Thread: Lost for a month

Originally Posted by gimp

Was that the American chap I met?

English. He had arrived in Hokitika and asked at the DoC office for information on the track but was told they know nothing of the track conditions in the Hokitika area and he must go away and do his own research. He insisted on talking to someone about the tracks but was turned away. He then googled the route and got a mix of information most of which was not accurate and set off on his trip. Search and Rescue was after him in the notar the day I got him across the river and on his way.

What's worse is that he left intentions at his hostel and they reported him overdue to the Police and the Police drove out to the carpark and left a note on his windscreen asking him to call them when he gets out. He ended up 6 days overdue before Search and Rescue began looking.

A work mate had the same experience in the same area two years ago, 4 days overdue and his wife still couldn't persuade the Police to begin a search. Had to ring a friend and he organised a helicopter.

Not a good look.

Originally Posted by K95

English. He had arrived in Hokitika and asked at the DoC office for information on the track but was told they know nothing of the track conditions in the Hokitika area and he must go away and do his own research. He insisted on talking to someone about the tracks but was turned away. He then googled the route and got a mix of information most of which was not accurate and set off on his trip. Search and Rescue was after him in the notar the day I got him across the river and on his way.

What's worse is that he left intentions at his hostel and they reported him overdue to the Police and the Police drove out to the carpark and left a note on his windscreen asking him to call them when he gets out. He ended up 6 days overdue before Search and Rescue began looking.

A work mate had the same experience in the same area two years ago, 4 days overdue and his wife still couldn't persuade the Police to begin a search. Had to ring a friend and he organised a helicopter.

Not a good look.

Wow, that a different stance to what I experienced on Stewart island. No contact on radio or spot device for 3 days and the chopper showed up, no need for it but comforting to know that they were there

Originally Posted by tetawa

My attitude won't change as long as the attitude of many cyclists is that the road is there for them only.

There's douchebags on either side of the fence and you are right, there's a few dumbass cyclists around.

A lot of habits that cyclists have that seem annoying though is literally to keep them alive. If everyone knew how wide their vehicle was, was aware of their surroundings, checked their mirrors, didn't enter their own blind spots and would always pass at a safe distance then cyclists would have far less annoying habits. They claim the road sometimes. They need to in order to not die. You might need to slow down your car sometimes for them, but slowing down for a little bit is not much of an inconvenience compared to getting run over or dying.

find/build shelter and wait it out is great advice if one has left a trip plan with someone who gives a shit and will get a search started if you dont turn up near the time you were sopost to.

If you are in a wild and strange new country with nobody to look out for you a PLB should be a minimum and insurance to pay for the rescue.

Originally Posted by Jack_

There's douchebags on either side of the fence and you are right, there's a few dumbass cyclists around.

A lot of habits that cyclists have that seem annoying though is literally to keep them alive. If everyone knew how wide their vehicle was, was aware of their surroundings, checked their mirrors, didn't enter their own blind spots and would always pass at a safe distance then cyclists would have far less annoying habits. They claim the road sometimes. They need to in order to not die. You might need to slow down your car sometimes for them, but slowing down for a little bit is not much of an inconvenience compared to getting run over or dying.

When they ride with 3 metres of good seal on their left on a hi-way I can only conclude they are trying their best to shorten their time on this earth. Plus the ones whose bikes are grossly overloaded with saddle bags etc trying to pedal up a slight rise and for every forward metre they wobble sideways 2 metres, they don't seem concerned with their own life expectancy. I sometimes conclude that they don't realise what a flimsy machine without any protection they are operating among heavy traffic, but good old ACC and the NZ tax payer will bandage them up for free if they survive.

Originally Posted by K95

English. He had arrived in Hokitika and asked at the DoC office for information on the track but was told they know nothing of the track conditions in the Hokitika area and he must go away and do his own research. He insisted on talking to someone about the tracks but was turned away. He then googled the route and got a mix of information most of which was not accurate and set off on his trip. Search and Rescue was after him in the notar the day I got him across the river and on his way.

What's worse is that he left intentions at his hostel and they reported him overdue to the Police and the Police drove out to the carpark and left a note on his windscreen asking him to call them when he gets out. He ended up 6 days overdue before Search and Rescue began looking.

A work mate had the same experience in the same area two years ago, 4 days overdue and his wife still couldn't persuade the Police to begin a search. Had to ring a friend and he organised a helicopter.

Not a good look.

Doesn't sound like he went to the DOC office, maybe the I-site

Originally Posted by gimp

Doesn't sound like he went to the DOC office, maybe the I-site

It is a pretty standard DOC response.

Originally Posted by tetawa

they don't seem concerned with their own life expectancy.

I find it's usually the drivers that aren't concerned with the cyclist's life expectancy. Not sure why it means so little to them - your car is just as dangerous as a firearm and is much more likely to kill someone. Not giving cyclists respect and utmost care is just as bad as not identifying your target before you pull the trigger. If someone is doing something that makes me frustrated or angry then I pretend it's my mum and act accordingly. Once you add a bit of empathy to a situation you often gain a better perspective.

Roads have always been for many forms of transport. Not all of them can do the speed limit.

Originally Posted by Jack_

I find it's usually the drivers that aren't concerned with the cyclist's life expectancy. Not sure why it means so little to them - your car is just as dangerous as a firearm and is much more likely to kill someone. Not giving cyclists respect and utmost care is just as bad as not identifying your target before you pull the trigger. If someone is doing something that makes me frustrated or angry then I pretend it's my mum and act accordingly. Once you add a bit of empathy to a situation you often gain a better perspective.

Roads have always been for many forms of transport. Not all of them can do the speed limit.

If we apply your logic in its entirety then cycling on our major roads is the same as walking up and down a firing lane at a shooting range, while others are shooting.

Both are silly things to do and extremely dangerous

Originally Posted by Jack_

I find it's usually the drivers that aren't concerned with the cyclist's life expectancy. Not sure why it means so little to them - your car is just as dangerous as a firearm and is much more likely to kill someone. Not giving cyclists respect and utmost care is just as bad as not identifying your target before you pull the trigger. If someone is doing something that makes me frustrated or angry then I pretend it's my mum and act accordingly. Once you add a bit of empathy to a situation you often gain a better perspective.

Roads have always been for many forms of transport. Not all of them can do the speed limit.

Cyclists piss me of immensely!

For some background as a young fella I had a big old V8 and a scooter, on apprentice wages the v8 was for the weekends and the scooter was for weekdays.
I lived in the country and my mates lived in the city, I could ride one handed at full throttle for around 50 minutes usually pissed in the dark from my mates place to mine and get up in the morning and go to work all on that bit of spare tarseal left of the fog line, sometimes its a foot wide some times its meters wide but with very few exceptions its always there.
Point is if I could ride a scooter usually pissed( dont berate me it was the done thing back then) all that distance at all hours keeping out of traffics way why do usually 2-10 cyclists have to ride in the middle of the road and not pull out of the way!!!!!

Hey if you ever meet me you will know I am one of the most laid back cruisy guys you could ever meet but if anything ever makes me snap it will be a fucking cyclist in the middle of the fucking road that wont move over!

FFS they even ignore signs directing them off of the main highway on bridges and ride the bloody bridge....should be ticketed ...oh wait no bloody number plate to *555 the cunts either.

I also ride a bike occasionally,on the left of the fog line.

Sorry what's your argument 'nam? you used to ride your scooter drunk? Goodo.

Originally Posted by 7mmsaum

If we apply your logic in its entirety then cycling on our major roads is the same as walking up and down a firing lane at a shooting range, while others are shooting.

Both are silly things to do and extremely dangerous

You shouldn't reasonable expect random members of the public to be found in the middle of a shooting range. Roads are a bit different.

I'd say it's more like shooting while on a popular walking track. You better be damn sure what you're doing is safe.

Originally Posted by K95

English. He had arrived in Hokitika and asked at the DoC office for information on the track but was told they know nothing of the track conditions in the Hokitika area and he must go away and do his own research. He insisted on talking to someone about the tracks but was turned away. He then googled the route and got a mix of information most of which was not accurate and set off on his trip. Search and Rescue was after him in the notar the day I got him across the river and on his way.

What's worse is that he left intentions at his hostel and they reported him overdue to the Police and the Police drove out to the carpark and left a note on his windscreen asking him to call them when he gets out. He ended up 6 days overdue before Search and Rescue began looking.

A work mate had the same experience in the same area two years ago, 4 days overdue and his wife still couldn't persuade the Police to begin a search. Had to ring a friend and he organised a helicopter.

Not a good look.

Not a good look at all

Originally Posted by Jack_

Sorry what's your argument 'nam? you used to ride your scooter drunk? Goodo.



You shouldn't reasonable expect random members of the public to be found in the middle of a shooting range. Roads are a bit different.

I'd say it's more like shooting while on a popular walking track. You better be damn sure what you're doing is safe.

The point is it is very easy to use the road safely on a two wheeled vehicle without actually using the "road" and inconveniencing everyone who is actually paying for the road.

May there always be a campervan in front of you.

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

The point is it is very easy to use the road safely on a two wheeled vehicle without actually using the "road" and inconveniencing everyone who is actually paying for the road.

Behavior that seems odd to you is often in the name of safety. Cyclists that ride in the shoulder are often the ones that are hit. Cyclists that make their presence known don't get it. I ride in the shoulder when it's safe, I ride slightly out from the shoulder if the road is curvy so it forces drivers to consciously recognise me and only pass when it's safe, at which point I'll gladly get out of the way and give you a wave. And I'll take the lane when it's completely unsafe to pass, and I can reach a speed similar to that of traffic. I'll annoy the occasional person, but it's all in the name of safety, and even if drivers don't really understand the behaviour it does work. Also in town, I have to give about a metre between myself and the cars parked on the left. My girlfriend was thrown under the wheels of a bus because she didn't know this, someone opened their door and toppled her into the lane. Riding slowly in the cycle lane, out of the way of cars, almost dead. She was under the front bumper, but the bus stopped in time and she didn't go under the wheels. A friend of mine was killed in wellington when a driver cut the corner at a roundabout a few years ago. He was riding in the shoulder. As I said, cyclists ride the way they do for a reason.

Most cyclists own at least one car, so they're paying for their fair share - and they're on a bike, which at the end of the day inconveniences you less than if they did all of their journeys in a car and got in your way that way instead. If you're wanting to get into the user pays aspect then start hounding the truckies - trucks damage the road more than anyone, cause roadworks, pull out in front of people, and drive slower than the speed limit.

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

May there always be a campervan in front of you.

Maybe that's the difference between us. I'd still buy you a beer at the pub, talk some shit and wish you no ill will. But campervans? That's harsh man. Harsh.