Sixty-eight per cent of cyclists say drivers are not prepared to 'share the road'

Tuesday, 3 April 2018

A survey of more than 1000 cyclists has shown the majority do not believe drivers are prepared to share the road.

The New Zealand road code says motorists should drive at least 1.5 metres away from cyclists – but cyclists say drivers don't even want to share the road.

A survey from the Cycling Action Network in February and March reveals the biggest concern among more than 1000 cyclists is safety.

Last year was New Zealand's worst on record for cyclist deaths, with 18 people on bikes killed and more than 700 injured.

Some were even avoiding the roads because of safety concerns, it found.

In 2017, 18 people on bikes were killed and more than 700 cyclists injured on New Zealand roads – the highest annual number on record.

In August last year, a cyclist was seriously injured after he was hit by a car in Nelson.

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Sixty-eight per cent of the 1133 cyclists surveyed said drivers were not prepared to 'share the road' at all.

Sixty-five per cent were most concerned about vehicles passing too close, and 67 per cent were concerned about the lack of safe infrastructure.

The survey's conclusions say 2017 was 'a terrible year' for cyclist deaths, and 13 of those killed were over 40.

'That's a whole heap of children and families who have lost a parent, an aunt, an uncle or a grandparent,' the document says.

Automobile Association cycling spokesman Simon Douglas disagreed that motorists did not treat cyclists with due caution, and said its own quarterly surveys showed the most common reaction among motorists to cyclists was concern for their safety.

'Our survey shows that reasonable motorists have concern for cycling safety, and do want to execute things like passing manoeuvres safely,' he said.

'I think some drivers may be less tolerant, in the same way some cyclists are less tolerant. Up to 15 per cent of AA members are cyclists themselves.'

The Ministry of Transport released its draft Government Policy Statement on Tuesday evening, which signalled an intention to invest more money in safe, fit-for-purpose cycling infrastructure.

The draft policy also signalled an intention to investigate regulatory barriers to the uptake of cycling.

Results from the Cycling Action Network survey showed more people wanted to cycle, but didn't, because it was not seen as safe.

The results found that, while 70 per cent of households with children had bikes, only 2 per cent of children cycled to school, and 2 per cent of adults cycled to commute.

Cycling Action Network project manager Patrick Morgan said that, to make cycling safer, he wanted protected cycleways with concrete kerbs, separating motor vehicles from people on bikes.

In the survey, 78 per cent said investment in cycling infrastructure was what was most needed nationally.

At a local level, 73 per cent marked protected cycle lanes as what was most needed in their area.

The Cycling Action Network has collected 7565 signatures in a petition to ask the Government and local authorities to build more bike lanes in cities and towns, educate drivers and cyclists about sharing the road, and slow traffic on urban streets and rural roads.

A petition respondent from Auckland said she had previously given up cycling because she was 'terrified'.

She had tried to cycle again and liked the new paths, she said.

'[But] the busy roads that I have to share with vehicular traffic to get to the cycle paths … those roads are still terrifying.'

New Zealand cycling advocate Jan Nisbet said most cyclists were also car drivers.

'If you just think about slowing down, it makes it easier for everyone'.

Nisbet said it would be hard to retrofit bike lanes, but said there would be a way.

The survey also revealed some reasons why people chose to cycle, and found their reasons would differ by their age group.

People age 30-65 would cycle for exercise, fun and commuting, whereas people under 30 would cycle to save money, to benefit the environment, for exercise and for their daily commute.

About half said they chose to cycle to save money.

The petition would be presented to Associate Transport Minister Julie Anne Genter at the Road Safety Summit next week, on April 9.