes.

I guess we have this lady to thank for that.

That's my gripe this week.

J G S