Abstract
Aggression towards cyclists by other road users likely contributes to the recent decline in participation and safety of cyclists on Australian roads. In the current study we examined the role of the perceived legitimacy of cyclists as road users on driver anger towards cyclists. 273 drivers in Australia responded to an online survey assessing anger towards cyclists, perceived legitimacy of cyclists as road users, and a range of other variables theoretically related to driver anger. As predicted, legitimacy was a strong predictor of driver anger specifically towards cyclists. Legitimacy, in turn, was predicted by identification with cyclists, knowledge of road rules, and observations of reckless cycling. This study suggests that interventions designed to increase the perceived legitimacy of cyclists as road users could be an effective way to reduce aggression towards cyclists and thus increase cycling participation and safety.
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