KEEN road cyclist Oscar Davie is very wary of motorists.
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The 13-year-old from West Launceston said despite the death of another young cyclist Lewis Hendey, 21, on the West Tamar Highway on December 29, he hadn't seen any change in the attitude of motorists when they pass him.
Oscar was one of about 150 road cyclists who gathered for the Cycling Awareness Memorial in honour of Lewis at the Tamar Yacht Club yesterday.
"I usually avoid going out by myself, it seems quite daunting when it's just me," Oscar said.
"I feel a lot safer when I'm out there with a group but I don't think it [the death] has changed the minds of drivers. But it might if the one-metre rule comes in," he said.
Organiser of the memorial gathering Colin Burns, of Cycling Tasmania, said the event was aimed at bringing together local cyclists and Lewis' family to continue the push for people to sign the petition seeking the A Metre Matters rule be legislated nationally.
Mr Burns said they were seeking at least 50,000 signatures before it could be satisfactorily tabled in Federal Parliament.
Lewis' uncle, Ian, of Melbourne, said although he wasn't riding yesterday he wanted to be there to support his family and thank the other cyclists for turning out and signing the petition.
"Everyone here knows it could have been them," Mr Hendey said.
"I think the best thing we can do now is to get people to sign that petition, to raise the 50,000 signatures that we need."
Tamar Bicycle Users Group president Malcolm Cowan said there were a number of initiatives, besides the A Metre Matters campaign, under way between different state agencies, councils and cycling groups to make road cycling safer.
He said under current road rules, motorists must allow for sufficient room between them and cyclists when overtaking, but the metre campaign would define that minimum safe distance.