1. Cycling safety in Queensland newspapers
Dr Peter English and Professor Paul Salmon
University of the Sunshine Coast

2. Cycling v cars “road wars”
Capital Radio News, August 25, 2015

3. New laws in Queensland
Cyclists are 12 times more at risk of death than car drivers (Salmon et al. 2013)
Two-year trial – 1m passing in 60kph or above zones, and 1.5m in 80kph or above. Introduced on April 7, 2014
“We all need to get along and share the road safely” (Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads 2014)
Laws have been introduced in the ACT (trial) and SA
How did Queensland’s newspapers report the change in the laws and issues arising from the trial?

4. Content analysis sample
Safety, legal and road issues in relation to cycling
12 Queensland newspapers
The Courier-Mail and 11 regional titles
Paid-for dailies in regional government areas of 50,000 or more, and a weekday circulation of 5000 or more
Eight APN and four News Corp Australia publications
April 2, 2014 and January 1, 2015.
Proquest ANZ Newstand database
Search terms included cycling, cyclists, bikes, bike safety, 1m rule, and bike laws.

5. Fraser Coast Chronicle
Editorial articles
User-generated items
The Courier-Mail 20 5
The Cairns Post 34 67
Fraser Coast Chronicle 1 11
The Observer 7
Gold Coast Bulletin 19 69
The Daily Mercury 9 33
NewsMail 8 26
The Queensland Times 12
The Morning Bulletin 17
Sunshine Coast Daily 16
The Chronicle 13
Townsville Bulletin
Total
162
305
Results
467 articles on cycling and safety
162 stories produced by journalists (news, features, comment, editorials).
305 user-generated items (letters/texts to the editor, published social media posts)

6. Topics A single issue in 343 cases More than one issue in 124 cases
Cycling behaviour – 127 stories
New laws – 90
Accidents – 30
Cycling registration – 28
Motorist behaviour – 17
More than one issue in 124 cases
Cycling behaviour (with another issue) – 111
New laws – 95
Motorist behaviour – 43
Cycling registration – 36

7. Perceptions of new laws
200 items mentioned the new road rules
Negative
“What a stupid idea this is” (The Cairns Post, April 12)
“The new 1 metre rule for bikes is ridiculous” (Gold Coast Bulletin, May 13)
“The bicycle rules suck” (The Daily Mercury, April 14)
Positive
“The new road rules have helped” (The Morning Bulletin, May 9)
They have “made the roads safer for cyclists” (Sunshine Coast Daily, 30 October).

8. Perceptions of new laws
Positive – 38 stories
Negative – 104 stories
72 journalist-generated stories (29 positive, 23 negative)
128 user-generated items (9 positive, 81 negative)
By owners
News Corp Australia – Positive (17%), Negative (48%)
APN – Positive (22%), Negative (58%)

9. Questions about the laws
28 stories had questions about the laws (all user-generated)
“Doesn't the 1m-1.5m rule only relate to when passing?” (The Daily Mercury, May 6)
“PLEASE tell me how do you use this one-metre (cyclist and driver) rule?” (The Observer, July 10)
“Where exactly does the burden of proof lie?” (The Courier-Mail, July 5).
18 of the questions were asked in stories in April; 8 from May to July
27 of 305 (8.85%) user-generated articles included questions.
Suggests clearer messages needed when implementing laws.

10. Law breaking
Seventy-three stories mentioned breaking laws (according to descriptions in articles)
Cyclists were accused in 39 articles
Motorists in 24
Both cyclists and motorists in 10
By story type
45 journalist-produced articles – cyclists blamed 13 times, motorists 22, and both in nine
30 user-generated stories – cyclists blamed 26 times, motorists twice, and both once

11. Road wars 45 items mentioned road war-style themes and conflict
“The war between cyclists and motorists could soon spill into parliament” (The Courier-Mail, July 25, news story)
“Let's hope new ‘minimum passing limit’ laws don't spark a new ‘motorists v cyclists’ war” (The Daily Mercury, April 3, editorial)
“If it comes to hitting another car to give them a metre well I'm sorry it won't be the car I hit!” (The Queensland Times, April 8, facebook)
26 journalist-produced stories, 19 user-generated items.
News Corp Australia 26, APN 19
 9.63% of stories in the sample
 The comments show the animosity between cars and drivers, published through the media

12. Road courtesy
51 items
“The Bulletin pleads with drivers and cyclists to be patient and show respect” (Gold Coast Bulletin, April 3, editorial)
“I think it's just a matter of having more respect and looking out for each other” (NewsMail, June 5, facebook)
“Our message is we can coexist on roads and that's only going to get stronger and stronger" (The Queensland Times, July 14, news story).
34 journalist-generated stories, 17 user-generated stories
News Corp Australia 33 (The Cairns Post 18), APN 18
Newspapers playing a role in road safety campaigns

13. General portrayal of cyclists
Cyclists mentioned specifically in 426 of the stories
Portrayed positively in 81 instances.
Eg following the laws, being safe, benefiting from the changes, achieving fitness and good health
Negatively in 205 articles
Eg “There are plenty of reasons to hate cyclists” (The Cairns Post, April 12); “Why are cyclists allowed to terrorise people on footpaths” (Gold Coast Bulletin, May 12); or cyclists breaking laws, or calls for registration.
Journalist-produced stories – 47 positive, and 35 negative
News Corp Australia 13% positive, 51% negative
APN 27% positive, 45% negative
User-generated items – 34 positive, 170 negative

14. Conclusions
Fear and loathing for cyclists on Queensland roads – and online
Journalist-generated stories more balanced overall and, at times, pushing a road safety message (similar to car fatality campaigns)
Significant differences in what the community is seeing – and saying – about cyclists compared with what is being written in newspapers reports
Reader questions about laws suggest clearer messages across media could be helpful from governments when introducing this type of legislation