Cyclist Alex Mann was ticketed by police for impeding traffic on the narrow, winding upper part of Dyers Pass Road.

Police are standing by their decision to ticket a Christchurch cyclist for impeding traffic despite cycling advocates calling it "less than optimal".

Cyclist Alex Mann was heading home to Cass Bay along Dyers Pass Rd when he was ticketed $150 for blocking traffic in October last year.

The 51-year-old old father-of-three said he had cycled the winding Port Hills road about four times a week for the past 18 years.

On this occasion, a van began following him just before he reached Victoria Park. The driver failed to overtake on a straight section before attempting the manoeuvre on a blind corner.

Mann said he moved into the lane as the turn was too narrow to stay left, as the New Zealand road code recommends.

After 90 seconds, the van overtook when a police officer rode up alongside him on a motorcycle and fined him. Mann contested the ticket in court last month, but was unsuccessful.

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Senior Sergeant Scott Richardson, of Canterbury road policing, backed the officer's decision to fine Mann.

"The officer felt his behaviour was serious enough that it required a ticket to be issued, and from what I can understand it's been to a fixture and tested in front of justices of the peace and they felt the behaviour fell below the standard expected as well."

Richardson said police had to keep the road safe from both speeding drivers and road users who impeded traffic, be they cyclists or motorists.

David Walker Alex Mann was fined for impeding traffic while biking up Dyers Pass Rd in October 2014.

Police received regular complaints about road users impeding traffic.

"People going too slow or impeding traffic is a risk in that the people following become more and more frustrated. As that builds, the chance of them doing something dangerous, like trying to overtake in an inappropriate place, increases. Then you're looking at head-on crashes."

"Our advice to any cyclists or road users is to be considerate of other road users. If you feel you're holding up traffic or impeding traffic pull to the side of the road, or even pull over, and stop and and let those cars past. You don't want to have front row seats to a serious crash because people try to overtake you in a dangerous place."

CYCLING ADVOCATES WANT MEETING

Spokes Canterbury chairman Don Babe had seen the evidence Mann presented to the court in defence of his actions.

"Without in any way criticising the judicial process, the outcome in this case appears to be less than optimal," he said.

Spokes and the national Cycle Advocates Network were "taking steps" to discuss the case with police, he said.

"This type of incident is likely to occur more often as cycling emerges as a popular mode of transport and recreation activity," he said.

"Dyers Pass Rd in its current form is typical of roads designed for use by passenger cars. Whenever it is used by another mode of transport such as heavy goods vehicles, bicycles or even pedestrians, its operation is compromised.

"In these situations the attitude of the users becomes much more important. Consideration and courtesy are essential and from what has been reported, this incident did not result in inconsiderate or discourteous behaviour.

"Thankfully nobody was hurt or worse."

FINED CYCLIST 'STUNNED'

Mann, who has been knocked off his bike twice, was fearful to ride on the other side of the white line.

He was stunned by the officer's statement.

"I thought, 'Did you not witness what was going on there?' I was already riding as [far] left as possible."

Mann spent the next 16 minutes asking the officer for clarification of his alleged wrongdoing.

He disputed the fine and requested a court date, where he represented himself. He presented video evidence, colour photographs and a map of his movements that afternoon to the court last month.

The justices of the peace said there were two opportunities for Mann to move off the road and convicted him on May 12. He was ordered to pay an additional $80 in court fees.

People asked why he bothered challenging the fine, Mann said.

The police officer was the "only person" who had problem with him on the road that day, he said.

"Anybody living here realises there's cyclists on the road and occasionally you have to wait but it's a few seconds. It's not like you have to follow me up the whole hill," Mann said.

"Whether you're following a slow car, a cyclist round some tricky corners, a truck or a tractor – that is the nature of that road."

Christchurch City Council transport and city streets acting unit manager Paul Burden said there were about 3400 vehicles a day around the summit of Dyers Pass Rd between 2010 and 2012.

There were three safety projects in the draft long term plan being finalised, including safety fences for cyclists, he said.

* The reporter is no relation to Alex Mann.

* Comments have now been disabled on this story.