Riders at risk on our roads

CYCLISTS help us all by opting for one of the most environmentally friendly transport modes – but as thanks for their trouble many receive little more than abuse, injuries and inconvenience.

Illawarra Cycle Club member Gary Mandy said misunderstandings, a lack of education and open hostility continually put the safety of local cyclists at risk.

“I had a friend who returned from overseas who said he was shocked at the abuse Australian cyclists receive from motorists - and at the lack of attention paid to them on the roads,” Mr Mandy said.

“In other parts of the world cyclists are respected and there is a completely different attitude.”

Mr Mandy said he was aware of recent accidents in the local area involving collisions between cars and bicycles that had resulted in cyclists being badly injured and hospitalised.

In one case a junior member of the cycle club was hit by a car and the driver sped off.

However, according to Mr Mandy, most accidents could be blamed on a lack of awareness.

“I come across accidents regularly, but they are usually the result of inattention or misunderstandings,” he said.

“The motorists are usually devastated – I think many of them just don’t realise or underestimate how fast the bikes are actually going – although in some cases it may be deliberate.

“It is a misunderstanding on the part of many car users that cyclists are not entitled to use the road and that they belong on the footpath.”

Some positive steps are being taken throughout the Illawarra to better educate drivers on road safety and the rights of cyclists.

Dapto High School are currently running a series of educational safety workshops on the topic.

Mr Mandy said that when accidents occur cyclists are at risk of serious injury – even in relatively minor collisions.

“It’s dangerous because the only protection we have in a collision is our helmet – whereas a car is made of metal,” he said.

“We are wearing lycra shorts and a fabric shirt – so if a car bumps into us we can get seriously injured and cyclists have certainly been killed in accidents in the past.

“Compared to that, all the car will get is a dent.”