Comments on: Flashback Friday: Do we see each other? Check again

By: kiwi_overseas

kiwi_overseas — Wed, 05 Jul 2023 21:11:19 +0000

Relying on driver behaviour is not a safe system approach and we will continue to kill and seriously injure cyclists until we have a safe system of fully protected cycleways.

By: Davinia Bruce

Davinia Bruce — Mon, 03 Jul 2023 00:34:56 +0000

The standard of driving in Christchurch is so chronic and hardly anyone keeps to the speed limit. When I was young traffic enforcement was done by the ChCh City Council and there seemed to be traffic cops all around the place, you dare not speed or not Stop to a standstill at a compulsory stop or you would end up with a ticket. Today there is so little enforcement that motorists drive with impunity and behave accordingly. Maybe traffic enforcement should be given back to the CCC, I’m sure it would soon pay for itself and maybe even help reduce our rates with the current standard of driving !!

By: chris abbott

chris abbott — Sun, 02 Jul 2023 22:56:21 +0000

There’s no single way to stay safe.

In potential conflict situations – including all intersections – I ALWAYS try to eyeball the driver, and OFTEN acknowledge safe crossing with a friendly simple wave (even when I have right of way). I don’t know whether it works or not but it makes me feel safer and more relieved / less threatened. And I feel it possibly helps with a connection between those protected by their metal cages and those of us who have to live by their alertness.

And I ALWAYS ride clear of the dooring zone.

When a danger situation is developing I am not averse to using my inbuilt always-available warning device – I SHOUT LOUDLY! And I prepare early to slow down and/or change direction.

I take paths wherever I can and use my bike bell or voice “ding-a-ling” to nicely warn other bike users of my presence.

I don’t know if it helps or not, but I often wear hi-vis, especially at night. And two bike lights are better than one (they seem to fail often…)

By: Criggie

Criggie — Sun, 02 Jul 2023 22:41:15 +0000

I find that simply being aware of cars is not enough.

Sometimes I have to stare straight into and at a driver’s face for them to observe my existence. I almost always do this at any intersection where the car has to give way to me, and even then I need to resort to the airhorn at least once a week.

Another useful technique is to read the “body-language” of the car. Most often a car that is about to do a left turn will slow down, but if the traffic is already slow they might just turn and hook you. The giveaway is that the driver will drift to the left in preparation for the turn, so look for cars that are 20cm too far left.

Pre-reacting (preacting?) is a skill to develop.