I HAVE the honour to be the committee member in charge of publicity for the Autumn Tints Cycling Comrades. We are an organisation for active cyclists over 50 years young.
Every Wednesday we have several venues which our members can choose from. Each venue is or has a cafe where our members can enjoy a bite, a cuppa or few and, most important, a good chinwag. We do have one serious concern, not only affecting us Tints, but also triathletes and racing cyclists. It is the issue of cyclists being the victims of crashes instigated by the carelessness of other road users.
Once it was a rare type of mishap. Sadly it is now becoming all too common. Only last year a friend, a promising young triathlete, was knocked off his cycle when out training. Just days before he had finished very well in his first triathlon. Because someone got careless he lost an entire season; and he was one of the lucky ones.
It is a serious situation. Some of our most promising athletes are at risk whenever they go out training. So, please, when you're travelling, think cyclist.
This issue is complicated for us by the few selfish cycle users who regard the rules as something for others to obey. When effective lights are only £5 a set there can be little excuse for not having them.
Bill Houlder
Autumn Tints
