By Peter Uwumarogie
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Gombe State, on Wednesday advised residents of the state to desist from riding bicycles at night for their safety.
Mr Felix Theman, Sector Commander gave this advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lafiyawo community, Akko Local Government Area of Gombe State.
Theman said the chances of getting into a crash were higher at night, in view of the impact of poor visibility in causing accidents on major roads.
He said darkness could make it difficult for riders to see what was ahead while riding.
The commander said it was also challenging for vehicles, pedestrians and other road users to identify most bicycle users at night.
He said that the solar streetlights installed by the state government on most major roads in the metropolis, should not be a reason for users to be on major roads at nights.
According to him, riding bicycles at nights exposes riders and residents to risks of crash, because most bicycles have poor lightening system unlike motorcycles and cars.
“The night should be completely avoided by bicycle riders especially children; we are warning that parents should not allow their children to ride bicycles at nights.
“If they must ride on street roads they must put on bright clothes and ensure they use torchlight.
“But on major roads, please avoid it completely because the risk is far higher hence we advise against riding bicycles at nights on major roads,” he said.
The sector commander also cautioned bicycle users to avoid using the left-hand lane while riding to ensure their safety on the road.
Theman said though bicycles were part of the traffic system and users had same rights as any road users, “they have to be careful not to create conflicts on our roads.”
He said bicycles, motorcycles and tricycles should not use the left-hand lane; especially the extreme left lane.
He said that the lane is for fast moving vehicles while the right lane was for traffic that paces more slowly.
“You can use the extreme right lane only; the only reason to move to the left is when you want to cross the road, avoid potholes or make U-turns,” he said.
Theman appealed to parents in the state to caution their children, who use bicycles especially while on major roads to avoid road conflicts and crashes. (NAN)