The great divide
"Riders must not ride more than two abreast. If riding two abreast, riders must not ride more than 1.5 metres from the other rider." Victorian Law
It seems ex-cricketing great Shane Warne has stirred up a small hornets nest on the weekend. On Twitter (where else?) the man know as Warnie made several comments about bike riders and how they should behave on the roads.
These weren't enough to really do much other than to show that he doesn't really have a handle on riding a bike or the greater implications of things he was saying it was all rather mundane stuff. But that again is not surprising given his present emplyment.
Essentially what he was doing was just stirring up old issues. There is nothing new about this and it really was just a guy sounding off. We also could play the man here and talk about how his off field exploits embarrassed both him and the nation but we'll take the highroad on this one and won't mention this at all. There is a bigger implication here.
First of all, here is some of Warnie's work on Twitter:
- And lastly - if over 18 bike riders should have to pay rego if they want to ride on the rd's, have a number plate & ride single file !
- I said I'm all for cyclists and exercise, I know the law (2 abreast ) but I believe single file is best option also the safest for everyone
- Maybe the cyclists can put clothes on too when they decide to leave their bikes across the front door of cafe's & walk in with Lycra + shoes
- Please do something about it council and govt - single file all bike riding on the road or a ban for 12 months ! And pay rego - fair ?
- Ps actually if you are going to ride on the roads you should pay rego and have a number plate, only fair Once again,single file please !!!!
Retweeted by Shane Warne:
- "that sounds exciting..these are some vivacious Cyclist...just throw a cricket ball at them if they really annoy u" - Sara Leonardi-McGrath (wife of Glenn McGrath)
This was the fall out from some of the triathlon/cycling community.
- "Shane Warne. Sorry to inconvenience you by riding on the road! Just what we need ... u stirring up a shitstorm of hatred towards cyclists!" ~ Luke McKenzie
- "Yeah well done @warne888 just keep retweeting everyones RIDICULOUS tweets directing hate at cyclist #goodrolemodel" ~ Luke McKenzie
- "Warney has never been much of a role model has he.. #jerk" ~ Mirinda Carfrae
- ""Hey @warne888, do you ever text while driving? You are a KNOB. Enough said." ~ Craig Alexander
- @warne888 seriously! Did u get the brain done when you got your face fixed. Plastic poisoning or something. Ridiculous statement. #Bike4Life" ~ Chris McCormack
- Retweets also came from Dan McPherson and Olympic Gold Medalist Greg Henderson of the Lotto team.
So there are a few issues here at play, other than Warnie's ignorance. For starters the idea of cyclists having to ride single file always is just too stupid to contemplate but we will anyway. It won't work and there is little evidence to suggest that it is safer. There are times where it can help on the road but for the main part it is just a pipe dream that this will be of any value and can work as a full time rule.
His second point referring to bikes and bike riders having to be registered also brings up a series of issues Warnie couldn't have thought about. Both social and financial issues come into play here. Funding, policing and enforcing the rego is huge as are the amount of people who would be turned off buying a bike leading to great traffic and congestion and more cars in places like the CBD. That also flies against the environmental pushes of recent years. It also seems like Warnie would like to sting the Australian people more tax on top of the impending carbon tax that is due in July.
The cheap shot at the lycra is just an expected line. We don't like flipped collars and botox but if they strolled into our cafe we'd be cool with it. But that is still not what has us annoyed.
Shane Warne has over 600,000 followers on twitter. He's an ex professional sports person. Yet rather than using his influence to stop perpetuating the 'us versus them' argument that rages between motorists and cyclists, he actively retweeted inane and sometimes violent messages that his followers threw out there into his twitter ether. So irresponsible. It was time for Warne to stand up and tell those who would run the hate line on cyclists to pull their heads in and think about it. He could have got in contact with the Amy Gillett crew and used his influence to do the right thing, not just arm chair his way through some points that he thinks will fix his problems.
His epic fail was the fact that he let this opportunity to do something that might help this issue diminish. He needs to spend some time with mighty Mick Forbes, John McClean or talk to the friends of John Cornish to get a real sense of the damage that this sport can bring. In cricket a bad really day means you don't perform. In triathlon/cycling a really bad day means you don't come home.
The 'us versus them' card has been played by too many and ignored by the majority. A shame this opportunity went missing.
Comments (25)
by Paul, 21 January 2012Shane Warne was a great spin bowler. He is simple man though with a simple brain. He can join Alan Jones in the anti-bike club... they make a good couple.
by P win, 19 January 2012I would say that Warne thought he better get on Twitter incase the guy went to the police about a road rage incident that put Warne in a bad light
by Melbourne, 18 January 2012Shane Warne NEVER took dueretics- he swore! He also SWORE he didnt cheat on his wife...hmmm Now he wants us to believe him his story is true! Im with Mirinda not great track record! I say give us rego's and shut up the idiots like Sarah McGrath that only fuel this argument.
by Laura, 18 January 2012I wonder if The McGrath Foundation are still going to produce those cycling jerseys that many of us have purchased to support them! Well done Sarah- maybe you should think before you tweet!!!!!
by P win , 18 January 2012The guy must have been riding backwards if he ran into Warne if you see the damage to his back wheel .
by Carter, 18 January 2012Warne is an egotistical head case and I would not believe one word he says
The whole issue with riding single file is that its actually a lot more unsafe for the cyclist - it doesn't force the motorist to actively change lanes to pass, rather slide past the bike with not much gap. I'm sure there will be a lot more car/bike accidents due to passing a single file peleton if that law ever got passed
by dave, 18 January 2012Dan - well put.
by Dan, 18 January 2012Mark - you're right, saying it's "too stupid" is an gross over statement, but riding two abreast does have advantages. Cyclist ride two abreast primarily to be more visible to traffic - it's a safety measure, and it also makes the group shorter and easier to pass - which *helps* car drivers (and is also safer for the cyclists). By common courtesy riders should stay in single file when the road is narrow, there is traffic, or there are double lines.
Riding two abreast is also necessary of course for cyclists to overtake each other, which is part of sharing pace making in the group. Other than that the reasons for it are basically to socialise, so as a solution to inconveniencing motorists it isn't without merit.
"We also could play the man here and talk about how his off field exploits embarrassed both him and the nation but we'll take the highroad on this one and won't mention this at all. "
by Dan, 18 January 2012Well, that sounds like playing the man to me. All you've done in your petty article and radio spot is shown that you have a glass jaw. This article and your radio bit has done more damage to cyclist - motorist relations than Warne's tweets. But - as always - the motorist is the bad guy. Sigh.
You don't want to play the man, but you use the old 'botox' line? Come on.
by Mark, 18 January 2012Both cyclists and motorists have to be responsible when using the road. Unfortunately, cyclists think that they are never to blame. Your outrage and indignation at Warne's tweets shows just that. A cyclist could never be at fault! Perish the thought!
Those of us on the road a lot see cyclists do many dumb things. The sooner you owned up to them rather than blaming motorists and botox, the better.
Question from a non-cyclist.
by Rimmer, 18 January 2012You write: "The idea of cyclists having to ride single file always is just too stupid...it won't work."
But you don't explain why it's stupid and won't work. It seems like a pretty reasonable solution to me, uneducated on the subject though I am.
As I see it, if cyclists ride in single file, they won't block the road, which will enable cars to get past. Everyone is happy.
Can someone please explain the flaw in that logic for me?
Cheers.
If his thoughts and this $hitstorm are truly the belief of most Australians .... which I hope it isn't ..... I'm staying here in London.
by eastdillon, 18 January 2012It's not a rego argument; it's a courtesy argument. Both sides to be respectful and courteous of the other.
Nuf said!
Hey Kel, couldn't they just argue that they pay rego on each of their vehicles, so don't we?
by Kelly Exeter, 17 January 2012Just playing devil's advocate, if we're going to keep copping this line we'd better have a bulletproof response.
The old "cyclist should pay rego" thing always sh!ts me to tears.
by eastdillon, 17 January 2012I don't know a single bike rider (unless they are under 18) who DOESN'T own a car. Ergo .. pretty much ALL cyclists ALREADY pay rego.
I disagree Slightly bemused. It would be hard to present this piece any other way. I felt the balance between the uniqueness of the story and the message of road safety was as good as possible. Any less about Warne and we all would have jumped on twitter to look at what was being said and got lost in that rather than discussing road safety issues.
by Pedro, 16 January 2012Undefendabley people have missed the point and jumped on here and had silly shots at Warne instead of discussing the real issue, but at least it was scooped up here rather than twitter, sending something so unworthy trending higher.
Imagine how fast cyclists would travel along beach road if we had to go single file. Some groups would easily do 60+
by Cam, 16 January 2012Then that would annoy him. Cyclist going faster than his car.
I think Warnie's IQ is the same as his weight; getting lower very quickly.
by Slightly bemused, 16 January 2012Yes Warnie is an idiot. No news there. But you're not exactly helping the issue here either.
by eastdillon, 16 January 2012And to say that you took the high ground by holding back and not playing the man? Really? The whole article was anti-Warne, although it was gentler than it might have been. A character maiming, if not quite a character assassination.
What is ridiculous about the whole bikes on roads debate is that both sides have valid points, but neither side can see that. That is WHY it is a controversial topic. Anyone who religiously maintains their view on this subject, without acknowledging the view of the other side, looks like an idiot and is doing their own cause a disservice.
If it was as simple as some people maintain it would have been solved by now.
Engage the gears between the ears...
Love the comments by Dave and Cronulla Cyclists. Silly girl didn't realise how much responsibility she has for her husband's reputation.
by Rex, 16 January 2012The real tragedy is that in Australia we see driving a car as a right and any infringement on that, be it cyclist, traffic or government is impeding our personal rights.
Mandatory testing every 10 years for your driver's license, I say. Perhaps even minimum intelligence levels!? ;)
Crowies comment gave me a giggle. I just take it he is very passionate about safety on the roads.
by Cronulla Cyclists, 16 January 2012Sarah McGraths post is plainly disturbing nothing short - I see she has backtracked but the fact rremains she put it out there - I will never contribute to her husbands cause ever again - Please take care out there people , there are soem disturbing minds at work
by Tim B, 16 January 2012I couldn't agree more Dave. I think we need to encourage responsible riding more as well. There are too many cowboys on the bikes in Melbourne that think Beach Rd (and I'm sure other major cycling routes nationwide) is a road race every Saturday and Sunday. Take the high road and ride responsibly, respect motorists, adhere to road rules and take away the ammunition from one-eyed motorists like Warnie. Let's put the ball back in their court by riding well, and hopefully get more bike lanes for safe riding.
by Tristan fair, 16 January 2012Shane Warne you are stupid. Australian govt trying to get people fitter and you are just bagging them. Cyclists have every right to be on the road you dick
by John, 16 January 2012I always love when people tell me I should pay rego on my bike. My answer "Bring it on. Then I can demand the money be spent on more facilities for bikes." The bemused look they get tells me they didnt consider that.
by dave, 16 January 2012Yes, the re-tweet from Mrs McGrath is mental, but as cyclists we should be wary of the us vs. them mentality also (and so remain above petty slinging matches). Maybe we can take the opportunity for introspection (as well as defending our reasonable rights).
by Moby, 16 January 2012Cafe's with bikes and their lycra clad riders everywhere can be unpleasant for other customers, who are of course perfectly welcome to go elsewhere, but we should be aware of how our actions effect others.
Riding single file all the time won't work, but I see plenty of cyclists riding 2 abreast where there are double lines, and other dangerous/silly/illegal cycling behaviour. We should direct some of our ire at these cyclists and not just Warnie.
Registration has plenty of obvious pit-falls but if it legitimised cycling and cyclists right to the road, there could be some up side. I'd be happy to pay if it meant there was a bike lane on every road (or even most of them).
Finally, did Craig Alexander really tweet that? Seems out of character for someone usually intelligent and constructive to play the man like that.
And what a wonderful role model Warnie has proven to be over the years. Definitely the social barometer for the army of Worons who hang breathlessly on whatever his latest round of drivel is.
As he says, he is 'all for' cycling and getting fit. Some facts:
1. You 'play' cricket. You don't 'play' cycling or triathlon.
2. One is a game for people who like to either sit in the clubhouse watching for half of the playing time... or spend the other half basically standing around on a paddock. Unless there is a spot of rain or some dark clouds... in which case everyone ends up inside sitting around.
3. Spin bowlers don't even bother to actually do much running while bowling. So their actual activity levels are even lower.
4. Warnie lost weight AFTER he stopped playing the game of cricket seriously. Go figure.
4. Real athletes work tirelessly to get fit DURING their competitive lives (isn't that right Crowie, Rinni, Macca, Luke, Hendo etc etc etc...?).
5. As for "just throw a cricket ball at them' from (the latest) Mrs McGrath... such comments only confirm that true bimbos are born not made. I would suggest all Tri, Cycle and Multisport athletes remember these comments the next time this idiot is spruiking whatever it is that D grade celebrities spruik.