See the person, share the road - sponsored

During the period 2008–12, an average of 121 cyclists were seriously injured and nine cyclists were killed each year in crashes involving a car.  In a large majority of cyclist/vehicle crashes where a cyclist was hospitalised, car drivers were found to have primary responsibility for the crash.

Research shows that some motorists feel negatively towards people who cycle on the roads. They perceive them to be a nuisance on the road or an unnecessary intrusion on their space. They can also disassociate themselves from cyclists and don’t identify with them as a group. This is particularly dangerous because it can be used to justify bad behaviour.

The NZ Transport Agency have developed a campaign Metro is proud to share, designed to personalise and humanise individual cyclists. The message we’re supporting? See the person, share the road. Mums, dads, uncles, aunties, daughters, sons – cyclists make up the diverse fabric of our community, and they have a right to share the road safely.

Open Streets K’Rd 2016 – a one-day, car-free festival on K’Rd – brought together a diverse range of cyclists who we got to know through a series of interviews. Read their stories on the Metro Facebook page, and perhaps you’ll think differently about cyclists in your community.