LAUNCESTON Mayor Albert van Zetten is pleading for a ``safety-first'' attitude from those on a bike, in a car and walking on the footpath now it is getting dark earlier.
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``I know from my experience as both a cyclist and a motorist, that some people on both sides occasionally do the wrong thing,'' he said yesterday.
``As a cyclist I've been concerned by how close some cars come to me, so I'd really urge people to give cyclists plenty of room on the roads.
``As a motorist, I have occasionally witnessed dangerous behaviour from cyclists.
``The key point is that we all have a right to the road, and we all want to get home safely at the end of the day.''
Alderman van Zetten urged pedestrians and cyclists to wear high-visibility clothing and for those on two wheels to ensure lights and reflectors were in working order.
For those with four wheels he said it was particularly important to ensure bike lanes were clear before crossing them, and to give any cyclists plenty of room on the roads.
``We all have a right to share the road, but we still hear from time to time about near-misses from cyclists, and that's worrying,'' Alderman van Zetten said.
``Cyclists and motorists have a responsibility to ensure they are aware of the road rules.''
The council has produced a brochure called the Launceston Bike Network , which includes handy road rules. It is available free of charge from the town hall.
