Experts want the word 'cyclist' banned because it 'dehumanises' them

Experts are calling for the word 'cyclist' to be banned because they believe the term 'dehumanises' people who use bikes. Photo / Getty

Experts are calling for the word "cyclist" to be banned because they believe the term "dehumanises" people who use bikes.

Researchers at Queensland University of Technology and Monash University claim they have found a link between dehumanisation of cyclists and aggressive behaviour towards those who use bikes on the road.

QUT professor Narelle Haworth conducted a survey of 442 people across Australia and found 55 per cent of people who didn't use a bike described cyclists as "not completely human".

The study also found one in five drivers deliberately blocked cyclists while one in 10 say they've purposely cut them off.

She is now pushing for the term "cyclist" to be banned and replaced with "people who ride bikes".

Director of the Centre for Accident Research Professor Haworth said banning the word cyclists wasn't the only solution but it is a step forward to changing negative behaviour and dangerous towards them.

"If we used the term people on bikes, instead of cyclists, we're giving a term that is more human-like and less like a species," Professor Haworth told Daily Mail Australia.

"We need to spread the idea that those people [cyclists] could be any of us. There is need to grow a culture of mutual respect for people on bikes."