Adelaide Now: Editorial - Cyclists given a rough ride

Adelaide should be an ideal cycling city. The terrain is flat, the roads are wide, the weather is essentially mild. But the road surfaces are in poor condition, cycling lanes are haphazard and poorly policed, and there are limited bicycle storage facilities in the city and suburban shopping areas. There are too many discourteous motorists who are intolerant of bike riders.For many, yesterday’s Ride to Work Day - far from being a pleasant pedal in the sun - was an experience in fear and harassment.

Adelaide and many South Australian regional centres are simply not equipped to encourage an increase in the use of bicycles.

Cycling has enormous community benefits. Bikes are free of air and noise pollution, they reduce road congestion, they provide genuine door-to-door transport and clearly aid personal fitness.

But until the conditions of city and suburban roads are improved and the attitude of motorists changes, cycling remains an unacceptably hazardous form of transport, creating tension and anxiety for bike riders.

The State Government and suburban and country councils must improve road surfaces, particularly on road edges and create genuine, enforceable cycling lanes.

Bike riders have as much right to use the roads as motorists or motorcyclists.

New training procedures must be implemented to make drivers understand that cyclists not only have rights but that they are physically vulnerable to the intolerant or impatient actions of motorists.

Police should be reminded that cyclists have a place in the traffic stream. They should apprehend discourteous and intolerant motorists.

Ride to Work Day is a wonderful initiative but it will fail to attract widespread support while our roads remain the domain of commercial vehicles and the private car.