this weeks ride route spiel caused a much bigger reaction than i had anticipated.  this afternoon i received a phone call from the hon. simon o’brien mlc and we discussed matter for about 1/2 an hour.  he feels that his words have been taken out of context and has requested that the following be published so that he gets a chance to explain his side.

Recent comments on the SPR website attribute to me the view that each of a number of cyclists who have died while cycling “didn’t know what he/she was doing” and by inference their deaths were their own fault.

That is not my view, I have not said any such thing and would not in any circumstances say so.

I have reviewed the news article which appears to link a term I used last month to a report on road fatalities. My comments were not made in light of the report. This appears to have caused an understandable but serious misunderstanding that requires correction.

I have in the past observed, as have many others, that Perth drivers are (collectively) “useless”. This generalisation is not intended as a personal insult and I have never known anyone to receive it as such. It is demonstrably obvious that poor driver behaviour contributes greatly to problems on our roads.

The comment about useless cyclists was given in similar vein during a debate about infrastucture for cyclists. We all know that cycling infrastructure and dual-use paths in particular are under pressure from numbers of users; this is generating hazards for cyclists and pedestrians alike. Cyclists who exhibit poor behaviour through lack of understanding or sympathy for road etiquette pose a risk to themselves and others. While the South Perth Club actively promotes good practice, some other riders do not have the benefit of that guidance and it is that deficiency which places them at risk now and in future. THAT was my point; it was not a criticism of cyclists killed by drunk, inattentive or incompetent drivers in the past.

Simon O’Brien MLC