BICYCLES are the indicator of a healthy community, according to one saying.
But if recent tensions between cyclists and motorists are a guide, an unhealthy trend is emerging in Launceston.
Senior cyclists say something needs to be done before somebody is seriously hurt - or worse.
They want education on both sides of the bike lane improved.
The current flashpoint appears to be along the West Tamar Highway - a major traffic corridor and a favourite of cyclists.
Anecdotally tension surrounds laws governing what cyclists can and can't do.
Avid cyclist and Launceston Chamber of Commerce president Michael Bailey has called for a community forum to tackle the issue.
He points out that cycling is not just a fitness or recreational activity but a growing part of the region's $300 million tourism industry.
Mr Bailey said about ``2 per cent'' of cyclists and motorists were doing the wrong thing.
RACT public policy and communications general manager Vince Taskunas said changing behaviour was key given spending on roads, such as building more bike lanes, was limited.
He said some RACT members reported incidents where they believed cyclists were breaking rules but actually weren't.
``There is still a lack of education amongst some motorists about what cyclists can and can't do,'' he said.
``But then the majority are reports of cyclists simply breaking road rules, the most common one is riding through a red light.''
The Tamar Bicycle Users Group is working on a code of conduct for cyclists but it's something they believe would benefit motorists.
The group has worked with the government to improve bike lanes, particularly along the West Tamar Highway.
This has included signs to identify bike lanes to motorists.
``The edge lanes aren't bike lanes, as many motorists appear to believe, and they aren't consistently safe for cyclist to ride in,'' group president Malcolm Cowan said.
``They are rough and contain debris that makes them unsafe. As a start, we would like to see them swept more often as they are only swept twice a year.''
The law allowing bike riders to cycle two abreast often frustrates motorists.
Mr Cowan said allowing two cyclists to ride together was often much safer than riding single file.
``What we need is some tolerance all round,'' he said.
``On the one hand we've got the Sulzbergers, Will Clarke, Richie Porte and Matty Goss on the back page getting lauded but you turn to the letters page and you have cyclists getting abused.
``And yet all those world champion cyclists started riding on the West Tamar Highway.''
However, he said it was up to cyclists to make sure they also followed the law.
``We're encouraging riders to refrain from antisocial behaviour and respect the need of drivers, remember they might be on the way to work, coming home, trying to get the kids to school,'' he said.
Co-organiser of the Stan Siejka Launceston Cycling Classic and Launceston alderman, Hugh McKenzie, has also backed the idea of a community forum.
``Something needs to be done about the tensions between cyclists and motorists because somebody is going to get seriously injured, or worse,'' he said.
Alderman McKenzie sits on the Launceston City Council's bike committee along with its chairman, Deputy Mayor Jeremy Ball.
Alderman Ball said it was time to rethink how roads were used.
``Roads have been viewed as a place for cars, that's changing. We do need to realise that within the next 10 years you'll be seeing a whole lot of other vehicles as opposed to cars,'' he said.
``So I think it's time we really started looking at roads as shared spaces and all of us working out what we need to be doing better.''
Email a friend