Cyclists taking their lives in their hands

He knew before he hit the asphalt that this was a bad one.

Dale Johnson broke eight ribs and his collarbone, and dislocated a shoulder, when a British tourist's car crossed three one-way lanes and crashed into him on busy inner-city Nelson St.

In hospital surgeons dug handfuls of congealed blood from his lungs. One of his lungs had collapsed.

The teacher's only crime? Daring to cycle in Auckland.

It's perilous, even after 30 years of dodging open doors, lane changers and other unforeseen moves, says Dale.

He spent two weeks in hospital, missed two months' work and is still chasing insurance companies four and a half months after his accident.

It's not the first time Dale, who moved here from California in 1987, has been a victim of careless driving.

In 2001 a truck turned in front of him while he was on a scenic ride out West. It's not hard to figure out who was worse off.

"I should have been dead," says the Epsom father-of-two who, amazingly, has begun biking again. "I only broke my pelvis that time."

He says cycling in Auckland is scarier than in most cities he's tried, including LA.

"Only hardened cyclists like myself would expose themselves to that kind of danger."

Cycle Action Auckland chairman Bevan Woodward agrees.

He doesn't blame the drivers, despite "generally quite bad" attitudes, especially in Manukau and Waitakere.

"The biggest problem here is transport planners prioritising the motor vehicle," says Bevan, who would like to see speed limits reduced to 40km/h in busy city streets.

"Cycling is filed in the too-hard basket. Roads are created as if cyclists don't exist. We need to slow the traffic down and have less traffic."

He points to Auckland Regional Council research that indicates the reason there are not more cyclists in Auckland: "People perceive it to be too dangerous - which is a really sad indictment of what is going on."

Auckland City Council's traffic safety manager Karen Hay confirms crashes involving cyclists are steadily increasing. Most happen at intersections where motorists don't see those on two wheels.

She says the council is concerned and is working to counter the rising statistics - improving cycle routes, such as the recently completed northwestern cycleway and new cycle lanes on Mt Albert Rd.

About 30 per cent of accidents occur in the mornings, between 6am and 9.30am. Despite the figures, Ms Hay says the council is encouraging schoolchildren to bike.

They're working with Pasadena Intermediate, Kowhai Intermediate and Mangawhau School on a project called "Cycle Crews" to identify the safest routes to school.

Dale, who coaches cycling at Auckland Grammar, remains frustrated. He wants to promote biking to school as a viable, safe and sustainable transport option, both for students and staff.

To help achieve this, the teacher organised a police visit for the entire third form, in March, to discuss safety on bikes.

It went well. Two days later he was lying on Nelson St.

- AUCKLANDER