Advocacy: Why We Do What We Do
Mike Watson | Advocate Coordinator , Pedal Power ACT
Chapter Seven: Human Behaviour at Human-Powered Speeds
This chapter looks at two things:
Natural human behaviours that help us avoid collisions when we’re moving slowly enough to see another person in time to work out a way around them.
What happens at higher speeds, when we can’t rely solely on instinct and need to apply deliberate “alerted see and avoid” techniques.
From there, we’ll connect these behaviours to the Share the Path guidelines, showing how they’ve been developed to reflect the way people naturally move and react, so collisions are less likely when everyone plays their part.
The Rules in the ACT Today
These signs appear roughly every 500 metres on main and principal cycle routes in the ACT. But here’s the thing, almost nobody can explain all the statements on them if you ask. If more people understood and applied these rules, they would be far more effective.
How Your Instincts Work to Avoid Collisions
As discussed in Chapter 5, your eyes and brain are remarkably good at predicting potential collisions. When you see someone coming toward you, you instinctively check whether they are moving sideways in relation to distant stationary objects in your view.
No sideways movement? You’re on a collision course unless one of you changes speed or direction.
Sideways movement? You’re on track to pass each other safely.
Usually, both people in a “conflict pair” make small adjustments to increase the separation, signalling, without words, that they agree on the avoidance manoeuvre.
Why the Faster Person Has More Responsibility
When overtaking, the faster traveller can see more of the situation, so they should take primary responsibility for avoiding a collision. That means:
The faster person adjusts their path or speed.
The slower person cooperates by holding their line and not speeding up unexpectedly.
It’s a team effort, even if one team member is doing more of the work.
Why Distraction is Dangerous
Collision avoidance works best when both people in a conflict pair are paying attention. If one is distracted—say, looking at their phone—avoidance becomes less reliable.
That’s why an extra attention-grabber helps:
Motorbikes have their engine noise.
Emergency vehicles use sirens.
In the Netherlands, cyclists ring their bell when overtaking (and get told off if they don’t).
Quiet vehicles, like most bikes, need this deliberate alert. Bells work because their sound is distinctive and associated with bikes. While calling out is an option, a bell is usually clearer and less startling.
The Importance of Safe Passing
People feel safe when they are safe. When overtaking on the active travel network:
Give generous space.
Adjust your passing speed.
These considerations build trust and reduce anxiety, making the path feel safe for everyone.
Building Cooperative Behaviour
On country roads, drivers often wave or nod to each other; the same courtesy can exist between path users. Even a quick “morning” or “hiya” helps create a cooperative environment, making it more likely you’ll work well together next time you meet.
How Instincts Link to the Guidelines
The Share the Path rules reflect these instinctive behaviours:
Bikes give way to pedestrians → The faster vehicle yields in a conflict pair.
Pedestrians don’t block the path → Cooperation with every potential conflict pair.
Sound your bell / warn on approach → Alert the other person to your presence.
Control your dog → Because unpredictable dogs (and extendable leads) can be hazardous for everyone.
The Reality of the Active Travel Network
Compared with roads, active travel routes see far more variety:
People of different ages, abilities, and attentiveness levels.
A mix of pedestrians, cyclists, e-scooters, mobility devices, trikes, and even shopping trolleys.
A range of speeds, from strolling to near-road-bike pace.
Many people are less focused on traffic than they would be on a road—they may be chatting, listening to music, looking at their phone, or simply enjoying the scenery. Some may have hearing or vision impairments you can’t see.
Rights, Not Licences
On the road, you need a licence to drive and can lose it if unsafe. On the active travel network, no licence is required, it’s open to everyone who’s walking or using a legal device.
That means:
You can’t assume others will behave predictably.
Nobody has an absolute right of way over anyone else.
The safest approach is to expect diversity, expect unpredictability, and behave in a way that accommodates both.
We can hope for cooperation, but we shouldn’t rely on it. Instead, we each need to be the person who makes the path safe for everyone.
