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The Forum > Article Comments > The road monsters are coming > Comments

The road monsters are coming : Comments

By Alan Parker, published 17/9/2008

First we had B-Doubles, now we have B-Triples. For a city cyclist this is equivalent to a terrorist attack!

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"Be careful out there"
Posted by VK3AUU, Wednesday, 17 September 2008 10:36:00 AM
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Just returned from outback Queensland where triple road-trains reach 56 metres. Not a problem for careful drivers. Our future B-triples are pigmies and will only operate on highways and principal roads - which bicycles should avoid. The Geelong-Broadmeadows Ford unit does not seem to present any problems. Should not be a problem for careful cyclists.
Posted by Beef, Wednesday, 17 September 2008 12:27:58 PM
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Whilst I agree that B triples are not great in the city I have found from my experience that B doubles are far more dangerous on the open road mainly because they are capable of higher speeds (being lighter). Having passed many a triple on WA highways I have to say I was far more uncomfortable on the Pacific Highway in NSW with endless numbers of speeding B doubles. I know they are supposed to be speed limited, but this seems to be a nonsense as not one truck I encountered was driving at or under the speed limit. I also wittnessed many disgraceful acts of running red lights and truck overtaking truck on the few overtaking lanes. The triples in WA seem to be slower, possibly because of the extra weight. So for me, no to triples in urban areas, but lets do something about the doubles as well!
Posted by DiverDan, Wednesday, 17 September 2008 12:40:53 PM
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Another whinge from a road user who pays nothing for the use and upkeep of those roads. That upkeep is paid for in large part from the taxes paid by registered road users, which of course, bicycles are not.

Bicycles are great- when used on cycleways.

I think the number of trucks on our roads is beyond a joke. What happened to the rail system? There is debate underway on just this topic in WA (and no doubt elsewhere) with the rail system being allowed to fall into disrepair (having been privatised). Wheat and other grains formerly shipped by rail will now go by road. Just what we need with the B-doubles and triples and oversized mining equipment already clogging the highways.
Posted by viking13, Wednesday, 17 September 2008 1:19:54 PM
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We all pay for the roads, viking13, it comes out of our tax.
Posted by Sancho, Wednesday, 17 September 2008 2:13:18 PM
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It costs 18000 $/ yr to reg my truck.
Posted by olly, Wednesday, 17 September 2008 2:35:15 PM
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Wrong, Sancho, aside from special projects under the Fedaral grants system, and those private motorways paid for by users via tolls, most road funding comes from road and fuel taxes, which aren't paid by cyclists. The major tax going to roads is council rates for secondary roads not covered by state mechanisms.

The argument that cyclists should have free rein on our roads "because they pax tax" (presumably because they also own a car, or pay income tax) doesn't wash with me. There are plenty of things my taxes pay for like army tanks, airforce runways and Navy ships I don't get to use. Nor do I get to use the services of translators and a whole raft of services my taxes pay for. If it's OK for cyclists to use roads paid for by others, why can't motorcyclists, whose effects on the road surface are minimal? Reason, we have laws which stipulate they have to be roadworthy and have road tax paid (as part of registration) not to mention insurance (if I hit a cyclist he/she is covered. What if they hit me, especially as a pedestrian?).

Cyclists are no more than freeloading pirates.
Posted by viking13, Wednesday, 17 September 2008 4:08:17 PM
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You DO get to use the military. You use it every day when you go about your business and don't get invaded by other countries, and if you need to use a translator, you can, because your taxes have paid for it. Using your logic, motorists should only be able to drive on the bits of road that they've paid for directly.

It's appropriate for motor vehicles - including bikes - to cost more to users because they impose a greater cost on the environment and community. Pushbikes don't do the damage to roads that heavier vehicles do, and they don't produce particulate air pollution. The costs are further offset because cycling reduces health costs of the users by improving their fitness.

And why on earth shouldn't a car-owner use a cycle instead? They're doing you a favour by paying the rego, then they're not causing the damage and congestion that using the car would.

I think bicycle registration and licensing is a great idea, but it'll never happen because cyclists would then be entitled to the same services and attention motorists get, and there's no way the roads and motor lobbies would allow that.

As for "freeloading pirates", what? Such ridiculous abuse undermines any sensible argument you have to make. It'd be like me dismissing every motorist as a bogan revhead out to devour as much fossil fuel as possible in their short, miserable lives.
Posted by Sancho, Wednesday, 17 September 2008 4:37:24 PM
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Sancho>"You DO get to use the military. You use it every day when you go about your business and don't get invaded by other countries"

That is a complete myth, mate... and it's an extremely weak argument even if you believed it (which you would be a gullible fool to do).
Posted by Steel, Wednesday, 17 September 2008 5:56:20 PM
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Next time Critical Mass tries to block traffic in the tunnels during peak hour...

BRING ON THE B-TRIPLES... LOTS OF THEM :)
Posted by Polycarp, Wednesday, 17 September 2008 6:38:28 PM
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I can only agree with Viking 13.

These Spandex-clad, pedal power 'politicians' - who pay nothing to use our roads and have the arrogance to suggest that their needs (or "rights") are in someway equal or superior to those of the general travelling public - can, at best, be described as egocentric and, at worst, a positive menace on our roads.

In case they are not aware (which is really a rhetorical statement), commercial road transport is the lifeblood of this country. On average, the goods that people consume in Australia travel on an average of six trucks between their point of manufacture or importation and their final retail destination.

That means, road transport is one of the most important ingredients in achieving national prosperity for Australia. Commercial transport is the single most important factor in allowing and promoting Australian lifestyles.

Conversely, Alan Parker is the quintessential whingeing apologist for an illegitimate subgroup of the Australian population that believes their personal desire to 'take their bikes and play in traffic' is superior to the essential requirements of economic efficiency underpinning Australia's GDP.

Alan, why don't you just get yourself a stationary bicycle and ride it on your front veranda?
Posted by Doc Holliday, Wednesday, 17 September 2008 8:17:28 PM
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A pox on all trucks during peak times in our cities. More often then not they drive over the speed limit and weave between lanes as if they're in a light sports vehicle.

For so called professional drivers who necessarily have to share the road with amateur drivers many act with little regard to the safety of others. In other words, very unprofessionally.

Bizarre anyway how much we insist on relying on moving goods long distances by trucks.
Posted by Anansi, Wednesday, 17 September 2008 8:39:51 PM
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*A pox on all trucks during peak times in our cities*

Sheesh, how dare those trucks deliver food and other goods, to
keep city slickers fed and clothed? Ban those trucks I say,
let the complaining city slickers cope without food supplies :)
Posted by Yabby, Sunday, 21 September 2008 2:35:24 PM
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I dont ride a bike on the roads however cyclists are citizens who pay taxes and tolls. In a recent Sydney road rage incident a number of cyclists in single file in the left lane, early in the morning on what was apparently a regular fitness run, were mown down by a braindead moron because they 'were giving him the sh**s' or somesuch. Cyclists seem to push certain drivers buttons. Whereas its 'certain drivers' needing chronic interventionist anger management and counselling, their licence cancelled, vehicles seized and sold by the courts, huge fines imposed, be named and shamed, and jail terms. Just who is the problem here? Drivers and their attitude are the ones in possession of the weapon of mass destruction that gets flung about with often reckless abandon. I have yet to hear of a truck or car being swept off the road or into the path of another vehicle or sucked under the wheels by the crazed monsters operating bicycles. However I have heard of quite a number here and elsewhere who operate cars, and especially, trucks. The bigger the truck, the bigger the attitude. Compensating for deficiencies elsewhere perhaps? The more bogeys, the greater the air turbulence. I've driven a large van at 100k+ on the highway and been passed like I was standing still by huge roadtrains; bloody great trucks with massive bogeys. I had to fight damn hard to maintain control. I drove a large van. I'm a strong man with many years driving. It was the open road. It scared the crap out of me. Its happend to me in WA, SA, Vic, NSW, Qld. What possible chance does a cyclist or pedestrian have in the city? What crazed fool thought this would be a good idea? What corrupt maniacs let it go through parliament? FIX THE BLOODY RAIL SYSTEM. GET THESE MONSTROSITIES OFF OUR ROADS. Maybe then we can have a little less stress in our already hugely overstressed lives.
Posted by omygodnoitsitsitsyou, Monday, 22 September 2008 11:53:37 AM
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