Urgent need for better behaviour on our roads

This week’s article in The Kerryman newspaper.

Michael Commane

Anyone who reads this column knows that I cycle a bicycle, have been doing so for 70 years with the exception of two years in Rome, where I was simply scared to pedal. But had no problem getting up on the bicycle while living in Berlin or indeed, anywhere else in the world with the exception of Tehran.

I still manage in Dublin but there are places in the city where it is positively dangerous to be in the saddle. 

I’ve a vested interest in cycling and my bias is inevitably with the woman or man on the rothar. However, these days I’m learning and learning quickly the downright arrogance, cheek and misbehaviour of some cyclists.

You may remember last Saturday week was a darling of a day, or indeed a handsome day as we say in Castlegregory. I was a passenger in a car traveling from Castlegregory to Tralee. We came across a group of cyclists, there may have been 10 or 15 of them. 

The N86 Dingle Tralee road is dangerous and busy. The cyclists were bunched together and had no intentions of cycling two abreast, never mind in single file. I’d say we were behind them for a good five minutes. 

Never once did they have the good road sense or manners to break into single file. Had I been driving I think I would have stopped the car and explained to them how dangerously they were cycling. It didn’t appear to me that they were taking part in a race. 

Honestly, I’m tired and sick to my teeth with the lycra gang. I might be completely wrong, but I get the impression they have jumped out of their Beamers and Teslas, fitted into the lycra and must show the world they are the men, the masters of the human race. 

We are forever being reminded by many State agencies of the importance of driving and cycling safely on our roads. People regularly give out about the state of our roads but I am convinced if we behaved as we should our roads would be far safer.

I’m often on the upper deck of buses and I can’t believe some of the bad driving I see down below me. 

Have you noticed how at times drivers are slow to move when the lights turn green? Guess what? I’ve seen only in the last week why this is happening. They are on their phones. 

Bus drivers are forever telling me of the bad behaviour they experience every day: drivers watching videos, electric scooters weaving in and out between traffic at speeds they are forbidden to travel, pedestrians on the phone while crossing the road.

I cannot believe how there are not more fatal and serious accidents on our roads because of the manner in which we are driving, cycling and scooting. And should you say anything, the offending driver or cyclists is most likely to scream and roar at you, women and men.

Can I plead with all of us to drive, scoot and cycle more carefully. Why are there not more gardaí protecting us on the roads?

This is the perfect time of the year to be scooting and cycling. Please, stay safe and enjoy the spring air.