WARWICK cyclist John Creed wished motorists understood the agony of being hit by a car, a pain he knows all too well.

The Southern Downs Triathlon Club president has been struck by a car on the Cunningham Highway in an incident which still makes him nervous to ride on the roads.

Mr Creed was pedalling along the busy stretch when an elderly driver crossed over to enter her driveway but instead drove straight into him.

He said he just looked up and the car was there.

"(I hurt my) neck and my back was out pretty badly and stuffed up by right elbow, I was unconscious," he said.

"It hurt so bad, it really, really hurt."

Mr Creed stayed in hospital overnight but it was three months before he got back on the bicycle.

But he still considers himself lucky, as the impact of the crash caused his bicycle to be completely ruined and the car to be written off.

Queensland's peak bicycle body has launched an unprecedented broadside at motorists, saying that cyclists are "terrified" of cars.

According to Bicycle Queensland chief executive Anna Savage the state's roads have become a worsening war zone between cyclists and drivers - claiming lives, destroying families and costing the economy $150 million a year.

She directed a blunt message to motorists saying it was time for drivers to start behaving after eight cyclists were among the 248 people killed on the roads last year.

"Drivers, I have a message for you. Ordinary Queensland bike riders - our mums and dads and kids - are terrified of you," she said.

"When you honk, shout, and hurl profanities, we get hurt," she said.

"We have a right to be on the road, and we ask you to respect that right.

"At least one in five Queenslanders say the main barrier to bike riding is fear of traffic.

"All road users were created equal - all of us contribute to the cost of transport infrastructure, as taxpayers.

"On behalf of Queensland cyclists, I'd like to call for an end to hostilities between bike riders and car drivers on Queensland roads."

Mr Creed said most Warwick drivers were courteous around cyclists, with the exception of a few isolated incidents.

"It's a two-way thing," he said.

"In my opinion, some of the riders don't understand the road rules quote as well as they should.

"Some of the drivers in the cars get a bit sick of that and toot the horn, but some people are ignorant and think they own the highway so it's a bit tricky."

Fellow Warwick cyclist Robert Partington agreed most drivers were courteous, but said some cars did drive too close and he avoided riding two abreast on major Warwick roads because it was unsafe.

"Every now and then you'll have someone who will come very close, too close," he said.

"Sometimes they're only about 2cm from your handlebar at 100km/hr.

"I have felt a wing mirror off a truck hit me on the shoulder and I was right on the edge of the road."

Mr Partington said all cyclists were vulnerable and he knew some who had stopped riding as they feared for their safety.

"I think they're trying to give us a fright, it's gutless as far as I'm concerned," he said.

"Our lives are at stake, our family and friends, there's a lot at stake."

"The health benefits far outweigh the odd one or two, you've got to harden yourself."

Darling Downs Cycling Club member Laura Brazier said she thought most incidents happened when drivers did not see cyclists.

"I try to use lights front and back, flashing lights during the day to keep myself safe," she said.

"It's all about communication between cyclists and motorists, you need to know what the cyclist is doing and you need to know what the motorist is doing.

"Most drivers are fine, especially when you make eye contact with them because then they know you're a person."