Richard Moore's Straight Talk Columns

Time to show basic respect for cyclists

5/7/2011

MY GOODNESS there are some scary statistics out in the world.

Did you know that in the 80 years since records started being kept, more than 52,000 cyclists have been killed in traffic accidents in the United States?

And, in 90 per cent of crashes that kill those on two wheels, the blame was put on car drivers.

Yup, good old motorists being inattentive behind the wheel.

Among the leading causes of crushing a cyclist were running a stop sign or traffic light, turning into a cyclist's path, or opening a door on a biker.

Of course, in modern times it would more likely be texting, changing a CD, putting lippie on while looking in the mirror (I have seen this) or - the Papamoa dickhead who was getting dressed while driving like a loon. He changed shirts and even sprayed on underarm deodorant!

And it's not just in America. South of the border, down Mexico way, the cyclists of Mexico City are up in arms about the lack of respect shown to them by drivers. At least two cyclists a day are squished there, so it isn't surprising they are a tad angry.

In New Zealand things aren't so bad, luckily, but since 1995 the number of cyclists killed or hospitalised has risen from just over 250 a year to almost 350.

I cycle regularly around Papamoa and Tauranga and, it has to be said, I'm pretty leery each time I approach an intersection.

Recently I was almost bowled twice within the space of 400m by (foul expletive) morons who wouldn't notice a cyclist until he was plastered all over their car or the road.

Visually, I reckon I was pretty hard to miss.

I wasn't wearing my hi-vis vest that day but a 185cm, 100-plus kilo cyclist with a bright red shirt on should be noticeable on a bright sunny day in Papamoa. To boot, I was even wearing a silver helmet which, it must be said, shines almost as much in the light as my shaven head does.

But no, (foul expletive) moron No1 didn't see me. Okay, I was travelling quite quickly and he was too busy looking for cars to register big red riding hood's presence beside - then in front of - his van.

But I was on a straight road. He was stopped at an intersection. He should have seen me. He pulls out and it was only my bellowed warning that made him realise I was there at all.

I haven't used so many bad phrases and words since Geelong lost a grand final and I reckon his ears were burning big time. He waved an apology and did so again down the road, but I wasn't going to stop because if I had I'd be in the dock right now and he'd be thinking about leaving hospital.

I don't want an apology for near misses, I want drivers to slow down a bit and recognise that there are such things as cyclists and we can move faster than you expect.

So, still mouthing terribly bad phrases, I see a large rubbish truck sitting at an upcoming road. I've got the right of way and he can see I'm going to be there in a few seconds, so what does he do ...

Yup, he slowly pulls out in front of me, forcing me to hit the brakes and zoom round the back of him.

I have a theory about truck drivers and if you are a truck driver intelligent enough to read this, then please ignore the next paragraph.

Truck drivers only drive trucks because they are not clever enough to do anything else and so it was proved with this toothless (foul expletive) moron No2.

And idiot drivers are only one of the dangers on our roads.

We also have dopey door-openers who don't look in their mirrors before flinging them out. I always check if a parked car has a person in it and then make very sure I keep a bit of distance between myself and their side of the vehicle.

Then we have the huge amount of rubbish that accumulates at the side of Tauranga roads. Broken glass, nails and an assortment of other things that can puncture a tyre and send a cyclist flying over the handlebars.

We won't even begin to mention the quality of road shoulders.

We need more cycling routes in Tauranga, places where we who like to exercise on two wheels can zoom around without being endangered by ignorant, bad-mannered drivers in this city.

******

STILL on the subject of two-wheel transport - is wearing a bike helmet compulsory?

The law says it is, however, while driving around the streets I notice one heck of a lot of young cyclists not wearing them.

Parents need to tell their kids ``yes, they don't look cool'' and ``yes, you'll get helmet hair'', but they need to add ``they will save you if you fall off''.

I've witnessed one very striking example of that when a young teen thumped head-first into the road. He was wearing a helmet, but was a very sick wee lad.

Without one, he would have been dead.

I don't want to give the coppers more work to do, but I think it's important for them to start handing out a few warnings, then tickets, to those youngsters who don't wear helmets.

richard@richardmoore.com