This weekend a car driver ran a red light in Auckland into a group of about twenty cyclists. (Full story here.) The NZ Herald asked one of their usually-provocative “your views story” asking What can be done to make cycling in New Zealand safer? (here). Right now the first four comments effectively say “the cyclists got what they deserve”! WTF?
First is Deborah from Glendowie:
Processes are put in place for all users of the road to avoid risk. Cyclists need to be reminded that when riding on the road they need to follow the road code as any other motorist.
So they should have known the car would have run the stop sign and stopped for it?
Then SMR from Central Auckland, much less symapthetic:
If they think their arogance will win against a 2 tonne car, good luck to them.
Unless one of the new road rules is that might is right? Fritz from Auckland:
Make them sit a license test, like all other road users – maybe then they can pretend that it’s their “right” to ride on the roads.
Though presumably the driver had a license and that doesn’t seem to’ve helped much… Then Forrest from Remuera who admits the driver was wrong, just this time, but still doesn’t care:
This accident appears to be due to driver mishap but I have little sympathy for cyclists and their requests for more respect from motorists.
I cycle to work almost every day, and other times around town, and I think this is scary. This graffiti that used to be near my house (it has gone now) sums up a happy answer for everyone:
Posted by Andrew Roxburgh 
