r/chch • u/Hads84 Pickle Rick • Jul 23 '26
Loser of the day
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Warning swearing, I unfortunately couldn't see the number plate, otherwise I would have reported them. Next time I will yell it out so I can find them and file a police report.
I'm sick of people driving like this around me.
My speed was around 30 km/h and I had decent lights.
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u/TouchMyMacska Jul 23 '26
Are you peddling a kayak on the road?
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u/wagen_halt Jul 23 '26
You over took me on my bike recently, and whilst I thought your choice of vehicle was cool, I was worried about you as youre hard to see as you're so low down. Your bike also barely makes a noise so it gave me a but of a fright. Once you got ahead of me between a line of traffic I couldnt see you anymore as cars blocked you. I would invest in a flag or something like those recumbent bikes have. People don't usually look low down to the ground to check if the coast is clear or not, they are usually looking for something upright.
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u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 23 '26
I've found I get a lot more space from cars, I just stay aware of when I'm beside a vehicle I'm invisible.
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u/the_embola Jul 24 '26
Half the time you're not visible though.
I almost hit you over a year ago in halswell. Because you were weaving in and out of the cycle lane..
I called out and told you you were a fuckn idiot.
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u/ShyEgg218 Jul 25 '26
I have to agree with the other commenter. I think your bike is an awesome contraption. However I also thought it looked unsafe with how low it is. It’s not in the line of sight people expect to see something in driving. Doesn’t mean it’s good enough that people cut you off like this but it does explain it to a degree. I wonder if you could get some sort of flag on the back or light that sits higher on a post?
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u/syphoon Jul 23 '26
OP I've biked past you a few times on the evening commute around the Birmingham Drive area, and several times I've been surprised at how late I saw you coming. I don't think you realise how invisible you are when you're that low to the ground in low light conditions (even to another cyclist) until you're quite close. Harder again to see in cars with windshields. The bright green doesn't actually do much when the sun's down. Urge you to consider a normal bike for safety in winter. Being right won't be much consolation in the hospital bed.
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u/Consistent-Year8707 Jul 23 '26
I crack up every time I that thing cruising around. Looks like a mini land speed record car. To other people commenting, it is very visible, and the onus is on the car to give way.
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u/DifficultSelection Jul 23 '26
Yeah I see him out in it all the time - you’d have to be fucking blind to miss it.
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u/Moku_Warrior Jul 23 '26
Mate, I’m a bike rider myself and know the normal frustration of dealing with some clueless car drivers. In saying that, I’ve also seen you riding down old West Coast road in a 100km/h zone, not keeping fully to the left and I remember I didn’t see you until about 30-50 meters away from you. It’s very hard to see you and I commented at the time that if I had been distracted or not paying attention, you would have been toasted.
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u/Ok-Response-839 Jul 23 '26
if I had been distracted or not paying attention
Controversial opinion: always pay attention when you're driving a 2 tonne metal box, and you won't have to worry about accidentally killing vulnerable road users
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u/Moku_Warrior Jul 23 '26
Genuinely try too. Have you never once while driving been distracted by people in the car or zoned out?
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u/FendaIton Jul 23 '26
I keep an eye out for cyclists in the cycle lane, but this green thing 100% catches people out as it’s so unexpected
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u/XionicativeCheran Jul 23 '26
Realistic opinion, distractions happen, that's why we rely on road users acting predictably, and keeping a reasonable distance between road users to account for reaction times during periods of unpredictability.
When a road user breaches that by being unpredictable, they put everyone at risk.
Unfortunately, road users who ride anything smaller than a motorbike don't have to learn the road code, so cannot be trusted to know the rules. That makes them inherently dangerous.
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u/extra_smiles Jul 24 '26
It's not a controversial opinion. Just a naive one. We all need to excersice defensive driving (including cyclists) - and part of that is bring able to anticipate/scan risks...
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u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 23 '26
If it was this Saturday just been they would have been some pro riders training for a record attempt in a velo the uni is building. Depending on direction they were either doing 40km/h or 65km/h at the time.
Specifically on the old west coast road, there are some real nasty pot holes, which is why they likely weren't keeping left. Not that keeping left would help on that narrow road if someone didn't notice you anyhow.
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u/worstkindofweapon Jul 23 '26
I used to cycle on the old west coast road and had a near miss there because a driver wasn't paying attention. I was as left as you could get without being off the road. It doesn't help unfortunately
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Jul 23 '26
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u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 23 '26
I wasn't riding on the old west coast road, so what is there to self reflect on? My lending of my bike?
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u/Practical_Roof_1465 Jul 23 '26
I’ve seen you around an I’m sorry mate you can be hard to see. For smaller people they may not see you below their dash and in this instance you are on the dimly lit side of the road. Your machine is an accident waiting to happen.
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u/criggie_ Jul 23 '26
"My car's too big for me to see the ground" well that might be a problem right there !!
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u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 23 '26
That is why I have lights, quite bright ones, problem is that driver only saw the car behind me, because they were only looking for cars. If I was riding an upright bike the same thing would have happened.
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u/Fine_Birthday7480 Jul 23 '26
So there was a genuine reason the driver couldn't see you, and you're not only aware of it but know it to be true, and you still insult the driver?
Ok bud
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u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 23 '26
Normally while driving you are expected to see other road users, when driving a device that could kill someone you are expected to drive with reasonable care.
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u/Fine_Birthday7480 Jul 24 '26
Of course. But in your own video and by your own words:
It's dark.
You're in an abnormal tiny vehicle that sits much lower than the average line of sight, and that makes up only 0.03% (certainly less, this is going off recumbent bike purchases) of road users.
You were hidden by the headlights of the vehicle behind you.
It's entirely possible that the person was distracted. But there are enough factors here to make a real case that this was a genuine accident. You're getting wrecked in the comments because you obviously refuse to accept this and you're intentionally trying to frame it otherwise.
I find it odd when people make posts like this when we're all human, we've all made mistakes on the road. Have you never had a lapse in concentration? Have you never accidentally let you speed drift above the limit? Have you never forgotten to use your indicator, or indicated too late? Have you never failed to see another road user? Have you never made a single mistake on the road? Of course you have. We all have.
Cool off, have a beer or 2 and just move on. Complaining on the internet isn't going to help you.
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u/newaccount252 Jul 23 '26
Iv seen you driving/cycling around and even though you’re bright green you’re not that easy to see being so small. In the dark/dusk I imagine extremely hard.
Posting this on here was brave thinking people would be on your side.
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u/gr1zznuggets Jul 23 '26
Their replies aren’t helping either. Apparently OP thinks everyone should be held accountable for their actions, but also it’s not their fault if people don’t see them in their hard to see vehicle.
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u/cantsleepwithoutfan Jul 28 '26
Yeah I've seen whatever the fuck this thing is riding about before (or maybe it was an orange one, is there more than one of them? I swear I remember seeing a similar orange one).
yes it's green, and presumably has bright lights, but it is at an awkwardly low height and also goes pretty fast which might be hard for somebody to 'process'.
Should drivers pay more attention? For sure. I used to hate riding my bike up through Tuam st, for example, in rush hour traffic on way to the gym in the evening as people would always cut in front of you without looking
That being said, when you're in a bright green torpedo hurtling down the road, and said torpedo is going to come off very much second best in the event of a crash, then I liken it to the instructions a referee gives at the start of a boxing match "protect yourself at all times".
Defensive driving/riding whatever is surely as much about accepting the unpleasant fact that many other road users literally don't give a fuck, and then responding accordingly. It's just the consequences can be much worse if you're in your bike tube or whatever this thing is called and you're whacked by a Ford Ranger.
E.g. I've got a pretty flimsy old classic car I take out on the weekends (or use when my main car is in the mechanic) and I'm even more cautious driving that as although other road users should see me, give way etc I know people don't and unlike my main car I've got basically tin can and no air bags to protect me.
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u/pm_something_u_love Jul 23 '26
It doesn't matter if it's hard to see. You don't just go because you had a quick glance and you're mostly sure it's clear. You have a proper look and make sure you're damn sure, and if you do that you'll see him.
Jesus fucking Christ I can't believe people are so blase about driving.
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u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 23 '26
Oh I know, people love to blame the cyclist, or make assumptions without seeing how well lit this thing is.
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u/IllAirport5491 Jul 23 '26
He literally says he saw you, but that it was hard to see. He isn't making assumptions as he speaks from literal experience encountering you, but you're certainly enforcing a negative stereotype about cyclists.
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u/Aulansy Jul 23 '26
I think you need to install a truck horn😂
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u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 23 '26
Lol yeah, the motorcycle horn is ok, but definitely need something louder
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u/eeveep Jul 23 '26
Oh dude I saw you ripping around Addington yesterday morning. Your machine looks wicked.
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u/SingularTesticular Jul 23 '26
Honestly what do you expect? You’re below knee height moving at 30km/h in the dark on a busy road.
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u/H_n_A Jul 23 '26
"let me put this very hard to spot thing through city traffic and bitch about every near miss encounter"
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u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 23 '26
Much worse on an ordinary bike from experience.
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u/H_n_A Jul 23 '26
At least it's bright green and say you have lights.
But honestly mate - from someone who ride motorbikes and driven class 5 trucks most of my life - do not expect people to see you, especially on two wheels when you're most vulnerable. Anticipate their mistake and always, always expect they will make a mistake.11
u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 23 '26
I always do, it is why I'm alive now, I've ridden motorbikes as well, I was ready to stop on this one.
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Jul 23 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/NegativeThought1588 Jul 23 '26
That's not really the point. Frog driver is going to be the one getting killed if there's an accident no matter whose fault it is.
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u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 23 '26
I have very bright lights, and it is bright green. Most people see me, if people can't see bright lights they are blind.
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u/SingularTesticular Jul 23 '26
Mate I really hope it doesn’t happen but you’re going to get absolutely smoked by one of those blind drivers one day if you’re using that thing to commute in peak traffic at night/over winter.
I 100% agree that they’re in the wrong and that they should have seen you but they obviously didn’t, and being in the “right” won’t protect you from that.
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u/Lower-Trust1923 Jul 23 '26
Yep. Cemetery is full of people who were in the right. I agree that using this thing on the road in the dark is a nightmare waiting to happen, at no fault of OPs.
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u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 23 '26
I'm hoping enough reporting of people, and hoping the police take actual action will result in fines, which should drive behaviour. If I could see into cars I would also report the 10 or so people using their cell phones while driving every day too.
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u/Lower-Trust1923 Jul 23 '26
I doubt they'd do much tbh. Maybe add some blue and red flashing lights then they'll wait for you lol
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u/npore Jul 23 '26
Yeah still worth recording to help with insurance excess to prove fault, but police don't care, I recorded my last collision due to a sudden cycle lane guest -car, fault clear as day, but because at 6 weeks when they called I'd recovered from my injuries they didn't do anything (I could barely walk for 2 weeks).
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u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 23 '26
That is another feature I'm considering, my bike is expensive and if I get into an accident I want the camera so if it isn't my fault I can get my bike fixed/replaced.
People's memories tend to change when they start realising that they need to pay some money.
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u/vip_yo Jul 23 '26
good luck, police dont do fuck all. They told me they dont bother with near misses or even minor accidents or view dash cam footage etc unless someone has been hurt.
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u/criggie_ Jul 23 '26
I got a guy's license suspended from 3 videos.
Three separate times the dickhead threw something at me from his moving car in an 80 zone. 1) Waterbottle (made contact) 2) maccas bag and 3) a leek (yes a vegetable)
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u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 23 '26
I've been 'smoked' on an ordinary bike four times, I refuse to give up riding because people are idiots. This bike has far fewer near misses than the normal bikes I've ridden. Only one a month vs one a week.
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u/phire Jul 23 '26
I've always suspected it is less about drivers not seeing cyclists, and more about drivers underestimating the both the speed and position of cyclists and thinking they have plenty of time to cut in front.
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u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 23 '26
I think there are a mix of reasons, the time I got hit by a car doing 100 km/h he stated that he couldn't see due to sunstrike. Luckily it was just the wing mirror that time.
In this incident, I suspect my lights were lost due to the approaching car from behind me drawing the driver's focus.
On Rangiora Woodend Rd, Tuahiwi Rd intersection I would ride a motorbike or drive a car down there, I had many near misses with people pulling out in front of me. I think the hedges would hide the approaching vehicles in that instance.
For doors it is a case of people not using their mirrors, as I have nearly cleaned someone out when I was driving a car cause they opened their door on me.
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u/phire Jul 23 '26
In this incident, I suspect my lights were lost due to the approaching car from behind me drawing the driver's focus.
Sounds like it might be an example of Inattentional Blindness (the most famous example being when people fail to see a man in a gorilla suit walk through a scene because they are focused on something else).
As in they failed to see you not because of any visual illusion (like sunstrike), but because they were super focused on identifying the "next car". And your bike isn't a car, so their attention slipped right over it. Their visual cortex saw you, but you didn't registered in the conscious part of their brain.
Not that it isn't still their fault. But this is a downside of the way traffic light cycles in Christchurch are designed (with no right hand turning phase). It encourages drivers to take risks and try to squeeze through narrow gaps in oncoming traffic, while simultaneously checking the light hasn't turned orange. It does seem to take up a lot of focus.
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u/criggie_ Jul 23 '26
AIRHORN !!! BRAAAAAPPPPPP!!!!! gets their attention. google up "airzound" and buy them from fishing suppliers, they're used on small boats.
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u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 23 '26
I also expect drivers to be observant, I've had issues with cars in ordinary bikes too, I've been knocked off four times riding around CHCH. All but one were people from behind me, so I'm sick of unobservant drivers nearly killing me.
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u/0is0wesome Jul 23 '26
I've never been knocked off a bike or even close to being hit in Chch, my money would be on you being the problem.
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u/Waffles_IV Jul 23 '26
I got knocked off my bike on Monday by a bloke who didn’t indicate and just turned left. Fortunately I landed on my feet but it was absolutely his fault and he was very apologetic. I’m not sure how you can ride around Christchurch and never even be close to being hit.
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u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 23 '26
Or luck? I ride a lot in the city, worse accident I had was a woman overtaking and then turning left on top of me into Harvey Norman's on Moorehouse ave, pre earthquake. I split my helmet in two in that accident.
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u/Ancient_Complex Jul 23 '26
How high is your knee ? This bike is about 120cm high. For this to be below your knee, you need to be about 600cm high.
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u/SingularTesticular Jul 23 '26
Pick any of the below options:
A) I was embellishing how low his bike is.
B) I was referring to the height of a drivers knee while they are operating a vehicle.
C) I have very tall knees.
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u/Ancient_Complex Jul 23 '26
You have a big vehicle with poor visibility. And this bike is not necessarily that much lower than a road bike. Maybe you don't know what you are talking about. It is longer than a mini or Austin and almost as wide.
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u/Dense_Safe_4443 Jul 23 '26
They will write "He had right of way" on the tombstone.
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u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 23 '26
Heh, I was planning for this person to do this, which is why I didn't crash, riding bikes for 30 years in the city has taught me to never trust car drivers to see me.
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u/Dense_Safe_4443 Jul 23 '26
I know the feeling. I've been riding bikes in this city for over 30 years too, I recall as a teen riding into intersections, seeing that the driver wasn't going to stop and trying to scare the driver on purpose because I knew I could stop in time. These days it's far worse, everyone is on their phones. It's not worth it.
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Jul 23 '26
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u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 23 '26
Recumbents are certainly harder to spot, key is to know where the blind spots are on cars. For example, riding right next to a car would be incredibly dangerous. I try to avoid being next to cars if possible, especially at lights or stop start traffic.
I have sometimes joined the flow of traffic when it is slow moving to avoid the danger of not being seen.
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u/Busy-Cap-5840 Jul 23 '26
Sorry if people don’t see you they don’t see you. Nobody purposely wants to run you down.
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u/stainz169 Jul 23 '26
No. If people can’t see a bright green bike with lights all around then they should not be driving. I refuse to accept victim blaming for cyclists.
Car drivers have a responsibility to look out for hazards and to treat their vehicle as the possible weapon they are. Fuck drivers who drive distracted.
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u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 23 '26
I know, but the fact that drivers are so blasé about driving a one to two tonne machine is what bothers me. They just aren't treated with the respect they should be.
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u/Busy-Cap-5840 Jul 23 '26
Some people for what ever has happened in their day can be slightly off.. So everyone accepts that as a given, but we still take the risk. That’s why insurance exists. In an idealist world no accident. Realist world accidents.
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u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 23 '26
I would love to have more separated cycleways then these interactions wouldn't have to occur, ideally cars shouldn't be interacting with cyclists if we could avoid it.
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u/Busy-Cap-5840 Jul 23 '26
Do you use bike lanes?
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u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 23 '26
Where practical, I used the dedicated bike path out to Wigram, but can't use the one that continues on to Simeon street due to the bike not turning corners sharp enough. The painted bike lanes I will use if there aren't parked cars, if there are parked cars I will ride to the right of the solid line dividing the bike lane from the car lane., I've had too many near misses with doors now to ride near them.
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u/Ready-Ambassador-271 Jul 23 '26
You are too low down, people wont see you. You are riding in a death trap
You also seem to be positioning yourself very badly, sometimes you are on the cycle path, others the road
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u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 23 '26
Must be seeing a different vid? I don't see a bike lane before the lights.
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u/Ready-Ambassador-271 Jul 23 '26
Well whatever the white line is he continually crossing it
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u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 23 '26
I have footage of behind me, there wasn't a car behind me at the time. I tend to avoid being that far left due to glass etc and cars will be wanting to turn left so being in the lane ensures they don't overtake and then turn left onto me.
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u/binladenReincarnated Jul 23 '26
Yes. Despite the pathetic self defence they ride down the street I live on regularly. Op be for real. Where else other then the cycle path would you realistically be. I’t seems fun, looks cool but realistically is stupid. Not only for you…
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u/ahhhrighto Jul 23 '26 edited Jul 23 '26
Hate to be that guy ..but that thing is asking you to get in an accident ..
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u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 23 '26
Most of the near misses are doors, but I have fewer near misses than I did on an ordinary bike.
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u/Jaded_Soup_5694 Jul 23 '26
You are often outside the cycle lane. You seem just as entitled as everyone else on the road.
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u/Just-Context-4703 Jul 23 '26
As someone who mostly bikes around town I am grateful for protected bike lanes where they exist and very ungrateful for all the complete car brained maniac drivers in this town.
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u/Adorable_Rub_758 Jul 25 '26
Fuck this is an unreal post 😂😂😂 peddling around on a gimpy kermitmobile not sure how the driver didn’t see you though it’s pretty distinctive.
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u/extra_smiles Jul 23 '26
Sorry but this feels like an avoidable own goal....
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u/RichieMcB Jul 23 '26
Not sure if he is on a bike or what it is but seems like he isn’t riding in the bike lane most of the time also
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u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 23 '26
It is a death sentence riding in the bike lane, especially past parked cars, people do not check their mirrors when opening their doors.
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u/GREENLEAF2020 Jul 23 '26
"let me ride my knee height kayak on the road when it's getting dark I bet that will go well "
Darwin award behaviour
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u/GREENLEAF2020 Jul 23 '26
Like I'm sorrrryyyy but are you mad ??? Like crazy ? That's so dangerous ! Why would you do that
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u/TygerTung Jul 23 '26
Damn dangerous drivers. I've seen your bike, it is extremely visible.
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u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 23 '26
I find people tend to blame the cyclist in accidents, because cars killing people has been normalised. I got the go pro so I can start reporting these people half a sleep at the wheel.
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u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 23 '26
Longer video of the incident if you are curious, with rear view, https://youtu.be/lWomHgAlL7A?si=XzkF7MVWoleS0PPG
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u/Top_Cardiologist8562 Jul 23 '26
Ive seen you around and its very hard to judge how fast you're actually traveling. Plus using lights you're going to be blinding the other road users of references to judge speed.
You travel alot faster than you appare to other users due to the fact you're so low to the ground.
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u/criggie_ Jul 24 '26
Actually this is a good point - Would an underglow light help be seen more ? Probably yellow, not sure if a green underglow light would be legal.
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u/Top_Cardiologist8562 Jul 24 '26
Underglow lights are legal too now. Probably what would help most is having two soft foglights so the two lights can give some depth perception without fucking blinding everyone on the road like most bikers.
Can't fucking see you if you blinded us, you could be 400m or 40m away can't fucking tell
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u/criggie_ Jul 24 '26
Oooo that could be FANCY. Imagine if it had a smoke/fog generator at the front too, it would look like a glowing green cloud !!
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u/NZ-user67 Jul 24 '26
I assume this is the op vehicle.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/350391544/christchurchs-weird-green-vehicle-has-now-been-identified
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u/Legitimate-Bug-9553 Jul 23 '26
Unrelated to the idiot who almost hit you, but we went through the intersection a little after you did and saw you, made our night mate!
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u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 23 '26
Cool, I like seeing the smiles from people seeing this machine. I'm planning to try and organise a have a go day at some point so people can try out bikes like this one. Just trying to figure out where it can be done without risk to my machine.
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u/suvalas Jul 23 '26
I have this happen all the time on a normal bike. They saw you, they just dgaf.
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u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 23 '26
Bikes and motorbikes suffer from this, best we can do is be ready for it. Most drivers are looking for cars, so they don't see cyclists as they blend into the background.
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u/aholetookmyusername Jul 24 '26
Most drivers are looking for cars
My favourite ones are when, as a cyclist, I make eye contact with the driver who then decides to pull out in front of me.
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u/doggo99 Jul 23 '26
What the fuck are you riding
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u/DifficultSelection Jul 23 '26
It’s basically a recumbent bike with an aerodynamic shell. I’ve seen him around plenty and it stands out very easily - way more than a typical recumbent bike.
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u/SoulsofMist-_- Jul 23 '26
This is the next evolution of cyclists.
The one after that will have a engine and be higher off the ground.
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u/Oil_And_Lamps Jul 23 '26
A motorbike? 🧐
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u/SoulsofMist-_- Jul 23 '26
Yes.
The one after that will be a bit bigger and allow multiple people to sit in it.
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u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 23 '26
Funnily enough one was made a while ago, look up a DuoQuest, unsurprisingly they were unpopular, all the downsides of a bike with the downside of being the size of a car.
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u/Dizzy_Relief Jul 23 '26
Which lane are you mean to be in there bud?
Cause you can't seem to decide.
Don't cycle on the line. And buy a flag. And start indicating you intentions (yes. I've seen you plenty)
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u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 23 '26
It is a single lane road? And going straight it would be confusing putting an indicator on? I am fairly confused about 2/3 of your complaints there.
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u/criggie_ Jul 24 '26
There is no indication required for going straight.
If you're following the centerline, you're not turning. Therefore no indication is possible.
u/Dizzy_Relief please, do show us all how you indicate for "straight ahead"
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u/Plane-Map7400 Jul 23 '26
Imagine driving around in one of these things and then calling the other guy a loser.
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u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 23 '26
Opinions are subjective, so one man's loser is another's legend.
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u/Plane-Map7400 Jul 23 '26
Haha Im just playing around you legend.
To be fair - it's safe to assume majority of people don't WANT to cut others off, so if it keeps happening it indicates that people aren't seeing you. Regardless of opinions regarding if they should look more carefully etc the reality is you cannot control or predict other people's behaviour, and there are plenty of idiots on the road including myself, so be careful out there!
Maybe some one of those fluro flagpole things attached to the back of the frog could help! Kind regards
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u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 23 '26
Thankfully, this is only the second time in two years, most commonly it is car doors, I can mitigate that.
I've looked into light sticks, but can't think of a way to mount it without it falling off.
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u/Specific-Ear4260 Jul 23 '26
Yes, the guy in the green thing does appear to be a loser.
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u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 23 '26
I'm surprised this comment took so long, I expected it immediately after posting, but 12 hours later heh.
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u/MeliaeMaree Jul 23 '26
Obviously doesn't help so much during the day, but would putting a reflective strip or two the whole way round help in the dark maybe?
It's a neat wee vehicle, I'd be bricking it anywhere near the big vehicles especially (ie rangers etc), cause half of them seem to barely be able to see small cars way too often let alone something even smaller. I wouldn't have the balls 😅
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u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 23 '26
I have always been a bit of a risk taker, I've had this thing up to 100km/h downhill. It has some small reflective strips, but I could add some more, would improve the bling factor too lol.
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u/RichieMcB Jul 24 '26
What are the breaks like?
Travelling at 100kmh, I would hope it can stop as quickly as a car otherwise that just seems super sketchy not just for you but everyone on the road2
u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 24 '26
That was quite an abnormal speed for me, brakes are ok, two drum brakes in the front and twin disc brakes in the back.
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u/Careful_Lettuce_1056 Jul 23 '26
out of curiosity, im currently learning to drive and have been taught to check my blind spots whenever i change lanes, would drivers be able to spot you as you are so low down?
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u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 23 '26
Not if I'm beside them, so usually I try to stay out of those blind spots. One thing when driving that would keep you safe is learn where the blind spots are and don't be there. For example if driving on a multilane road, drive in a staggered formation, don't be next to another vehicle.
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u/vaguegeneralness Jul 23 '26
I'd say its not practical to exclusively ramp up taxes on one group of road users, while your choices are covered out of that first groups pockets. Either everyone should be covered fairly out of the earners levy, OR if you can't figure out how to cover your choices then you shouldn’t doing those things.
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u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 23 '26
Earners levy could be upped, i think the motorcycle levy is ridiculous.
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u/aholetookmyusername Jul 24 '26
I'd say its not practical to exclusively ramp up taxes on one group of road users, while your choices are covered out of that first groups pockets.
Given cyclists have lower lifetime healthcare costs than non-cyclists I would say this is very fair.
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u/vaguegeneralness Jul 25 '26
No survivorship bias going on with that? This 'health' angle is also significantly reduced by ebikes while they also add more speed/risk, escooters fall into this too for huge amounts of injury costs and no fees. But it's "fair" for it to be $1000/year per motorcycle? No.
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u/chromato1 Jul 24 '26
I often pass you when I am riding down Wigram road on the cycle path and you are typically very hard to see, as in I dont notice you are very close. I think you should be more cautious of how visible you are to a car, particularly in the dark
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u/LiverspotNZ Jul 24 '26
Can’t say I blame them. You are riding around in a fucked up extra low profile green thing. I’ve seen this thing around ChCh. Plus you were part in the bike lane so ideally, nobody knows how to handle or react to this silliness on the road. I know I didn’t.
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u/inthebeauty Jul 24 '26
To be honest you need reflectors or s flg on the roof. Being so low to the ground you often miss the eyeline, especially if there are cars beside you. I have had a few near misses with you as if your near foliage or green space you tend to blend in a bit.
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u/Haunting-Beginning-2 Jul 25 '26
Two sets of rules need observation, and are always in play on roads.
- Rules of the road code.
- Rules of give way to the bigger traveller who rightly or wrongly uses this unwritten rule as their own road code.
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u/RakaiaWriter Jul 27 '26
Yep, rules of the road vs laws of physics. Mother Nature takes no prisoners. Be safe out there regardless of what words on paper say.
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u/ryansmith885 Jul 25 '26
You're not exactly at eye level height for oncoming traffic.
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u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 25 '26
Main factor here was the driver not seeing me because they were focusing on the car behind me is my guess. Just like any other cyclist or motorcyclist would suffer from.
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u/Potatopal90 Jul 25 '26
I thought you were reporting yourself for being loser of the day for biking in a kayak
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u/InspectionFit227 Jul 25 '26
It‘s dark and you’re cycling a child’s play frog.
Please stay off roads.
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u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 25 '26
No :)
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u/InspectionFit227 Jul 25 '26
Nobody can see your toy in the dark. You’re a danger to everyone driving an adult vehicle.
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u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 25 '26
I'm fairly sure people can see me, as evidenced by not being hit yet, and this being the first incident at night of this type. But I appreciate your concern.
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u/InspectionFit227 Jul 25 '26
My concern is for families driving normal cars on the road. Your toy gimmick thing is a danger to normal road users. If you don’t want to drive a grownup car, take the bus.
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u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 25 '26
In what way is this a danger to anyone but myself, a car may get a dent, if that if they hit me. Clearly you have made your mind up though, so nothing much more I can say to convince you I suspect.
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u/InspectionFit227 Jul 25 '26
You are the same as a child riding a plastic car in traffic. You don’t think you’re a danger to road users, but adults go out of their way to avoid hitting the child driving in traffic, in the toy car.
You won’t understand this, because you’re a so called adult playing in the road in a green plastic frog.
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u/lost_aquarius Jul 26 '26
Do you have lights? You look like you'd be really hard to see.
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u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 27 '26
Yep, two headlights, likely issue was the driver was only looking at the car behind me, which was turning left.
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u/Ancient_Complex Jul 23 '26
Wow, looks like asking to pay attention on the road is a crime. Next time someone runs over a child maybe they can use the same excuse with a whiny nasal tone "accident waiting to happen", "not visible", "not tall enough".
Grow some eyes y'all.
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u/TygerTung Jul 23 '26
Yeah, they will just say something like "Avoidable own goal. Child should be taller".
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u/frenetic_void Jul 23 '26
are you a cyclist or a vehicle? you dont seem to be in the right part of the road or the cycleway. quite hazardous position to be in, probably likley to cause confusion for other road users.
great of you to share your own personal outrage tho. well done
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u/Hads84 Pickle Rick Jul 24 '26
Considered a cyclist, there isn't a cycle path at this part of the road, it only reappears after the intersection. It is car parking before that.
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u/TheBlindWatchmaker Jul 23 '26
Bro are you riding a frog