"War on our roads. Cars versus cyclists, the new front line on Australian roads. Depending on which side you're on ..."

So began a report on last week's Sunday Night program on Channel 7. Fuelled by confronting footage of cars colliding with cyclists, the promos had preceded the shows for days.

And just to get the pulses racing, there was a clip of radio announcer Derryn Hinch encapsulating his view of cyclists: "Cockroaches on wheels."

Like any good promo, it sucked you in. But what followed was, in the main, a sensible, reasoned plea for more calm and consideration on our roads. To reinforce this message, the program highlighted what can happen when things go wrong, focusing on two women who had sustained awful injuries through the actions of careless motorists.