CARS v BIKES AND WALKERS

Cathrin Schaer’s article on cycling in Germany ( Bulletin, May 12) made interesting reading. Five years ago, I took up recreational cycling for the first time since leaving school. I like keeping fit, being out in the fresh air and going for a coffee with friends without always taking my car. But it is becoming an increasingly risky business.

There is a significant number of motorists who are just plain careless when it comes to sharing the road with cyclists, but there is another kind of motorist who is altogether more dangerous. These motorists see cyclists as having no right to be on the road.

They will pass as close to you as they can, see you coming but pull out in front of you anyway, and seeing a line of cyclists in front of them on a narrow road and a car coming the other way they will go for the gap rather than slow down and wait until it is safe to pass.

In one recent incident, a car passed dangerously close to the cyclist in front of me. When reminded of the need to keep a safe passing distance, the driver shouted that a cyclist’s only legal entitlement was a cross. In terms of attitude, this says it all. Such motorists rarely face the consequences of their actions, whereas cyclists do, with often tragic results.

Schaer identifies our cycle safety problem as being political, legal and cultural. I agree. She highlights the German law that places the presumption

of guilt on the motorist if they hit a cyclist. New laws by themselves are rarely sufficient in changing attitudes but a law such as that would be a great start.

Peter Davey (Waikanae)