Cyclists face a harrowing time on roads as motorists have scant respect for them, said experts who feel that India’s cycling coach Ruma Chattopadhyay’s death in a road accident on the Noida Expressway was due to the driver’s negligence.

“There is no respect for cyclists on the road. People don’t have any traffic sense. The attitude has to change,” said Chayan Choudhury, ex-Indian cycling coach.

“It is sad (Chattopadhyay’s death) but accidents are part of this game. Anything can happen any time,” he said.

He added that people in India hardly care for cyclists.

Mediaperson Juhi Chaudhary, who started cycling a few years ago, admitted that her attitude towards cyclists changed only when she took up cycling.

“I am a disciplined driver now after experiencing how annoying and life-threatening it can be to ride a cycle on a road where everyone is in a hurry. Now I ensure that if I see a cyclist, I let him pass,” she said.

“I used to take cyclists for granted. I don’t do that anymore,” she added.