subject papers

Two papers have been written in partnership with the University of Waikato department of Psychology and presented at International Cycling Safety Conferences held in Bologna Italy (Nov 2016) and Brisbane Australia (Nov 2019). The full papers can be downloaded here. The third paper was written with Prof Warren Brookbanks and presented at the International Cycling Safety Conference in Japan in November 2024.

Using positive psychology insights to meet cyclists’ and motorists’ challenges of seeing one another’s perspectives in traffic conflicts

R.A. Barter, Share the Road Campaign, Cycling Action Network
R.B. Isler, School of Psychology, University of Waikato

ABSTRACT

The aim of this conceptual paper is to help understand some challenging interactions between drivers and cyclists, putting them at serious risk. The idea is to create insights on why drivers often say “sorry, I didn’t see you” and on the causes of their distractions and negative preconceptions and associations. A lot of research has been conducted with the goal of improving cycling infrastructure and vehicle technology to improve the safety of cyclists. However, in the foreseeable future, the great majority of cyclists around the world will have to manage riding on roads that have no dedicated cycling infrastructure, and will have to share the road with vehicles that have no sensors or cameras that enable drivers to be aware of their presence. Furthermore, cyclists have no control over these things when they are riding or the behaviour of drivers around them. Based on these insights, our goal was to use positive psychology interventions to help cyclists to employ effective strategies, giving them more control when sharing the road with motor vehicles, and encourage them to enjoy the experience. Given the lack or formal scientific research in this area, the writers hope the concepts in this paper will serve to encourage research projects that might investigate the suggestions the authors are making. Survey information from the Share the Road [1] Campaign’s workshops and a New Zealand Transport Agency report [2] provided insight into what New Zealand drivers and cyclists were thinking about each other. Applying positive psychology perspectives and methods may lead to improved ‘theory of mind’ [3] skills in cyclists and drivers alike. This, by definition, could help them to understand each other’s perspectives, which in turn, may lead to predicting each other’s future behaviour more quickly, giving them more time to respond. Approaching one another with an open mind increases positive emotions, which, according to Frederickson’s ‘broaden and build’ theory’ [4], can help in ‘widening the array of creative and useful thoughts and actions’. This will assist them to be non-judgmental and less resentful and instead deepen their feelings of compassion and forgiveness when others make mistakes.

Keywords: theory of mind, predicting behaviour, positive psychology, behavioural change, road sharing, cyclists.

Does the New Zealand driver licencing system adequately prepare and test drivers to share the road safely with cyclists?

R.A. Barter, Share the Road Campaign, Cycling Action Network
R.B. Isler, School of Psychology, University of Waikato

ABSTRACT

In New Zealand in 2017, 18 people riding bikes died and 750 were seriously injured as a result of crashes with motor vehicles. These tragic statistics are unacceptable, and we are calling for an urgent rethink about the way we train and test drivers to share the road safely with riders. More than 80,000 people were granted driver licences in 2017. Were they ready, considering that re-search to date indicates that a driver’s attitude and state of mind contribute significantly to good road sharing? The New Zealand Road Code and written licence tests offer little guidance for candidates or for testing officers conducting practical driving tests.

We would like to see radical change to mould drivers’ mind-sets so they can demonstrate kindness and compassion towards people riding bikes and other vulnerable road users. Drivers need to see riders not as hazards, but as part of the answer to resolving traffic congestion and living more sustainably. Drivers need to grasp the critical importance of using their full attentional capacity to search for and see riders, and then generously apply understanding and patience to create safety margins. This may require waiting and making space rather than being concerned about holding up following traffic.

We recommend new technologies that enhance the power of storytelling to help drivers connect emotionally with people riding bikes. We also suggest legal interventions as part of a ‘call to action’ to reduce the power imbalance between motorised and non-motorised road users. Testing officers, too, require a more holistic competency framework to test the likelihood of candidates behaving safely on the roads. We believe that these measures could effectively reduce New Zealand’s tragic statistics involving vulnerable road users and contribute to a completely new understanding of road sharing.

Keywords: driver licence, road sharing, testing, cyclist, behaviour change.

Bridging the Gap: Understanding In-Group and Out-Group Dynamics Among Heavy Vehicle Drivers and Bicycle Riders in New Zealand for Improved Road Sharing

R.A. Barter, Share the Road Campaign, Cycling Action Network, 2 Forresters Lane, Te Aro, Wellington 6011, New Zealand. richard@can.org.nz

Dr W. Brookbanks, Professor of Criminal Law and Justice Studies, AUT Law School, 55 Wellesley Street East, Auckland 1010, New Zealand. warren.brookbanks@aut.ac.nz

ABSTRACT

This paper explores the complex dynamics between heavy vehicle drivers and cyclists, focusing on the role of in-group favouritism and out-group discrimination in road-sharing conflicts. Through an analysis of two surveys, a review of Share the Road workshops, and the McConnell Dowell feedback report, this study investigates the behavioural factors contributing to road tensions. Cyclists, often seen as a marginalized out-group, face infrastructure and visibility challenges, while heavy vehicle drivers contend with operational limitations such as blind spots. The research highlights the effectiveness of educational interventions, such as Share the Road workshops, in fostering empathy between the two groups. Post-workshop surveys showed improvements in drivers’ understanding of cyclists’ vulnerabilities and cyclists’ awareness of the dangers posed by heavy vehicles. However, deep-rooted issues like lack of mutual understanding, infrastructure inadequacies, and biased perceptions remain. The paper suggests that experiential learning, peer influence programs and public awareness campaigns, can help reduce road conflicts by addressing the underlying in-group and out-group dynamics. This research underscores the importance of targeted, empathy-driven interventions to promote safer, more cooperative road-sharing between heavy vehicle drivers and cyclists in New Zealand.

Keywords

In-groups, out-groups, favouritism, discrimination, empathy, road sharing