City cyclists

Press, 23 September 1987, Page 20

City cyclists

Sir,—lt would appear the great Kiwi clobbering machine has struck again, this time at the very heart of Christchurch, the. humble bicyclist. I admit there are some irresponsible cyclists, but I suggest they are outnumbered 10 to one by irresponsible motorists. I do not take much space on the side of the road, but the number of times I have had to stop suddenly when approaching a parked car because the car on my outside is so close I would be squashed if I did not stop are uncountable. I also ask car drivers not to open their driver’s door just as I am t-’ssing their parked vehicle; if I flying lessons I would go to tne urport Many of us ride a bicycle er^ er f Or health or because we caiijot afford a car, so, please, Chnskxm-ch, gj ve us a fair go, and pur share of the road. — Yours, eh. catherine’clews. September 18, 1987. Sir, —I travel a lot each week on rural, suburban and urban roads by both cycle and car and frequently observe dangerous behaviour by all types of road users. The prevalent attitude amongst motorists and traffic engineers seems to be, that cyclists are a minority tc be tolerated only if out of the \oy of the majority. Cyclists are offej equally inconsiderate to other, less manoeuvrable, road users. If either group appreciated more the frustrations caused, such behaviour would be rarer. It is time that all road users showed more courtesy and tolerance to others. It is a lack of courtesy to the buses that prompts the drivers to look after their own in the way that J. C. Dodgshun complained about.—Yours, etc.,

STEPHEN W. WOOD. September 18, 1987.