Around 10 cyclists are killed on our roads each year. In Britain, the average annual fatality figure is 10 times that. In both countries, the majority of these deaths are caused by collisions between bicycles and motor vehicles. As such, TV3's UK documentary War on Britain's Roads is all-too relevant viewing for Kiwis.
The documentary's big hook is first-person footage of near misses, crashes and confrontations that's been captured on cyclists' helmet cameras, which an increasing number of British bike riders are using in order to "document their journeys and record aggression from drivers".
If what we're shown is remotely representative, there's certainly a lot of aggro about, from shouted insults ("you twat!" being the most popular) to physical assaults. As web developer and cycling enthusiast Gareth notes with great understatement, "the relationship between motorists and cyclists can be pretty difficult".
Of course, each camp is convinced they're in the right, an attitude perfectly illustrated by a clash between Gareth and taxi driver Michael. After viewing the footage and listening to both parties' side of the story, the only thing one can definitively say is that each of them could have displayed more courtesy while trying "to share the same crowded space".
