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McCarrs Race Track
NB: Originally posted elsewhere on the Global Riders Network and appears via syndication.
A lot of us here spend time at Terry hills and either riding it or driving it to get to a ride....Mccarrs Creek Road. Since the resurface it's attracting unwanted attention.
Beware out there for M/bikes, Hoons and now expect Highway Patrol
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I don't think replacing the smooth tar with coarse chipseal will change much except for discouraging cyclists. Motorised traffic with big fat low pressure tyres will hardly notice the difference. Driver behavior has always been poor through there, no different to elsewhere the main saving grace has been low motor traffic volumes.
The rough surface down General San Martin to Akuna Bay broke my previous roadie frame a5 the top tube joint with the head tube. The new sealed surface on McCarrs is very nice to ride.
Traffic calming and better enforcement are better options.
Agree Hawkeye.
First up - I have a M/bike but its stock and quiet. The big issue for residents I imagine is modified bikes /sports cars with the noise echoing around the canyons. Its so dumb to draw attention to themselves. Loud pipes save lives is a bunch of crap. Should be huge fines for making your car/bike louder and actively policed IMHO.
Doing DuckHoles and Centre or on my roadie up McCarrs noticed a big upswing in bikes last 6 months just need the EPA to run some noise tests to discourage the modifieds.
The daily had this as an article yesterday. There was even mention of someone putting loads if thumb tacks on the road trying to puncture motorbike tyres. All they successfully did was ruin the day for plenty if push bike riders. I really enjoy the new seal on the road. When you're on the bike, it's so smooth and practically noiseless that it's like I'm flying!
As far as idiots go. I've been sped passed by huge motorbike groups (sports bikes, not hd's) at night time on Wednesday and Thursday evenings.
Most concerning though are the number of morons using it to drift. 2 cars in particular. Both blue nissans (think modified 180 sx's). These guys terrorise akuna bay and west head in broad day light, in front of cyclists and tourists. Their number plates have been noted.
As the article mentioned, it's the perfect recipe for a very big accident soon. And it may involve one of us.
mc carres creek road has always been a racetrack. Now with the road resurfaced. Lots of extra hoons will go there rather than bothering to go all the way to the Old Pacific Hwy between Beowra & Gosford.Or perhaps the heaven of Sydneys Hooning, Putty Road.
especially in the middle of the night. park yourself at kangaroo point on the Old pacific Hwy & watch between midnight & 4 am......it will not be just the odd car going fast.
back to Mc carres massive groups during the day would most likely be car clubs or motorbike clubs on the way to somewhere via church point. I dare say there would be more performance cars though the night than motorbikes
Clubs usually start driving around 8 am. So make sure youve done your riding by then if you are going through Mc carres Creek road. You then also get the sunday drivers after 10 am, who are obviously not as fast but perhaps don't know how to deal with getting past Cyclists. And certainly do not ride though there in the middle of the night.....if you value your life.
speed bumps would certainly slow people down. weather or not thats a practical solution is another discussion though
While I'm not that regular up that climb (perhaps 20-30 times a year) I have never experienced any stand out issues with automothingies heading up or down, well apart from the odd close shave or punishment pass that happens on any road ride.
I have done several night descents with no issues at all.. but can be a bit spooky.. I'm scared of bunyips!
Was thinking speed bumps too because cycles won't care but I have an adventure m/bike and speedbumps become launching pads. Would stop the dropped sports cars and hi po bikes.
I would add I have not had many issues with cars-n-bikes but I'm outa there before the traffic hits and enthusiasts are generally better drivers but what I have seen is cars getting frustrated and overtaking cyclists on blind corners especially that first one at the Top of McCarrs Hill and that's going to end badly for someone.Makes me laugh that people get stresssed about losing 10 secs of time on a Sunday morn while taking the long way through a scenic national Park....whhhaat??
Maybe if the police stopped worrying about cyclists who don't wear helmets on the Manly Beach bike path and just did patrols out there on a Thur-Sat evening. That's generally when we hear the drag racing.
I've seen some serious carnage over the years
I'm sure police know exactly what goes on. They are just bound by rules, shifts and limited numbers for back up. They couldn't possibly that blind.
Its also easier to pick on some unsuspecting rider on Manly Beach rather than trying to chase a kid who is faster than them around the Old Pacific Hwy/mc carres Creek Road in the middle of the night.
There is also a political agenda. Currently its checking on cyclists....not really much going on as far as the hooning laws go. Police get told by pollies....make an appearance here or concentrate on this or that because its in the media. Nothing will work as good as police presence on the road. But policeman/woman can only be in one place at any one time. we probably need more police. And the right amount of policing on the right things.
... if it's related to this, but I was riding along there today and witnessed:
- Someone in a highly modified original Mini coming the other way, tires squealing through the corners. I was considering my options but luckily they managed to stay on their side of the road.
- A Land Cruiser overtook me on a blind corner (double white lines of course). There was a guy in a Lexus or something coming the other way who had to slam all on and come to a complete stop to avoid him.
- A modified 4WD with loads of lights, huge wheels, truck mudflaps all the way across the back, etc. gave me like, 5cm clearance as he hooned by with black smoke bellowing from his exhaust stacks.
- An old guy in a European convertible came up behind me and almost stalled when I put my right arm out to indicate he shouldn't pass as there was another vehicle coming the other way (which clearly he hadn't seen).
I ride up there all the time, but not sure have seen so much bad driving in one hit for a a long time.
Sharing is caring....
if u get my ... drift (pardon the pun)
Sounds like my Boxing Day ride awhile back
I nearly T-boned a cop car last weekend while having a
squirtgentle sunday ride up McCarrs on the moto.He'd decided to do a 3 point turn just between two closely spaced blind left handers and I came around the corner to have him essentially block the road as he crossed the solid line under blues and twos.
It's OK though, because as I managed to slow enough to swing past his rear bumper he reversed at me to continue the manouvre...... causing me to cross solid lines.
I'm a touch sensitive about turkeys driving on the wrong side of a solid line and if he'd not been wearing a blue shirt and carrying I suspect he'd be in traction or a box.
Two things I can say about the article topic though...
1/ McCarrs Ck road has been a drivers testing ground since at least 1963. Dad taught me to drive smoothly with a challenge to not let a 20c coin slide off the dash board while navigating McCarrs Ck road when I was on my L plates nearly 30 years ago.
2/ I tend to avoid roads or times of day where I don't feel safe. At the end of the day I can take some personal responsibility for staying alive.
Ride safe peeps.
coin on the dashboard eh? My old man had me reversing through cycle ways and footpaths to find out where the corners of my car were
Eveyones worst nightmare here has come true with a P plater hitting a cyclist and killing him at Church Point McCarrs this morning.
My condolences to the rider ad family - a terrible thing to happen while out enjoying a beautiful part of Sydney
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news...
That's horrible news
http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/media_release_...
Geez that's terrible. Rode there this morning and remarked to my wife that there seemed to be way more stupidity than normal.
RIP
It's been a very bad week.
I've been abused 3 times this week for being "ïn the middle of the road" when there was clearly not enough room to pass safely, either because of oncoming traffic or road furniture pinch points, with the driver pushing through anyway and nearly clipping me or executing a "punishment pass" in retribution and skimming my elbow.
This after a great winter where driver behaviour has been almost universally excellent.
Time to pull out the cameras again. *Sigh*
If Duncan Fucking Gay comes out with "Ï think registering cyclists is the answer" again in response to this I'm going to lose the plot. :angry:
Sympathies to the cyclists family.
I can't but help weep for society if the comments being left on the police force page are a fair reflection of what our society has deteriorated to.
This is tragic. Ive lived in Church Point a fair bit over various times of my life. I know what it can be like. For cyclists as well as drivers.
In a perfect world, no one should have to think, should I be there at 10 am or not. It is every drivers or cyclists right to be there at whatever time of day they choose.
It is also pre mature to speculate on what happened. Or how it happened. We may find out eventually. My first rection was....the P plater must be at fault. But I used to be involed in the car enthusiast scene in a big way.
As a cycilst. I having ridden through there countless times. I know what it can be like. As a motorist, I also know what it can be like. As a local. I know what its like.
As i said in a previous post, there are lots of things at play here. Touge driving, racing, arrogant riding, frustration, as well as lack knowlege of how & when to pass cyclists.
In this case a life was lost in vain or un neccecariely.
And the person who lost thier life would have brothers, sisters, kids & so on. My thoughts are with them.
All I'm saying is, if you ride through there, make sure youre done by 8:30-9:am. I think it reduces the potential of having a collision by a long way. Thats all.
You can hear the racers comming a mile away. The inexperienced or sunday drivers who don't know when or how to pass cyclists are a major concern at the time of day this happened.
Stay safe out there.
Firstly, condolences to the family. This should never have happened. I don't know the area, but is road widening, to incorporate a bike lane a solution?
I was planning a ride around this area soon but this type of thing makes me very nervous to do so, shame because I've heard great things about it.
Driving to the road conditions are.
It is a narrow winding road which should be driven as such and not used as a place to live out your Real Racing fantasies.
17 yr old P plater charged with dangerous driving occasioning death and negligent driving occasioning death.
http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/latest_release...
That has to change right there, old enough to drive but not old enough to face a full court.
Wow,.....just wow.
Fair enough Kitt, as I said, I don't know the road.
Only facing the childrens court is BS though, he should take full responsibility and consequence.
Read today the driver was on the wrong side of the road around a blind corner, Cicada Creek hairpin.
Hit the rider head on.
Very sad