METRO Monday, December 21, 2009 D TODAY: Cold and bright with frost clearing slowly. Max: 3C TOMORROW: Dry and cold with good clear spells. Max: 4C METRO Weather Firms fruity way to cut sick days A CROATIAN public transport company has halved the number of staff taking sick leave by sending round other staff members with a basket of fruit and a get well card. Boss of the firm in Osijek Igor Medic said: Those who are really at home sick are grateful for the visit those that are not at home, however, have some explaining to do. MENU THE Home Digest 4 Guilty Pleasures Celebrity gossip 6 Letters 12 World Digest 13 MetroLife Arts and entertainment 14-15 60 Second Interview Author Augusten Burroughs 16 TV 16-17 Puzzles 18 Classifieds 19 Sport 20-24 Help keep Dublin clean and tidy for everyone by taking your Metro with you and recycling it Roads warning as man dies in crash MOTORISTS were last night warned to take extra care on treacherous roads after a driver was killed in a crash. The 26-year-old man died when his car slid off an icy road and in to a ditch at Ballycurrane, near Thurles in Co Tipperary, shortly before noon. He was pronounced dead at the scene. AA Roadwatch said motorists must drive carefully after freezing temperatures left road conditions hazardous. Met ireann said the cold snap is expected to continue for the coming days and will cause frost, icy roads and freezing fog. Dublins 98 morning crew Dermot and Dave, joined in union with The Wedding Journal Show, are looking for loved-up couples to tell them how they proposed to be in with a chance of winning an amazing celebrity wedding package. For further information visit www.dublins98.ie Picture: 1IMAGE WHAT DO YOU PROPOSE? BY ROSS McDONAGH Cyclists say new bridge is unsafe DUBLINS new 60million bridge has been branded dangerous, unus- able and unacceptable by cyclists. The Samuel Beckett Bridge which opened last week has already come under fire from motorists complain- ing of directional restrictions. Now a cycling lobby group has claimed the bridges cycle lanes are too narrow, and in some cases put the cyclist in danger. Dublin Cycling Campaign spokes- man James Leahy told a Sunday newspaper that signage on the bridge appears to be illegal. Its just not usable you cannot use it safely or without breaking the law, he said. This is meant to be a new flagship phase in cycle routes for the next generation, but in this case they have just repeated all the same mis- takes of the past. Mr Leahy claimed the cycle lane on the east side of the bridge leads directly into oncoming traffic, while the one on the west side has a very narrow cycle track on the foot- path which turns sharply on to the road. These particular instances are actually quite dangerous. It would have been much better for the coun- cil not to draw out any cycle lanes and leave cyclists on the road, he added. Dublin city council denied the cy- cle track lead into oncoming traffic, adding that the sign indicating shared pedestrian and cycle use was being incorporated within the new Traffic Signs Manual. Danger: Cyclists are unhappy with the cycle lanes Picture: Getty China defends climate dealCHINA yesterday lauded the outcome of the UN climate conference that ended with a non-binding agreement that urges major polluters to make deeper emissions cuts but does not require it. Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said the talks that brought more than 110 leaders together in Copenhagen produced significant and positive results. The Obama administration also defended the agreement as a great step forward despite widespread disappointment among environmentalists that the pact does not include mandatory targets that would draw sanctions. Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets to demand action. The meeting ended after a 31-hour negotiating marathon, with delegates accepting a US-brokered compromise calling for reduced emissions to keep temperatures from rising more than 2C above pre-industrial levels. It gives billions of dollars in climate aid to poor nations but does not require the worlds major polluters to make hoped-for cuts in their greenhouse gas emissions. The international response was not so enthusiastic, with Cuba and Bolivia among the nations calling the agreement unfair. LOTTERY SATURDAYS LOTTO 10 15 36 37 42 44 Bonus: 05 Plus 1: 04 16 18 24 35 40 Bonus: 28 Plus 2: 10 20 22 29 35 39 Bonus: 12 FRIDAYS EUROMILLIONS 14 30 32 35 49 Lucky Stars 03 08 index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html