An Open Letter to the Motorists of Melbourne

My name is Julie.  On the weekend I participated in the 200km Ride to Conquer Cancer from Albert Park Lake to Healesville, and back again.  I am not a cyclist.  

Many of the roads we took to Healesville did not have bike lanes, and the shoulders on the roads were not suitable for riding on.  Some of the roads did not even have shoulders!  I am sorry that we were riding on your road, and that it may have taken you 5 minutes longer to get where you were going because you had to wait to overtake a cyclist.  But you know that cyclist that you revved your engine at – you see that yellow flag on the bike of their bike?  That flag represented a cancer survivor, or a cancer battler, and they are doing the ride to raise fund for Peter Mac who are doing valuable research into battling this disease.

To the driver that yelled abuse at me,  I am a 40 year old mother of four, who is out of breath from getting up that last hill, crying tears of pain, and I am sorry I am so slow that you have had to wait 20 seconds to get past me.  I am not riding to annoy you.  I am riding because my father is battling cancer and receiving treatment at Peter Mac, and for all the other people I know who are battling this horrible disease and whose families have been touched by cancer.

And to the P plater who raced up behind a group of cyclists, and nearly rear ended them before slamming on your brakes, one day you may be thanking us for the $6.2 million dollars we raised for Peter Mac.  Hopefully your life will be cancer free, but unfortunately it is inevitable that someone you know will be touched by cancer.

To the driver of the V8 ute who honked their horn so loudly at a slow riding elderly lady that she nearly fell off her bike, she is riding 200kms for this cause, when she should could be sitting comfortably at home with her children, grandchildren and probably her great grandchildren.  She is not intentionally holding you up the minute or so it takes to get past you. I'd like to see you ride 200kms!!!

 The route was well signed with warnings of lots of cyclists, and still you could not control your impatience.

I want to thank you, the many impatient motorists I witnessed from Melbourne to Healesville and back again.  You made me ashamed of the thoughts I've had in the past about cyclists.  

Next time, perhaps think about the cyclist as a person.  It's just someone like you, your Mum, Dad, your sister, brother, friend.  They are a road user too.  And when you see signs up that there is a cycling event on, take another route, or perhaps find some patience.