Daily Advertiser: Hooligan drivers terrorise cyclists

Cyclist Milt McFarlane coping with the dangerous perils of riding on Griffith roads.

Cyclists in Griffith have been warned to watch out after a spate of senseless attacks from drivers and near-misses in recent weeks.

The careless and deranged drivers are endangering the lives of cyclists, according to local bike enthusiast Milt McFarlane. “Ninety per cent of the drivers out there are great but 9 per cent are completely ignorant and don’t give us enough room.

And then there is 1 percent that are just mad and scare cyclists for fun by swerving and chucking bottles,” he said. He said vintage was a notoriously dangerous period on our roads and that staying safe on the road is an ongoing battle for Griffith cyclists.

“There are more trucks on the road because (of vintage) and the people driving on the roads are often tired from doing 12 hour shifts. Some of them also will have been taking substances to keep them going,” he said. “I have had my thigh swiped by the side mirror of a car and just about everybody has a horror story about being hit in a roundabout.” He urged drivers to stay as far away as possible and give cyclists the same amount of room when passing as they would another car.

If possible, they should move into an entirely separate lane before passing a cyclist, he said. He said if drivers improve their behaviour, Griffith could be an extremely pleasant city in which to cycle. “We have streets that are nice and wide and you can get a good view of everything – it’s just people in cars that are sometimes a problem,” he said. Griffith Cycle Club president Jason Minato said he had to contend with a number of angry drivers over the years.

“A couple of years ago we had a guy that was abusing us every day, he basically thought we shouldn’t have been on the road. But then the police must have paid him a visit because he stopped,” he said. “Most of the drivers aren’t too bad but you do get some irate drivers that beep the horn, wave at you and yell out at you. People really need to realise that people can legally ride two abreast.”

NRMA director Graham Blight said the conflict between cyclists and drivers was cause for alarm. “It is a major concern. There are a lot more bicycles on the road than a few years ago and cyclists need to make sure they are well lit up,” he said. “That behaviour (throwing bottles) is just not acceptable behaviour. They must be louts and it must give them some sort of thrill. And unfortunately there will always be some people that don’t drive safely and we all have to cope with them.”