Share the road

As more cyclists take to Wellington roads to enjoy the stunning weather and save on fuel, both motorists and cyclists are being urged to look out for each other, in a Greater Wellington road safety advertising campaign, starting this week.

Greater Wellington chair, Fran Wilde, said both motorists and cyclists needed to be reminded to be considerate of each other and stick to the road rules.

“Just as cyclists get frustrated with motorists who open their car doors without looking, so do motorists feel aggrieved when cyclists ride through red lights.“We’re reminding motorists to check for cyclists at intersections, and check behind for them when turning or opening car doors.

“And we’re encouraging cyclists not to hog the road and to be visible by wearing bright clothing and using lights when it’s dark."

Both anecdotal evidence and informal surveys indicated that the number of cyclists was increasing in the Greater Wellington region. “As more people become aware of the health benefits of cycling, it is becoming a more popular means of travelling, but this does require a real commitment from both motorists and cyclists to sharing the road.”Cr Wilde said cyclists’ vulnerability continued to be a serious concern.

“The consequences of all accidents are never good but cyclists are in a much more vulnerable position than motorists, so extra care needs to be taken and we all need to stick to basic road rules, to ensure there as few casualties as possible.

“The onus is on both motorists and cyclists to make our roads safer by sharing them.”The 10-week ‘Share the Road’ campaign begins this week with advertisements in both community and metropolitan papers.