Opinion: Remember, cyclists reduce congestion

When the Rotorua Daily Post first published the news of car driver's alleged hit and run with a cycling bunch in Rotorua last week, ironically, the majority of online comments were critical of those on two wheels.

This was despite the fact the bunch were reported to be in a road shoulder, away from the path of the vehicles on State Highway 30.

I suspect a lot of online commenters do not bother to click on the stories and read them before making remarks.

Regardless, the story attracted polarising responses.

Road safety stakeholders the Rotorua Daily Post has since spoken to, have all agreed a small number of reckless cyclists and drivers are fueling the conflict.

As a cyclist, and a motorist, I encourage us all to question where our road rage comes from.

Read more:
• Cyclist John Hawkes hurt in alleged Rotorua hit and run
• Mutual courtesy needed between Rotorua cyclists and motorists

Most importantly, are we remembering cyclists reduce congestion?

Yes, they can be a pain if we have to wait for a few minutes to be able to pass them.

Yes, they can add a few seconds to your drive through a green light.

Yes, sometimes you will have to stop suddenly if they lose their balance.

However, overall, other drivers slow our journeys down more than riders do, because most of the time, we can pass cyclists without having to cross the centre line.

They ride parallel to vehicle queues, instead of making them longer.

I noticed this point was reinforced time and time again to our future urban planners, when I spent three months at the Auckland University School of Architecture and Planning, before studying journalism.

So next time you go to wave your fist at a cyclist, remember, most of the time they're doing us all a favour.