An independent member of Mayo County Council has criticised the behaviour of some cyclists on roads in the county.
Carrowholly based Cllr Johnno O'Malley was speaking at the Roads Strategic Policy Committee (SPC ) of the Local Authority on Tuesday where he told the meeting that cyclists cycling two abreast should be more mindful of of traffic behind them on narrow roads.
"When they hear traffic behind them should drop back into single file, some of them will now but others will not do it and they are putting their own lives in danger and that should be made mandatory - another thing that should not be allowed is cycling with the earphones - they don't hear the vehicle behind them because they are 'jigging' on the bike to music and they are going along.
"One day I was behind someone on a bike for a good while and I could not pass him, he did not hear me, jigging away there. But he did when I got up beside him when the road got wider and that is only when he saw me and he really jigged then.
"He should not have those plugs in his ear, in my mind when you are on the road on a bike you should not have those plugs in and when they are cycling abreast on any road and hear the traffic behind them they should get into single lane."
Road safety officer for Mayo County Council, Noel Gibbons, told the SPC that "legally you are entitled to cycle two abreast", adding:"It is the same I suppose if you meet a tractor, you would not expect the tractor to pull in until it is safe to do so. You have to stay behind them until it is safe to pass."
Cllr O'Malley responded saying: "Stay behind them? Sure you could be behind them for half a mile." Director of services for Mayo County Council Tom Gilligan interjected saying: "Noel is right, it is the same as meeting a tractor on the road - you have to wait until it is safe for you to pass them out."
