Cyclists’ self-reported experiences of, and attributions about, perceived aggressive behaviour while sharing roads and paths in New South Wales, Australia

Abstract

This paper examines the self-reported data from 1404 adult transport and recreational cyclists from New South Wales (Australia) on their experiences of behaviour they perceived to be intentionally aggressive in the previous week, from motor vehicle drivers (MVDs), pedestrians and other cyclists. The perception of aggression appears to be a common experience for cyclists, with about one in two cyclists reporting an aggressive encounter in the previous week. Most encounters (85.7%) were from MVDs, and most occurred on the road. After adjustment for exposure (time travelled) and environmental factors (proportion of cycling time on the road, and region in which most cycling was undertaken), younger cyclists (18–44 yrs), female cyclists and transport cyclists were more likely to report aggressive encounters from MVDs than older (60+ years), male, and recreational cyclists, respectively. The majority of cyclists who perceived aggression from a MVD attributed the behaviour to internal and stable factors in the MVD (such as an anti-cyclist, selfish or arrogant disposition or deliberately careless behaviour), followed by internal and unstable factors (such as ignorance of cyclists’ rights or the road rules). These findings may have implications for initiatives by governments wishing to promote cycling.