{"id":746,"date":"2019-04-10T15:46:43","date_gmt":"2019-04-10T15:46:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/ie\/?p=746"},"modified":"2019-04-11T15:07:59","modified_gmt":"2019-04-11T15:07:59","slug":"safety-in-numbers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/ie\/2019\/04\/10\/safety-in-numbers\/","title":{"rendered":"Safety in Numbers"},"content":{"rendered":"

 <\/p>\n

Group cycling has become increasingly popular over the last while \u2013 and to be fair, there\u2019s nothing quite like heading out with a gang of mates on a nice long spin on a sunny Sunday morning (if the weather plays ball!).<\/em><\/p>\n

The company is nice \u2013 presuming you\u2019ve picked your fellow riders carefully! \u2013 and a bit of buffering from the wind is no bad thing either, but cycling in a group is not all upside. Many cyclists will know roads that aren\u2019t equipped for one cyclist, never mind a veritable peleton, so when it comes to group cycling it\u2019s important to consider some of the different issues you might encounter.<\/p>\n

With a little preparation, and awareness on the road, you\u2019ll find few better ways to pass an afternoon \u2013 but before you saddle up, there\u2019s a few things to think about\u2026<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Have clear methods of communication<\/strong><\/p>\n

Verbal or non-verbal, it doesn\u2019t matter; communicate up and down the line in ways that everyone will understand. Whether it\u2019s traffic about to merge or a pesky pothole up ahead, your group needs to know what\u2019s going on around them, and being able to give clear messages and indications is paramount. Cyclingireland.ie have some great guides to signs and signals for cyclists to use when out in groups.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hold the line \u2013 always<\/strong><\/p>\n

You need to always cycle in a steady, straight line, following the person you\u2019ve designated as the lead rider.\u00a0 Motorists and other road users will find it far easier to anticipate \u2013 and react to \u2013 your group\u2019s movements if everyone\u2019s singing from the same hymn sheet. On a similar note, if you\u2019re changing lead riders, try to do it in the smoothest, safest manner possible \u2013 fanning out en masse can be a recipe for disaster.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The rules of the road still apply\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

Cyclists are bound to the same rules of the road as every other road user \u2013 and being part of a group doesn\u2019t change that. On any national public roads in Ireland, you should never be cycling with more than two cyclists abreast; you should also be prepared to split and single out to facilitate other traffic.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Bigger groups will need to split up<\/strong><\/p>\n

If there\u2019s a particularly big group of you out for the day, you\u2019ll need to split into smaller teams. Cycling clubs are excellent at doing this properly, dividing riders according to speed and ability. If you\u2019re not part of a cycling group, it\u2019s well worth a try; you should consider it to actually get some experience of group cycling in a safely manner that\u2019s not going to compromise you.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Time your trip<\/strong><\/p>\n

This might seem obvious, but a bit of planning goes a long way. Unless there\u2019s some major event on, traffic congestion should be far lower on Saturdays and Sunday mornings \u2013 hence why you\u2019ll see so many groups out and about early at the weekend. If you\u2019re planning on heading out with friends as the summer approaches, try to ensure your spins won\u2019t coincide with rush hour traffic, and check the local press so you\u2019d don\u2019t ride straight into a festival crowd or something else to throw your day awry!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It\u2019s still on you <\/strong><\/p>\n

Always remember that even when you\u2019re in a group, your own personal safety and responsibility rests with you. Don\u2019t assume that your colleagues will always spot dangers lurking, and exercise the same levels of awareness and vigilance you would when riding on your own.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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