Police are offering a timely reminder to cyclists and other road-users to be careful when commuting around the region following a crash between a cyclist and vehicle on Marine Parade this morning.

An ambulance and police were called to the busy stretch holiday spot at about 9.10am after a cyclist attempted to overtake a stationary vehicle and fell off, receiving only minor injuries.

Cyclists are being warned to ensure they wear helmets on busy roads this summer.

'The cyclist, who was wearing a helmet, hit the car they were trying to overtake, fell off and was taken to Tauranga Hospital for a check-over,” says Tauranga Police Acting Senior Sergeant Cam Anderson.

Marine Parade resident Jason Middleton, who arrived the scene at about 9.10am, believes the bike hit car on front left wheel and was crumpled.

Jason says he rides the road stretch daily on his bike and thinks it is 'utterly dangerous”.

'You're constantly dodging things; perhaps the cycle lanes should be better marked. People just turn in front of you, pull out from the curb and don't see you – it's quite risky just riding a bike along there, particularly when it's busy like at the moment.”

'I notice in particular, hardly anybody riding their bikes along Marine Parade wears a safety helmet,” says Jason.

Cam says police are enforcing the wearing of helmets by cyclists, with those being caught without one likely to receive a $55 fine. 'This incident is a timely reminder that it is easier to put on a helmet than end up in hospital.”

Those who do not wear a helmet are leaving themselves at risk of sustaining a head injury, an injury for the rest of their lives and 'can cost thousands in hospital medical fees”, says Cam. 'We are hot on enforcing this at the moment.”