Perth tech company has answer to cycle road rage AAP Friday, 1...

Perth tech company has answer to cycle road rage
AAP
Friday, 1 June 2018 1:04PM
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West Australian reporter and keen cyclist Claire Tyrrell explains why cyclists prefer to ride two abreast, and argues it's safer.
An entrepreneur has offered a new idea to tone down road rage between cyclists and motorists amid a fresh push to restrict bikes on the nation’s roads.
More than 100,000 people have signed an online petition calling on Federal and State governments to force cyclists to ride single file at all times.
“Compulsory single file won’t stop people from cycling, it will simply help traffic flow more safely for everyone concerned — especially when a bike lane is present,” the Drivers For Registration of Cyclists group said this week.
The compulsory single-file petition also calls for all cyclists to be banned from roads with a speed limit exceeding 80km/h.
But Chris Singleton, executive chairman of cycling tech company Cycliq, suggested the prevalence of cycling cameras as a solution to the so-called war between cyclists and motorists.
He said his company’s front and rear cameras, which double as lights, modify both motorists’ and cyclists’ behaviours.
Riders can also review the footage at home to reassess road incidents and potentially see who may be at fault.Play Video
Almost 100,000 people have signed the petition.
“If you’ve got a camera on your bike, you clearly are not going to do something stupid because there will be footage of you doing something stupid,” he said.
“The more motorists that realise it’s becoming more prevalent for cyclists to effectively have front and rear dashcams, then that might tone it all done a bit.”
The self-described cycling tragic said many of those signing the petition were unaware of the benefits to drivers of cyclists riding two abreast, such as making themselves a shorter object to pass.
“What a lot of the people who sign these petitions don’t realise is how much litter there is on the side of the road — broken bottles, bolts,” Mr Singleton said.
“If you hit that stuff, you’ll come off the bike, easy as. We can never keep left enough to please those people.”
The online petition, addressed to the transport ministers of all Australia’s mainland states except WA, had exceeded 105,000 signatures by midday on Friday.

This should generate some comment if only from those who have signed the petition and wish to disagree with Mr Singleton. Good debate to have!
IJM