To be fair, the Greens were not without blame when Parliamentary Services had mistakenly advised MP's the rules on claiming accommodation allowances.

The continual reference to Bill English and his claiming allowances is easily countermanded by the fact ALL parties we ill advised and MP's were ALL claiming the accommodation supplement wrongly.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/2930084/Greens-give-back-6000-in-housing-mistake .

You have to be a brave cyclist to ride away with a bus 100mm from your back wheel. The bus driver does not need to hit a cyclist, just scare the brown stuff out of lycra.

The sound of air brakes would be intimidating enough. Hence my idea to let the cyclist cross the intersection with the pedestrians is good. Provider there is room. Maybe a special light (like the clear "B" on bus lanes) to show cyclist to move clear of the snarling pack behind them.

On the diagram in the road code the advance boxes are shown in front of the pedestrian crossing. Most of the ones I have seen in Auckland the box is behind the pedestrian crossing. Possibly the cyclist are supposed to cycle across the intersection with the pedestrian green light in the same direction? That would make a lot of sense.

You have to be a brave cyclist to be in the advance box with a double decker AT bus behind you whilst searching for a foot pedal on the green light. Those new buses go from 0 to 30 pretty quick and their drivers have an itchy right foot and a time table to keep to. Never mind having to dodge tardy pedestrians.

The onus to avoid a collision lies equally with the cyclist as with the car/truck/bus/van driver.

From a legal perspective the cyclist may well be up for the damages caused when in the wrong. How many cyclist have third party insurance? That headlight on the flash BMW may be far more expensive than you think. Scratch in paint, expensive to touch up seamlessly, could be up for a full respray.

Maybe a defensive riding course for cyclist is required?

Interestingly the road code promotes cyclist to use the hook turn at intersections.

How many knew that?

https://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/roadcode/about-other-road-users/information-for-cyclists/#lane

An unforeseen occurrence with the painted cycle ways on roads is the use of the lanes by motor cyclist. Time and again a motorcyclist will roar up the cycle lane making a mockery of the lane. Also cyclist please note that riding across a pedestrian crossing does not mean cars have to stop for you. You have to walk your bike over.

If we look at the pedestrian crossing outside Carrington on Carrington Road as an example, cyclist ride the footpath (instead of the cycle lane painted on the road) hold their arm out to signal they are crossing the road using the pedestrian crossing (despite the signs saying to dismount) and expect traffic to stop. Well 90% of car drivers do stop but not all will. Seen quite a few very close shaves there. Much shaking of fists by cyclist but they are 100% wrong to ride across. Lower the blood pressure and walk across. And if you do ride across, mind the pedestrians that cross with you.