A well known Irish cycle safety campaign has analysed this photo. Do you agree with their take on how this group is riding? (Photo: Sean Rowe)
The Irish safety campaign “Stayin' Alive at 1.5" has become well known in recent years by pushing a valuable message with clever social media use.
Guided by campaigner Phil Skelton, it has busied itself gathering support – via an online petition – to put pressure on the Government to introduce a mandatory distance that motorists must giving cyclists they are passing.
The gap of 1.5 metres being sought is the basis for the campaign’s name.
On its social media account it has just posted the above photo by Sean Rowe; using it to suggest motorists may not always understand why groups of cyclists ride like they do.
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The message with the photo reads:
"Sometimes as a cyclist you find yourself defending accusations from other road users; anecdotal tales of cyclists being 'all over the road' (and) 'riding three and four abreast'.
"But what exactly are motorists seeing?
"Take a quick look at this pic of my club mates from Slaney Cycling Club making a right turn at the recent Three Peaks Challenge.
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"I'm sure from certain angles it could be mistaken that the group is three or even four abreast.
"On further inspection though, they are clearly two abreast and signalling the group's intention to make a right turn after checking that the road is clear to safely do so.
"Now, I'm not saying that this is the case each and every time or that drivers never witness unsafe cycling practices but maybe, just maybe further scrutiny is needed."
Do you agree that the group in the shot is riding in a manner that should be accepted by motorists and that the riders are as safe as possible?
What’s your view generally on sharing the road with motorists when riding in a group?
Do you shuffle into single file to facilitate vehicles who want to pass?
Or do you assert yourself in the centre of the carriageway, like vehicular traffic, in the belief that any vehicles behind must be patient and wait for an overtaking opportunity?
Let us know in the messages section just below.
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