A farewell to cycling in Sydney

[Enno Middelberg[_2_]]

Hi all,

after almost three years in Sydney my family and I have returned to
Germany. I have lived in Lane Cove and cycled to work in Epping (12 kms
and 140 m of altitude) approximately three or four times a week during
that time, and I loved and hated it. Loved it in those mornings when the
sun rose, the air smelled like gum trees (there is this corner at the end
of Vimiera Rd - Suzy, you must know what I mean) and the ride wakes you up
and you feel great. Hated it when I had to kick myself to do the distance
and I noticed I was becoming unfit after not having been on the bike for a
week.

I almost never hated it because of cars, though. I may have cycled to work
some 300 times or so, but there were only a handful of incidents where
drivers shouted at me or a truck blew the horn right next to me. I learned
quickly where in the lane I had to ride to keep cars off, and almost all
drivers kept a good distance. Reading posts here and talking to other
people who say that they've been thrown bottles at I felt that I've
lived in a parallel universe.

Being back in Germany I think that the deep difference between German and
Australian traffic is that in Australia it appears to be more important to
get along with one another. Road regulations exist, but it seems more
important to watch out for yourself and for others and not too hurry too
much. In Germany, you're safe when you stick to the regulations. If you
don't you're lost because people will rather stick to the rules than let
you change a lane where you shouldn't (for example). It almost happens
every day that a car passes me at less than arm's length, but this
almost never happened in Sydney. But I can ride without a helmet - oh yes!
Cool air in what's left of my hair and the rain dries more quickly. The
day before we left I put the helmet on the ground and jumped on it - it
was surprisingly difficult to break.

Have fun you devoted Australian cyclists, I enjoyed cycling in Sydney.

Best regards,

Enno

--
to reply, replace "invalid" with "com" in my address

[Theo Bekkers]

Enno Middelberg wrote:
> Hi all,

> after almost three years in Sydney my family and I have returned to
> Germany.

> Being back in Germany I think that the deep difference between German
> and Australian traffic is that in Australia it appears to be more
> important to get along with one another.

> The day before we left I put the helmet on the ground and
> jumped on it - it was surprisingly difficult to break.

Is this going to be a 'which city has the worst drivers' or a 'helmet'
thread? :-)

Theo

[cfsmtb[_224_]]

Enno Middelberg Wrote:
>
> I almost never hated it because of cars, though. I may have cycled to
> work
> some 300 times or so, but there were only a handful of incidents where
> drivers shouted at me or a truck blew the horn right next to me. I
> learned
> quickly where in the lane I had to ride to keep cars off, and almost
> all
> drivers kept a good distance. Reading posts here and talking to other
> people who say that they've been thrown bottles at I felt that I've
> lived in a parallel universe.

Todays SHM Heckler (28/5) has a reader submission from one of those
parallel universe inhabitants. ;)

****

Fat-bottomed van drivers make my wheels spin round
http://tinyurl.com/ynpfp9

Bicycle, bicycle, bicycle. Oh let them ride their bicycles, just let
them ride their bikes! They want to ride their bicycles they want to
ride them where they like! I refer, of course, to Sydney cyclists. A
misunderstood group of people who are verbally abused and have their
lives threatened by inconsiderate drivers day in and day out.

My outrage at the injustices that cyclists suffer was ignited when I
happened upon lower George Street, The Rocks. There was a cyclist,
pedalling at a good speed beside a bus that was about to turn at an
intersection. For no apparent reason, the bus driver opened the door
(as the vehicle was moving) and screamed out: "F--- off you f---ing
c---!"

The driver had a gruff voice, and obviously attracted quite a bit of
attention. A newsagent just beside the intersection popped her head out
of the shop and asked in utter disbelief: "Did the bus driver really say
that?"

This kind of language shouldn't be permitted in public, and road rage
should never be expressed by a bus driver, especially to someone as
vulnerable as a cyclist.

My boyfriend, an Irish engineer, rides his bike to and from work
because it gets him there a lot faster than ploughing through peak-hour
traffic like a rat through a straw. The behaviour he encounters every
day is unacceptable. Daily, regardless of how safely and considerately
he rides, he gets yelled at and abused: "**** off you Pommy *******!",
and "You're gonna get yourself killed!"

Generally these insults come from fat, unattractive men in vans. So I
ask, surely cyclists aren't such an inconvenience - and isn't most of
this rage derived from pure, primal jealousy?

It makes no sense that people who are out there being active (instead
of pedalling fake bicycles in gyms to pounding trance music) should be
abused. People who aren't using fuel and creating pollution, people who
don't run over toddlers in four-wheel-drives (I'm sorry, I had to let
that one out), people who contribute to the pleasant aesthetic
landscape should not be condemned. They should be praised instead.

So, the next time you feel the need to let loose on a poor, attractive,
environmentally conscious and non-child-murdering cyclist I suggest you
keep a lid on it, lest we all devolve into these fat, unattractive,
van-driving men and communicate only by shouting out obscenities with
unprovoked menace.

Readers are invited to send 500 words on what makes their blood boil to
. Include your phone details. Submissions may be
edited and published on the internet.


--
cfsmtb

[Duncan]

cfsmtb wrote:
> Todays SHM Heckler (28/5) has a reader submission from one of those
> parallel universe inhabitants. ;)
>
> ****
>
> Fat-bottomed van drivers make my wheels spin round
> http://tinyurl.com/ynpfp9

What a confused article

[Zebee Johnstone]

In aus.bicycle on Mon, 28 May 2007 16:18:21 +1000
cfsmtb > wrote:
>
> Enno Middelberg Wrote:
>>
>> drivers kept a good distance. Reading posts here and talking to other
>> people who say that they've been thrown bottles at I felt that I've
>> lived in a parallel universe.
>
> Todays SHM Heckler (28/5) has a reader submission from one of those
> parallel universe inhabitants. ;)

I'm in Enno's parallel universe :)

I get the occasional yell, but it's very hard to tell what they are
saying a sort of "oooaarroo" noise that could be anything. I feel
like calling out "enunciate!".

I find most drivers cope well, they don't hassle me, they don't
usually pass too close, they don't honk or get aggro.

Even when I venture off my normal track and I'm in Redfern or Newtown
or Paddo compared to my usual
Canterbury/Marrickville/Campsie/Petersham.



Zebee

[Resound[_2_]]

"Zebee Johnstone" > wrote in message
...
> In aus.bicycle on Mon, 28 May 2007 16:18:21 +1000
> cfsmtb > wrote:
>>
>> Enno Middelberg Wrote:
>>>
>>> drivers kept a good distance. Reading posts here and talking to other
>>> people who say that they've been thrown bottles at I felt that I've
>>> lived in a parallel universe.
>>
>> Todays SHM Heckler (28/5) has a reader submission from one of those
>> parallel universe inhabitants. ;)
>
> I'm in Enno's parallel universe :)
>
> I get the occasional yell, but it's very hard to tell what they are
> saying a sort of "oooaarroo" noise that could be anything. I feel
> like calling out "enunciate!".
>
> I find most drivers cope well, they don't hassle me, they don't
> usually pass too close, they don't honk or get aggro.
>
> Even when I venture off my normal track and I'm in Redfern or Newtown
> or Paddo compared to my usual
> Canterbury/Marrickville/Campsie/Petersham.
>
Despite being in Melbourne which I gather isn't anything like as nasty as
Sydney, I'm there as well. I just don't get grief on the bike. Perhaps it's
my sunny disposition.

[beerwolf[_2_]]

Zebee Johnstone wrote:

> In aus.bicycle on Mon, 28 May 2007 16:18:21 +1000
> cfsmtb > wrote:
>>
>> Enno Middelberg Wrote:
>>>
>>> drivers kept a good distance. Reading posts here and talking to
>>> other people who say that they've been thrown bottles at I felt that
>>> I've lived in a parallel universe.
>>
>> Todays SHM Heckler (28/5) has a reader submission from one of those
>> parallel universe inhabitants. ;)
>
> I'm in Enno's parallel universe :)
>
> I get the occasional yell, but it's very hard to tell what they are
> saying a sort of "oooaarroo" noise that could be anything. I feel
> like calling out "enunciate!".
>
> I find most drivers cope well, they don't hassle me, they don't
> usually pass too close, they don't honk or get aggro.
>
> Even when I venture off my normal track and I'm in Redfern or Newtown
> or Paddo compared to my usual
> Canterbury/Marrickville/Campsie/Petersham.

I'm with Enno. I commute through Redfern, Paddington & Newtown at least
twice a week, also Drummoyne and Balmain via LyonsRd & Victoria Rd. The
direct route from home to work is just not long enough for a decent
ride. I have never yet had any deliberate aggro, nor yet had any dramas
in which I was completely blameless.

What I do get, strangely enough, are smart4rse comments from
pedestrians, eg "Oi, yer tyre's flat" (it isn't), or "Hey mate! Mate!
Yer wheel's turning round!". Why anyone would think this even remotely
funny escapes me. Does anyone else get these?

--
beerwolf

[DaveB]

beerwolf wrote:
> What I do get, strangely enough, are smart4rse comments from
> pedestrians, eg "Oi, yer tyre's flat" (it isn't), or "Hey mate! Mate!
> Yer wheel's turning round!". Why anyone would think this even remotely
> funny escapes me. Does anyone else get these?

When I have the trailer bike bolted on and I go to pickup my daughter I
get "hey you've lost your passenger" or something similar. How anyone
can think I've never heard that before is beyond me.

DaveB

[Gags]

"DaveB" > wrote in message
u...
> beerwolf wrote:
>> What I do get, strangely enough, are smart4rse comments from
>> pedestrians, eg "Oi, yer tyre's flat" (it isn't), or "Hey mate! Mate!
>> Yer wheel's turning round!". Why anyone would think this even remotely
>> funny escapes me. Does anyone else get these?
>
> When I have the trailer bike bolted on and I go to pickup my daughter I
> get "hey you've lost your passenger" or something similar. How anyone can
> think I've never heard that before is beyond me.
>
> DaveB

Had an incident with a kid's trailer that was empty once.....had ridden to
park with my son, he disgraced himself which was OK as I had a spare nappy
and associated equip with me but when he did it again 10 minutes later I had
to call the wife to rescue us. She drove out with supplies, changed him,
and then decided to take him home in the car as it was starting to get a bit
late. I started riding home on the bike paths (this was in Canberra) and I
was going pretty quick as the trailer was empty. As I went around a jink
and across the road at a small roundabout the trailer went up on one wheel,
went fully over on its side for a second, then bounced back onto two wheels
as I went up the kerb entry on the other side of the road. I had a quick
look, made sure the trailer was still there and then kept pedalling. I then
had a car start to stay level with me (the path paralleled the road) and the
window wound down. A concerned looking lady started yelling at me to stop
as I had just hurt my child!!! (the trailer had a flyscreen and a clear
plastic screen that was hard to see through). I just smiled, waved at the
lady as if she was saying hello and kept riding.

I thought the whole thing was pretty funny but in hindsight I probably
should have stopped and explained to the lady that the trailer was empty.

Gags

[Adam F[_4_]]

wrote:
> On May 28, 9:33 am, "Theo Bekkers" > wrote:
>> Enno Middelberg wrote:
>>> Hi all,
>>> after almost three years in Sydney my family and I have returned to
>>> Germany.
>>> Being back in Germany I think that the deep difference between German
>>> and Australian traffic is that in Australia it appears to be more
>>> important to get along with one another.
>>> The day before we left I put the helmet on the ground and
>>> jumped on it - it was surprisingly difficult to break.
>> Is this going to be a 'which city has the worst drivers' or a 'helmet'
>> thread? :-)
>>
>> Theo
>
> I was so excited (ok, I was very late for work too) to be riding my
> recently almost finished 9 speed hybrid thingo that I forgot to wear
> my helmet. Despite the fact I've only got front brakes at this stage,
> I was more worried about getting pinged by a cop for not wearing the
> helmet than sustaining brain injury. I didn't notice cars giving me
> any more or less room than when I was wearing a helmet.
>
> The novelty of hub gears and friction shifters hasn't worn off yet :-)
>

Pfft 8 speeds more than you need ;D

--
//Adam F

[TimC]

On 2007-05-28, Gags (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:
> Had an incident with a kid's trailer that was empty once.....had ridden to
> park with my son, he disgraced himself which was OK as I had a spare nappy
> and associated equip with me but when he did it again 10 minutes later I had
> to call the wife to rescue us. She drove out with supplies, changed him,
> and then decided to take him home in the car as it was starting to get a bit
> late. I started riding home on the bike paths (this was in Canberra) and I
> was going pretty quick as the trailer was empty. As I went around a jink
> and across the road at a small roundabout the trailer went up on one wheel,
> went fully over on its side for a second, then bounced back onto two wheels
> as I went up the kerb entry on the other side of the road. I had a quick
> look, made sure the trailer was still there and then kept pedalling. I then
> had a car start to stay level with me (the path paralleled the road) and the
> window wound down. A concerned looking lady started yelling at me to stop
> as I had just hurt my child!!! (the trailer had a flyscreen and a clear
> plastic screen that was hard to see through). I just smiled, waved at the
> lady as if she was saying hello and kept riding.
>
> I thought the whole thing was pretty funny but in hindsight I probably
> should have stopped and explained to the lady that the trailer was empty.

You've permanently psychologically scarred this little old lady that
thinks you damaged your kid. Well done sir, Good on ya!

--
TimC
The generation of random numbers is too important to be left to chance.
-- Robert R. Coveyou, Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

[Dave]

On Mon, 28 May 2007 07:34:07 +0000, Zebee Johnstone wrote:

> Even when I venture off my normal track and I'm in Redfern or Newtown
> or Paddo compared to my usual
> Canterbury/Marrickville/Campsie/Petersham.

My normal riding grounds are Sydney's North Shore, sometimes the Northern
Beaches, and the Inner West. Very rarely I'll venture out to Blacktown to
visit someone, and even though I only ride for about 5km on roads other
than the M2/M7, I almost always get some dickhead screaming/honking at me.

It really does depend where you are.

--
Dave Hughes |
If you call blowing things up experiments, there were a lot of
chemistry experiments. -- Neal Stephenson

[Zebee Johnstone]

In aus.bicycle on 28 May 2007 13:15:53 GMT
Dave > wrote:
> On Mon, 28 May 2007 07:34:07 +0000, Zebee Johnstone wrote:
>
>> Even when I venture off my normal track and I'm in Redfern or Newtown
>> or Paddo compared to my usual
>> Canterbury/Marrickville/Campsie/Petersham.
>
> My normal riding grounds are Sydney's North Shore, sometimes the Northern
> Beaches, and the Inner West. Very rarely I'll venture out to Blacktown to
> visit someone, and even though I only ride for about 5km on roads other
> than the M2/M7, I almost always get some dickhead screaming/honking at me.
>
> It really does depend where you are.

I think so. I haven't had problems in leichardt, annandale, glebe, or
up meadowbank, rhodes, north ryde.

So clearly it isn't "sydney" it is "bits of sydney have arseholes" and
I dunno anyone's going to argue about that!

Zebee

[Plodder]

"Zebee Johnstone" > wrote in message
...
> In aus.bicycle on Mon, 28 May 2007 16:18:21 +1000
> cfsmtb > wrote:
>>
>> Enno Middelberg Wrote:
>>>
>>> drivers kept a good distance. Reading posts here and talking to other
>>> people who say that they've been thrown bottles at I felt that I've
>>> lived in a parallel universe.
>>
>> Todays SHM Heckler (28/5) has a reader submission from one of those
>> parallel universe inhabitants. ;)
>
> I'm in Enno's parallel universe :)
>
> I get the occasional yell, but it's very hard to tell what they are
> saying a sort of "oooaarroo" noise that could be anything. I feel
> like calling out "enunciate!".
>
> I find most drivers cope well, they don't hassle me, they don't
> usually pass too close, they don't honk or get aggro.
>
> Even when I venture off my normal track and I'm in Redfern or Newtown
> or Paddo compared to my usual
> Canterbury/Marrickville/Campsie/Petersham.
>
>
>
> Zebee

I think the operative bit is "I find most drivers cope well, they don't
hassle me, they don't usually pass too close, they don't honk or get aggro."
"Most" and "usually" are the relevent qualifiers.

I get yelled at, stuff thrown and so-on often - or what I think of as often.
OK, so 999 out of a thousand motor vehicles pass with no incident. There's
an incident with the 1000th one. If I'm on a busy road there can be a couple
of thousand motor vehicles passing me in an hour. That means two incidents
and hour - to me, that's often. When there's no incident, other traffic is
background. When there is an incident it's in the forground. Foreground is
what we notice more when we're not thinking further.

Possibly a function of riding through Boganville (Gosnells, WA) a lot...

Ciao,

me

[Theo Bekkers]

Resound wrote:

> Despite being in Melbourne which I gather isn't anything like as
> nasty as Sydney, I'm there as well. I just don't get grief on the
> bike. Perhaps it's my sunny disposition.

Any bit of sun would surely be appreciated in Melbourne.

Theo

[Theo Bekkers]

Zebee Johnstone wrote:

> So clearly it isn't "sydney" it is "bits of sydney have arseholes" and
> I dunno anyone's going to argue about that!

Zebee, Sydney is an arsehole. I spent over two years living there over five
visits, and lived in quite nice areas, but still prefer Melbourne and
Adelaide after Perth. House prices in Perth are getting quite scary. If I'd
left my decision to move another three years I couldn't afford to live in
the house I live now. In the last four years my house valuation has gone
from around $200K to over $6-700K. The land value alone has gone from $62K
in 1999, when we bought it, to over $400K today.

Theo

[Bean Long]

wrote:

> I was so excited (ok, I was very late for work too) to be riding my
> recently almost finished 9 speed hybrid thingo that I forgot to wear
> my helmet. Despite the fact I've only got front brakes at this stage,
> I was more worried about getting pinged by a cop for not wearing the
> helmet than sustaining brain injury. I didn't notice cars giving me
> any more or less room than when I was wearing a helmet.
>
> The novelty of hub gears and friction shifters hasn't worn off yet :-)

You're not giving my old panniers a bad name are you Lemmiwinks?!

BTW... saw you on SouthPark last night. Great acting. :-)


--
Bean

"I've got a bike
You can ride it if you like
It's got a basket
A bell that rings
And things to make it look good
I'd give it to you if I could
But I borrowed it" Pink Floyd

Remove "yourfinger" before replying

[Zebee Johnstone]

In aus.bicycle on Mon, 28 May 2007 22:28:10 GMT
Plodder > wrote:
>
> I think the operative bit is "I find most drivers cope well, they don't
> hassle me, they don't usually pass too close, they don't honk or get aggro."
> "Most" and "usually" are the relevent qualifiers.

Because I don't like to say catergorically in case one did sometime
last year.

That I can't recall the last time it happened should count for
something.

Never had something thrown at me, never had anyone pass close and
yell. Have had the occasionaly indecipherable yell, and I'm fairly
sure someone did get a bit close in a pinch on Kent St once.

So I'll qualify my qualifiers: substitute "almost all" for "most" and
"almost never" for "usually". That's enough wriggle room for the anal
amongst us :)

> I get yelled at, stuff thrown and so-on often - or what I think of as often.
> OK, so 999 out of a thousand motor vehicles pass with no incident. There's
> an incident with the 1000th one. If I'm on a busy road there can be a couple
> of thousand motor vehicles passing me in an hour. That means two incidents

Really? That's a lot. Howabout counting the number of times a day?

> and hour - to me, that's often. When there's no incident, other traffic is
> background. When there is an incident it's in the forground. Foreground is
> what we notice more when we're not thinking further.
>
> Possibly a function of riding through Boganville (Gosnells, WA) a lot...

Like someone said - depends where you are. Mind you, I never got it
when I was living in Merrylands and then Greystanes and riding to
Silverwater either.


Zebee

[Zebee Johnstone]

In aus.bicycle on Tue, 29 May 2007 06:40:58 +0800
Theo Bekkers > wrote:
> Zebee Johnstone wrote:
>
>> So clearly it isn't "sydney" it is "bits of sydney have arseholes" and
>> I dunno anyone's going to argue about that!
>
> Zebee, Sydney is an arsehole. I spent over two years living there over five
> visits, and lived in quite nice areas, but still prefer Melbourne and
> Adelaide after Perth. House prices in Perth are getting quite scary. If I'd

Oh ditto. I don't live here cos I *like* it. I live here because I
can get work here. Work elsewhere is not as plentiful for your
average Linux geek. Don't like Brisbane's climate, can't afford to
live in Melbourne somewhere I'd like to live as the ownership of the
flat I live in is complex and I can't just sell and buy elsewhere.

(Plus I bet finding a flat within 20km of Melbourne CBD with a large
garage and in a nice leafy suburb that I can afford would be hard.
Campsie is sinfully cheap considering where it is.)

Zebee

[Theo Bekkers]

Zebee Johnstone wrote:

> Oh ditto. I don't live here cos I *like* it. I live here because I
> can get work here. Work elsewhere is not as plentiful for your
> average Linux geek.

We're starting a Hosting Server Administrator next week at $82,500. Is that
not up your alley?

Theo

[Zebee Johnstone]

In aus.bicycle on Tue, 29 May 2007 08:17:36 +0800
Theo Bekkers > wrote:
> Zebee Johnstone wrote:
>
>> Oh ditto. I don't live here cos I *like* it. I live here because I
>> can get work here. Work elsewhere is not as plentiful for your
>> average Linux geek.
>
> We're starting a Hosting Server Administrator next week at $82,500. Is that
> not up your alley?

Tempting. BUt fewer twisties in Perth than even in Sydney!

Now, if you set up an Adelaide branch office....

Zebee

[Bean Long]

wrote:

> Mate, the moment you sold me those panniers they started getting a bad
> name ;-) When I put them on my greenish/purpleish bitza MTB it just
> got worse.

You just need some garish looking lycra to go with the whole colour
scheme now and the ensemble will be complete!

--
Bean

Remove "yourfinger" before replying

[PiledHigher]

On May 29, 8:32 am, "Theo Bekkers" > wrote:
> Resound wrote:
> > Despite being in Melbourne which I gather isn't anything like as
> > nasty as Sydney, I'm there as well. I just don't get grief on the
> > bike. Perhaps it's my sunny disposition.
>
> Any bit of sun would surely be appreciated in Melbourne.
>
> Theo

Actually a bit of rain would be.

[PiledHigher]

On May 29, 9:29 am, Zebee Johnstone > wrote:

> (Plus I bet finding a flat within 20km of Melbourne CBD with a large
> garage and in a nice leafy suburb that I can afford would be hard.
> Campsie is sinfully cheap considering where it is.)
>
> Zebee

Seriously, that would be very easy thing to find, 20 km's takes you
into the heartland of Melbournes leafy suburbs. Old subdivisions so
large blocks so good supply of infill units with garages.

[TimC]

On 2007-05-29, PiledHigher (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:
> On May 29, 8:32 am, "Theo Bekkers" > wrote:
>> Resound wrote:
>> > Despite being in Melbourne which I gather isn't anything like as
>> > nasty as Sydney, I'm there as well. I just don't get grief on the
>> > bike. Perhaps it's my sunny disposition.
>>
>> Any bit of sun would surely be appreciated in Melbourne.
>
> Actually a bit of rain would be.

What are you complaining about? I've been spying, and you've been
getting a buttload more than us.

http://www.weatherzone.com.au/currentweather/radartwc.jsp?code=VIC

--
TimC
"The application failed to fail"

[Theo Bekkers]

TimC wrote:

> What are you complaining about? I've been spying, and you've been
> getting a buttload more than us.

We got 35 mm on Sunday night.

Theo

[PiledHigher]

On May 29, 12:50 pm, TimC -
astro.swin.edu.au> wrote:
> On 2007-05-29, PiledHigher (aka Bruce)
> was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:
>
> > On May 29, 8:32 am, "Theo Bekkers" > wrote:
> >> Resound wrote:
> >> > Despite being in Melbourne which I gather isn't anything like as
> >> > nasty as Sydney, I'm there as well. I just don't get grief on the
> >> > bike. Perhaps it's my sunny disposition.
>
> >> Any bit of sun would surely be appreciated in Melbourne.
>
> > Actually a bit of rain would be.
>
> What are you complaining about? I've been spying, and you've been
> getting a buttload more than us.
>
> http://www.weatherzone.com.au/currentweather/radartwc.jsp?code=VIC
>
> --
> TimC
> "The application failed to fail"

A bucket load, less than half the monthly average and even todays
likely downpour is going to bring us up to average.

[cfsmtb[_226_]]

PiledHigher Wrote:
>
> A bucket load, less than half the monthly average and even todays
> likely downpour is going to bring us up to average.

Wondering if infrequent storms and downpours are now going to be
average ...?


--
cfsmtb

[PiledHigher]

On May 29, 3:27 pm, cfsmtb <cfsmtb.2rb...@no-
mx.forums.cyclingforums.com> wrote:
> PiledHigher Wrote:
>
>
>
> > A bucket load, less than half the monthly average and even todays
> > likely downpour is going to bring us up to average.
>
> Wondering if infrequent storms and downpours are now going to be
> average ...?
>
> --
> cfsmtb

That supposed to be summer rain in melbourne!

[Resound[_2_]]

"Zebee Johnstone" > wrote in message
...
> In aus.bicycle on Tue, 29 May 2007 06:40:58 +0800
> Theo Bekkers > wrote:
>> Zebee Johnstone wrote:
>>
>>> So clearly it isn't "sydney" it is "bits of sydney have arseholes" and
>>> I dunno anyone's going to argue about that!
>>
>> Zebee, Sydney is an arsehole. I spent over two years living there over
>> five
>> visits, and lived in quite nice areas, but still prefer Melbourne and
>> Adelaide after Perth. House prices in Perth are getting quite scary. If
>> I'd
>
> Oh ditto. I don't live here cos I *like* it. I live here because I
> can get work here. Work elsewhere is not as plentiful for your
> average Linux geek. Don't like Brisbane's climate, can't afford to
> live in Melbourne somewhere I'd like to live as the ownership of the
> flat I live in is complex and I can't just sell and buy elsewhere.
>
> (Plus I bet finding a flat within 20km of Melbourne CBD with a large
> garage and in a nice leafy suburb that I can afford would be hard.
> Campsie is sinfully cheap considering where it is.)
>
Within 15-20km would be fairly easy, especially if you don't insist on
living to the east. 10km gets pricy unless you go west. Mind you,
Footscray's not half as bad as people make out.

[John Pitts[_2_]]

On 2007-05-28, beerwolf > wrote:
> What I do get, strangely enough, are smart4rse comments from
> pedestrians, eg "Oi, yer tyre's flat" (it isn't), or "Hey mate! Mate!
> Yer wheel's turning round!". Why anyone would think this even remotely
> funny escapes me. Does anyone else get these?
>

Only from kids. Used to do it myself when I was a kid. I just give 'em
a smile and keep pedalling.

--
John
Every program has at least one bug and can be shortened by at least one
instruction. By induction, every program can be reduced to one instruction
which doesn't work.

[Zebee Johnstone]

In aus.bicycle on 29 May 2007 12:35:57 GMT
John Pitts > wrote:
> On 2007-05-28, beerwolf > wrote:
>> What I do get, strangely enough, are smart4rse comments from
>> pedestrians, eg "Oi, yer tyre's flat" (it isn't), or "Hey mate! Mate!
>> Yer wheel's turning round!". Why anyone would think this even remotely
>> funny escapes me. Does anyone else get these?
>>
>
> Only from kids. Used to do it myself when I was a kid. I just give 'em
> a smile and keep pedalling.

I just get "cool bike!" from kids.

The only ped comments I get are "that looks comfortable" from peds at
lights and "Stop lying down on the job!" from road workers. (And only
them for some reason.)

Zebee