Claudia Calleja
May father's death make roads safer
Keen cyclist is hit and run fatality
The son of a cyclist who died yesterday in a hit-and-run on the coast road hopes his father's death will at least spur the authorities to do something about road safety.
"My father was always very cautious on safety... When cycling on Maltese roads, you feel constantly unsafe. Perhaps the authorities will now do something to make the roads safer," Max Micallef, 15, said.
His father, Cliff, died after he was run over by a car in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq, about 20 metres from the entrance to the White Rocks Complex, minutes into his morning exercise routine yesterday.
The driver, 21-year-old Anthony Taliana from Ħamrun, who is expected to be arraigned today charged with involuntary homicide, was given away by the number plate of his car, which fell off and remained on the spot for the police to collect.
As news of the accident spread, condolences poured in for 45-year-old Mr Micallef, from Swieqi, whose passion for cycling was evident to all who knew him.
He had 22 bicycles in his garage, ranging from unicycles to tricycles.
"He would buy parts and old bicycles and rebuild them... He also taught disabled girls how to ride," his wife, Shirley, said. "He was very giving. In fact, he had a donor card and donated his cornea," she said.
She recalled how, even during their wedding ceremony, 17 years ago, the priest had mentioned cycling in the homily. Her husband's wardrobe was packed with cycling kits and he was obsessed with safety.
"It was his biggest passion. It was the one thing that made him forget his worries. He felt free on a bicycle," she recalled.
Whenever they went abroad with their three sons - Max, 15, Zak, 12, and Jon, eight - they would rent bicycles for the whole family, even when they went skiing.
Mr Micallef's passion rubbed off on his eldest son, Max, who often cycled with his father in the mornings.
He died on impact at about 5 a.m., but the motorist fled. Both the driver and Mr Micallef were headed towards St Paul's Bay.
Mr Micallef was planning to join the Lifecycle team next week, cycling through Istanbul and Damascus to raise funds for Mater Dei Hospital's Renal Unit. He was to join as a mechanic.
This was the fifth accident involving a Lifecycle athlete this year, according to the charity's chairman Alan Curry. Three of them were relatively small accidents and the fourth saw a cyclist smash against the windscreen of a car.
Mr Curry, who was also Mr Micallef's friend, said: "When someone dies people always say nice things. But this time there really are only nice things to say. He was such a nice guy and always ready to help others. He truly is a massive loss as a cyclist but also as a person.
"The irony is that one of the reasons why he went cycling so early was to avoid traffic," Mr Curry said.
John Zammit, president of the Malta Cycling Federation, said Mr Micallef's death was a tragic loss to the cycling community. "He cycled at five every morning and was always equipped with a helmet. It's unbelievable what happened," he said.
He pointed out that, about four years ago, another member of the federation died metres away from the spot where yesterday's accident occurred.
The 18-year-old BMX rider, who was also called Cliff Micallef, was a front-seat passenger in a car that crashed against a wall on the way to the Splash and Fun complex in August 2005.
Throughout the day, the Malta Olympics Committee, the Ministry for Culture and Sports, the Labour Party and the Malta Motorsport Federation expressed their condolences to Mr Micallef's family.
Cyclists poured their comments on timesofmalta.com.
George Debono wrote that Mr Micallef lectured him "at insistent length about the crucial importance of wearing a helmet and the number of occasions it saved his life in the past".
Edward Briffa said: "We have lost a great sportsman and an experienced careful cyclist".
Others debated the safety of roads for cyclists. "I didn't know Clifford but, as a cyclist, I know how dangerous our roads are and precautions aren't enough," Bernard Gafà said.
Nathan Farrugia, the CEO of Inspire Foundation, questioned what the authorities were doing to ensure that roads were made safe and that motorists' recklessness was addressed.
Mr Micallef's funeral will be held tomorrow at Ta' L-Ibraġ church at 2 p.m. Cyclists from various clubs, including the Lifecycle athletes, will pedal their way to the church in honour of their friend.
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Bertie O'Cassey
Aug 5th 2009, 08:41
My Condolences to Cliff's family, may you always find the support you need throughout your life's.
We have heard comments from cliff's family, it would be very interesting to hear the comments of Mr Taliana's family and their views to see if they feel that their son has done any wrongdoing.
Vincent Pace
Aug 2nd 2009, 22:48
ADT, WHERE THE HECK ARE YOU??
YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO EDUCATE THE DRIVING PUBLIC, CREATE CYCLE LANES, AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE? NOTHING
I HOPE THE MINISTER REALISES THIS IS ANOTHER FATALITY WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED HAD THE LIAISON BETWEEN ADT AND THE POLICE BEEN STRENGTHENED, AND BREATHALYSERS WERE THE ORDER OF THE DAY. PERHAPS SOMEONE CAN TELL ''THE TIMES'' HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE CHECKED COMING OUT OF PACEVILLE. AND WHAT HAPPENED TO THE ROAD SAFETY CAMPAIGNS? OR ARE THEY THERE ONLY FOR XMAS EVE.???
Ronnie Gauci
Aug 2nd 2009, 12:11
What about undercover police cars equipped with dashboard cameras like they do in America? Then careless drivers will not be able to file any complaints since their "driving" would be on film and slapped in their faces once in Court.
Something must be done before somebody else loses his life at their hands. And then let's cut the latest trend of suspended sentences and small fines, people must do time in prison in order to learn a lesson otherwise anarchy will continue to rule our roads. Let's keep away criminals from the steering wheel!!
Joseph E Briffa
Aug 2nd 2009, 10:56
I firmly believe that the presence of traffic policemen on the roads at all times of the day and night would be a great help to make the roads safer for everybody. I would suggest that a fleet of about a couple of dozen of motivated traffic police be set up; the members would be given a couple of months intensive training in the highway code, in the way they behave with the public like proper way of address, respect for the public - even if some of these look more like people from the jungle. This team should not be composed of 'typical' traffic cops - traditionally policemen who are assigned such duties are not exactly the brightest officers.. The team should be made up of average police officers who take pride in this kind of job, who sympathise with the great number of uneducated drivers and are prepared to instill some sense and responsibility in the heads of these pathetic persons who abound on the our roads and who should not have been given a driving licence.
Ronnie Gauci
Aug 2nd 2009, 03:34
Education? We tried it for decades now and failed, now it's time for DISCIPLINE. Many drivers on our roads are nothing less than criminals, I experience criminal driving on a daily basis yet I rarely see a police car patrolling our roads and when they do they look the other way, maybe arraigning people to court is too much of a hustle for them. Sentences handed out by our Courts do not help them either, in fact the car driver in this case last April was found guilty of careless driving and yet less than four months later he was driving on our streets and killed a person. For me they are responsable for this person's death as much as the driver.
George Debono
Aug 2nd 2009, 00:14
@ Paul Baldacchino
,@ the true dangers often come from other sources such as: - lack of road markings/potholes/obstacles such as crumbling walls/ - alcohol abuse/unsafe vehicles/
- drivers slowing down in outer lanes/lack of road courtesy - absence of safe cycling lanes....
No paul, there is much, much, much more to it than that ---- you too must read my report available from gdmc@kemmunet.net.mt
G
You also need to read my report - available from
George Debono
Aug 2nd 2009, 00:09
@ Kurt Mifsud
I completely identify with all you say ( see the anusing exchange i once had below)
Please email me on gdmc@kemmunet.net.mt and I really must send you (and anybody else who wishes for one) a copy of my report "Towards a Low Carbon Society: The Nation’s Health, Energy Security and Fossil Fuels. " which has a whole Part ( III ) is devoted to promoting bicycle use.
I intend organising a petition based on the recommendations of this report.
G
Brief encounter with YOH 127
Cyclist (skidding to an abrupt stop to avoid collision with a car emerging from a side road) :
- X’ ghiehed taghmel, hi ?
Heavily tattooed Driver: - Kif ??
Cyclist: - Inti suppost waqaft! ……….Mela ma rajtx dik il-linja bajda hemm min fejn hrigt ?
….. u s-sinjal tond li jghid “STOP” hemm fuq? – Inti suppost waqaft biex thalli it-traffiku jghaddi qabel ma tohrog fuq din it-triq!
Tattooed Driver: - Imma inti fuq rota , jew? u jien ghiehed nsuq karrozza; ...........missek waqaft int biex thallini nghaddi !!!!!
Groan ... We have a long way to go
George Debono
Aug 2nd 2009, 00:00
Graham Crocker (
I don't see why Maltese people have to pick on cyclists, but I have a strong suspicion it has to do with cowardice.
..and the typical bullying attitude of the owner of a bigger vehicle...
G
A Brincat
Aug 1st 2009, 23:13
Well Said Paul Baldacchino!!!!!
the ADT should also set the speed cameras to book underspeeding vechicles!!!!!!!!
Pierre Mangion
Aug 1st 2009, 19:58
condolences to the Micallef family.
as for the road safety and the authorities (government, adt, police, etc...) inactions, i have lost faith in the systems around the people. whenever a speed camera was introduced it was mostly to fatten the pockets of the private operator. the adt is not proving to be any effective - the scandal of the driving tests, the recent revelation about the sms alert, etc...it is always about money - you only see adt officers posted in sliema areas interested only on booking cars with foreign number plates. no police presence anywhere, and as one blogger mentioned, whenever you try to report they take the mickey. i submitted a report on the police website only to receive a reply two years later!!! as for the government...all full of smoke screens.
i hope that someone with at least all these contributions don't all fall on deaf ears.
once again our deepest condolences to the familly of Cliff.
Roger Mifsud
Aug 1st 2009, 18:34
I am deeply saddened about Cliff's senseless death. I just came back from the funeral and seeing his coffin lowered and a great life extinguished brought me great grief. Max is right to voice out and fight for safer streets in Malta. Max, I would like to help you with your cause to have safer streets for cyclists to ride in Malta. We could start by plotting all the fatal road accidents and plot them on a map. This should bring about awareness about the safety of our roads in Malta as well as point out dangerous areas and bring public awareness. We will not let Cliff die in vain!
Joseph Tonna
Aug 1st 2009, 17:10
Many cycle lanes are not visible and it is impossible to follow them as no paint cant be seen.
Graham Crocker
Aug 1st 2009, 13:48
Leonard Perkins, after what I've seen in my relatively short lifetime, I don't think you can educate everybody and most of the ones who can be educated, just ignore it. So the government might as well legislate and make cycling and driving motorcycles safer.
I don't see why Maltese people have to pick on cyclists, but I have a strong suspicion it has to do with cowardice.
Paul Baldacchino
Aug 1st 2009, 11:34
@ J Borg et Al.
many seem to be assuming that the solution to make roads safer is merely to curtail speed. Whilst upper speed limits must be respected, the true dangers often come from other sources such as:
- lack of road markings/potholes/obstacles such as crumbling walls/
- alcahol abuse/unsafe vehicles/
- drivers slowing down in outer lanes/lack of road courtesy
- absence of safe cycling lanes....
claire farrugia
Aug 1st 2009, 09:49
Sorry to hear what happened to Cliff. I am also a passionate bike rider, but in Germany NOT in Malta. In germany i feel safer on the bike than in the bus!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and as a woman one can ride on the bike even late at night and one does not get any problems at all. The bike lane is separate from the road, it is on the pavement but designed as a separate lane and the pavement is wide enough for pedestrians and bikers. nobody speaks to you, nobody bothers, nobody calls you names or anything. In Malta even in daylight i tried to go biking, and drivers make silly comments or shout at you as a woman some perverse comment. Apart from the bad roads which give you knee problems and back ache, so I had to quit bike riding in malta even though i love this sport..... the problem in malta is that the roads are not wide enough, so you are very close to the cars and so you are really risking your life with every pedal
Alex Borg
Aug 1st 2009, 02:18
In 12 years I spent abroad I always used a bike to commute, to shop, to exercise. I tried it a few times here and got cold feet and my bike is covered in dust in the garage. Even when cycling there is no respect for cyclists. On those few times I cycled it is not unusual to get egged on or told to brush aside by car horns, even insulted. When are roads going to start getting designed with cyclists in mind?
RIP Cliff, may your wife and children who survive you live a long life of peace and serenity inspired by the memories you left them. I sincerely hope your sudden death will make roads safer.
Leonard Perkins
Aug 1st 2009, 00:37
@ Kurt Mifsud
I have read your comments and I could not agree with you more. The buzz word is education like you said, also the Ego's of male and female drivers in Malta is a major factor for driving without due care or attention.
B Sant
Jul 31st 2009, 23:49
"Nathan Farrugia, the CEO of Inspire Foundation, questioned what the authorities were doing to ensure that roads were made safe and that motorists' recklessness was addressed."
the authorities dont have a clue how to drive - check where they placed the cycling lanes - on uneven pavements and when a petrol station came along they removed the cycling lane to accomodate the enterprise
Max Micallef
Jul 31st 2009, 22:42
FROM A SON: i hv read all your comment. i appreciated each and every letter of them. i am pleased to hear we are all ready 2 do something about such a tragedy. MY dad will constantly live in our soul coz he was a ban d would always think too much about others before himself. it was a great pity that not more could be donated but it was all we could get from him i know he would have wanted everything to be donated. he will be truly missed by every single one of us but his spirit is still wit us all of us. His funeral service would be held tomorrow (Saturday) at tal ibragg parish church at 2. all guests are welcome and all attendance will be greatly appreciated.
Kurt Mifsud
Jul 31st 2009, 17:18
That someone cross the road happens regularly and every cyclist can confirm this. Female cyclists experience even worse events and stupidities of this uneducated population. My girlfriend last Monday was going round a roundabout again and a guy with a pick-up waited for her near the give-way sign. As soon as she was going to pass in front of him he pulled off with a burnout and told a classic Maltese "hamallata", and yet again missed her by a few inches. I'm mentioning these events just to let people know a VERY FEW happenings that we cyclist encounter everyday. When are authorities going to do something? Are wardens useful only to hide behind trees giving fines? Do we need another death?
Kevin Attard
Jul 31st 2009, 17:17
Malta is far behind from EU counterparts on road infrastructure - we compare more to the 3rd world countries in this regards. Its a joke and a shame when few years back some cycling lanes were introduced - to my knowledge also on the Coast Road - only for pure political publicity. Pity and may this cycling enthusiast rests in peace.
Jon Agius
Jul 31st 2009, 17:15
some of the roads are too narrow that it even poses a risk when there is an ambulance emergency!!! Our country have too much two-way roads in which only one car can pass!!
Kurt Mifsud
Jul 31st 2009, 17:11
Always the same in Malta... authorities do nothing unless there is a fatality. As a cyclist myself I'm really fed up with the unsafety of our roads. The inner parts of the roads are unsafe, full of rubbish, dirt, screws, nails, pot holes, etc and they are NEVER cleaned. So we have to pull outwards to avoid. Secondly there is no education about respect towards cyclists. Speaking for myself, I'm expecting that one day or another I end up punching the face of some stupid guy who crosses in front of me. Last Saturday I missed this by few when an jackass couldn't wait for not more than 1sec behind me while I was going round the roundabout below Mtarfa. So he overtook me and crossing the road in front of me missing my front wheel by only an inch. I made a gesture signalling "What the hell are you doing?". He just arranged his mirror and pulled out his finger. Obviously I replied with the same gesture back. He stopped the car and so I itched him for a fight. When he saw my stature he made up his mind and drove away
TONY CAMILLERI
Jul 31st 2009, 15:46
I was devastated to hear on the Australian SBS Ethnic radio of the accident which took Cliff away from his family. I logged on to The Times of Malta to confirm that what I heard on the radio was correct, when I read this article! I met Cliff and his family in 2006 on the Sliema seafront when I was in Malta. Cliff and his whole family were all on bikes and fully dressed in cycling gear!! I was shocked of the sight, as this was not a common thing in Malta. We were introduced, and I was very impressed with the sporting attitude of the whole family. To Cliff's family, I offer my deepest condolences. I'm sure Cliff will be a contender of The Tour Of Heaven. God bless his soul!!
Joseph Borg
Jul 31st 2009, 15:41
I would like to propose the following idea for the consideration by the authorities.
I believe our roads would be safer if the current speed cameras are replaced with MOBILE, HIDDEN ones that are moved around sporadically. This is not rocket science, I am sure this is achievable. A condition required for a fine to be legal would be that the road was fairly marked with the speed limit applicable for it. This way all would respect speed limits everywhere.
As far as the fine is concerned I would suggest the following. Forgive the first offence, and maybe even the second. But then apply a fine that is based on age and number of offences. The older you are the heftier the fine, since you should know better. And since people change, I say offences older than say 5 years should not be taken into consideration.
Joseph Galea
Jul 31st 2009, 13:27
If the individual who allegedly ran over and killed Mr. Micallef is found guilty of the charges laid against him, especially that of driving under the influence, then his driving privileges should be suspended for life. It is inconceivable that anyone should be killed on the coast road at 5:00 am if due diligence is exercised.
Sincere condolences to Mr. Micallef's family on their sad loss.
Anna Briffa
Jul 31st 2009, 12:25
I was a little disappointed with this article. The content missed some important points about safety. The most obvious one was about the lack of facilities for bike riders on the roads. Many of yesterday's comments on this website commented on the totally unsatisfactory bicycle lanes that have appeared in various places in Malta.
There aren't enough.
They are not wide enough.
They start and stop abruptly in the oddest places......so where are the cyclists to go from there?
How is it there was no reference or quotations in the above article about this?
Joe Azzopardi
Jul 31st 2009, 11:33
I did not know Mr Micallef but from what I read I can see he was a special normal person. This might sound a contradiction but it is not. People like Cliff Micallef show us that normal people can make extraordinary difference in other people's lives. He is a geat lose. Condolences to his family.