A cycling experience

Only for the second time in four years I was given the chance to go cycling with a road-racing bike on the Maltese roads. But after touring the island for just a few hours I can already make some observations and report incidents, both of a positive and negative nature.

Let me start with the positive aspects.

Nowadays Maltese car drivers seem to be more aware of cyclists and even keep a minimum safety distance. They do not blow their horn anymore while approaching or overtaking. They pay attention and treat cyclists with respect. I noticed that especially young drivers and those of new or well kept cars show such good behaviour.

Also noticeable is the fact that special bike tracks can be found on some roads, although some negative points have to be mentioned in this respect, too.

These bike lanes are often in very bad conditions, the worst badged strap of the road, full of dust, dirt, plastic bottles, pieces of metal and glass, which makes driving on them very dangerous. And, all of a sudden, the bike lane ends and you find yourself at a huge roundabout with all the traffic again.

Clear signs of where bikes are allowed and where not are missing.

Let me mention again the behaviour of some drivers but this time in a negative context. Some drivers of cars, buses and trucks (more often than not number plated GVN, GVP, GM or ending with a Y) still believe that bicycles should be banned in Malta.

At least you get this feeling when they approach you with a lot of noise, honking while overtaking with a distance of just a few centimetres.

However, Malta has won a lot for cyclists in the past few years. I would say that it is safer now and more drivers are aware of cyclists and know how to treat them right on the road.