Get on your bike for life

THE number of people cycling in Ireland has more than doubled in the past 10 years, which must surely be a help in easing traffic congestion on the roads, not forgetting the health and environmental benefits.

On the other hand, the return to the bike has created additional hazards on roads which were designed to cater for cars and other vehicles. While some progress is being made in providing dedicated cycle lanes, especially in cities, we’ve a long way to go before we catch up with other European countries in that regard.

In Holland almost everyone cycles and the lanes are designed in a way that cyclists and cars have equal standing. Cyclists often have right-of-way. Amsterdam is one of the most bike-friendly cities in the world and the same could be said for Copenhagen in Denmark.