Almost on a daily basis, there are letters to the editor of the Dominion Post demanding more rights for cyclists, and accusations against motorists for harassing them.
Yesterday, I was called a wanker because I was forced to take evasive action after an idiot on a bicycle crossed 3 lanes of rush hour traffic in a 50k zone without any form of indication. Then, on the motorway (100km/h zone), near Melling turn-off I was again forced to take evasive action as the car in front of me swerved around not one, but 6 cyclists riding inside the lane. For anyone that doesn’t know, that particular area has about 150mm between the white line, and a concrete wall, on both sides. As the average car weighs around a tonne, that puts cyclists between a rock and a hard place. Who in their right mind would deliberately put themselves and others at risk like that? Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against responsible cycling but come on guys. I know you want to get fit and do your bit for the environment; and I know the committee of useless pricks a.k.a Wellington City Council just sit around collecting money instead of building you cycling lanes; BUT AT PRESENT, THERE ARE NO CYCLING LANES THAT DOES NOT JUSTIFY RIDING YOUR BIKE INSIDE A 100km/h MOTORWAY LANE WITH HUNDREDS OF HEAVY, STEEL VEHICLES IN IT. There is no room to move around you whether we’d like to or not! Either we slow down to 15km/h until you can find it in you to get off the road (which is usually not an option by the time you become visible), or we try and squeeze into a gap in the next lane enough to shoot past. It’s an accident waiting to happen. And when it does happen, all the cyclist jump up and down and blame cars! It’s inconcievable stupidity at its finest!
Today I see there is a letter suggestion it become law that all other road users give way to bicycles. I’m almost too stunned by the greatness of this idiocy to come up with a reply. Surely, a bicycle and its rider with their maximum cumulative weight of around 150kg, small size, easy manueverability, and short stopping distance would be able to give way to other vehicles far more easily? Would they not have a greater perception of everything around them and be able to act far more quickly? Would they not consider themselves at greater risk because of their small size and therefore show the highest level of courtesy to other vehicles? Do they not think that since they use the road and seem to think they have more right to it than anyone else, that maybe they should contribute towards its maintenence? AND, DO THEY NOT THINK, SEEING AS HOW A COLLISION WITH ANY OTHER SORT OF VEHICLE WOULD ALMOST CERTAINLY RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR LOSS OF LIFE FOR THEM, THAT IT MIGHT BE AN IDEA TO OBEY THE F*CKING ROAD RULES??