This 'invisible' Australian road hazard is terrifying drivers! Here's why

Navigating the roads can be a harrowing experience, and for cyclists, it's often a matter of life and death. A recent incident captured on a cyclist's camera in Brunswick, Melbourne, has thrown a stark light on a perilous issue that's all too common on Australian roads. The footage, which shows a car abruptly turning through a bike lane and narrowly missing a cyclist, underscores the 'massive' and 'invisible' problem that cyclists face daily.

The cyclist, Rory Meister, was understandably shaken by the close call. 'I was pretty annoyed at the time as I would never do that to a cyclist,' he told in an interview. 'If I were driving, I'd slow down and let cyclists pass... it's just absurd to me that they either didn't see me even though I was ahead with lights flashing, or they purposefully thought to cut me off.'


This incident isn't an isolated one. It's a scenario that plays out repeatedly on roads across the country, so much so that some cyclists ride as if they were invisible, expecting to be overlooked by motorists. Peter McLean from Bicycle NSW wasn't shocked by the footage but was deeply concerned, noting that nearly every cyclist has had a similar experience. 'If you're a bike rider on an open road environment, it's almost a certain that there is going to be some sort of very close call,' he said.


compressed-Rory Meister.jpeg
A car almost hit a cyclist while making a turn. Image Credit: Reddit/Rory Meister


The statistics are sobering. In 2023, there were 35 cyclist fatalities on Aussie roads, which, while only accounting for 3 percent of all road fatalities, is disproportionately high given the small percentage of road users who are cyclists. 'All that road trauma for cyclists is well and truly overrepresented in the road trauma statistics,' McLean pointed out. 'Anything above zero is a problem... cyclists are at a high likelihood of a severe injury.'


So, what's contributing to this dangerous environment for cyclists? McLean identifies three main factors: a reduced level of tolerance among a small number of drivers, a lack of proper infrastructure, and the need for better education and awareness. He notes that some state governments' Vehicle Licensing Programs may inadvertently 'feed the frustration sentiment,' which needs to be addressed to foster more tolerance on the roads.

Improving cyclist safety is not just about infrastructure; it's about changing attitudes. 'Fundamentally we need better awareness at an early stage of when people are getting their licenses... there's lots of great drivers out there and we just need to equalise everyone on the road,' McLean asserts.

For our readers at the Seniors Discount Club, many of whom are drivers and some of whom may be cyclists themselves, this issue hits close to home. We understand the importance of road safety and the need for mutual respect among all road users. It's crucial to remember that behind every cyclist is a person—someone's family member or friend—and they deserve to travel safely.

Key Takeaways

  • A video captured in Brunswick, Melbourne, shows a car nearly colliding with a cyclist after turning through a bike lane.
  • Cyclist Rory Meister, and many others, frequently experiences near misses, highlighting an 'invisible' problem on Australian roads.
  • Peter McLean from Bicycle NSW indicates that cyclists' road trauma is overrepresented in the statistics, with 35 cyclist fatalities in 2023.
  • Solutions suggested include a focus on education and awareness for drivers, improving infrastructure, and addressing attitudes of intolerance towards cyclists.
We encourage our members to share their thoughts and experiences. Have you encountered similar situations on the road? What measures do you think could improve safety for cyclists? Your insights could be invaluable in raising awareness and promoting change.
 

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Cyclists like other road users should be licensed and same rules should apply to them as motorcycle and car drivers. Hence should have a number plate for identification.
Could be kinda hard, what about children who ride around their neighbourhood, some are very young, so who pays their fees and how do they get tested. Then there are people who have ditched their vehicles to reduce their costs and suddenly they are faced with similar costs (except petrol etc) this would probably put many more cars back on the road. Also would be extremely hard to police.
 
Yes. This is very poor, dangerous and potentially fatal. Some other thoughts though. If you are on a bike you have to be super vigilant.
Think about this though: I am a runner. I run marathons (yes several full 42.2km marathons each year at 70+ years old). Now: cars are to cyclists as cyclists are to runners. I have been run down by a cyclist (hit me from behind). I am regularly sworn at by cyclists, have had cyclists stop and abuse me for running on a suburban street, and generally have had very bad experiences with cyclists.
Cars are required to give 1m space to pedestrians. But cyclists refuse to yield even a centimetre. With their bad behaviour, cyclists have lost the sympathy and respect of other road users.
And let's not even start with cyclists cycling on the sidewall, ringing their bell or shouting, demanding to have right of way.
 
My brother in law was riding to work one morning and was in the bike lane and indicated he was going straight ahead. Unfortunately a bus driver never saw him and hit him as he went around a corner. He was very lucky he wasn’t killed but did do a lot of damage. He was a chef and was no longer able to work in that trade any longer. My sister had seen on the news that a cyclist had been hit by a bus but did not know it was him until much later. His shoulders were smashed up and broken ribs so he was very lucky as someone was looking after him this day.
 
Some cyclists need to watch their speed. A while ago we were interstate in Melbourne, driving unknown streets for about 15 mins, then dropping our grandson at daycare. Traffic was busy, parking was in the middle of the road outside the daycare, parking was limited, vehicles were coming and going. All seemed good, we spotted a park, my husband went to turn into the parking spot, and suddenly hit the brakes. Unintentionally we both shouted “shit” as a cyclist came through at speed, we were crossing the cycle lane to enter the parking spot, yes we would have been in the wrong if we’d hit him, but the speed of cycling was totally wrong!
 
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It can be difficult when you are stopped at lights and a cyclist sitting behind you decides to go past you on the left side as you are turning left just as the lights change to go, as happened to us on one occasion.
 
Some drivers seem very impatient with cyclists and pedestrians. Others surprise with their consideration.
Last time I went for walkies down a Cycle/walking track, I was treated quite badly by a group of Lycra set, self absorbed, anal middle aged men who should have known better. They got stuck into me when I didn't move right off the path so they could pedal past as a pack. They acted as though I was trespassing on their private domain. It was very upsetting.
 
Last time I went for walkies down a Cycle/walking track, I was treated quite badly by a group of Lycra set, self absorbed, anal middle aged men who should have known better. They got stuck into me when I didn't move right off the path so they could pedal past as a pack. They acted as though I was trespassing on their private domain. It was very upsetting.
.....and they didn't ring their bells?? I'm sure most of them don't use their bells. You don't have to move off the track up either. They should not be riding side by side.
Inconsiderate and rude of them. If you had stepped off the path you could have had a fall. This is when bikes should have number plates on them. They should use their bike lights too.
 
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