EDITORIAL - Cyclists do have a right to use roads

Chief Reporter, Peter de Graaf
The death last week of a young firefighter - struck by a car on State Highway 10 while riding his bike to brigade practice in Kaeo - has brought home the vulnerability of cyclists on Northland's roads.
While it is too early to say who, if anyone, was at fault, other stories in recent days show cycle safety remains a contentious topic. Yesterday we published a story about a Kerikeri cyclist who was at the receiving end of a motorist's rage, for no apparent reason.
The feedback we have received since then shows a near-even split of cyclists unhappy at the way they are treated by motorists, and motorists who feel cyclists have no place on the road.
In my experience as an occasional cyclist, Northland roads can be a frightening place - there is rarely an alternative to the state highways, the bridges are narrow, and shoulders, where they exist, are often strewn with gravel and glass.
By far most drivers are courteous and give a wide berth when passing, or hold back and wait if the road is narrow and traffic is approaching from the other direction. But there is a small minority for whom the sight of a bicycle seems to trigger some kind of primeval rage. Like the dogs that doze peacefully while trucks thunder past, but go berserk at the sight of something on two wheels.
The response from such drivers ranges from verbal abuse, thrown objects, loud blasts on the horn, or the kind of intimidation experienced by the Kerikeri cyclist. Some text messages sent to the Advocate say cyclists should not be on the road at all, because roads are paid for by car registration fees.
However, the law makes it clear cyclists have as much right to use the roads as licensed drivers. Where they aren't allowed is on the footpath, unless they are delivering newspapers or mail.
The argument that roads are paid for by registration fees is also a fallacy.
Land Transport New Zealand figures (www.landtransport.govt.nz/funding/nltp/funding.html) show one-third of road funding comes from road-user charges, paid mainly by the transport industry; another third from fuel excise duties; 10 percent from registration fees; and about 20 percent from Government grants (ie all taxpayers).
Rather than wishing cyclists would get off the road, we should be encouraging them and making cycling safer.
More cyclists would mean reduced dependence on imported fossil fuels, as well as less pollution and traffic congestion.
A few decades ago, every high school had a shed bursting with bikes; these days you're lucky to see a dozen, while cars line up outside dropping children at the gates.
Little wonder that Northland kids are developing obesity-related diseases once confined to adults.
A key paragraph in the road code states that drivers and cyclists "share a responsibility to understand and respect each other's needs".
For drivers, that means accepting that bikes have a right to be there, and keeping a safe distance when passing.
For cyclists, that means being aware that they can frustrate motorists. It means riding single file on busy roads, even when the law says they can ride two abreast.
It also means following the same rules as motorists, such as obeying traffic lights and signalling turns.
Too many cyclists are cavalier about the rules of the road, and this only fuels motorists' frustrations.
The good news for cyclists and motorists alike is that the Whangarei District Council is dusting off its Cycling Strategy, shelved last year when the money was spent elsewhere.
Among other things, it proposes cycleways on safe routes around the city and a dedicated cycle path from Onerahi to town.
Lack of space or money are no excuses, because countries both more crowded and less prosperous than New Zealand enjoy better cycle facilities.
Better infrastructure for cyclists would benefit everyone - even the motorists who'd like to see them barred from the roads.
• What do you think - do cyclists get a raw deal? Or should they be banned from the road? Text the Advoc8 on 021 667 034.