Only 5 per cent of those interviewed claimed they never broke the law. But does this mean cyclists are the most lawless group of road users? How many motorists could swear that they have never exceeded the speed limit, slowly rolled through a stop sign, or checked a phone text while waiting at traffic lights? Pedestrians, meanwhile, can be cavalier when it comes to crossing the road, ignoring the "little red man" as he beams or blinks is commonplace. The Herald recognises very few people intentionally make dangerous decisions on the road, and many errors occur in circumstances where users seek to protect themselves or fall foul of misunderstandings about complex road rules. Bicycles are classified as vehicles, but nevertheless exist in a curious space between cars and walkers, with extra laws that acknowledge their otherness. Even then, different jurisdictions can't decide which rules are best. Consider the act of riding on a footpath. It's one of the most complained-about offences in NSW, but legal in Queensland, Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory.

Red lights, meanwhile, can be an unnerving experience for a rider who fears being squeezed off the road by quickly accelerating cars. The researchers found some cyclists preferred to get rolling early, to reduce any subsequent speed differential. Self-preservation aside, there's another obvious reason why many cyclists flout laws – because they tend to get away with it. Much law-breaking is victimless and while police can, and do, collar offenders, many believe that officers should and will focus on behaviour that causes danger. If so many cyclists feel that observing regulations can be counter-productive to safety, what is the solution? One answer is contained in the list of law-breaking motivations: the need for properly designed, connected infrastructure. After a hiatus, bike lanes are once again being built in the Sydney CBD. Even though the routes are incomplete, cycling numbers have reportedly increased 130 per cent in the past four years. Last year, Transport for NSW released a blueprint for "Sydney's Cycling Future"; many aspects are still years away from completion.

It's unlikely we'll ever have a dedicated path on every street. Drivers, riders and walkers are going to have to get along for many years to come. Safety is therefore a duty to be shared by all – and cyclists cannot defer responsibility. While they are intensely vulnerable to motor vehicles, they can easily become an unnerving presence when interacting thoughtlessly with pedestrians, even on the many "shared path" areas in the city. Cyclists should not use their vulnerability as an excuse for wholesale breaking of road rules. Riding in a predictable manner is a key aspect of road safety, and law-abiding behaviour assists this. In any hierarchy of vulnerability, walkers are near the pinnacle, especially in Australia, with a rapidly ageing population who should be able to enjoy active travel without fear of a collision that might cause a debilitating injury. Discussing the survey's findings last week, a Bicycle NSW spokeswoman called for a major campaign about sharing the road, which has historically been divided along pedestrian, motorist and cyclist lines.

It's a valid observation. Law-abiding or law-ignoring, the more we focus on common humanity and coexistence with our fellow road users, the safer we'll all be.