City councillor brands cyclists as ‘cowboys

Cyclists were described as cowboys or cowgirls by a city councillor who is very concerned at their behaviour as they pedal around the city.
Cllr Pádraig Conneely said he had no problem with bikes or bike schemes but had a serious issue with the cyclists themselves.
“They cycle on footpaths, crash traffic lights, cycle the wrong way on one-way streets and are a danger to pedestrians and cars.
“And if you stop to say anything to them about their behaviour, they abuse you using foul and filthy language.
“If a motorist knocks down a cyclist, the motorist is responsible I have been told, but there’s nothing said about the behaviour of the cyclist.
“If a motorist is on his or her phone in traffic we get three points, but the cyclist who misbehaves on the road gets nothing.
“The bikes are whizzing around the streets with no regard for anybody, young or old. Councillors got lessons the other day on how to ride a bike and use the road, but maybe the cyclists should be taught on how to obey the rules of the road,” he said.
Brendan McGrath, Chief Executive for Galway City Council, said that the Local Authority was not an enforcement body and that matters of road safety had to be done under the Road Traffic Act which was the remit of the Gardaí.

For more on this story, see the Galway City Tribune.