Im both a cyclist and motorists and find your comment quite one sided.
The rules are reasonably clear however I find cyclists in and around Banks Peninsula believe they are above the rules on most weekends.
Unfortunately the rules only “suggests” single file when cycling around hills! Every Sat & Sun without a doubt we find ourselves being unreasonably held up by either single riders not moving safely to the left when holding up traffic & even more so two abreast riders who do not give a shit about the cars travelling at a standard flow of traffic. It is sometimes clear they either choose to ignore they are holding you up, even if you give a polite quick took you usually get abused by the cyclist.
The unfortunate outcome from that sort of behaviour is that drivers end up getting increasingly frustrated and make dangerous manoeuvres which is dangerous for everyone.

In my opinion there needs to much more dialog , media advertising around fair and safe rules in Nz.

You seem to be under the misapprehension that people who cycle don’t already contribute to their costs; perhaps you should have a read of this article to explain it better…

That’s it!!! I’m going to take many many photos. In 100 k zone, 80 k zone of cyclists acting in the most suicidal way. As I live every day with it. They are a disaster waiting to happen when they get together. Pack animals. Ordinarily nice people. They put on their gang patches,(Lycra and sponsor labels) and become a group of arrogant, self important, abusive, rude, and downright dangerous people. And at the very least if they are going to behave in this manor they can bloody well pay road user charges. I suggest they pay more than vehicles as they clearly want the roads all to themselves.

You live in a rural area where there are frequent blind hills and corners. The cyclists helpfully ride two abreast to indicate to you that they do not consider it safe for you to pass them in such places. You then harass and intimidate them with a weapon because they have forced you to drive safely and yet you are surprised that they are riled by you commiting a crime against them?

So you harassed cyclists for riding lawfully because you were upset about having the change lanes?

I’m a big fan of roundabouts. Replacing current roundabouts with traffic lights is the opposite of what should happen unless you actually want to stop the traffic every few metres. However, on a bike they can be a nightmare. I was on the left of the lane going straight (second exit) and a car turned left right across me and forced me left as well, even though I was banging on his car. Scary. Basically people shouldn’t be overtaking in an intersection but apparently not everyone obeys the rules. So sorry Robert, I’m no help except to agree roundabouts call for maximum vigilance and a bit of luck.

Further to previous post. A bit of give and take on both sides is obviously best. I think part of the reason we don’t do this well is the fault of ‘defensive driving’. That phrase sends entirely the wrong signals. It encourages road users to think they have some territory to defend against aggressors. Regardless of what they have been led to think, they don’t own the road, or a right to unimpeded passage on their chosen line. There is nothing to defend and no aggressors to repel. It would be far more useful, I think, to encourage ‘active driving’ where people are encouraged to think of driving as a dynamic activity in a fluid environment – having to constantly assess, adapt and adjust, recognizing there are other active people out there in or on on a variety of vehicles, as well as a rolling carpet of static challenges like changing road surfaces, islands, lights, stationary vehicles etc. I think that would encourage a much more inclusive and forgiving attitude on the road.

I agree with both of your comments. I’ve been in road gangs where they spread out, sometimes inconsiderately but more often I’ve seen them tighten up to give cars room. There’s usually a few people in the group looking out for cars and waving them through etc. Sometimes a big bunch is just plain unwieldy but remember, that’s a high density of road users on that patch of tarmac and motorists aren’t usually held up for long. It might pay to remember the same number of cars might be more of a hindrance. Bikes are slower? Okay just be thankful it’s not the same number on tractor enthusiasts’ outing. But what’s wrong with expecting drivers to drive around? It happens all the time in Europe – motorists deliberately going to the other side of the road to give cyclists a wide berth. That’s what that twiddly thing in front of drivers is for – it enables cars to drive around things in or on the road. For some reason non-cycling drivers here seem to think if they have an obligation to hold their line, lest it be seen as a sign of weakness, even if that gives just millimeters to cyclists. Nay, whatever the cost.

Nice that you are confident having cars pass close by you when cycling Chris but not all cyclists are like that. I know it gives me the willies. So yes, where I don’t feel safe, I will sometimes claim a lane on a two lane road with parked cars as described above. That might hold up traffic for a few seconds – which clearly seem like hours to waiting motorists, judging by the way they roar off when I find room to pull left. Then, a few more seconds later, I catch them again, pootling along behind the bumper of another car. Strangely, this doesn’t seem to bother them. They are with their own kind. I just leave them to it. In a way, I’ve probably enriched their days. For a few seconds they felt the freedom the car often promises and so rarely delivers in urban traffic.