From Perth Now:
HELMET-MOUNTED cameras have highlighted the friction between cyclists and motorists, with footage showing bike riders being sprayed with abuse or put in a threatening situation about once every three hours.
Cycling WA, the state’s peak cycle group, says hundreds of complaints are being lodged with authorities every week as riders run the gauntlet on WA roads.
This month the RAC will hold a forum looking at vulnerable roads users, including cyclists, and how to protect them.
Cycling WA operations manager Toby Hodgson said Melbourne research using cameras mounted on cyclists’ helmets showed the extent of the threats they faced.
He said the dangers of cycling were “the same, if not worse” in WA.
The Bicycle Transport Alliance and Bike West have been lobbying hard for a cultural change among drivers, but Mr Hodgson said it was a “constant battle” between motorists and cyclists on the roads.
“People are being run into the back of, there have been deaths, threats and abuse,” he said.
“People have said, ‘If I ever see another cyclist again I’ll stick a broom handle in their spokes’.”
South-West Cycle Club vice-president John Hanczakowski, who was hit by a car as he negotiated a roundabout in Bunbury two years ago, said WA motorists were among the least patient in Australia.
“Motorists hurl abuse at you. They’re impatient, they’re mostly people abusing you or tooting their horns,” he said.
“The attitude is worse here than over east. We went to Adelaide and the attitude was so different. We’re constantly being told we’re a nuisance on the roads, but we’re entitled to be a road user just like motorists.”
Mr Hanczakowski said the club’s training rides from Bunbury through the Ferguson Valley and elsewhere in the South-West had become perilous. One of the club’s top riders, Darren Studwick, was killed when he was struck from behind by a car while riding home from work at Worsley Alumina on the Coalfields Highway from Collie in November.
“We lost Darren and it certainly shows the danger we face. You’re at the mercy of the motorists,” Mr Hanczakowski said.
According to the Bicycle Transport Alliance, the Melbourne study analysed 127 hours of helmet-cam footage and concluded that car drivers were at fault in 87 per cent of incidents with cyclists.
Sideswiping was the most frequent incident and, based on the results, it concluded a cyclist using public roads would expect some sort of incident every three hours.
It said also nearly 8000 cyclists were admitted to hospitals after traffic crashes in Australia every year, with cyclists accounting for 14 per cent of road users admitted to hospital after a crash.
BTAWA will be attending the Cycle Safety Forum on 14th May 2011. If you can’t make this forum and have any issues that need to be considered, please let us know.
I am a regular commuting cylclist travelling up to 16km to work. The route is a combination of bike paths and major roads.
There is always complaint from bike riders about the motorists and I don’t dispute that the motoristas in WA are aggressive and impatient, but unfortunately the same attitude is evident in the cycling community especially with the club riders who domoinate the cycle paths in large groups. The cyclists in WA are also vehicle drivers and I challenge all to put hand on heart and state they have never acted aggressively or impatiently on the roads.
A cultural change is required and it starts with leading by example no matter what your mode of transport.
I have to agree with the above post. Drivers don’t muck like sharing the road with cyclists, but they will do it if we are as courteous to them as we expect them to us. Ask any motorist who loathes cyclists, and they will immediately tell you that the majority of their gripe is with the club cyclists who ride in groups. These guys make up the bulk of Perth cyclists – unfortunately characterised by spandex garb and many-thousand dollar bikes. There is nothing wrong with this, but if we want to see some better behaviour from all road users, then the majority of bike riders need to show some consideration. One easy way to get respect from motorists if you do like to ride carbon fibre racers might be to simply dress like a normal person – I guarantee you will be granted more respect!
Cheers,
CHRIS
PS I will be at the Burswood meeting representing the normal everyday bike commuters who don’t wear Lycra
Also wear jeans while commuting on your bike for even more respect from drivers and ride slow and unpredicable. Cars love that. They will be tooting their horns at you still but only to let you know how much they love you.