Wriggling in the crowd: An inquiry into the interactions between electric bikes and pedestrians in a shared space

Shared spaces for active mobility aim to offer safe and comfortable mobility for vulnerable road users by separating them from motorised vehicles. However, the distinct navigation characteristics of these users may increase the complexity of their interactions. The emergence of e-bikes which are faster and heavier than regular bikes has...

For whom is sharing really scaring? capturing unobserved heterogeneity in perceived comfort when cycling in shared spaces

Shared spaces for active mobility prioritize the safety and comfort of vulnerable road users by segregating them from motorized vehicles. However, the diverse speed regimes of pedestrians and cyclists can lead to encounters that may affect their comfort. In addition, the very perception of comfort may vary across individuals depending on their...

Cyclists perception and self-reported behaviour towards interacting with fully automated vehicles

Fully automated vehicles (FAVs) have the potential to improve road safety and reduce traffic congestion and emissions. Most studies of acceptance of FAVs have focused on motor vehicle users, largely ignoring other road users, such as cyclists. This study investigates the factors that influence cyclists’ receptivity towards sharing roads with...

“Game over” for autonomous shuttles in mixed traffic? Results from field surveys among pedestrians and cyclists on how they interact with autonomous shuttles in real-life traffic in Norway

Do cyclists need HMIs in future automated traffic?: An interview study

Cyclists are expected to interact with automated vehicles (AVs) in future traffic, yet we know little about the nature of this interaction and the safety implications of AVs on cyclists. On-bike human–machine interfaces (HMIs) and connecting cyclists to AVs and the road infrastructure may have the potential to enhance the safety of cyclists....

Cyclists’ crossing intentions when interacting with automated vehicles: A virtual reality study

Most of cyclists’ fatalities originate from collisions with motorized vehicles. It is expected that automated vehicles (AV) will be safer than human-driven vehicles, but this depends on the nature of interactions between non-automated road users, among them cyclists. Little research on the interactions between cyclists and AVs exists. This...

Cyclists’ intentions to yield for automated cars at intersections when they have right of way: Results of an experiment using high-quality video animations

What will cyclists do in future conflict situations with automated cars at intersections when the cyclist has the right of way? In order to explore this, short high-quality animation videos of conflicts between a car and a cyclist at five different intersections were developed. These videos were ‘shot’ from the perspective of the cyclist and...

Modelling overtaking strategy and lateral distance in car-to-cyclist overtaking on rural roads: A driving simulator experiment

The involvement of cyclists in road crashes has not been decreasing with the same magnitude as the involvement of other road users. In particular, the interactions between cyclists and motorized traffic can lead to high-severity crashes. To improve the safety of these interactions, a thorough understanding of road user behaviour is first needed....

Can Automated Vehicles Improve Cyclist Safety in Urban Areas?

Automated vehicles (AVs) are expected to assist in decreasing road traffic fatalities, particularly among passenger cars. However, until now limited research has been conducted on how they will impact the safety of vulnerable road users (VRUs) (i.e., cyclists and pedestrians). Therefore, there is a clear need to start taking into account the...

Behaviour of cyclists and pedestrians near right angled, sloped and levelled kerb types: Do risks associated to height differences of kerbs weigh up against other factors?

To create a safer environment for bicyclists and pedestrians, the usefulness of different types of kerbs as a separation between these two modes has been questioned by both researchers and practitioners. Right angled kerbs pose risks to cyclists due to their height but are assumed to separate them well from pedestrians. Sloped and levelled kerb...

Do road user roles serve as social identities?: Differences between self-described cyclists and car drivers

Research in different domains has shown that people categorize oneself and others as ingroup (“us”) and outgroup (“them”) members, resulting in group-based stereotyping and attribution errors that may adversely affect social behaviour. To determine whether such patterns also exist in road traffic, we conducted an experimental web-based survey...

Auditory localisation of conventional and electric cars: Laboratory results and implications for cycling safety

When driven at low speeds, cars operating in electric mode have been found to be quieter than conventional cars. As a result, the auditory cues which pedestrians and cyclists use to assess the presence, proximity and location oncoming traffic may be reduced, posing a safety hazard. This laboratory study examined auditory localisation of...