A few weeks ago one of the lads at work said to me “Hey, they’re talking about you on Tipp FM”, our local radio station. Now, I love radio and I’ve been given many opportunities to speak about subjects. The station has been very good to me in the past and I’m one of those people that appreciate stuff like that.
Anyway, the programme producer contacted me a little later, asking if I was free the following morning to speak about an issue.
However, there’s an added problem, as the boss at work pays my wages and he expects me to do a bit of work for him and leave my radio stuff for my own time. I had to decline the station, but I sent them an email, which they referred to in my absence the following day.
The issue to be discussed? Cyclists and how some of them are a menace on our roads, footpaths, operating with impunity, with little or no regards for other road users.
I have spoken on many occasions, pleading for acceptance, share the road, treat each other with respect and I have been hugely critical of other road users. However, sometimes you begin to ask yourself if it’s worth it.
“I tried” I told the radio producer, “but you know what, I don’t care anymore. Let people do as they wish, I can’t change the world”.
Fast forward to last night, stretched out watching the Tour of Utah on telly, when my phone blinked. It was a good friend calling, so I answered.
“Are you on WhatsApp?” my friend asked, “I have a video to send you and I’d like your opinion”
“Yep, send it on, is it juicy?”
“God be with the days” he laughed and we had a good chat for a while.
My friend runs a business, pays rates, taxes, creates employment, pays wages, pays more taxes, you get my meaning.
Anyway, standing on the footpath outside his premises this week, he was confronted by a cyclist travelling at speed, heading the wrong way on a one way street, on the footpath. My friend stopped the cyclist, explaining how dangerous it is, telling him how he is causing a potential threat to pedestrians and most importantly for him, people leaving his business.
My friend is an easy going person and not the type to lose his temper and ironically enough, he has a strong interest in cycling and has pushed many a pedal in his day. However, I don’t think he expected to be treated with in the way he was and took a video as proof.
The belligerence of the guy on the bicycle left me stunned, as I watched the video of the confrontation.
Contempt, couldn’t care less and downright ignorance, are adjectives that also come to mind to describe his attitude.
Both my friend and I agreed that a “few slaps of a hurley wouldn’t go astray on him”. Strangely enough, there was a time in Ireland where such actions were actively encouraged.
“Take that to the Gardaí” I advised.
“I did” was the answer.
I attempted to reassure my friend that this guy isn’t a proper cyclist. In my opinion, he’s just an arsehole, who has the ability to cycle a bike.
Is he representative of our sport? Of course not. He’s just a lout and an ignoramus who could do with an introduction to the affore mentioned hurley.
So far this year, I have cycled almost 6,000km, with a target of 10,000km by the end of the year. Only recently, during our holidays I managed almost 1000km, climbing the equivalent of Mount Everest in the process.
In that length of time, I would say my altercations with other road users have been minimal. If I had to count them, I would easily manage it on one hand. You see, I’m a motorist as well, I own a car and at one stage in my life, I actually drove for a living. Contrary to popular belief, I pay for my use of the roads, as all my other cycling friends do and also contrary to popular belief, I have insurance and a licence to ride my bike.
“What??? A licence to ride a bike??? Are you joking??”
“Nope, I have full membership of Cycling Ireland”
I also possess that unique of qualities, I was brought up by my parents to have respect and to have a good name.
My dad always told us as we grew up “You might have a hole in the arse of your trousers, but if your name is good, you can walk any street or in any door, with your head held high”
Those are qualities we try to instill into our own child.
So far this year, millions has been raised by cycling and cycling clubs for good causes across the country.
On Sunday week next, I will be among the riders taking on another 200km, raising funds for cancer care. Already this year, I raised over €500 for Motor Neurone.
The actions of the guy my friend confronted do absolutely nothing for cycling, for the participants or for the sport in general. If anything, it sets the sport back and gives the critics more ammunition and more reasons to complain.
As a further result, people like me, who do their very best to participate in a sport are tarred with the same brush.
It’s wrong and unacceptable.
I sent the video to one of our local councillors, who has done huge work in providing proper cycling infrastructure in the town and I could sense his disappointment.
I also sent it to Tipp FM, with an explanation “that’s another reason why I didn’t speak on the airwaves recently”. You cannot defend the indefensible.
I would love to publish the video for everybody in the town to see, but under data protection, the guy in question has many more rights than I have, so I could end up on the wrong end of the law.
In the meantime, that guy will tear around the footpaths of our town today. He will display the same arrogance, ignorance and sheer contempt for people. Eventually, somebody will get seriously hurt and the “effing cyclist” brigade will have a field day.
He’s not the only one, its endemic across the nation, putting a strain on scarce Garda resources and creating more animosity.
And they wonder why so many people hate cyclists.
The Unknown Bike Rider 