Advertisement

Harmony on streets is key message

Geraldton lawyer George Giudice has been cycling to work for 30 years and believes in the past few months there has been a noticeable positive change in attitude from motorists towards cyclists.

Cyclist George Giudice believes it has taken incidents like the recent death of a cyclist in inner city Melbourne for motorists to change their attitudes towards cyclists.

“It’s sad it has come to that, but it has,” he said.

“And there has been a notable change in the past few months,” he said.

“There is less aggression and less irritation.”

The cyclist in Melbourne was killed when a car door was opened as he cycled past and he ended up in the path of a truck.

Mr Giudice, a long-time Geraldton solicitor-barrister, has been riding to and from work for 30 years.

It gives him time to relax and gather his thoughts before the working day.

Six weeks ago, a car did a wide berth of Mr Giudice on his morning ride near the Point Moore lighthouse.

He thought it was just a one off, then it happened again and again.

He said in the last five years the annoyance and anger from motorists towards cyclists had reached an all-time high.

However, there had been a “remarkable turnaround” in attitude.

“There is absolutely no doubt it is happening,” he said.

Mr Giudice has never been knocked off his bike, but he has been a victim of road rage.

One particular occasion involved a motorist approaching within 15cm of him.

The motorist revved the engine and then planted his foot on the accelerator before roaring past while yelling abuse out the window.

He said the media had raised awareness of the dangers and fatal consequences of road accidents involving motorists and cyclists.

“People have come to the realisation that any slip means death,” he said.

Mr Giudice fondly remembers the days he used to deliver telegrams on his push bike.

He was 14 years old and, from time to time, had the task of delivering the news that someone’s loved one had passed away.

“I used to get invited in for a cup of tea or a cool drink after battling against the southerly, and there was no issue with cyclists back then,” he said.

“Everyone was riding around on push bikes.”

Mr Giudice said it was good that people were sitting up and taking notice.

“It could be your husband, brother, son or daughter,” he said.

“No one wants that telegram,” he said.