Sharing the road in a spirit of safety

The Young Cycle Club now has up to 100 regular riders from our community including builders, tradesmen, farmers, retirees, students, professionals and shearers. As it’s now summer, we regularly have large numbers of cyclists on our organised rides.

There are many reasons cycling has become popular but fitness, competition and social qualities are important. As a non-contact sport it is one that people can continue well into their 70’s!

The Young Cycle Group has organised group rides each week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. We can have these morning or evening rides split into up to three groups of riders based on speed – the time it takes to complete the ride. The routes change, according to the seasons to accommodate events such as harvest traffic, more information on the routes are contained on our website – www.youngcyclegroup.com

Cycling Australia and the Amy Gillette foundation suggest that we should ride in 2 neat lines not more than 1.5m apart and in groups of less than 25. We do this for our own safety. By being 2 abreast it means that other traffic will slow down, and make a deliberate overtaking manoeuvre.

We are the first to admit that we are not always perfect at maintaining riding etiquette however we are working to improve on this. We encourage all riders to ride as close together as possible. With the general poor state of the roads in the area particularly after the prolonged wet winter these tidy lines can be difficult to maintain.  

It is law for other road users to give us clearance of one metre in built up areas, and 1.5m on the open road and in return, cars are allowed to cross to the right of an unbroken line to overtake a group of bike riders when they have a clear view of approaching traffic.

A quote from a recent article in Bicycling Australia – ‘A small decision that may delay your trip by 30 seconds won’t bear any relevance at all to your life but could have life-changing consequences for another person.’

We believe by taking these actions the safest possible environment is provided for both cyclists and other road users.

Feel free to contact us by email at info@youngcyclegroup.com

For some, this time of year can be challenging.

This is particularly so for people who are experiencing isolation, loneliness and mental health issues, as we are bombarded with messages of family celebrations, gifts and holidays.

Young people who may be facing some big life changes like starting a new school, awaiting exam results to get into higher education, or commencing employment can be the most vulnerable.

During these times, it is valuable for families and friends to be aware of signs and symptoms that something might be wrong with their loved ones.

Being withdrawn, not doing the things they would normally enjoy, ongoing worry or irritability are just some of the changes to look out for. If you need support or advice, headspace is here to help.

No matter where you are, you can access help at headspace.org.au