Nathan Lee

Considering the near hysterical response to some isolated yob of a cyclist thumping a bus driver, why aren’t there calls for private car owners to be banned from the roads after this attack “Car owner bashed ranger and bit cheek“?

Or how about the constant stream of scumbags who do the cowardly hit and runs on pedestrians and cyclists. Like on the 27th of October this one who hit and killed an elderly man got out and then took off. Or on the 12th of November an 11 year old girl hurt out the front of a school by a driver who got out and then again took off. Or 18th of  October another elderly guy hit, broken pelvis and leg and the driver “reversed, drove around the victim and left the scene”. A 9 year old was hit by a car driver who then “sped from the scene” in Brisbane.

Or let’s look at cars vs cyclists: 19th October teenager charged with killed 39 year old cyclist via hit and run. A cyclist suing the RTA over unsafe road where he was hit and run and left blind and brain damaged by a car driver.

Too true.. Particularly in Sydney.

Or we could even look at motorcyclists (presumably motorcycle thieves I should point out): police search for motorcyclist who hit and with assistance from two men in a car fled the scene.

I mean fair’s fair: How many cyclists have done hit and runs leaving people dead and in hospital? It’s pretty hard to hit someone on a bicycle and not end up about as damaged yourself.

I’m sure there are some, but compared to the deluge of drivers just doing hit and runs on pedestrians that make the Sydney Morning Herald for just the last month: shouldn’t we be calling for a ban of cars from roads? Instead we have twits like the (thankfully)EX transport minister Carl Scully stating emphatically “Cyclists do not have the same rights as motorists on the roads” and uttering such utter garbage as:

.. also acknowledge that it is motorists who pay fuel levies, tolls, registration and licence fees, as well as the huge cost of buying and running a motor vehicle. Apart from a negligible amount of GST on their equipment, cyclists pay nothing towards the cost of the roads they wish to use and rely on motorists to fund most of the cost of cycling infrastructure. Being more aware of this may make more cyclists a little more sensitive to the needs of the motoring public.

I barely know where to begin with this stupidity:

• Cyclists pay taxes, unless, like in Carl Scully’s world they’re all dole bludging hippies.
• Cyclists also pay for licences, registration, tolls, fuel levies if they own a car.
• The personal cost of buying and running a motor vehicle as something worthy of respect by cyclists (who presumably get their bikes left by santa claus) is about as relevant as stating the running costs of a lawn mower. No one twists your arm to buy your vehicle, just like no one twists your arm to buy a bike
• Complete ignorance of the taxation system is how I’d sum up the notion that roads are paid for entirely by motorists’ fuel levies, tolls and registration. Cycle ways aren’t funded by car drivers, they’re funded by TAX PAYERS which happens to include a mix of car drivers, bicycle riders and non drivers/non riders.
• Seemingly complete ignorance of the notion that people ride bikes for more than just recreation. For a minister of transport it boggles the mind to realise that this numpty doesn’t realise that people ride to work and that people WANT to ride to work more.
• Ignorance of the fact that car drivers are the ones that need to be more sensitive to the needs of cyclists who are exposed on the roads and who can have their lives snuffed out by a moment’s inattention by a driver (who might, as the articles I listed above, just drive off and leave them bleeding in the gutter)

Anyhow, it’d be nice if there was even the slightest attempt of fair coverage without the hysterical “cyclists are evil and must be banned from the roads” when there’s a one off  incident. After all, for every cyclist that’s a healthier (well.. aside from breathing petrol fumes.. but that’s another issue) and not burning petrol to get to/from work or using up space on public transport: that’s better for society.

So how about a bit less demonising in the press of those who are doing the more noble thing and pedalling to work.