Full stubbie thrown at cyclist's face

... to say the least. I wonder why there is so much aggression towards cyclists

I had a motorist verbally abuse me the other morning. It was 5:30am and he had to slow down, because the cycle path along the road ended, so there wasn't enough space for him to overtake for a few metres.

Pretty sad

Last week while riding up the mountain after work I got one hell of a fright when a part full plastic flavoured milk bottle was thrown from a rusting Toyota 4WD with cage on the back and hit me on the butt. Unfortunately by the time I relised what had happened I couldn't get the number plate.

Another disturbing habit I've been suffering, but only before the horrendous M7 accident is when I have a wide break down lane cars and trucks have occasionally moved over into this lane to frighten the crap out of me and yes it works very well. To make this more frightening and further proving to me it is done purposely as soon as they have passed me they will move even further left.
I've tried to tell myself it's not deliberate but it's happened just a bit too often, and it's always the type of vehicle a redneck would drive, not new or 4 cylinder, has any one else had this happen to them?
John.

i think the problem is that these people dont feel guilt, they simply just dont care.
I have had the same thing happen to me as Mr groover, cars move over or yell just as they are near you.
I try and use cycle paths/cycleways etc for most of my commute to work to minimize the actual amoutnof road use, most fo the drivers know me as i tend to see the same cars everyday so luckily for me it is quite rare now. I guess they realise i am just trying to make my way to work like them.
I also use the M7 cycleway ALOT, 40km each way of dedicated offroad cycleway, no cars at all to deal with, and no stopping at traffic lights also.
When it does happen i just try and shrug it off, no use trying to fix something you have no control over.

Don

the old bottle throwing thing is nothing new.

I have lost count of how many bottles have been thrown at me while riding in the cycle lane on the M2, luckily only one has ever hit me & didn't cause any damage.

I too have noticed cars moving over on purpose, guess the drivers just need to remind them selves how good their driving skills are. P platers are especially good at this.

Probably the worst part is that I am so used to it I don't really worry about it anymore. Not so good for personal safety.

At the end of the day we can all rave on about it on various forums but the offending car drivers wont worry as they will never read it.

I think it could be a latent homosexual thing. They are riding in the passanger seat of the vehicle and checking out the male's bum in the lycra. Now rather than coming to grips with their sexuality they react by blaming the lycra wearer and thus throwing the object.

I don't have a reason for Anke getting yelled at. Maybe it's just Sydney drivers. You have to be an angry driver if your yelling abuse at a blonde girl riding a bike. We do tend to have more insane people out on the streets these days.

Imagine if it was legal practice for cyclists to carry a handgun whilst riding. and the law said if people scare you or chuck stuff at you then you're allowed to shoot at their car! oh just imagine the instant satisfaction...

I had that happen with a couple of rednecks on the way home on a Friday night.

I was approaching Spit Junction on Military Road and had to switch into the middle lane to avoid getting jammed up in the door zone as the kerbside lane narrowed. Naturally, I moved into the middle of the lane so as not to tempt someone to try squeezing past.

A couple of primary school graduates in a trayback one-tonner, one in his late 50s and the other looking mid-40s but probably younger, hurled abuse as they passed me on the right. I caught up to them 30m later at the next set of lights.

"So what was that about, fellas?" I asked.
"You were riding in the middle of the f&@k!#g the lane!"
(Me pointing) "What, so you expect me to ride in the f&@k!#g door zone?"
"You should be riding on the f&@k!#g footpath!"
"It's f&@k!#g illegal!"
"Well, when you pay rego you can ride on the f&@k!#g road!"
"I do pay rego! In fact I'm f&@k!#g subsidising you!"
Primary school grad number 2 points to the back of my bike and slurs, "So where's your f&@k!#g number plate?"
"It's on me f&@k!#g car! At f&@k!#g home! On a car I don't f&@k!#g use!"
"Well, what f&@k!#g good is that?"
"It's less f&@k!#g traffic on the road!"

At this point primary school graduate #1 starts to laugh, as do I, the car behind me toots as the lights change and they drive off.

After crossing Spit Bridge and riding up the short climb up Battle Bvd I notice the same one-tonner, pulled over as said graduates try to read a street directory. Uh-oh. Feeling a little concerned, I keep my trap shut and try to be inconspicuous as I pass, as there is less traffic - and fewer potential witnesses - if they should try something on.

They pass me a couple of hundred metres later.
"F&@k! It's that f&@k!#g guy!"
(Worried-sounding) "It is too! Ssssstt! Hurry up, will you!"
"S#!t!" The transmission grumbles as he proceeds to muff the gear change and the trayback groans off in too tall a gear.

The whole interchange reminded me of that Peter Cook and Dudley Moore skit. And it seems they were more worried about me than I needed to be about them. (Laughs nervously... )

Could easily have turned ugly, though.