Wearing club gear and representing your club

Most of the time I have good news to share but unfortunately as the club PR contact complaints also come to me.

Recently we have had a number of complaints come in via email and social media so at the committee meeting tonight we decided to put out a reminder to members that when you are wearing club gear you are no longer an individual on a bicycle, you also represent the 699 other members of a club which is the oldest in the country.

Earlier in the year we received a complaint via Twitter of a club member cycling through red lights at a busy junction near the Phoenix Park.

Also via Twitter we received another complaint few weeks ago that a cyclist wearing full Orwell gear cycled on the footpath near the Beacon Hotel forcing a woman pushing a buggy to move out into the road.

Last week during the fires at the Sally Gap photos were shared of club members posing beside the fires while the roads where closed and while the Gardai & Mountain Rescue were actively telling people to stay away from the area.

We ask that you please cycle carefully and sensibly and always remember you are part of a wider club and community of cyclists.

The Committee

Coming back from a great spin with the Orwell and I saw a rider in Orwell kit breaking a red light in Rathmines.

When the light went green I caught up with the gentleman, who I didn't recognise, and just politely reminded him that when he's wearing the kit, he should stop at red lights, especially at busy junctions like that.

For some reason he found this funny and laughed at me.

Maybe it's just from my school days, where it was drilled into us how important the uniform was and how we behaved in public, but I find that kind of attitude a little puzzling.

I would contact the gentleman if I knew who he was, but I have to resort to calling it out on the forum instead.

The rider in black is one of us on an Orwell spin this month. Knows who they are. This is somewhat harmless but also damaging to our image. Don't give the George Hook "Bloody Cyclists" brigade ammo. If the two of us can stop you 50m behind can too.

I received the following email;
"Dear Orwell leisure rep

As a member of one cycling club to another I have to say your group cycling south along Whitechurch road tonight 23-4-19 at 18:30 did not exactly cover themselves in glory. Failing to yield to cars at the tuning fork for one. Swarming cars at lights and coming up inside of cars indicating a left turn at the dodgy lights junction at Sarah Curran Ave. I’m guessing some rusty heads after winter but not great road etiquette.

Best wishes..."
NAME SUPPLIED in the email
.
This group may very well be our Tue Hill group, if so , please remember to un-rust yourselves...

Cheers,
Leonard.