21st century road ettiquette

As of recent I have taken to riding my bike and walking around this fair city I call home. I quickly came to the realisation that not only am I not considered a vehicle by motorist, but am also pushed off the road by pram wielding mothers and people walking three abreast, taking up the entire footpath. I love the feeling of walking and cycling to places, but am disappointed when I see motorists cutting me off, parking on the bike lanes and not looking for cyclists when opening car doors. Like other people who don’t have the protection of a car, I feel as though it’s a constant waiting game to see when I will be hurt by these unthoughtful actions that are far too common in what is called a city!

I get the feeling that cars don’t want bikes on the road and pedestrians don’t want them on the footpath which leads me to the conclusion that an ET style flying bike may be of use? Is it really that hard to move to one side when a bike gives notice or have less road rage at cyclists who are commuting and trying not to be smooshed by the 4WD that nearly takes a layer of skin from your arm as it flies past you? The answer my friend is a resounding no!

Please have some respect for other road and path users, keep left, don’t illegally U-turn into a cycle lane, give way and just generally be a decent human being! We have so much road and path room in Perth, and yet people are consistently making dangerous decisions that put others in danger. Others city’s around the world such as Amsterdam, London, Copenhagen, Vancouver and even Sydney and Melbourne have mastered the art of road manners, it's truely time to do the same!