Gavin Scoble: Cyclists also have rights on the road

Gavin Scoble says claiming the lane is usually a safer option for cyclists.

Some people driving motor vehicles get very agitated when they find people on bicycles "getting in their way", for example riding around a roundabout in the middle of the lane.

How do I know? Because like many cyclists I have had close calls with motor vehicles following me closely in such situations and then pushing past as soon as they can.

These are very good reasons for "taking", or "claiming" the lane". The Official NZ Code for Cyclists advises people on bicycles to "ride around the roundabout in the middle of the lane, not around the inner or outer edge".

This is the safest approach as the person on a bicycle is clearly visible and people driving vehicles are discouraged from trying to squeeze through. Yet it is this sort of behaviour that leads to "flaming" on blog sites or in online news comments sections.

Why do some people get so agitated at being held up for matter of a few seconds and why do some people get far more agitated at people on bicycles in their way as opposed to vehicles such as agricultural or viticultural equipment?

Bicycles are vehicles and have the same rights as motor vehicles to use roads other than motorways.

Vehicle drivers will see more cyclists "claiming the lane" in the future as sharrows (a road marking with two chevrons above a cycle shape) are now a legal road marking and traffic management device and will be seen more often.

An NZTA best practice guide says:

The purpose of sharrow markings is to indicate a shared traffic lane environment for people on bikes and motorists. The presence of sharrow markings can:
- Help reinforce that the carriageway is a valid place for cyclists to travel (reinforcing to other road users to act accordingly)
- Help to position cyclists on the street, clear of hazards like car doors and pinch points like kerb build-outs and stormwater grates
- Help the cyclist 'occupy' the traffic lane when it is safe and appropriate to do so.

Unfortunately the approval of the use of sharrows has not been accompanied by any education so many road users will not be aware of what they mean.

Some motor vehicle drivers are bit bemused if a cyclist passing parked vehicles rides some distance away. They are not doing it to inconvenience following traffic but because passing parked vehicles is a risky time for people on bicycles due to the risk of being "doored". Imagine for a moment the consequences of being knocked off your bike to fall under the wheels of a following vehicle or riding into the sharp metal edge of a car door. The result can be serious or even fatal.

The Official NZ Road Code says: "You can injure a cyclist if you open your door into their path. Always check carefully for cyclists before you open your door. Using your left hand to open the door will turn your shoulders and increase your chances of seeing an approaching cyclist". In Europe this is known as the "Dutch reach".

The Road Code also says: "Cyclists may ride away from the kerb or occupy a lane - not because they want to annoy drivers, but to avoid drains, potholes or roadside rubbish; be seen as they come up to intersections with side roads; discourage drivers from squeezing past where it's too narrow."

People driving vehicles need to realise that claiming the lane is normally a safer option for people riding bicycles. And just as vehicles need to show some consideration to bicycles and wait a few seconds before passing, the cyclist equally has a responsibility not to hold up traffic unnecessarily.

Above all though, as the Road Code says: "Cyclists have a right to use the roads and to travel safely and enjoyably. Please understand and respect their needs."

Gavin Scoble is a long-time keen recreational and commuter cyclist and one of the co-ordinators of cycling advocacy group Cycle Aware Hawke's Bay, the local part of the national Cycling Action Network. This is the second of two Talking Points he has written this week. Views expressed here are the writer's opinion and not the newspaper's. Email: editor@hbtoday.co.nz