Mt Cootha misery

Donga

The Courier Mail, 15 Nov 2007
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/...5003402,00.html

A CYCLIST has died in Brisbane.

Police said the 46-year-old West End man was rising down Mount Coot-
tha when he and an oncoming vehicle collided just before 6am (AEST)
yesterday.

He was taken to the Royal Brisbane Hospital but died from his injuries
around midday.
___________________________________________

>From RoadGrime:
5am tomorrow from MB Coaching 12 McDougall Street Milton

--------------------------------------
Fellow cyclists, friends, you are openly invited to a commemorative
ride
tomorrow morning to pay your respects to a fellow cyclist, Mr Ian
Perkins, tragically killed in a road incident on Mt Cootha yesterday.
It
will be the same course as the "Gents Ride".

Ian had ridden this ride for the past 5 years, never missing a
beautiful
roll with friends.

Ian "Perko" Perkins was a highly respected and super motivated
individual that embraced all of what we love in riding our bikes and
we
are coming together at 5am, 16th November at MB Cycles-MB Coaching, 12
McDougall Street in MILTON. 3367 3488 if you have any questions.

All are welcome, we will be taking in a river loop with groups
expected
to ride from about 27km/h average down to 20km/h. Separate groups will
be constructed if needed.

Without reservation we extend to loved ones, friends and Family our
deepest sympathy's and to the greater cycling community, we treasure
the
memory of our Brother, Ian Perkins.
Mokky

vyaw2003@gmail.com

we have probably all come down that hill near channel 10 too fast. my
rule i stick too is to only go DOWN the front way, not the back at Mt
Cootha.

Donga

On Nov 16, 10:18 am, vyaw2...@gmail.com wrote:
> we have probably all come down that hill near channel 10 too fast. my
> rule i stick too is to only go DOWN the front way, not the back at Mt
> Cootha.

The report I have heard is that the car was on the wrong side of the
road, passing cyclists while crossing a double line.

Donga

On Nov 17, 8:21 pm, "OzCableguy" <ozcable...@NOSPAMhotmail.com> wrote:

> Lemme get this straight now...
> You're riding through a roundabout?
> Someone in a hummer gives way to you?
> You give him the finger because... he's driving a car you don't like?
>
> Is this sarcasm or am I missing something in your description about this
> driver doing something dangerous or illegal?
> I'm familiar withwww.fuh2.com. Is it something to do with that?
>
> --www.ozcableguy.comwww.oztechnologies.com

It wasn't a big display and I doubt fully whether the driver noticed -
it was more for me, like thinking aloud. I have a real problem with
people choosing to drive cars like that. We've just had a guy die
because he hit a car. We don't know the story and perhaps he lost
control and went on the wrong side of the road or perhaps the car was
passing cyclists on a blind corner with double lines - there have been
both reports. We have some car makers, and manufacturing standards,
trying to make cars safe for pedestrians (and cyclists) in the event
of crashes. Some people choose their car partly on that basis. Then we
have published evidence that SUVs are more dangerous to other people,
and buyers choosing their car because they feel more powerful, higher
up etc, screw the outcome for others. That directly damages cyclists'
safety, not to mention schoolkids, people driving smaller cars etc.
They also have some BS reasons about needing 4WD and to tote lots of
people/stuff (that fit in smaller cars anyway) - so they are also
saying they not only won't 'act locally' on their carbon footprint,
but they will make it as big as they damn well like. So when someone
has rushed out to buy the first Hummer on the market, just so they can
feel/look whatever is in their minds, I find that offensive. It would
be much easier to just not care. Any ideas on what I can do usefully?

OzCableguy

"Donga" <idomybestworkonabike@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1d196de4-57b6-4939-ae91-36b7cde15cae@s12g2000prg.googlegroups.com...
> It wasn't a big display and I doubt fully whether the driver noticed -
> it was more for me, like thinking aloud. I have a real problem with
> people choosing to drive cars like that. We've just had a guy die
> because he hit a car. We don't know the story and perhaps he lost
> control and went on the wrong side of the road or perhaps the car was
> passing cyclists on a blind corner with double lines - there have been
> both reports. We have some car makers, and manufacturing standards,
> trying to make cars safe for pedestrians (and cyclists) in the event
> of crashes. Some people choose their car partly on that basis. Then we
> have published evidence that SUVs are more dangerous to other people,
> and buyers choosing their car because they feel more powerful, higher
> up etc, screw the outcome for others. That directly damages cyclists'
> safety, not to mention schoolkids, people driving smaller cars etc.
> They also have some BS reasons about needing 4WD and to tote lots of
> people/stuff (that fit in smaller cars anyway) - so they are also
> saying they not only won't 'act locally' on their carbon footprint,
> but they will make it as big as they damn well like. So when someone
> has rushed out to buy the first Hummer on the market, just so they can
> feel/look whatever is in their minds, I find that offensive. It would
> be much easier to just not care. Any ideas on what I can do usefully?

I gotcha. I just thought I might have been missing something. I reckon the
guy in the hummer might have wondered what he'd done wrong at the time too
so it may not have been the best moment to voice your protest. Nevertheless,
I think you're on the right track.
I'm also aggravated that we allow this sort of vehicle on our roads and I
totally agree with the FUH2 principle. These vehicles are dangerous,
inappropriate and a woeful abuse of a limited resource. If the government
won't do anything about it it's up to the people to make fun of anyone
irresponsible enough to buy one until they're about as socially acceptable
as mullet haircuts.

There was a bit of a write up in the Sunday paper today about Ian Perkins'
accident but there's no mention of any wrongdoing by anyone. It would appear
that he took the corner too fast and couldn't hold the line but there's no
specifics mentioned. The main concern appears to be the speed that cyclists
descend the mountain and the lack of shoulders and signage warning of
dangers.

--
www.ozcableguy.com
www.oztechnologies.com