Frans H. Said, St Paul's Bay
Cyclists and motorists
I have just read that the new transport regulator will promote cycling at the expense of motorists. Without going into the merits of any accident or mishap, the main danger is the fact that our roads are too narrow and the mixing of the two modes of transport is prone to danger from both parties. Cycle lanes should not occupy part of any road; if need be there should be a hard elevated shoulder and cyclists would not be allowed on the carriageway.
Having said this, I must highlight certain unfair assumptions by those who consider the car as the devil's work. If certain drivers are irresponsible, arrogant or ignorant, the fault lies clearly with ADT and the authorities. The few traffic wardens are in fact misnamed. These are purely there to issue parking tickets. The state of certain cars, VRT or no VRT, is pathetic. The lack of signals is criminal, jalopies are allowed without restraint. Potholes require last-minute swerving. The list is endless.
On the other side of the coin we have the saintly cyclists. Up to a certain age I used to cycle, in fact I cycled in many countries. All road users, be they pedestrians, cyclists, motorists or otherwise must obey the safety rules. I shall mention a few of the faults as seen personally on our roads.
No reflective wear, no clearly visible lights, cycling two abreast, racing in an effort to keep up or overtake cars, swerving from the cycle lane, behaving the same irrespective of whether there is a cycle lane or not, training and practising alone or without proper signs on major roads, ignoring traffic signs or traffic lights, ignoring pedestrian crossings, ignoring one-way traffic movement and carrying a second person. Plus many other bad practices.
Another aspect is the contribution (or lack of) towards the road upkeep. If a bicycle uses, say, a third of the space of a car, it should pay the proportional ratio.
Preparing and maintaining cycle lanes costs money. Why should motorists, already heavily taxed, sponsor other users? Bicycles do not carry any identification and licence plates are needed.
It has been known that cyclists knocked down children.
The lower and upper age limit of the cyclist on the road must also be controlled. Cyclists need to be tested and licensed.
The idea that cars are bad is a travesty of the truth. Properly driven, cars are essential and help the economy. Let us not make a scapegoat of car drivers. One or a few accidents do not justify the hate campaign between the two users.
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norbert spagnol
Sep 21st 2009, 19:11
a road i drive through every day is the one Mosta to Mgarr. good road bicycle lane pedestrian lane good lighting, but shouldn't this road get cleaned on a regular basis from (mainly debris carried by rain or wind ) and ( something which can be controlled by wardens or traffic police -- tiny stones falling from construction trucks which are overloaded over the rim and let off these tiny stones in bents or while driving uphill ) if every one was a little more responsible things could be very good in this beautiful island.
Mario Felice
Aug 28th 2009, 21:34
Lets make one thing clear, paying a vechile license does not give its owner an exclusive use of the road network. The vechile license is not a toll payment it is like any other tax instrument like income tax, VAT and other taxes which are treated as general income for central government. They are not earmarked for the improvement and maintanance of the road network. Besides if the cost of environmental and structural damage caused by motor vechiles is factored in I assure Mr Said that he will have to pay much more to keep his car on the road. Why then tax an efficient and environmentaly friendly means of transport , on the contrary we should give incentives and make our roads safer to encourage more use of the bicycle..
George Debono
Aug 28th 2009, 20:57
@ Deo
RE "But since we are in Malta whenever an accident involving a bicycle and a motorised vehicle occurs, the driver of the latter is always at fault.
I am afraid this obscene remark spoiled my supper. It is obscene and out of place just DAYS after a wonderful cycling colleague was killed by a motorist who left him to die on the road,
Yaq !!
G
Deo Catania
Aug 28th 2009, 20:04
Cyclists are a danger to motorsists. But since we are in Malta whenever an accident involving a bicycle and a motorised vehicle occurs, the driver of the latter is always at fault.
C Pisani
Oct 24th 2011, 15:22
@Deo Catania,
yes the list of car driver fatalities due to crazy bicycle riders, keeps getting longer by the day. I have NEVER heard of a bicycle causing an accident to a motor vehicle, so get off your cloud. Go for a spin on a bicycle, and then tell me who is the REAL danger. If you have no experience riding, don't go blaming cyclists. You are just showing your lack of knowledge, to be polite, and your "king of the road" attitude, like all people who criticize cyclists, and have NEVER tried it.
James Green
Aug 28th 2009, 15:58
Maybe we should tax pesedstrians also. Especially those who jay walk.
George Debono
Aug 28th 2009, 14:36
What pathetic arrogance !
G
J. Debono
Aug 28th 2009, 12:24
@ Frans Said
"too narrow and the mixing of the two modes of transport is prone to danger from both parties" - the danger is only towards the cyclist, and I do not consider the term mixing appropriate, it should be driving/cycling after each other, and why not?
"cyclists would not be allowed on the carriageway" - why not?? do you own the road?? I pay two road licences for two cars, when I cycle I am still paying the road licence without using my car - a benefit for the environment and other car users.
This is not a war. Cyclists are demanding respect from car drivers, in view of their safety. I always respect a cyclist on the road, and if need be, I will drive at 20-30kph after the cyclist until I am 100% sure that overtaking him will not endanger him.
Driving for less than 1km at 20-30kph after a cyclist until it is safe to overtake will not make more than 30 seconds difference for my destination time, and is actually much better than driving after a fully loaded truck at the same speed BUT belging toxic fumes.
Gino Schiavone
Aug 28th 2009, 11:51
I agree on many points mentioned but definitely not on cyclists paying anything as in a licence. The reason is that we should encourage environmentally friendly transport as much as possible- and a way of encouarging it, like the rest of Europe, is to keep cycling for Free. Moreover the load of two tyres on the road are nothing compared to the wear and tear brought about by cars. And like any other thing in life- yes some pay to keep others rolling.
Joe Mallia
Aug 28th 2009, 11:37
Some seem to imply that Malta is always the exception to the rule. While the rest of the civilise world is actively promoting cycling as a clean alternative way of transport, on this tiny rock where distances are relatively much shorter and can easily be covered by bicycle, narrow minded kings of the road motorists want to kept bicycles off the roads. The main problem on our roads is traffic congestion and air pollution. Civilized countries have proved that safe cycling helps to solve these problems.
Stephan Strijbosch
Aug 28th 2009, 10:02
For every fault that you can find in a cyclist, there are 10 more major,serious and lifethreatening faults your avergae Maltese car driver causes. To name a few: rash overtaking, overspeeding, driving with brights on, hogging both lanes. Those are the private cars. Lets not get into the taxi drivers and bus drivers who scare me when I'm in my car, let alone cycling.
In my years of cycling and driving I've never had the pleasure of watching a bike overtake a car-unless that car was stuck in traffic. We dont ride fast to keep up with cars-thats impossible. There are other reasons for riding at a fast pace-exercise, time contraints, maybe even because the arrogant driver behind them is driving extremely close to our bike wheels.
If you dont want your precious tax money to go to the building of bikelanes then dont come up with rubbish stating that cyclists dont respect rules. We are forced to respect the rules, otehrwise we risk life threatening injuries/death.