Ireland's transport minister backs required hi-visibility equipment for bicyclists

Ireland's transport minister says he remains in favour of making hi-visibility equipment compulsory for bicyclists-- although prior to introducing any legislation, he would like to see people encouraged to wear it through roadway safety projects. However, biking advocates have stated the concept of needing riders to use such clothing is "ludicrous."

Shane Ross, the nation's minister for transportation, tourism and sport, made the comments in a written answer to Robert Troy, the transportation spokesperson of the opposition Fianna Fail party.Troy had asked Ross, who sits as an independent, to set out" his plans to bring forward legislation to make it obligatory to use a high-visibility top and reflective clothes on unlit roadways after dark; and if he will make a statement on the matter."In a written reply, Ross said:"

To create a statutory obligation on the wearing of reflective clothing would require making it a criminal offence under Roadway Traffic legislation for any individual guilty of not wearing high visibility clothing."A person in breach of such an arrangement would fall to be released with a

fixed charge notification or summonsed to court, depending upon whatever treatment would be put in location for the processing of such offenses. I am of the view that despite specific challenges, this step deserves pursuing, if it might conserve even one life."He added:"However, in the brief term, I am exploring whether the wearing of high presence clothes is better accomplished by method of academic and promotion projects run by the Roadway Security Authority(RSA)rather than by pursuing a punitive technique to the concern, especially having regard to the large numbers of kids and youths who cycle."In February this year, when Troy previously raised the issue of making hi-viz clothing mandatory for cyclists, the CEO of the RSA, Moyagh Murdock

, turned down the idea and told a parliamentary transportation committee:"This is not a police state."Dublin Biking Campaign spokesman Mike McKillen said that it was" ridiculous "to make bicyclists wear hi-viz gear. He told The Times:"We need to target the less-than-careful drivers who are causing all the trouble and mess up lives."Asking possible victims to wear high-visibility clothing is just ludicrous and stands health and wellness management principles on their head."It's being pedalled as a remedy for making our roadways much safer.

It will not."

Source

http://road.cc/content/news/230460-irelands-transport-minister-backs-compulsory-hi-visibility-gear-cyclists

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