Bikelash: The dangerous battle between pedal-driven and gas-guzzling machines

Thursday, 14 February 2019

Associate minister of transport Julie Anne Genter says cycling with her baby makes her nervous because of the lack of proper cycling infrastructure. Front to back: Julie Anne Genter, Emma Giesen and Sofia Robinson.

You can see them from a mile off: swarming, lycra-clad, side-by-side-by-side, clogging the road.

You want to pass, but threading the needle between the oncoming traffic and the cyclists is impossible.

The idea of treating those cyclists like daisies and your vehicle like a lawnmower sits on your mind for a few seconds too long.

Eventually, you pass, accelerating quickly and muttering a few four-letter words under your breath.

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Most motorists would have experienced such dark thoughts of road rage after encountering cyclists on the road. And comments from stories about cyclists appear to back that up.

'You don't need to be on every road!'

'Tossers!'

'Ignorant a…….'.

But why so much rage against a pedal-driven piece of steel and rubber barely a fraction the size of a small car? And, more importantly, how do we get everyone to calm down?

Commonwealth Games medalist and renowned cycling coach Mike McRedmond says the rising popularity, and changing demographic of cycling may contribute to the rage issue.

Evidence of this anger was on show in Australia, police in New South Wales asked motorists to show care and sensitivity after off duty New Zealand army major Aaron Couchman died after being hit by a truck.

The 38-year-old truck driver was subsequently charged with dangerous driving causing death and negligent driving occasioning death.

The rude and insensitive reaction from some motorists caught up in the queue prompted NSW Police Inspector Sandy Green to issue a scolding public statement about their behaviour.

'I suggest motorists be really patient and consider one another and drive safely and carefully. It might be a good idea for all of us to rethink how we treat each other on the road and be a little more courteous,' she said.

CHANGING TIMES, CHANGING GEARS

Mike McRedmond has been cycling on New Zealand roads since the early 1970s. A national sprint champion multiple times, he won a silver medal in the sprint at the 1982 Commonwealth Games.

He also coached Olympic and Commonwealth medallists Jesse Sergeant, Simon van Velthooven and Campbell Stewart.

He says cycling is a very different activity now than in the 1970s.

Back then, people going for rides were serious competitors, with all training done after work.

Now, the majority of cyclists are doing it for fitness, he says.

If you went to a barbecue back then and said you were a cyclist, most would ask if you had done the Dulux – a six-day cycle race from Auckland to Wellington McRedmond says was like New Zealand's mini-Tour de France.

Today, people will ask if you have done the Lake Taupō cycle challenge – a one-day event where competitors can choose to ride as few as 40 kilometres.

A lot of professional cycling training has gone indoors at the likes of Cambridge's Avantidrome, meaning riders on the road are likely to be hobbyists.

The age demographic has also changed, with the age demographic of most cyclists out for a weekend ride ranging from the mid-30s upwards, he says.

But it is not just recreational cycling that has grown, with New Zealand Transport Agency research putting cycling as the fastest growing mode of transport in several New Zealand cities and towns.

As it has grown, so has the focus on infrastructure to make it safer. That is where much of the anger at cyclists hit the road it would seem.

Lisa Prager used a sledgehammer to take out her frustrations at an Auckland cycleway.

In Lisa Prager's case, she actually hit the road, taking a sledgehammer to an Auckland traffic island in March 2018 as part of an ongoing protest at a cycleway which she said would damage her business.

People also took to scattering tacks on the Island Bay cycleway in Wellington.

That cycleway quickly drew the ire of nearby residents due to it running between the footpath and parked cars.

There is even a research paper, produced by University of Auckland academics, on why cycleways get people worked up.

Termed 'bikelash', the rage appears to stem from an annoyance at things changing with an apparent lack of consultation.

MORE TRIALS, LESS 'TRIBALISM' – GENTER

Associate minister of transport Julie Anne Genter is no stranger to cycling on the road.

Genter, who made international headlines when she used an e-bike to get to Auckland City Hospital to be induced for the birth of her son Joaquin in August 2018, says the lack of cycling infrastructure is the main reason for her worry.

While 95 per cent of people in Manhattan do not drive, local businesses and residents' groups get up in arms when cycle lanes are installed, she says.

Associate Transport Minister Julie Anne Genter admits to being slightly nervous taking her son in a cargo trike around Aucland's streets.

Tribalism is also at play, with people often quick to pile on cyclists as a whole when they see one person on a bike misbehaving.

'But we wouldn't say that about motorists; we don't see one person run a red light and say 'take the cars away',' Genter says.

'We need to get away from thinking that everybody is defined by whatever mode of transport they use that day.'

Having cycleway trials, where road cones or temporary barriers could mark out proposed routes, instead of moving straight to a permanent fix could help alleviate tensions, she says.

But something needs to be done to make life safer for budding cyclists, she says.

E-bikes were making it easier for older people and those who are not so fit to take up cycling, but the lack of infrastructure is putting people off – including Genter with Joaquin in the front of her cargo trike.

While they are common in Denmark and the Netherlands, Genter says using one in Auckland made her much more nervous than being on a bike on her own.

People like to moan about cyclists getting 'free' cycleways, but Genter says they free up space – both on the road and in parking spaces – for drivers.

'We have a very high dependence on cars in New Zealand. That's why driving around is so frustrating.

'If we had a more balanced approach, then people in cars wouldn't be so frustrated.'

The Netherlands spent a lot on cycling infrastructure, but is a great place to drive due to fewer cars on the road, she says.

'There are more people on bikes than cars, but when you use a car to go somewhere, it's convenient because there isn't traffic everywhere.'

AA Research Foundation manager Simon Douglas says most drivers actually want more cycling facilities.

CYCLISTS NOT BLAMELESS, MUST PLAY THEIR PART

AA Research Foundation manager Simon Douglas says a recent survey found 84 per cent of AA members want more cycling facilities.

Quite a few members are cyclists, so self-interest was at play, but the wellbeing of pedal pushers is also in their minds, he says.

'When we asked members how they react when they come across cyclists, the most common response was 'we don't want to hurt them'.

'They realise cyclists are vulnerable and have a right to be on the road, but if it's car vs bike, the bike comes off worse.'

The key is keeping cyclists and motorists apart, which means cycleways are good, he says.

But some cities do this better than others.

Douglas points out Auckland's connected cycleways as a great model.

Wellington's Victoria St, however, is less than ideal, because of how the cycle lane ends at points, throwing motorists and cyclists back into the same stream of traffic, Douglas says.

It is at those high-risk areas where conflict is likely to take place, he says.

Douglas says cyclists are not holier-than-thou in the debate, though.

After all, big groups of cyclists holding up traffic does not give the two-wheeled brigade a good look.

The issue also goes off the road, such as large groups popping up at a cafe after a ride, clogging up footpaths or outdoor areas with their bikes, or whizzing past pedestrians on shared pathways, Douglas says

Long story short: learn to share space.

McRedmond says people doing training need to think about where they ride.

Busy roads may appear risky, but can often be the safest due to large amounts of space to the side.

Country roads, while thinner, are also good due to lower vehicle numbers, meaning cyclists are less likely to cause the issues they might in a city, he says.

Riders can also use their position to wave traffic through if they can see the road ahead is clear, he says.

If issues cannot be resolved easily, then common courtesy is the way to ensure everyone keeps a clear head according to McRedmond.

Genter thinks the more people get into cycling; the more attitudes will change.

She tells a story about a friend who moved to Portland, a city which saw bicycle use triple in the space of seven years due to a massive investment in cycleways.

He was the kind of person who would never get on a bike beforehand but was an avid cyclist after a decade of meeting people he liked who were also into cycling.

'We have just got to tell the story about how everyone will benefit from it,' Genter says.

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