Summer cyclists – a new and colourful hazard on the roads

Working for the AA can get you into hottish water from time to time. There are those who contact me on a fairly regular basis about the behaviour of cyclists. A lot of people have a lot to say about badly behaved cyclists on our roads and a few suggest colourful and rather draconian punishments for them.

There is the other side as well – plenty of cyclists have encountered obnoxious and dangerous car drivers. I have seen mini road rage incidents on both sides, including cars deliberately splashing cyclists through puddles or blasting them with horns. I’ve also seen a spandex-psycho kicking a car wing-mirror in retribution for something or other, which is unforgiveable.

Electric cars for Dublin EU environment summit

EU Environment Commissioner Janez Potonik, pictured beside a 100 per cent Nissan Leaf electric car at Dublin Airport. As part of ESB’s sponsorship of Ireland’s presidency of the EU, the company is facilitating the provision of electric cars.

These were used to transport some visiting delegates for the duration of the Informal Council of EU Environment and Energy Ministers meetings at Dublin Castle late last month (April), as well as other events during the remainder of the Irish EU Presidency.

Fatigue – the fourth ‘Big Killer’

Using the roads is the single most dangerous thing that most of us do every day. It is more than a little terrifying when you think about it. Especially for drivers, we control a ballistic missile weighing more than a tonne travelling at anything up to 120 kph.

As we fiddle with the radio, yawn, daydream, we are at every single moment only a heartbeat away from dying or killing someone else.

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