Cyclist behaviour plays a major part in accidents between riders and drivers, an experienced Perth road cyclist says.

Rob Ramsden, training and development representative at the South Perth Rouleurs, stresses the importance of not retaliating against aggressive drivers.

He has been in situations where exchanges between riders and drivers have heightened already tense moments.

“Cars coming too close, people yelling out of vehicles, sounding their horns or just driving aggressively is something cyclists encounter daily,” Mr Ramsden said.

“It is part of cycling. It shouldn’t be, but it is. The worst thing we can do is respond in a way that leads to conflict.

“If you respond aggressively you will see a conflict escalate.”

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Mr Ramsden, 47, was cycling on Burke Drive in Attadale with a friend last year when they were overtaken closely by a red ute as the driver yelled out the window.

“It took us by surprise. He was very close, it was typical behaviour,” he said.

Mr Ramsden’s friend made a hand gesture at the passing ute as it drove off. Moments later that gesture was regrettable.

“We continued on and about 200m down the road the ute stopped and started reversing back towards us,” he said.

Camera Icon Cyclists have to turn the turn the other cheek, Rob Ramsden says.

The two riders stopped just short of the vehicle but Mr Ramsden braked so hard it blew his back tyre and sent the tube through the wheel rim.

If you respond aggressively you will see a conflict escalate.

“The tyre lost its rubber, then I had to swerve left onto the verge to stop running into the back of the ute,” he said.

As the ute drove away Mr Ramsden and his friend reflected on how much worse it could have been.

“We could have easily both ended up in hospital,” he said.

While he will never know for sure, Mr Ramsden said if his friend had not reacted, the ute probably would not have deliberately reversed towards them.

“What cyclists don’t realise is they not only put their own lives at risk by reacting, but the riders they are with and also riders who are not with them at the time. They are inflaming an already volatile situation,” he said.

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Mr Ramsden recalled another incident about three years ago when a car pulled out in front of a group he was riding in.

Hundreds of metres down the road at a set of traffic lights one of the riders in the group engaged with the driver.

As the cyclists and the car took off, the driver accelerated into the back of the rider, cracking his bike frame.

“It was unnecessary. A situation like that can’t get better by responding to it,” he said.