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:
Holy crap, it’s those sorts of attitudes that make me embarrassed of my nationality… what have these people got against cyclists? Seems like they didn’t even read the article, but just have a whole lot of pent-up anti-cyclist angst. Scary.
Yeah, it’s true that they didn’t answer the question at all. Interesting Land Transport NZ data shows that in 64% of accidents in which cyclists are injured or killed that they had no fault at all: http://www.transport.govt.nz/research/Documents/Cyclist-Crash-Factsheet.pdf
I think those commenters are particularly stupid too, but it doesn’t make me ashamed to be a NZer… I’m sure other countries are full of ignorant drivers too, don’t worry.
There are ignorant drivers elsewhere for sure but the proportion in New Zealand is surely greater than the worldwide average. But yeah, what a red neck response!
I think the biggest problems on NZ roads is that a great number of road users are impatient/uncourteous and have no respect for other road users – both cycists and drivers are guilty of this.
I was listening to a UK radio show the other day. The presenter was asking listeners to phone in with their “cycle hate” stories. Seemingly ordinary motorists have an enormous amount of pet peeves about cyclists ranging from the size of their buttocks through to riding abreast.
I’d agree with Lucas, impatience and lack of respect for others on the road is a big problem on both counts. We are not the only country with this problem.
On the other hand, it may just be Auckland motorists bemoaning their thigh atrophy after cyclists whistle past jammed cars.
Andrew this blog represents a typical ‘arrogant cyclist’ attitude – it was the cyclists fault as they are hard to see in packs of only 20
Cars are easy to see. Maybe all the cyclists should drive cars instead?
Hummers are easy to see. Maybe I should replace my bike with one of those.
I disagree with the view taken in this blog, and in fact the article it references (both of which I didn’t read to be honest). So instead I shall espouse some of the well rehearsed populist tirade which shall appear to be an argument but in reality add nothing to the debate – “Omaba and his healthcare plan are communist”
whoops… wrong argument.
Close enough, my other point was equally relevant and well thought through