Bike riders are Victoria’s happiest road users, according to a recent survey, and are being encouraged to continue to ‘travel happy’ as part of a new awareness campaign aimed at improving behaviour on Victorian roads.
The Travel Happy – Share the Road campaign from VicRoads will focus on the impact that mood and driver behaviour can have on road safety.
Travel Happy events for bike riders will be held this week on Tuesday (Docklands) and Wednesday (East Brunswick) as part of a series of events targeting different road users (see below for details).
Travel Happy ambassadors, Matt Keenan (SBS cycling commentator) and Charlie Farren (Chair, The Squeaky Wheel), will attend Tuesday’s event to promote the campaign messages to fellow bike riders.
“Having lost a number of cycling friends to road accidents, I feel strongly about spreading the message to look out for each other on the road,” said Matt.
“As a regular Melbourne rider, sharing the roads so that we can all travel safely is a cause I care passionately about,” said Charlie.
VicRoads’ Director of Vehicle and Road Use Policy, James Holgate, said all Victorian road users, regardless of their mode of transport, had a responsibility to make safe choices while on the road, and the Travel Happy – Share the Road campaign would help to highlight behaviour change.
“Unhappy road users are more likely to be aggressive and lack compassion for others. This can lead to frustration and anger which can lead to risky behaviour,” said Mr Holgate.
“Bike riders can make pedestrians happier by ringing a bell on approach. They can improve their own safety by steering clear of distractions and cycling unplugged from music to help them stay aware of their surroundings.
“Motorists can make bike riders happier and safer by always checking for them before opening their car door and giving bikes space to pass on the road.
“We want all Victorians to share the roads and travel happily and safely from A to B. It feels really, really good when we all share the road.”
A recent VicRoads survey of 1,000 road users found:
- 63 per cent of bike riders said they felt happy on their commute and only 9 per cent felt frustrated
- More than 1 in 3 (35 per cent) of bike riders who reported they were happy on the road find their daily commute relaxing andalmost 40 per cent feel they are always mindful of their own and other road users’ actions
- Almost 70 per cent of bike riders say the behaviour of other road users impacts their mood while commuting
- The habit of bike riders that most impacts other road users is when bike riders fail to obey traffic rules such as stop signs (49per cent)
Travel Happy – Share the Road will see a number of road safety partners’ work together to change the culture that exists where deaths or serious injury is the price people pay to use the roads.
Event details: Tuesday 14 April: Hortus Café, Harbour Esplanade South, Docklands. 6.30 – 9.30am
Wednesday 15 April: Corner Nicholson and Park Streets, East Brunswick. 6.30 –9.30am.