BIKES AND MOTORISTS - SHARE AND SHARE ALIKE

That cyclist you just passed could be somebody you know or you may know somebody who knows them.� Bike Taupo Advocacy Group is again launching a major road safety advertising campaign funded for a second time by the Taupo District Council�s Road Safety community fund.� As Taupo heads into the busy summer events season, the Bike Taupo Advocacy Group hope that it�s repeat of catchy newspaper ads, rural road signs and stickers on the Taupo Passenger Services� buses, all emphasising a recommended 1.5m safe passing distance between motorists and cyclists will lead to an incident free season.�

The campaign is being repeated after such a successful launch last season.� Overall, good support was received from the community, particularly cyclists who noticed an improvement with the behaviour between motorists and cyclists. 

A lot of the rural roads provide great training ground for cyclists and minimise the need to use state highways for long periods.� However, they are narrow and Bike Taupo stresses that both cyclists and motorists need to be aware of each other.� Cyclists should endeavour to avoid busy narrow roads; wear high visibility clothing at all times; and be aware of traffic both oncoming and approaching from behind.� It�s suggested that cyclists should merge into single file during both such traffic encounters to making the passing maneuver safer.� Motorists not only have to worry about cycles on country roads but also tractors and farmers on quads.� They are all road users and therefore should only be passed if it is clear and safe to.� Other observations include an increase in rural subdivisions; and of large truck and trailer units using our narrow country roads, particularly Poihipi and Broadlands Roads.� These all amount to bigger congestion on these small roads which in Bike Taupo�s eyes means there is a good reason to drive and cycle with even more awareness of each other.

Bike Taupo says ‘The increase of people on bikes in the Taupo district is fantastic.� There are now people training all year round but from now on you�ll see an even bigger increase’.�

‘We reiterate that all road users need to look out for each other to ensure an incident and accident free summer on our local rural roads’.