Cycling on the road really scares me as well, I have had a few close calls with arogrant drivers recently which has put me off somewhat. Unfortunately I need to get out on the road to train for Round Taupo so fear is taking a back seat for awhile. Hopefully I will get my confidence back soon. Glad i'm not in Auck though!

As a form of exercise, cycling is so much easier on the body, and it tones it so well. Have you ever seen a happy runner? As one colleague commented, runners all look as though they have the weight of the world on their shoulders. Cycling makes me smile. My kids love it too, and it would be a shame if we were to disencourage it so much.

Although the body can't do it, the heart could ride forever.

As for the driver in the white ute that hit the cyclist, I hope they are packing themselves at the moment. I wonder if it was the same person that swerved in on me around March this year Similar description. Missed me by less than a foot, with the trailer. And that was on a sanctioned ride.

The thing that is slowing my cycling at the moment is magpies and not drivers. I got attacked by a magpie a couple of weeks ago while riding in the Bombay hills and now every time I see one I freak out.

Saying that, the good thing about riding on rural roads is there is far less traffic and the traffic that is around are generally considerate towards cyclists.

When we heard about the car that had killed (at the time it was only "hit") Dr Robinson, we instantly thought back to the incident we'd had with a white ute on Scenic Drive two days beforehand, but didn't think much of it. When I heard about this on the radio, I was spooked. I'm glad there was a queue of traffic behind him at the time, or else who knows??!

It's not a case of only in Auckland...

My own experiences on the road have involved being hit while cycling up one of Wellingtons hills by a small truck.

The guy drivng should have been able to see me from miles off and the the road was not excessivly used at the time so could have easily avoided me... I was 'only' bruised on my right elbo, but raising the issue with the driver (banging on his window, pointing out he whacked me) just got me a single finger salut...

Didn't have my cell phone at the time and forgot the lisence plate, so he got away with it...

Couple of years ago now but still...

Nothing scares me more than trailers built to carry cars. You know the ones, they are considerably wider than the vehicle towing it, and I'm never quite sure about the level of awareness of the driver in those cases.

I wonder if people have had same evolutionary riding experience as me. I started out my riding career feeling indestructable, and oblivious to the risks around me.

A few incidents and hospital visits sent me into a very vulnerable phase where I wondered whether it was all worth it, and the windtrainer got a fair workout.

What then followed was a period of agressive rights assertion on the road. "My speed, my space, two abreast, deal with it"

Now I've approached a zen-like state where I've gone back to focusing on enjoying myself on the bike and pick my training routes, riding partners and times on when I think I'll get best enjoyment, and pulled back on the attitude.

The negligable impact on training pace is more than offset by the increase in enjoyment and because I'm not "racing" every time on the bike I spot the risks sooner.

That said....some people still scare me and make me wonder about the risk.

I got hit in London, up over the bonnet of the car. The bike was wreaked, when the driver got out of the car he asked about something being OK. When I replied I was fine he said "Not you the car!"

Biking has always been a dangerous sport/pass time/mode of transport. Your more vulnerable compared to a car. I think people are in to much of a hurry now days and aren't taking responsibility for the wellbeing and rights of others. Unlike our chap in London both motorists and cyclists need to be courteous and give a damn about those they share a space with.

@Kelvin2

Ahem, I smile often on my runs. I did yesterday with the sheer joy of running again after my enforced layoff. Perhaps its just that we runners have to work a darn sight harder than you pansy cyclists since we have to beat gravity with every step while you get to exercise sitting down. It is hard to smile when you are trying to suck up enough air to keep going. In which case any smile will look to an observer like a grimace.

Fill out a Community Road Watch form http://www.police.govt.nz/service/road/roadwatch-form.pdf at any incident. Or *555 them from your cell phone. Not a lot may happen, but if it is a white ute, hopefully the police will follow through.

I'm sad to say I am an ex-cyclist. Car doors flung open in my face (once resulting in a broken finger), being driven off the road by someone whose need for KFC just couldn't wait five more seconds until I'd passed the driveway, too many ambulance rides and hours spent bored rigid in A&E. So 12 years ago I gave up even trying. Which sucks, because it's a form of exercise I was pretty damn good at, IMHO. And from what I've read it sounds like things on the roads are worse now. It's just too scary. But even after 12 years of being a non-cyclist I am still very aware of cyclists on the road. I see you. I respect you as a fellow road-user. And I sure as hell don't want to kill/maim you.