This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/mar/21/cyclists-arent-the-enemy-australia-needs-road-rules-to-protect-us
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| Cyclists aren't the enemy - Australia needs road rules to protect us | Cyclists aren't the enemy - Australia needs road rules to protect us |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Every day when I hop on my | Every day when I hop on my |
| bicycle, I attach lights to the handlebars and the seat post, two flashing | bicycle, I attach lights to the handlebars and the seat post, two flashing |
| beacons to warn motorists of my fragile presence. I wear lurid green | beacons to warn motorists of my fragile presence. I wear lurid green |
| or orange lycra jerseys and the mandatory helmet. I want to be seen. I want to | or orange lycra jerseys and the mandatory helmet. I want to be seen. I want to |
| be safe. | be safe. |
| Whenever I’ve experienced a | Whenever I’ve experienced a |
| near-miss with a vehicle – and believe me it happens far too frequently – when | near-miss with a vehicle – and believe me it happens far too frequently – when |
| I quiz the driver why they came so close their inevitable response is “I | I quiz the driver why they came so close their inevitable response is “I |
| didn’t see you”. I point to my flashing lights, in vain. I try to understand | didn’t see you”. I point to my flashing lights, in vain. I try to understand |
| that, for a second or two, perhaps I was in their blind spot. It forces me to | that, for a second or two, perhaps I was in their blind spot. It forces me to |
| ride even more defensively, to always make eye contact with motorists planning | ride even more defensively, to always make eye contact with motorists planning |
| to turn across my path. | to turn across my path. |
| In the past week, we have | In the past week, we have |
| witnessed three high-profile incidents involving cars and cyclists. On Sunday, news came | witnessed three high-profile incidents involving cars and cyclists. On Sunday, news came |
| through that six cyclists were hit by a single vehicle in an | through that six cyclists were hit by a single vehicle in an |
| accident on Southern Cross Drive in Sydney. Thankfully, no-one was killed, but | accident on Southern Cross Drive in Sydney. Thankfully, no-one was killed, but |
| all the cyclists were rushed to hospital. Social media showed photos of the | all the cyclists were rushed to hospital. Social media showed photos of the |
| damage to the car – a shattered windscreen and large dents. Looking at that | damage to the car – a shattered windscreen and large dents. Looking at that |
| photo, we can all imagine the damage that inflicts on a human. | photo, we can all imagine the damage that inflicts on a human. |
| The cyclists were all members | The cyclists were all members |
| of a local club, out for their regular Sunday morning ride. They were riding in | of a local club, out for their regular Sunday morning ride. They were riding in |
| a peloton, probably two abreast, perhaps in a line of three or more, obeying | a peloton, probably two abreast, perhaps in a line of three or more, obeying |
| the law. Whenever I’ve ridden in a peloton, I’ve always felt safer than on a | the law. Whenever I’ve ridden in a peloton, I’ve always felt safer than on a |
| solo ride. No longer can the motorist claim that I can’t be seen. There’s a | solo ride. No longer can the motorist claim that I can’t be seen. There’s a |
| tribe of us, as long and wide as any car. There’s no blind spot in this bunch. | tribe of us, as long and wide as any car. There’s no blind spot in this bunch. |
| To hit six cyclists, one expects there must have been a huge error of | To hit six cyclists, one expects there must have been a huge error of |
| judgement. | judgement. |
| On Monday evening in Melbourne, a female | On Monday evening in Melbourne, a female |
| cyclist was doored by a group of men getting out of a taxi. When the | cyclist was doored by a group of men getting out of a taxi. When the |
| cyclist attempted to get the names of the men in order to report the accident, | cyclist attempted to get the names of the men in order to report the accident, |
| she was abused. She courageously pursued the men politely requesting their details, | she was abused. She courageously pursued the men politely requesting their details, |
| only to be mocked and finally ignored. | only to be mocked and finally ignored. |
| Meanwhile, footage has emerged from Brisbane | Meanwhile, footage has emerged from Brisbane |
| showing a cyclist waiting in the left lane at a red light. An Audi comes up | showing a cyclist waiting in the left lane at a red light. An Audi comes up |
| behind him and stops. When the light turns green, the cyclist takes off and a | behind him and stops. When the light turns green, the cyclist takes off and a |
| few seconds later is knocked to the ground from behind by the Audi. There is no | few seconds later is knocked to the ground from behind by the Audi. There is no |
| question that the driver of the Audi did not see the cyclist. | question that the driver of the Audi did not see the cyclist. |
| One thing is certain. Too many | One thing is certain. Too many |
| cyclists are being injured or killed on our roads. If this many citizens were | cyclists are being injured or killed on our roads. If this many citizens were |
| killed in a single plane crash, there would be a coronial investigation and | killed in a single plane crash, there would be a coronial investigation and |
| extensive media attention directed to the likely causes. When the cause of the | extensive media attention directed to the likely causes. When the cause of the |
| incident was verified, the government would enact legislation that would | incident was verified, the government would enact legislation that would |
| prevent or minimise a repeat of the accident. | prevent or minimise a repeat of the accident. |
| There is already substantial | There is already substantial |
| evidence on the causes of most accidents | evidence on the causes of most accidents |
| involving cars and bicycles. That evidence overwhelmingly points to | involving cars and bicycles. That evidence overwhelmingly points to |
| mistakes on the part of motorists in the vast majority of cases. Legislation | mistakes on the part of motorists in the vast majority of cases. Legislation |
| therefore should be directed at the cause of these accidents – the motorists. | therefore should be directed at the cause of these accidents – the motorists. |
| We look to the Queensland | We look to the Queensland |
| legislation to encourage other governments to act for the safety of | legislation to encourage other governments to act for the safety of |
| all concerned. | all concerned. |
| And yet when cyclists die or are | And yet when cyclists die or are |
| injured, there is hand-wringing from one side and a storm of anti-cyclist abuse | injured, there is hand-wringing from one side and a storm of anti-cyclist abuse |
| from the other. Sadly, it’s not only trolls who indulge | from the other. Sadly, it’s not only trolls who indulge |
| in cyclist-bashing. It’s as if the donning of lycra means we | in cyclist-bashing. It’s as if the donning of lycra means we |
| cyclists can be demonised by a section of the public as somehow less human. We | cyclists can be demonised by a section of the public as somehow less human. We |
| are portrayed as selfish road warriors - not fathers, sons, mothers, daughters. | are portrayed as selfish road warriors - not fathers, sons, mothers, daughters. |
| Everyone can cite the rogue | Everyone can cite the rogue |
| cyclist who disobeys the road rules. It’s as if that one maverick steals every | cyclist who disobeys the road rules. It’s as if that one maverick steals every |
| law-abiding cyclist’s right to safe passage. Suddenly there are irrational | law-abiding cyclist’s right to safe passage. Suddenly there are irrational |
| calls for bike registration so the rogue can be identified. Yeah, right. How | calls for bike registration so the rogue can be identified. Yeah, right. How |
| many of us turn up to the local police station after we’ve witnessed a bloke in | many of us turn up to the local police station after we’ve witnessed a bloke in |
| a BMW run a red light or a young woman driving a Barina while texting. “Officer, I have her number plate, you must charge her!” You’d be laughed out | a BMW run a red light or a young woman driving a Barina while texting. “Officer, I have her number plate, you must charge her!” You’d be laughed out |
| of the police station. | of the police station. |
| The “us and them” argument | The “us and them” argument |
| demeans us as human beings. The accident in Sydney on Sunday will leave | demeans us as human beings. The accident in Sydney on Sunday will leave |
| emotional and physical scars: not just for the cyclists | emotional and physical scars: not just for the cyclists |
| involved, but also for the motorist in question. While apparently uninjured, he may bear the guilt and the | involved, but also for the motorist in question. While apparently uninjured, he may bear the guilt and the |
| nightmares of what occured on a suburban street for years to come. | nightmares of what occured on a suburban street for years to come. |
| Without suitable | Without suitable |
| infrastructure, without appropriate government legislation, we are all losers. | infrastructure, without appropriate government legislation, we are all losers. |
| We potentially lose our mobility; our sense of freedom; our right to safe | We potentially lose our mobility; our sense of freedom; our right to safe |
| passage; our alternative to a bumper-to-bumper commute; our enjoyment of a | passage; our alternative to a bumper-to-bumper commute; our enjoyment of a |
| healthy pursuit. | healthy pursuit. |
| It’s time respective state | It’s time respective state |
| governments began to invest in providing appropriate cycling lanes to service | governments began to invest in providing appropriate cycling lanes to service |
| established commuter corridors. It’s time all state governments followed the | |
| lead of the Queensland parliament and enacted legislation requiring drivers to | lead of the Queensland parliament and enacted legislation requiring drivers to |
| leave at least one metre of space when overtaking cyclists. | leave at least one metre of space when overtaking cyclists. |
| It’s time the Australian | It’s time the Australian |
| commuting public were offered alternatives to the one-passenger-per-vehicle | commuting public were offered alternatives to the one-passenger-per-vehicle |
| madness of our current road network. More bike lanes means an increased numbers of | madness of our current road network. More bike lanes means an increased numbers of |
| cyclists and commuters which naturally leads to fewer cars on our roads and | cyclists and commuters which naturally leads to fewer cars on our roads and |
| less congestion. Everyone’s a winner. If there was suitable infrastructure in | less congestion. Everyone’s a winner. If there was suitable infrastructure in |
| place along this regular cycling route in Sydney, we can be confident six | place along this regular cycling route in Sydney, we can be confident six |
| cyclists would have arrived home to spend the rest of the weekend with their | cyclists would have arrived home to spend the rest of the weekend with their |
| families. | families. |
| To enact “a-metre-matters” | To enact “a-metre-matters” |
| legislation at least addresses one known cause of many accidents between bikes | legislation at least addresses one known cause of many accidents between bikes |
| and cars. A simple act to enforce the rights cyclists have to safe passage. | and cars. A simple act to enforce the rights cyclists have to safe passage. |
| It’s not an instant fix, but it is the first stage on a re-education program | It’s not an instant fix, but it is the first stage on a re-education program |
| for we motorists. | for we motorists. |
| It’s certainly better than | It’s certainly better than |
| having to watch video footage treating cyclists as nothing more than annoying | having to watch video footage treating cyclists as nothing more than annoying |
| obstacles to dangerous drivers and passengers. | obstacles to dangerous drivers and passengers. |