Open season
Pro riders face the same dangers in training as us, says George Bennett
I can’t speak for the readers of this magazine in the UK, but if you’re anything like those riders in Australia, or us New Zealanders, you’re actually quite scared to ride your bike on the open roads. There just seems so much animosity towards cyclists that manifests itself in people doing stupid shit to prove a point. Too many drivers will pass far closer than they need to and seemingly don’t realise it’s so dangerous.
I’ve never understood the psychology of this but, when you’re in a car, you get very angry, and you completely forget that you’re playing with somebody’s life. I think it’s a huge issue and, sadly, I know a lot of people who’ve been killed or badly injured by cars in New Zealand and Australia.
Things were brought home relatively recently, of course, when Egan [Bernal] had his crash [in January, Bernal crashed into the back of a parked bus while training in Colombia]. You feel sick when you hear about something like that, involving somebody that you know. You also realise that it could have been you.
A big one for me, which really changed my attitude on the road, was when my good friend, Jason Lowndes, was killed when out training [the driver of a car struck the former JLT-Condor from behind in 2017]. Ever since then, I’ve been paranoid about certain things that you get used to seeing out on the road, particularly when it comes to drivers texting at the wheel. Nowadays, I look behind a lot more than I used to.
The way I see it, there are three main issues we need to overcome. The first, as I’ve noted, is the general attitude toward cyclists from too many drivers. I’ve been involved in punch-ups by the road and all sorts of crazy situations because people are absolute psychos when they get behind the wheel. Drivers need to realise that if they kill someone, they ruin their own life, too.
On the other hand, I see too many cyclists riding like idiots as well. I remember being pissed off with a bunch ride of Dutch cyclists in Girona who were riding three abreast. They were holding up all the traffic and you think, no wonder drivers are annoyed.
That arrogant streak has a knock-on effect. I’ve suspected that much of the animosity that I’ve endured has boiled down to drivers being stuck behind a bunch ride for 20 minutes the week before. It makes them loathe someone in Lycra riding a bike. So, cyclists need to look at themselves and think if this relationship’s going to be repaired, we need to make sure we’re maximum two abreast. If there’s a car behind you, go single-file. It’s the first step to finding harmony on the road.
The second issue is awareness that motorists have when they get into a car. Inside a car, with the engine on, windows up and radio on, might mean you miss things. Simple things like opening a car door without looking or not paying attention pulling away from a junction can cause a crash.
The third issue – certainly in New Zealand – is the infrastructure. There simply aren’t enough cycle lanes and the roads are very narrow, leaving little room to pass easily. In Spain, where I’m based in the race season, the back roads are quiet and the big roads have a shoulder on them to allow us to ride more safely.
Social media companies have a responsibility, too. I’ve read through Facebook posts and it’s absolutely frightening how many people are going, “Yeah, f**king cyclists, they deserve to die because of this, that and the other.”
And it’s very road specific as you find there’s more hostility to individuals in Lycra than anyone else on a bike. There’s an undertone online that could easily seep over to the real world, leading to greater issues.
It’s a strange one, really, for a professional cyclist. The risk of crashing is obviously far higher in a race, but you crash and are often okay. But if you crash with a car involved, you’re in trouble; if there’s a car involved, it’ll probably be more than just breaking a collarbone.
Yes, racing is still a far more risky proposition but I’m prepared to take risks in racing because that’s what I’m paid to do. It’s expected. I don’t expect those same risks in training. Let’s hope we can all work together to improve the situation.