Cyclists can be their own worst enemies
Play
The death of three cyclists at the hands of an allegedly drunken young motorist in Chiang Mai on Sunday was a tragedy for all concerned, but, since the driver is now subject to criminal charges, I will not comment further.
However, second to pedestrians crossing the road, cyclists must be the most vulnerable and at-risk road-users in Thailand.
Here in Rayong, cycling is a hugely popular early-morning sport and I encounter many cyclists pre-dawn as I drive to Mae Ramphueng Beach with my dogs for our own daily exercise.
Often the club cyclists ride in gangs four or five abreast, blocking the single-lane approach to the beach for faster-moving traffic. Also, many of the bikes are unlit or poorly lit, and I have been upon them before I knew it. Sometimes others will swing even further across the lane to overtake fellow cyclists without so much as a hand signal.
It should be incumbent on cycling clubs to teach road safety to their members and to insist on certain rules, such as riding not more than two abreast, and to inculcate in them the realisation that they must share the roads in a responsible manner with other users.
If they don’t, more cyclists are bound to be killed.
David Brown
