Just a little room…please

28 April 2010 | 0:00 - By Matthew Keenan

In the battle for space out on the our roads, cyclists need to be given more consideration and room by motorists, writes Matthew Keenan.

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Cyclists need more room (Photo: Getty)

Why is it that a motorist has no trouble changing lanes to go around a parked car but it’s one of life’s great impositions to change lanes in order to go around a cyclist safely?

On my mid-week morning ride I came to the conclusion that as a group of four riding two-abreast, singling out when called for, we were taking up less road space than the average station wagon.

Yet it was very clear that a small portion of motorists didn’t quite see it this way.

If a motorist misses their chance to change lanes to go around a parked car they get stuck at a stand still until there’s a break in traffic.

But there’s no outrage on talkback radio about parked cars.

Ah, of course, they pay rego.

Yet if they’re stuck behind a few cyclists, moving along at roughly 30kph, it’s easier for them to move into the next lane to go around.

But this rational approach isn’t the one adopted by some drivers.

And wearing lycra just seems to add fuel to the fire of an inpatient motorist’s ire.

Dr Ian Walker, a traffic psychologist from Bath University in the UK, did an interesting study a few years ago on how wearing or not wearing a helmet influences how much room a car allows a cyclist when overtaking them.

To carry out the research, he used a bike fitted with an ultrasonic distance sensor to record more than 2,500 overtaking motorists and found that drivers were twice as likely to get close to him, at an average of 8.5cm, when he wore a helmet.

"This study shows that when drivers overtake a cyclist, the margin for error they leave is affected by the cyclist's appearance,” Dr Walker said.

Based on my 20 plus years of wearing lycra on the road, combined with the real research of Dr Walker, I’ve drawn my own conclusion that wearing lycra further reduces the margin given by the average 'I'm important, I'm in a rush, get out of my way' motorist.

To test another theory, Dr Walker donned a long wig to see whether there was any difference in passing distance when drivers thought they were overtaking what appeared to be a female cyclist.

While wearing the wig, drivers gave him an average of 14cm more space when passing. That’s a whole lot more space and makes life safer for everyone.

One of the problems in Australia is that, while most adult cyclists also drive a car, relatively few motorists ride a bike in traffic.

Therefore, they don’t know the issues cyclists face like potholes, broken glass, drainage grates, gusts of wind - the list goes on.

The question then becomes what can we do to make our daily ride a little safer?

Based on Dr Walker’s research I’m off to buy a blonde wig.

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21 May 2010 13:11 AEST

Peter

From: Tweed Heads

Roads are for everyone

It is a misnomer that roads are just for cars. Roads are veins that carry the life of our cities and towns. In Australia we have built a network of roads with just the car in mind. This has had a definite effect on the psyche of motorist. Motorist have assumed roads are just for them. As a society we have not challenged this belief. As cyclist we do take on this struggle to change a very stubborn mindset on a daily bases. Roads are for all, bicycles, cars, motorised vehicles, horses etc.

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09 May 2010 23:01 AEST

@wornsaddle

From: Sydney

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The main argument I've heard to explain this behaviour (and I've talked to many people who believe this) is that the roads aren't safe for cyclists and therefore we shouldn't be riding there. Once we get over the sick irony of motorists deliberately cutting us up to teach us this lesson, we're left with the problem of how to change this attitude. For me the biggest problem (and this is from the perspective of someone who spent the last 9yrs commuting in London) is the lack of clarity around cyclists rights when being forced to ride around parked cars. To be honest, I don't know what my own rights are. Riding down Military Rd in Sydney, I look back for a gap, gesticulate and then move out between cars to pass, and I usually ride at car speed too. That doesn't stop cars ramming up behind me at 60kmph or swerving around me to prove their point. Why aren't my rights clearly stated so everyone knows? Why is it respectable elderly people or young P plate drivers who get upset and cut me up? These aren't 'bad people'. They've just been led to believe that I don't have a right to be there, and so assuming I DO have a right, whoever has let this state of affairs come into being should be labelled negligent (since this is a direct threat to the lives of cyclists every day) and should be held to account.

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05 May 2010 15:01 AEST

James

From: Bayswater

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I cycle mostly after work weekdays, just into Lygon St for a coffee. 60km round trip. There is often one or two other cyclists with me. I've been doing this for about 10 years, when I started full time work and stopped racing. Every time it's an adventure and challenge just to make it back home safely. I can't see the motorists behind about to squeeze past, but when they get too close they cop a torrent of vocalisations I can assure you. Then there's the turkeys that try to kill you from in front. Entering and exiting side roads and car doors are the biggest cause for concern. I've written several letters to Tim Pallas and had (semi) sensible replies. More advertising of the road laws and what motorists responsibilities are is what's needed IMHO.

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04 May 2010 22:54 AEST

manel

From: sydney

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Have a browse and see how the rest of the world ride bicycles in the city There's another way... http://www.copenhagencyclechic.com/

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04 May 2010 19:55 AEST

Col

From: Melbourne

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Cyclist and Motorists share heavy roads in Europe and it helps with congestion. Leadership needs to come from the top - ie Cycling Australia. It's only dangerous when motorists hit a cyclist. In most countries if a motorist hits a cyclist, the motorist is to blame automatically - and these countries have the lowest Cyclist Fatalities!! Australian motorists can learn a lot, if they're prepared to listen.

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04 May 2010 16:03 AEST

Phil (Ed)

From: Sydney

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Hiya Dean, the image is consistent with the content and referencing in Matt's post.

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04 May 2010 15:29 AEST

Dean

From: Melbourne

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Why isn't the cyclist wearing a helmet?

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03 May 2010 20:45 AEST

Lars

From: Copenhagen

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First - bike lanes! You want bikes lanes for cycling in the city. Bikes and cars mixed in heavy and hectic traffic is far too dangerous - and you will never get a lot of cyclists that way. Second - unless you're out in the countryside on minor roads, driving two aside is dangerous and gets in the way - of cars overtaking, of cars going the opposite direction, of other cyclists, etc. Don't. Third - catch 22. The only way to make it safe to ride a bike in the city and hence motivate people to bike is to have a lot of cyclists. When few people bike, drivers will never learn how to navigate roads with bikes, get in the habit to look when making a right turn, etc. etc. I'm happy to have the luck to live in a city that made the move to lots-of-bikes-everywhere years ago.

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01 May 2010 13:48 AEST

dhm

From: sydney

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Because I came (back) to cycling from motorcycles; I read with some interest the cycling/car thing. (For the last 5 years I do about 1000 a month on Sydney’s crappy roads.) Being on any sort of 2 wheeled vehicle gives you the advantage in mobility - provided you concentrate on what they are doing. Lots of bike riders (motored or not) do not. I call them potential roadkill. The bike riders (motored or not) who don’t concentrate will end up dead or crippled, the car drivers will end up with a fine – it’s a matter of physics. Put a 85kg soft and squidgy thing up against a 2 tone metal thing – that is what happens. So when riding two wheels in traffic, my advice (with 50 years non-hospitalised international experience including various levels of competition) is to consider that every fellow road user (yes, including fellow cyclists) is trying to main or kill you. Act accordingly. Do not trust their next move because a lot of them don’t know what that will be. Drive (ride) in an aggressively pessimistic manner – expect the worst and be ready to react immediately and forcefully. You cannot do this while: 1. Riding along thinking how wonderful it is to be out on your bike. The road is not your front driveway – act accordingly. 2. Riding along having a yelled conversation with your mate in the peleton. The road is not a gym – act accordingly. 3. Riding along with your iPod, phone, finger or head shoved up one of your orifices. You need to use all your faculties, including hearing, to remain alive. The road is not your living room – act accordingly. 4. Riding along as is you were p*issed – changing lanes without looking, wobbling about like a beginner, etc. The road is not a training facility – act accordingly. Doing all the above will not stop some cretin ploughing into you from behind because he just has to text his girlfriend or he hasn’t slept for 3 days but it may keep you alive for a while – the rest is just luck.

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01 May 2010 8:17 AEST

Dave Sharp

From: Brisbane

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Geez Richard havent you become popular. Its plain to see that cyclists jump the gun and over react on this issue too huh. Been dealing with the same thing for a month or more lolz. Just goes to show how volitile the issue is becoming. At the end of the day, those who felt strongest about all this would become more proactive, the less of an issue this might be. Join the AGF, lobby your state government, point and laugh at p plate Commodore drivers etc. The more of us that do, the better place we'll be in

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