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Eamonn Farrell/Photocall Ireland
Driving me crazy

Cyclists don't trust drivers, drivers don't trust cyclists

Each side accuses the other of not paying attention and being a “menace”.

IN NEWS THAT will surprise few, cyclists and car drivers don’t trust each other very much.

A new survey by electronic tag company Easytrip says that 56% of cyclists feel that drivers don’t pay enough attention to them, 69% of motorists make the same claim about cyclists with almost a third of drivers describing cyclists as a “menace” on the road.

However, more than 40% of drivers say that they do understand the challenges faced by cyclists.

Cyclists said that the most common “offences” they saw drivers commit were:

  • Not using indicators
  • Not leaving space between the car and the kerb for cyclists
  • Cutting off a cyclist when taking a left turn

From the motorists’ own perspective, more than half of all drivers themselves admitted to witnessing mishaps involving other drivers or car passengers such as opening a door while a cyclist is passing.

This was followed by motorists cutting cyclists off when taking a right or left hand turn (26%) and pedestrians stepping out into oncoming traffic without looking whilst glued to their mobile (20%).

Nearly 95% of drivers said that they saw cyclists either breaking red lights, cycling on paths or not wearing hi-visibility clothing.

More than half of motorists said that they would like to see a test for cyclists, but cyclists are split 50/50 on the issue.

Read: Pensioner crashes into 10 cars in disastrous attempt to exit car park

Read: The States’ snowpocalypse is leaving some unexpected obstructions on the road

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