At Ennis District Court, Judge Patrick Durcan was commenting on a case of Thomas Murphy, aged 36, of Moyhill, Cratloe, Co Clare who is charged with the careless driving of a pedal cycle at lunchtime on the Ennis-Limerick dual carriage-way on December 31, 2013.

Insp Tom Kennedy agreed: “I have never come across a case like this myself.”

Judge Durcan said that, with the proliferation of cyclists on our roads and the way cyclists cycle on our city streets, cases like this will become more common.

He said: “This, I believe, is something that will be welcomed by motorists.”

Mr Murphy is charged with careless driving under Section 52 (1) of a Road Traffic Act dating back more than 50 years to 1961.

The charge arises from Mr Murphy and his bike allegedly colliding with a parked Toyota Yaris on the hard shoulder of the dual carriageway near Limerick city between Cratloemoyle roundabout and Meelick roundabout

Mr Murphy was not in court yesterday and Judge Durcan adjourned the case to July 3 to Ennis District Court for a plea or to fix a date for hearing.

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