DANGEROUS attitudes towards people on bikes are being challenged by a new cycling campaign urging drivers to humanise the people they see on bikes.
In a survey of more than 500 drivers, the national cycling charity Cycling Scotland found that, while 97% of drivers agree they put lives at risk by driving too close to bikes, more than a third said they don't think of someone cycling as a person.
On average, four people cycling per week in Scotland suffer serious and potentially life-changing injuries from a vehicle collision – and close passes can be a daily experience for people cycling.
The research found that the majority of drivers understand the damage they could cause by not giving cyclists enough space - but only a third say people cycling should have equal rights on the roads to drivers.
Some 83 per cent also confessed to feeling frustration when trying to pass people on bikes.
Shgufta Anwar, Founder of Glasgow-based charity Women on Wheels, said her daughter had been left frightened after experiencing a close pass by a driver and encouraged people behind the wheel to consider their driving decisions.
She added: “I experience so much joy from cycling, but being closely overtaken is an all too familiar occurrence.
"My worst experience was when out cycling with my then primary school aged children, when a car came extremely close to my daughter and revved the engine, frightening her and making her almost fall in front of the car.
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"Fortunately, she regained her balance, but it was a really scary experience for us all and she could have been seriously injured.
"As a person who cycles and drives, I think about both when I make choices on the road.
"Scotland’s roads would be a lot safer if all drivers had this perspective - especially if they knew how frightening it was when a car passes too closely."
Drivers in Scotland face a £100 fine or conviction, and penalty points on their licence for passing within 1.5m of people cycling when overtaking, and a conviction for a more serious offence.
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Supported by Police Scotland, Cycling Scotland’s annual ‘Give Cycle Space’ campaign aims to reduce close pass incidents by raising awareness of the legal passing distance and the responsibility of drivers to safely overtake.
Findings from this study show that nearly a quarter of drivers are unaware that driving closer than 1.5 metres is an offence that could result in a charge of careless or dangerous driving.
Cycling Scotland Chief Executive Keith Irving said: “Every week in Scotland, at least four people cycling suffer serious, potentially life-changing injuries, usually from a crash with a vehicle.
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"To make cycling safer and support more people to travel by bike, we need a network of dedicated cycle lanes, police enforcement and education on reducing road danger.
"Our campaign highlights that drivers need to give at least 1.5 metres of space when passing someone on a bike.
"Together with the police, we’re raising awareness of the risks of careless driving.
"More people are taking up cycling in Scotland and even more people need to cycle more journeys for our country to reach net zero. We must not accept a corresponding rise in serious injuries and deaths."
Over the summer, Police Scotland will conduct Operation Close Pass in locations across Scotland to improve road safety.
Enforcement is key to preventing road danger and dashcam and helmet cam footage can provide vital evidence to support this.
Introduction of a dashcam portal, now in use throughout England and Wales, has long been called for in Scotland as being critical to allow people to report dangerous driving behaviour and keep everyone safer on our roads.
Chief Superintendent Hilary Sloan, Head of Road Policing, said: “Every driver has a responsibility to safely overtake cyclists and understand how their actions can impact the life of that person riding a bike.
"As we approach the summer months, there will be more people using Scotland’s roads.
"All road users should take care, plan their journey and be aware of cyclists who are more vulnerable."
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