On Your Bike, You Disrespectful Car Drivers
Illawarra Mercury
Saturday January 19, 2002
I HAVE lived and travelled in many parts of Australia, but have never encountered worse traffic on my bicycle than here in Wollongong.
I have been forced by vehicles into dangerous situations nearly every time that I have cycled to and from university, and elsewhere in the area. The worst times include having to move into the centre of the road in order to go straight as the left lane heads round a corner, or in order to turn right at a roundabout. Even along straight roads drivers appear poor in judging the width of their cars - cyclists are constantly forced into the gutter or are harried from behind. More than once I have been told to get off the road. Why? It is my right to be a road user, and it is a vehicle driver's responsibility to be aware and courteous to other road users, but I am neither welcome on the road, nor on the footpaths.
Why should I be considered a second class citizen because I choose to ride a bicycle and not drive a car? At the end of the day, when asked if I would like to stay and work in Wollongong after my research is over, I usually say no, simply because I couldn't stand the stress of getting to work each day.
We are lucky enough to have an excellent university in Wollongong which attracts money and supports many thousands of jobs to our area - it's a pity that we are so let down by a road system that does not appreciate the needs of all members of our community, an inadequate system of bike paths, and perhaps most importantly, vehicle drivers who collectively have such disregard for the lives of others. The relevant authorities can surely act on the roads and bike paths - we have to look more widely for the rest.
- INGRID WARD,
Wollongong.
© 2002 Illawarra Mercury
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