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2023

Why Can’t We Be Friends? Road Wars and Misguided Perceptions of Cyclists in Cork

27 Jan 2023

Last year, I started learning how to drive. Since then, I can’t help but notice the continuous pattern of illegal parking, breaking of red lights, and general reckless road behaviour. I thought that this could be attributed to the Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon (as a lifelong bus user, I never took much notice of cars until I started to drive myself).

Unfortunately, this is not just a self-contained confirmation bias but a reflection of the increasing dangers that can be found on Irish roads.[1] In 2022, there was a 22% increase in pedestrian fatalities.[2]Over half of all road fatalities last year occurred during the weekend, with Sunday being the ‘most dangerous day in 2022’.[3] Worse yet, out of all the counties in the Republic of Ireland, Cork saw the highest number of road deaths in 2022.[4]

Road safety is the number one concern for current and potential cyclists.[5] This concern is not surprising, as aggression and unwarranted contempt for cyclists is not hard to find. An article entitled ‘6 reasons why motorists (and everyone else) hate cyclists’ lists the following as its first ‘reason’ for this attitude: ‘1. Cyclists are smug and self-righteous beings’.[6] The anger levels of road users have significant impacts on safety-related outcomes. Research has shown a positive relationship between the anger displayed by drivers, aggressive driving practices, and road accidents.[7] The attitudes and reactions of drivers to cyclists on the road can range from minor annoyance to threats. In November 2022, footage emerged online of an argument between a taxi driver and cyclist in Cork, during which the driver said ‘if you touch my car again, I’ll run you over’.[8]

Ireland is a car-centric country and the perception of a road user status hierarchy may be contributing to the road wars in Cork. In one study, participants constructed their road hierarchy by ranking the importance and respect allocated to road users based on vehicle size.[9] Unsurprisingly, cyclists were ranked at the lowest position. Pedestrians weren’t even included in the hierarchy as participants failed to recognise pedestrians as ‘true’ road users.[10] Social norms and feelings of entitlement also fuel this ongoing conflict. The ‘zero risk theory’ proposed by Näätänen and Summala suggests the desire to progress smoothly through traffic and being slowed down by other road users can increase driver irritation and result in more aggressive behaviour towards cyclists.[11]

The cycling infrastructure in Cork has been improved in recent years. Nevertheless, the frustration felt by road users is palatable across the media and online platforms as road users continue to regularly violate the rules of the road. There is even an emergence of a dedicated bad parking Twitter account where people send in photos of illegal parking incidences that they’ve encountered in Cork, ranging from ridiculous to dangerous. This is not an experience that is unique to Cork, but a challenge faced in countless cities across the world. Stronger enforcement of our road laws and zero-tolerance for violations is needed to make our roads safer.

Despite these infrastructure improvements, the 2021 Cork Cycling Survey Results found that the quality of Cork’s cycling infrastructure was generally perceived as ‘extremely poor’.[12] This negative perception may be acting as a deterrent to people who want to start cycling. Respondents also perceived cycling infrastructure in Cork City to be the worst in areas North of the River Lee.[13] Using the Pobal HP Deprivation Index 2016 (which maps the levels of affluence and disadvantage in electoral divisions), Cork City Council found that Cork City North West and North West City Suburbs were classified as some of the most disadvantaged areas in the city.[14] As noted by Barajas, ‘Lower socioeconomic status communities have less access to infrastructure as a result of historical disinvestment…This in turn can create dangerous conditions for cycling, even when bicycle lanes are eventually provided’.[15] While simply increasing available infrastructure will not automatically increase the number of cyclists,[16] it is essential to encourage road users to stop driving and start cycling.

While tension remains between road users, there is a growing appetite for change in Cork.[17] Commuting by bike has shown to be the most interesting and exciting mode of transportation.[18] Cycling is cost-effective, sustainable, and has many great health benefits.[19] Plus there is the added advantage of not having to sit in endless traffic queues during rush hour. To meet Ireland’s national and international climate goals, a significant shift is needed away from private car dependency and towards active transport.[20] We need to transform how we travel and that includes how we interact with fellow road users. This won’t necessarily be easy, but lucky for us, there are a number of ways in which we can do this.

Attitudes can be changed by helping drivers view cyclists as people who are simply trying to get to work, school, or their home, rather than a distant out-group with no personal identity.[21] Additionally, the presence of good-quality cycling infrastructure is an effective method of reducing driver-cyclist conflicts.[22]Addressing disparities in available infrastructure and targeting existing inhibitory intra- and interpersonal factors will help to empower more individuals to opt for more active modes of transportation.

Cars have long been at centre stage of transport and land-use planning,[23] and as Prof Daly said, ‘the status quo is powerful’.[24] To break away from our dependency on private cars, we need extensive cycling and public transport infrastructure. We can all safely share our roads and more radical approaches to the sustainable transport transition need to take into account the ‘deeply rooted power relations connected with norms, habits, and attitudes’ often embedded in departments and institutions that oversee city planning and transport.[25]

Highlighting the numerous benefits of going car-free will also be a key tool in this transformation. A reduction in private cars in Cork will improve air quality, reduce noise pollution, and make our city a safer place to navigate and live in. Less cars also makes room for the development of more public green spaces, which positively impacts our health and supports our local biodiversity.[26]

Cork is lucky enough to have an abundance of cycling enthusiasts such as the Cork Cycling Campaign who have been campaigning for better cycling infrastructure and promoting cycling for years. We need to support these efforts through coordinated and sustained local and political action to make Cork a safe city for all. The pathway to a healthy and sustainable city is clear. A reduction in private cars, an increase in cyclists and quality public transport infrastructure will be good for us, our local communities, and the planet. The car-centric status quo of Ireland is powerful, but it’s not indestructible.

UCC Green Campus offers a free e-bike trial to UCC staff.  Email greencampus@ucc.ie for more information and to sign up.

 

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