Hit and Run!

Kev said:

Well I report it to the Police...... What a waste of time!!! I can't
believe the response "Mate we have had 4 hit and runs this arvo, don't think
there is much we can do for you" I have a witness on a bike who saw it all
and stopped for me. Thanks Stewart !

So Guys/Gals what experience have you had with this sort of thing? My
intention is to call Bike Vic tomorrow to discuss my options.

However, I have to say little wonder there are so many hit and runs when the
tolerance level by the Force is high!!!

You can try insisting the police file a report as previously mentioned
on this newsgroup. You might like to also consider lodging and official
complaint agains the officer concerned.

Kev said:

However, I have to say little wonder there are so many hit and runs when the
tolerance level by the Force is high!!!

And people wonder why I'm so cynical. Like I said before, unless someone is
killed, the cops won't raise an eyebrow.
--
Linux Registered User # 302622 <http://counter.li.org>

Kev said:

Tonight on Heidelberg Rd near Merri Ck bridge I was struck by a car
travelling at speed the driver then accelerated away knowing he had struck a
cyclist.

I was struck in the hand as I was giving a hand signal, the worst thing was
I had barely even extended my friggin arm. Luckily I was struck by his
mirror which was sprung. It made a [censored] load of noise as the mirror was
driven into his side window and I was forced sideways into the L/H gutter.
Amazingly I avoided the gutter edge, with my leg pressed up against his car
as he went by at ~ 70kmph. I was doing ~45kmph.

Well all that balance work standing on Swiss ball sure have paid off! I was
still upright.... and I caught the C**T 200m down the road. So guess what
he had in his hand, no it was not his [censored]......he was happily texting away!
Fantastic!!!

After I introduced myself (politely of course) he says "I didn't see you
mate" I roll eyes and wonder why! I ask the jerk to pull over and exchange
names given that he hit with his car. Bas**rd drove off!!!!

Well I report it to the Police...... What a waste of time!!! I can't
believe the response "Mate we have had 4 hit and runs this arvo, don't think
there is much we can do for you" I have a witness on a bike who saw it all
and stopped for me. Thanks Stewart !

So Guys/Gals what experience have you had with this sort of thing? My
intention is to call Bike Vic tomorrow to discuss my options.

However, I have to say little wonder there are so many hit and runs when the
tolerance level by the Force is high!!!

Kev the Survivor (only just)

I have given up on reporting things to the police. It seems that unless you have video evidence of the offence, they just dont want to know about it as its your word against the moron.
With this in mind when the [censored] in the blue Saab tried to run me off the road this morning along Cleveland street, I caught up to her at the next set of lights and tried to smash her drivers side window so that I could have a chat with her. Damn Saabs have laminated side windows. Bugger!!
Two wrongs dont make a right but if someone innocently or otherwise comes to close to me, in my books its attempted murder. If the car driver can do something to you and ignore it then why cant we retaliate.
Rant over

Glad your OK

Cheers Geoff

Kev said:

Tonight on Heidelberg Rd near Merri Ck bridge I was struck by a car

....
....

Quoted message said:

tolerance level by the Force is high!!!

Kev the Survivor (only just)

"...the moral issues raised by driving a car, both from an
environmental and from a safety point of view, are much more
serious than those raised by sex" -- Peter Singer, Practical Ethics
(Cambridge 1979) pp 1-2.

So glad to hear you're OK, Kev. Know how it feels. Keep doing the
right thing, even tho many other humans don't.
(Did you get the rego?)

Onya Kev
fred (who is driving his car to work all this week) n

ps: <Budget nite mini-rant> Police/DHS/Centrelink/etc employees
overwoked and can't help you? Well, why not make govenment jobs to do
their non-key tasks for people who are part of the ~15% of workforce-age
people who are unemployed/under-employed instead of punishing them thru
the welfare system? (You know the rest of the rant, etc, etc, etc.)
</mini-rant>

Kev said:

Tonight on Heidelberg Rd near Merri Ck bridge I was struck by a car
travelling at speed the driver then accelerated away knowing he had

struck a

Quoted message said:

cyclist.

I was struck in the hand as I was giving a hand signal, the worst

thing was

Quoted message said:

I had barely even extended my friggin arm. Luckily I was struck by

his

Quoted message said:

mirror which was sprung. It made a [censored] load of noise as the mirror

was

Quoted message said:

driven into his side window and I was forced sideways into the L/H

gutter.

Quoted message said:

Amazingly I avoided the gutter edge, with my leg pressed up against

his car

Quoted message said:

as he went by at ~ 70kmph. I was doing ~45kmph.

Well all that balance work standing on Swiss ball sure have paid off!

I was

Quoted message said:

still upright.... and I caught the C**T 200m down the road. So guess

what

Quoted message said:

he had in his hand, no it was not his [censored]......he was happily

texting away!

Quoted message said:

Fantastic!!!

After I introduced myself (politely of course) he says "I didn't see

you

Quoted message said:

mate" I roll eyes and wonder why! I ask the jerk to pull over and

exchange

Quoted message said:

names given that he hit with his car. Bas**rd drove off!!!!

Well I report it to the Police...... What a waste of time!!! I can't

Quoted message said:

believe the response "Mate we have had 4 hit and runs this arvo,

don't think

Quoted message said:

there is much we can do for you" I have a witness on a bike who saw

it all

Quoted message said:

and stopped for me. Thanks Stewart !

So Guys/Gals what experience have you had with this sort of thing?

My

Quoted message said:

intention is to call Bike Vic tomorrow to discuss my options.

However, I have to say little wonder there are so many hit and runs

when the

Quoted message said:

tolerance level by the Force is high!!!

I got hit by a car trying to squeeze past in the bike lane. As I was
on my big old stable MTB I stayed upright I swore like buggary at the
the driver, who took off. I got the number plate and went to Oakleigh
Police who didn't give a [censored] and basically gave me "nothing we can
do". I could read his mind "another bloody whinging cyclist"

A week later, the same car, same driver was stuck in the the traffic.
I got off, asked the driver "remember me ?". "Nope" she said, "yes you
do" I said. I then, well, inflicted some damage onto her car. I am
100% certian if the police has acted when I visited them, I would not
of.

Moral of the storey, for your own sanity, you have to push this
further, as I wish I had. People on this group have mentioned the
cycle cop, Russel Lindsay as one to phone. Google on this group says
his number is 9247 5517

Terry Collins said:

You can try insisting the police file a report as previously mentioned
on this newsgroup. You might like to also consider lodging and official
complaint agains the officer concerned.

its like a game. As Terry says, insist on a charge being placed.
Start making sure they know you are taking down names. definetely tell BV and if still no results write letter to MP and christine Nixon.
Cops are very overworked and under resourced. Like insurance Co's, if they can get someone to baulk at the first hurlde they will try it on. Not cause they dont care (well...) but cos they are inundated.
Want a result, push for it.
We had an issue on BR, and the only reason they followed up was cos i 'know someone'

Kev said:

Tonight on Heidelberg Rd near Merri Ck bridge I was struck by a car
travelling at speed the driver then accelerated away knowing he had struck a
cyclist.

This has happened to my on the Heidelberg-Rosanna border, lots of bad
drivers around there

Quoted message said:

Well I report it to the Police...... What a waste of time!!! I can't
believe the response "Mate we have had 4 hit and runs this arvo, don't think
there is much we can do for you" I have a witness on a bike who saw it all
and stopped for me. Thanks Stewart !

So Guys/Gals what experience have you had with this sort of thing? My
intention is to call Bike Vic tomorrow to discuss my options.

However, I have to say little wonder there are so many hit and runs when the
tolerance level by the Force is high!!!

Kev the Survivor (only just)

Go back to the police, insist on getting a incident number and filling
out traffic incident report form (they have a particular name which I
can't remember ATM), if you have Stewart's contact details get in touch
with him and use him as a witness to the accident.

And definitely file a complaint against the first officer you spoke to.

Good luck

Joel

rdj1969 wrote in message

Quoted message said:

Moral of the storey, for your own sanity, you have to push this
further, as I wish I had. People on this group have mentioned the
cycle cop, Russel Lindsay as one to phone. Google on this group says
his number is 9247 5517

I believe that since the anti-cycle cop campaign waged by Neil [censored] and
3yAWn, Russell was transferred of the Bike Patrol, and has since resigned or
taken leave of absence. Likely to move into cycle retail, but unlikely to be
able to help directly with your traffic complaints.

A crying shame and loss to the cause of cycle activism.

Cheers
Peter

"Kev" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Tonight on Heidelberg Rd near Merri Ck bridge I was struck by a car
travelling at speed the driver then accelerated away knowing he had struck
a cyclist.

I was struck in the hand as I was giving a hand signal, the worst thing
was I had barely even extended my friggin arm. Luckily I was struck by
his mirror which was sprung. It made a [censored] load of noise as the mirror
was driven into his side window and I was forced sideways into the L/H
gutter. Amazingly I avoided the gutter edge, with my leg pressed up
against his car as he went by at ~ 70kmph. I was doing ~45kmph.

Well all that balance work standing on Swiss ball sure have paid off! I
was still upright.... and I caught the C**T 200m down the road. So guess
what he had in his hand, no it was not his [censored]......he was happily
texting away! Fantastic!!!

After I introduced myself (politely of course) he says "I didn't see you
mate" I roll eyes and wonder why! I ask the jerk to pull over and
exchange names given that he hit with his car. Bas**rd drove off!!!!

Well I report it to the Police...... What a waste of time!!! I can't
believe the response "Mate we have had 4 hit and runs this arvo, don't
think there is much we can do for you" I have a witness on a bike who saw
it all and stopped for me. Thanks Stewart !

So Guys/Gals what experience have you had with this sort of thing? My
intention is to call Bike Vic tomorrow to discuss my options.

However, I have to say little wonder there are so many hit and runs when
the tolerance level by the Force is high!!!

Kev the Survivor (only just)

You can bet your life that if you retaliated, and pulled the [censored] out of
his car and belted the [censored] out of him (road rage) then the cops would be
interested and guess who would be charged!! Although on saying that, I
guess too if you had done that, you'd have no rego plates on your
bike........can you see where this is leading?

One good thing about mountain bikes, if you put a massive dent in the car
roof etc., or something like that, you can make a quick cross country
getaway.........just make sure to look for escape paths first, especially if
the driver is built like a footy player.

DJ

fred_kneeman said:

ps: <Budget nite mini-rant> Police/DHS/Centrelink/etc employees
overwoked and can't help you? Well, why not make govenment jobs to do
their non-key tasks for people who are part of the ~15% of workforce-age
people who are unemployed/under-employed instead of punishing them thru
the welfare system? (You know the rest of the rant, etc, etc, etc.)
</mini-rant>

Recently had to get the quack to write a sick certificate for a few
weeks. During the discussion, it came out that he writes ooddles of sick
certificates for Centrelink staff. Apparently it is a really cronic
workplace with all the changes continually coming down from on high.

But you have hit on the hypocracy of the government, they don't want to
employ disabled or aged workers either.

Quoted message said:

I got hit by a car trying to squeeze past in the bike lane. As I was
on my big old stable MTB I stayed upright I swore like buggary at the
the driver, who took off. I got the number plate and went to Oakleigh
Police who didn't give a [censored] and basically gave me "nothing we can
do". I could read his mind "another bloody whinging cyclist"

A week later, the same car, same driver was stuck in the the traffic.
I got off, asked the driver "remember me ?". "Nope" she said, "yes you
do" I said. I then, well, inflicted some damage onto her car. I am
100% certian if the police has acted when I visited them, I would not
of.

Just remember, it is your word against theirs, on both occassions {:-).
That was the excuse I kept hearing.

"Terry Collins" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I got hit by a car trying to squeeze past in the bike lane. As I was
on my big old stable MTB I stayed upright I swore like buggary at the
the driver, who took off. I got the number plate and went to Oakleigh
Police who didn't give a [censored] and basically gave me "nothing we can
do". I could read his mind "another bloody whinging cyclist"

<snip>

Quoted message said:

Just remember, it is your word against theirs, on both occassions {:-).
That was the excuse I kept hearing.

Your [censored] neighbour goes down to the local police and claims his car
window has been smashed, and accuses your son of having thrown a rock at his
car. Your young boy says he was just riding by. My guess is that faced with
this you too would expect that the police had some witnesses and/or direct
physical evidence before they laid charges, or even came around making
accusations.

Our legal system is built on the principal if innocence until _proven_
guilty - proven by actual evidence. And I go along with this entirely. If a
motorist hits you, get details of the car and a witness to the incident if
you expect any action.

Cheers
Peter

On Tue, 10 May 2005 at 12:16 GMT, flyingdutch (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:

Quoted message said:

Terry Collins said:

You can try insisting the police file a report as previously mentioned
on this newsgroup. You might like to also consider lodging and
official
complaint agains the officer concerned.

its like a game. As Terry says, insist on a charge being placed.

http:[email hidden]

--
TimC -- http://astronomy.swin.edu.au/staff/tconnors/
I've found that very little humour can be squeezed into 64 chara
-- Screwtape

"DJ" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Kev" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Tonight on Heidelberg Rd near Merri Ck bridge I was struck by a car
travelling at speed the driver then accelerated away knowing he had
struck a cyclist.

I was struck in the hand as I was giving a hand signal, the worst thing
was I had barely even extended my friggin arm. Luckily I was struck by
his mirror which was sprung. It made a [censored] load of noise as the mirror
was driven into his side window and I was forced sideways into the L/H
gutter. Amazingly I avoided the gutter edge, with my leg pressed up
against his car as he went by at ~ 70kmph. I was doing ~45kmph.

Well all that balance work standing on Swiss ball sure have paid off! I
was still upright.... and I caught the C**T 200m down the road. So guess
what he had in his hand, no it was not his [censored]......he was happily
texting away! Fantastic!!!

After I introduced myself (politely of course) he says "I didn't see you
mate" I roll eyes and wonder why! I ask the jerk to pull over and
exchange names given that he hit with his car. Bas**rd drove off!!!!

Well I report it to the Police...... What a waste of time!!! I can't
believe the response "Mate we have had 4 hit and runs this arvo, don't
think there is much we can do for you" I have a witness on a bike who
saw it all and stopped for me. Thanks Stewart !

So Guys/Gals what experience have you had with this sort of thing? My
intention is to call Bike Vic tomorrow to discuss my options.

However, I have to say little wonder there are so many hit and runs when
the tolerance level by the Force is high!!!

Kev the Survivor (only just)

You can bet your life that if you retaliated, and pulled the [censored] out of
his car and belted the [censored] out of him (road rage) then the cops would be
interested and guess who would be charged!! Although on saying that, I
guess too if you had done that, you'd have no rego plates on your
bike........can you see where this is leading?

One good thing about mountain bikes, if you put a massive dent in the car
roof etc., or something like that, you can make a quick cross country
getaway.........just make sure to look for escape paths first, especially
if the driver is built like a footy player.

DJ

Or do a bit of trials work across his bonnet, pause halfway, look down.

"Sorry mate, didn't see you."

Peter Signorini said:

I believe that since the anti-cycle cop campaign waged by Neil [censored] and
3yAWn, Russell was transferred of the Bike Patrol, and has since resigned or
taken leave of absence. Likely to move into cycle retail, but unlikely to be
able to help directly with your traffic complaints.

A crying shame and loss to the cause of cycle activism.

Cheers
Peter

on leave at the moment but is now running a caf in Gellong with his wife.
met him on the WFJ ride and had brekky w/him beforehand. Great win for Geelong latte-riders and a loss to the rest of us 🙁

Hope you're OK Kev. My guess is that if you suffered any damage from the
hit then the cops would have to take the issue more seriously. Get a doc to
check you out and perhaps an X-ray. If the accident resulted in any injury
then I'm sure the guy could be done for it, otherwise it's a 'you said, he
said' issue and the cops won't bother. Same goes for damage to you bike.

--
Bean

Remove "yourfinger" before replying
"Kev" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Tonight on Heidelberg Rd near Merri Ck bridge I was struck by a car
travelling at speed the driver then accelerated away knowing he had struck

a

Quoted message said:

cyclist.

I was struck in the hand as I was giving a hand signal, the worst thing

was

Quoted message said:

I had barely even extended my friggin arm. Luckily I was struck by his
mirror which was sprung. It made a [censored] load of noise as the mirror was
driven into his side window and I was forced sideways into the L/H gutter.
Amazingly I avoided the gutter edge, with my leg pressed up against his

car

Quoted message said:

as he went by at ~ 70kmph. I was doing ~45kmph.

Well all that balance work standing on Swiss ball sure have paid off! I

was

Quoted message said:

still upright.... and I caught the C**T 200m down the road. So guess what
he had in his hand, no it was not his [censored]......he was happily texting

away!

Quoted message said:

Fantastic!!!

After I introduced myself (politely of course) he says "I didn't see you
mate" I roll eyes and wonder why! I ask the jerk to pull over and

exchange

Quoted message said:

names given that he hit with his car. Bas**rd drove off!!!!

Well I report it to the Police...... What a waste of time!!! I can't
believe the response "Mate we have had 4 hit and runs this arvo, don't

think

Quoted message said:

there is much we can do for you" I have a witness on a bike who saw it

all

Quoted message said:

and stopped for me. Thanks Stewart !

So Guys/Gals what experience have you had with this sort of thing? My
intention is to call Bike Vic tomorrow to discuss my options.

However, I have to say little wonder there are so many hit and runs when

the

Quoted message said:

tolerance level by the Force is high!!!

Kev the Survivor (only just)

Kev said:

Tonight on Heidelberg Rd near Merri Ck bridge I was struck by a car
travelling at speed the driver then accelerated away knowing he had struck a
cyclist.

I was struck in the hand as I was giving a hand signal, the worst thing was
I had barely even extended my friggin arm. Luckily I was struck by his
mirror which was sprung. It made a [censored] load of noise as the mirror was
driven into his side window and I was forced sideways into the L/H gutter.
Amazingly I avoided the gutter edge, with my leg pressed up against his car
as he went by at ~ 70kmph. I was doing ~45kmph.

Well all that balance work standing on Swiss ball sure have paid off! I was
still upright.... and I caught the C**T 200m down the road. So guess what
he had in his hand, no it was not his [censored]......he was happily texting away!
Fantastic!!!

After I introduced myself (politely of course) he says "I didn't see you
mate" I roll eyes and wonder why! I ask the jerk to pull over and exchange
names given that he hit with his car. Bas**rd drove off!!!!

Well I report it to the Police...... What a waste of time!!! I can't
believe the response "Mate we have had 4 hit and runs this arvo, don't think
there is much we can do for you" I have a witness on a bike who saw it all
and stopped for me. Thanks Stewart !

So Guys/Gals what experience have you had with this sort of thing? My
intention is to call Bike Vic tomorrow to discuss my options.

However, I have to say little wonder there are so many hit and runs when the
tolerance level by the Force is high!!!

Kev the Survivor (only just)

My suggestion would be for the Wheels of Justice group to write to the
Police Commissioner and put out a media release. eg.

MEDIA RELEASE

Cyclists are outraged that less than a week after major protest rallies
around Australia following the death of a cyclist in Adelaide, police
have refused to lodge a report regarding a hit-and-run on a cyclist in
Melbourne.

A cyclist, Ken Russell, was travelling along Heidelberg Road, yesterday
when he was sideswiped by a car. The driver did not stop.

Mr Russell reported the incident at the XXXX police station but was told
that the police could do nothing about the matter.

"I was thrown sideways into the gutter and was very lucky to maintain my
balance and avoid serious injury", Mr Russell said.

"When I visited the police station, I was told that they already had
four hit and runs that day and there wasn't much they could do for me."

Last weekend more than 4000 cyclists rallied in Adelaide, Brisbane,
Melbourne and Sydney to protest about the lenient penalty handed out to
a hit and run driver who killed a cyclist in the Barossa Valley.

The driver received a $3100 fine and 12 month license suspension.

The rallies, organised by the Wheels of Justice group, called for
stronger penalties for careless drivers and more respect for cyclists.

Wheels of Justice spokesperson, XXXXX, said "how can cyclists have any
confidence that the law will provide them with any protection if the
police fail to even lodge reports on issues such as this."

"We have written to the Police Commissioner and the Police Minister, to
complain about this incident and to call for police to be made aware
that all accidents involving cyclists should be treated seriously."

ENDS

Contact [censored] ph [censored]

If you can get a photo of Ken riding towards the camera looking
concerned/serious then that should be sent with the release to AAP, ABC,
all the major outlets, and to any local papers, especially in Ken's area
and the one where the police station is.
--
Peter McCallum
Mackay Qld AUSTRALIA

Peter McCallum said:

<SNIP>

Quoted message said:

If you can get a photo of Ken riding towards the camera looking
concerned/serious then that should be sent with the release to AAP, ABC,
all the major outlets, and to any local papers, especially in Ken's area
and the one where the police station is.

Peter McCallum, you are THE MAN.

Your letter inspired me to write to my local member, Bernie Ripoll (Oxley).

Go you good thing!

Lotte

I agree with all of you, mostly anyway. I commute to work,a loooong 13 minute ride along mount alexander road to Melbourne Central.
I have "events" every day, nothing real bad yet.
One thing bothers me though, cyclists here are quite bad at traffic lights. I can assure you that a car driver, stuck at the lights, and sees a cyclist ignore the red light, will have a slightly worse attitude towards cyclists, and when it happens time after time after time. Well, you get the picture.

What I mean is, the car drivers behave bad towards us, maybe it would improve if we were more "lawabiding" What do you think?
I stop at traffic lights unless at a really small street and no cars around, I know, double standards and all that, 🙂