Cyclists or Drongos on Bikes Where does the onus for safety on the road begin?

Despite having ridden a bike all my life I only became a committed cyclist about five years ago, at the ripe old age of fifty. It was about then that I first heard my older brother cycling mentor use the term ‘drongos on bikes’. At first I took exception, assuming that it was just more of the elitist roadie nonsense you get from the pretend-aton on Beach Road.

But now, after five years of daily commuting in Melbourne’s outer northern suburbs I know exactly what he meant – there are just as many stupid inconsiderate cyclists as there are stupid inconsiderate motorists.

Of the fifteen to twenty other people I regularly see riding bikes during my daily commute I would consider perhaps five to be cyclists and all the rest drongos on bikes. I see them riding on footpaths, without helmets or helmets not worn properly, without lights when it’s dark, using pedestrian crossings that don’t have bicycle signals and running the red light in the process, the list of offences is endless.

It‘s these people that give all cyclists a bad name and draw contempt and animosity from other road users. They seem to forget, or are simply not aware, that all road users have both rights and responsibilities regardless of what type of vehicle they happen to be operating. I wonder just how many Bicycle Network Victoria members have actually gone to the VicRoads website and read the regulations for cyclists?

Personally, perhaps because of military training when I was younger, I believe the onus for safety in any scenario begins with the individual. If you’re silly enough the step in front of a fast moving vehicle you can’t blame the driver if they aren’t able to stop in time. To that end I ensure that my bicycle is always properly serviced and maintained, that all safety critical components are in good working order and properly adjusted, and that I ride within the law at all times.

I also try to ride as graciously, as it was put in a recent Ride On magazine article, as possible; in the sense of cooperating with other road users rather than competing, and making even greater allowance for motorists than I’m necessarily obliged to. If the light up ahead is red I’ll ease off a bit further back to allow the light to change and stationary traffic to move off before I draw alongside, I’d prefer have them in front of me than behind anyway.

Similarly, if a heavy vehicle draws up next to me while I’m waiting at the lights I’ll wave him through when the lights change, I don’t want him behind me either. Or, if I’m stuck behind a truck I’ll make sure I stay in his mirrors so he knows where I am, an old motorcycling tip.

When it comes to road rage I follow the maxim that ‘common courtesy just isn’t that common these days’. And that if it has to begin somewhere, then why not with me? Whenever a driver gives way to me on the road I take that as an acknowledgement of my rights as a road user and respond by acknowledging them in return with a nod or a wave and a thank you.

The net result is that many drivers on my regular routes are so used of me that I’ll often get a nod or a wave and a smile in reply. For drivers that don’t give way I have a helmet-cam, I’ve caught quite a few and observed its effect on driver’s behaviour when they realise it’s a camera.

Is this sort of ‘roadcraft for cyclists’ being taught anywhere? After all, if you follow the rules safety on the road really is little more than remaining alert, and using your own common-sense.

Lastly, many of my non-cycling friends have suggested a licensing or registration scheme for cyclists, especially in light of recent changes to the car-dooring laws in Victoria. This idea seems to be abhorrent to many who ride bikes, but perhaps it’s worth considering. I would prefer to see all the less responsible riders off the road anyway, and such a scheme would lend greater credence to cyclists’ calls for further recognition and infrastructure.

I also think it’s incumbent on BNV and other such cycling organisations to put a much greater emphasis on rider education to hopefully make all the drongos on bikes wake-up to themselves, and in turn encourage motorists to be more accepting of cyclists.