Bicycle versus truck

[ozchick]

Well van- actually.
I was cycling on the yellow stripes (gutter-edge) past Buona Vista Station (Nth Buona Vista Rd) 4.30 pm yesterday when a truck(van)moved over to push me onto the footpath as if I wasn't there. I used my right had to thump on the sides of the van, which saved me at the last second. It moved away but then overtook me and parked in front of me right in the gutter so that I had no choice but to stop and get off my bike. I then wheeled my bike up to the passenger side door as the passenger opened it, and screamed at them that they had "f...... tried to kill me".
They both gave me the sorry story at which I then said "But you aren't sorry. You moved away when I thumped on your van and THEN you did the same thing right in front of me! You are f...... morons who shouldn't be on the road!" (I was by this time a demented cyclist with a look that could kill).
At this stage the passenger couldn't get out of the vehicle 'cos I was blocking his way with my bike. But his open door was hindering my move forward on the footpath, so I screamed at them to "shut the f...... door and get out of my way"- which they did.
They looked shocked....wierd huh? Why would they expect to be treated nicely by their potential road-kill?!
Mm...do you think I was a bit tough on them?! twisted:
No way in hell. I'm gonna get a raw egg, wrap it in tissue paper but accessible- and have it ready for my ride home from work each day. These idiots who think they can 'park' their vehicle on top of a cyclist will have egg inside their vehicle when their passenger tries to alight. And I look forward to telling you all about this next exciting episode when it eventuates...mm...if I live to tell the tale. Grrrrrrrr.................
This is the second time this same scenario has occurred in the last few months. The last time it was a bus that passed me and quickly parked in the gutter right in front of me so that I had to get off my bike and scream at the driver too. This dude also apologised. What's wrong with these people? Do they want to get famous for killing someone?

[blue_thunder]

Well van- actually.
I was cycling on the yellow stripes (gutter-edge) past Buona Vista Station (Nth Buona Vista Rd) 4.30 pm yesterday when a truck(van)moved over to push me onto the footpath as if I wasn't there. I used my right had to thump on the sides of the van, which saved me at the last second. It moved away but then overtook me and parked in front of me right in the gutter so that I had no choice but to stop and get off my bike. I then wheeled my bike up to the passenger side door as the passenger opened it, and screamed at them that they had "f...... tried to kill me".
They both gave me the sorry story at which I then said "But you aren't sorry. You moved away when I thumped on your van and THEN you did the same thing right in front of me! You are f...... morons who shouldn't be on the road!" (I was by this time a demented cyclist with a look that could kill).
At this stage the passenger couldn't get out of the vehicle 'cos I was blocking his way with my bike. But his open door was hindering my move forward on the footpath, so I screamed at them to "shut the f...... door and get out of my way"- which they did.
They looked shocked....wierd huh? Why would they expect to be treated nicely by their potential road-kill?!
Mm...do you think I was a bit tough on them?! twisted:
No way in hell. I'm gonna get a raw egg, wrap it in tissue paper but accessible- and have it ready for my ride home from work each day. These idiots who think they can 'park' their vehicle on top of a cyclist will have egg inside their vehicle when their passenger tries to alight. And I look forward to telling you all about this next exciting episode when it eventuates...mm...if I live to tell the tale. Grrrrrrrr.................
This is the second time this same scenario has occurred in the last few months. The last time it was a bus that passed me and quickly parked in the gutter right in front of me so that I had to get off my bike and scream at the driver too. This dude also apologised. What's wrong with these people? Do they want to get famous for killing someone?

could be a genuine mistake ...since they have apologized, you could have been a little bit polite...not that you dont have a right to shout at them....I wonder if those so called killers were singaporeans..cos they would ve got on their nerves and started a bloody fight...lol...

Cheers.

[textex]

I empathize with both sides... I think the local drivers here aren't very gracious and aware of their surroundings when they are behind the wheel (car or bus), I think they are trying to beat someone to something... I've seen enough near misses between cars and bikes to make me not want to take it (my bike) out or just use the foothpath.

Unfortunately if you are used to cars giving way to bikes/pedestrians or drivers using their signal lights, Singapore doesn't cut it. Just be extra careful here, don't get too worked up, its not going to solve anything.

Tex.

[Wind In My Hair]

Drivers here aren't used to cyclists. Like it or not, for your own safety you need to bear this in mind. My father always told me, "When you drive, assume the other drivers are idiots and you'll be okay." I now hand on this sage advice to you, my dear.

[Plavt]

I am not sure quite what to make of your post ozzy. One would hope you were big enough to see but possibly the van drivers view was obscured. Some here in Britian choose to wear high visibility vests such as those worn by the police or alternatively a reflective body band. Although I don't know whether either is available in Singapore.

[smayrhofer]

cars not signaling when they change lanes is my pet peeve. It wouldn't be such a problem, except that they also don't check their blind spots.

Given that they never check their blind spots, I constantly have to be on high alert on my motorbike. I watch non-stop for cars changing lanes into me. But when they don't even use their signal lights, it just adds another dimension. I not only have to keep my eye out for cars changing lanes into me, I also have to GUESS when a car MIGHT want to change lanes. Or watch in my peripheral vision if the car seems to be getting closer. Can't even rely on them signalling their intentions.

So Ozzy, I totally feel for you. I'd like nothing more than to scold these drivers and beat some sense into them. But instead, I just make do with being aware of the problem and driving extremely defensively.

[EADG]

Ozzy, sounds like you are new to this here - you will have more such experiences, and maybe this one will prove the least of them.

Be a defensive driver and yes assume the others on the road are the lesser drivers.

In my and all of my cyclist friends' opinion that is the case. Personally I don't think these roads are safe for cars, let alone cyclists. Some of that is ineptitude, some is, sorry to say, kaisu-ism.

The obvious stuff like colorful clothing, reflectors, lights, etc. all help and you should employ. But they are not enough compared with your heightened vigilance .

Be safe. Be very safe.

[durain]

if you gonna be cycling in singapore, defo need to wear ex-christmas deco so that doppy drivers can see you. alternatively, wear a high viz vest as Plavt suggested.

better to be seen on the road than on the obituary.

[Vaucluse]

Seems like you have anger-management problems . . . they apologised and you didn't show the grace to leave it at that.

You lose . . . and probably would have been thumped back home for shooting off your mouth like an arrogant prat . . . but then you wouldn't have behaved that way back in Oz, would you . . .

[micknlea]

You have to admit Ozchick that the bit of road you were on is not the best at the moment. It is hard enough when driving to stay in the correct lanes as the lanes are not wide enough and are only temporary around there, I'm not condoning them but its not a great place to cycle and maybe it was a genuine mistake and he could not see you at all. Mind you, why was he stopping there anyway? Double yellows?

Even still, your reaction sounds a little over the top to me, sorry.

[jfd]

I feel for you in such a situation. I am sure I would also give them a good serve if it had been me.

I have been in similar situations where the driver just did not seem to see me, and cut in front of me when I was so close that I actually had to jump hard on the breaks, and still came into contact with the side of the car. I am an extremely defensive cyclist, but even so, there are just some situations you can't see coming. In addition to that, once you have stopped, and are not actually injured, your adrenalin in sky high, and anger comes easy! I can quickly calm down if it appears they are genuinely sorry and really didn't see me, but if they really seem not to care, my anger will stay pretty high.

Oh, and btw, I behave the same if it happens in Oz.

[ozchick]

I feel for you in such a situation. I am sure I would also give them a good serve if it had been me.

I have been in similar situations where the driver just did not seem to see me, and cut in front of me when I was so close that I actually had to jump hard on the breaks, and still came into contact with the side of the car. I am an extremely defensive cyclist, but even so, there are just some situations you can't see coming. In addition to that, once you have stopped, and are not actually injured, your adrenalin in sky high, and anger comes easy! I can quickly calm down if it appears they are genuinely sorry and really didn't see me, but if they really seem not to care, my anger will stay pretty high.

Oh, and btw, I behave the same if it happens in Oz.

Yeah I'd behave the same in Oz as well. In Oz the police would be called.And these guys definitley saw me. That's why I got so livid. The only reason they they apologised is because I brought them to task on their appalling behaviour on the roads. People here in Sg aren't used others standing up for their rights. Wearing bright coloured clothes would not have helped in this situation. They knew I was there but chose to put my life at risk.

[rattlesnake]

Yeah I'd behave the same in Oz as well. In Oz the police would be called.

Do you seriously think the police in Oz would do anything. After you wait 45 minutes for them to turn up they would blow you off with some lame excuse - "sorry lady, there is nothing we can do. Can we get back to our pizza now?"

Seriously, you would have far better luck calling the police in Singapore, but you didn't. Why would you do this in Oz but not here? It seems like it was more important for you to post what happened on the forum - like we can do something about it.

[ozchick]

Yeah I'd behave the same in Oz as well. In Oz the police would be called.

Do you seriously think the police in Oz would do anything. After you wait 45 minutes for them to turn up they would blow you off with some lame excuse - "sorry lady, there is nothing we can do. Can we get back to our pizza now?"

Seriously, you would have far better luck calling the police in Singapore, but you didn't. Why would you do this in Oz but not here? It seems like it was more important for you to post what happened on the forum - like we can do something about it.

The reason I've posted this is that we CAN do something about it! I would hope that when others experience this stuff that they might also stand up for their rights, like I did. If enough people 'speak up' when the situation occurs, slowly change happens. These guys that tried to push me off the road won't do this again in a hurry. They were mortified that someone would take them to task as I did.I would have called the police if I'd had a pen. I'm now carrying one with me when I cycle, along with the egg!
In Oz my experience has been that the police help depending on who you happen to get on the phone, or at their station. If one gets no response then a follow-up with the superior usually works. Again it's a case of 'speaking up' when society has issues. Standing back and just letting it all happen gets us all nowhere fast. How often do we all hear of the terrible driving in Singapore. It doesn't have to be like this. Complacency breeds more of the same.
I was aslo hoping by posting this to get strategies from other cyclists, e.g. am I better to take the whole lane (as if I'm a car), then if these inconsiderate madmen 'push me over' I will at least have somewhere to go! Riding in the gutter as I do, there is nowhere but pain! I hereby premapt responses like 'don't ride, it's not safe. And, as a last resort I may have to follow this advice, but not yet.

[rattlesnake]

Yeah I'd behave the same in Oz as well. In Oz the police would be called.

Do you seriously think the police in Oz would do anything. After you wait 45 minutes for them to turn up they would blow you off with some lame excuse - "sorry lady, there is nothing we can do. Can we get back to our pizza now?"

Seriously, you would have far better luck calling the police in Singapore, but you didn't. Why would you do this in Oz but not here? It seems like it was more important for you to post what happened on the forum - like we can do something about it.

The reason I've posted this is that we CAN do something about it! I would hope that when others experience this stuff that they might also stand up for their rights, like I did. If enough people 'speak up' when the situation occurs, slowly change happens. These guys that tried to push me off the road won't do this again in a hurry. They were mortified that someone would take them to task as I did.I would have called the police if I'd had a pen. I'm now carrying one with me when I cycle, along with the egg!
In Oz my experience has been that the police help depending on who you happen to get on the phone, or at their station. If one gets no response then a follow-up with the superior usually works. Again it's a case of 'speaking up' when society has issues. Standing back and just letting it all happen gets us all nowhere fast. How often do we all hear of the terrible driving in Singapore. It doesn't have to be like this. Complacency breeds more of the same.
I was aslo hoping by posting this to get strategies from other cyclists, e.g. am I better to take the whole lane (as if I'm a car), then if these inconsiderate madmen 'push me over' I will at least have somewhere to go! Riding in the gutter as I do, there is nowhere but pain! I hereby premapt responses like 'don't ride, it's not safe. And, as a last resort I may have to follow this advice, but not yet.

To be honest, IMO, you have not stood up and you have not exercised your rights apart from freedom of speech. I am assuming you had a phone on you, no need for a pen. Even then reporting doesn't mean catching. You can report an incident without knowing who the other party was. Using the "if I were in my country, then they would pay" rationale doesn't cut it, in my book. Also, you are in dreamworld if you think police in Australia would do anything - superior involved or not. As far as carrying an egg with you, how is this going to solve any problem?

Fact is cyclists, in the right or wrong are at a massive safety disadvantage on the road. I think the high vis strategy suggested is the one your looking for.