Cyclists everywhere will know how annoying it is when cars drive dangerously close to them, but apparently the solution is simple, and it comes in the form of a giant foam noodle.
In Queensland, Australia drivers must be one metre away from a cyclist in a 60km/hr zone and 1.5 metres away if the speed limit is 60km/hr or over. However, it seems not everyone sticks to the rules, and so one cyclist took matters into his own hands.
He was spotted in Brisbane cleverly using one of the pool floats to force cars to pass him at a safe distance, rather than zooming by in close proximity and putting him in danger. He had attached the noodle to the back of his bike, leaving it sticking a good few feet out into the road.
PexelsAdmittedly the foam barrier probably wouldn’t have caused much damage to any cars who risked ignoring it, though it certainly would have given the cyclist an aggressive wobble.
But even if cars were willing to drive dangerously close to his homemade deterrent, the savvy man clearly had enough faith in humanity to believe no one would risk actually making contact with the noodle.
The amusing display was caught on camera by another road occupant, Alfred Botha, who snapped a picture of the cyclist’s noodle and shared it online.
Got'to hand it to the folks in Bardon. They do know their rights.gapdesign.com.au
Posted by Alfred Botha on Sunday, 26 May 2019
He wrote:
Got to hand it to the folks in Bardon. They do know their rights.
Many people praised the man’s clever use of the foam float, and even though it might not be a new trend among the cycling community, the picture encouraged others to consider their road safety.
One person vowed to ‘visualise a pool noodle when passing a cyclist’, while another commented ‘I really think this diligence for safety is a must’.
PixabayHowever, although the noodle deterred cars from getting too close, Alfred revealed it ended up causing some issues for those on the road.
Speaking to the Daily Mail Australia, he explained:
Unfortunately for the bloke [the noodle] didn’t work.
The noodle stuck out too far to the right and if he tried to turn [a corner] he’d end up blocking the vehicles trying to drive straight on.
It was more of an obstruction than anything else.
PixabayDespite the faults with the foam attachment, Alfred said the cyclist seemed ‘determined’ to do what he wanted and doubted whether he would have been bothered if anyone questioned the noodle.
It’s annoying that cyclists can’t trust drivers to keep their distance of their own accord, but the man’s big yellow reminder was a good way to draw attention to the matter!
If you have a story you want to tell, send it to [email protected].
Emily Brown first began delivering important news stories aged just 13, when she launched her career with a paper round. She graduated with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University, and went on to become a freelance writer and blogger. Emily contributed to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems before becoming a journalist at UNILAD, where she works on breaking news as well as longer form features.