Motorists urged to 'consider cyclists'

"Cyclists are often regarded as slow moving obstructions"

The Department of the Environment in Northern Ireland has called on motorists to show more consideration to cyclists.

A campaign to raise road safety awareness has been launched with a series of radio advertisements.

The DoE's education officer, Cathal McKeever, said many drivers in the province do not seem to view cyclists as valid road users.

"We are all concerned about cycling as we want to maximise the amount of cycling done for environmental reasons but we are very conscious of the safety factors involved," he said.

"There is very strong advice given to cyclists affecting the highway code but equally important are motorists as cyclists are more vulnerable than motorists are."

'Straightforward advice'

Mr McKeever said the advice to cyclists travelling on busy roads was simple and that wearing a helmet and appropriate clothing, using a cycling lane where available, and never cycle more than two abreast, were among the basic rules.

"The advice to motorists in the highway code is very straightforward, but very often motorists do not really regard cyclists as being traffic at all," he said.

"Often they regard them at best as slow moving obstructions on the road.

"The advice is to give them plenty of room, very often a cyclist has to make a swerve very suddenly to avoid an obstacle on the road, an obstacle that a motorist may pay little attention to as a car driver.

He added: "We both have to co-exist on the road there are vulnerable groups such as cyclists and pedestrians."

The DoE are currently conducting a radio advertising campaign covering a range of road safety issues, one of which involves cyclists.

"One of those ads infact focuses on the cyclist and the part the motorist must play in co-existing with the cyclist on the road.

"It is a matter of consideration in fact and that is a point the highway code favours."