Road sharing struggles: Bus drivers’ views on cyclists in Santiago, Chile

• Reports a qualitative analysis of bus drivers’ views about cyclists. • Shows that drivers see cyclists as agents who are unaware of their vulnerability. • Indicates that certain stereotypes shape bus drivers’ interactions with cyclists. • Reveals that road infrastructure multiplies conflicts between drivers and cyclists. • Suggests that new policies are needed to improve bus driving and cyclists’ safety. The surge in cycling in Chilean cities is increasing the number of conflicts between bus drivers and cyclists. However, these conflicts have traditionally been ignored by the literature, especially those labelled as minor conflicts, which are not recorded by official statistics. Through three focus groups, we sought to explore the perception that drivers have about the cyclists of Santiago (Chile). The results suggest that drivers consider that cyclists do not perceive their own vulnerability and consider that many cyclists do not respect or know the Traffic Law. In their interactions, bus drivers often generate and abide to stereotypes of cyclists. Bus drivers perceive that the quality of road infrastructure is making their job harder, which potentially creates more conflicts with cyclists. Finally, the main strategy employed by bus drivers to deal with these conflicts is to maintain as much distance as possible from cyclists.