Updated: Motorcyclist injured in crash

Dave Camilleri

Oct 8th 2011, 10:28

Just a comment to all of those people touting speed cameras. Speed cameras you might think lower the death toll on roads - and the government will have you believe that. In Australia and other countries where there are speed cameras EVERYWHERE, including hidden, lidar (ray radar), and mobile - it still does not lower the death toll. It only increases the government coffers. Please don't be fooled with this. I've driven in many parts of the world, and the drivers attitudes you see here (A lot of the time) are fairly blasé. People overtaking on blind corners, are impatient- and this strange attitude, that drivers absolutely have to be in front of you - or will tail gate you on the verge of bumping into you is mind boggling. No the problem I believe is enforcement. There is simply not enough police presence. Fines are absolutely laughable here and are simply no deterrent. So here is a proposition. Increase police presence on raods, put in random breath tests that are Drink driving is treated with reckless abandon, and the general populace doesn’t see much wrong with it. How about mandatory random breath tests with stiff fines/ jail terms for people who drink and drive over .05 alcohol level in the bloodstream? What about driver awareness with commercials showing risks and implications of speed? What about introducing crash site photos from real accidents in classrooms to show kids the harsh realities of their actions? The government here is obviously not caring about our citizens lives, as the roads here are made and maintained by lunatics. How often do you see roads being repaired in Malta? How often to you see roads in a state of woeful condition? When even a light shower happens in Malta, we need to take our boats out to get to work, because our local councils could care less about fixing the storm water drains. This country is run by a bunch of baffoons with the intellectual capacity of a walnut, with local councils so inept Malta is viewed like it’s in the stone ages by other countries. Sorry but that’s the harsh reality. Malta needs to wake up or stay in the 50s.

TRW O'Neill

Sep 6th 2010, 18:59

It is the mentality of drivers in Malta that is so dangerous, yesterday at about 1645 I was on the Mellieha By Pass ( going towards SPB ), doing 60k, a van overtook me then only a few yards ahead was then turned to the left not far in front,of my vehicle, so WHY did the idiot driver risk his & my life by such stupid behaviour? He should have stayed behind me, if intending to turn left.But ......... many Drivers in Malta have no idea of road lane discipline . & often go into the wrong lanes. QED.

K renshaw

Sep 6th 2010, 09:24

As a Biker from the UK, who does not ride in Malta for 3 reasons. 1) Driving standards here by both cars and bike riders are dreadful - EGOs rule here, 2) the roads here are also dreadful and quite frankly dangerous 3) Road tax to work actually being done is not cost efficient to me.

e.cutajar

Sep 5th 2010, 22:38

I'm amazed by the good number of "wannabe experts" in this field!!! This is ridiculous. An accident can happen to anyone. Wish the motorcyclist a speedy recovery!

Raymond Cutajar

Sep 5th 2010, 13:12

@ Tony Vella &Tony Atkins ;Dear Sirs could you elaborate why in your opinions the VRT is a JOKE ? after all in any case if you have any unsafe component on your car to your knowledge especially if that component is crucial to vehicle control ; that very same component should be rectified ASAP ;
One of the reasons of the VRT is precisely that -IF THE VRT IS UNDERTAKEN IN A SERIOUS MANNER but then that is a different story.Good day gentlemen.

Richard Ellul

Sep 5th 2010, 11:58

First of all I wish the motorcyclist a quick and full recovery.
Living in Zurrieq is hell to try to go to work and it is worse if at peak hours an emergency occurs and the emergency vehicles try to get in / out of Zurrieq. Why? Because the infrastructure around this area has been designed by incompetent persons. Long term planning, what is it? Whoever took the final decisions on how the roads around Zurrieq & the surrounding villages should be done, either does not have a clue or was afraid to do the job properly. Sometimes I do not believe that we are in the year 2010

T. Farrugia

Sep 5th 2010, 09:34

Ma nafx x'periti qeghdin jintuzaw ghal dawn it-toroq godda. Possibbli ma setghetx issir bankina n-naha l-ohra tat-triq miz-Zurrieq sal-Ground bil-barrier ukoll ( sa fejn sar l-accident ezatt ). It-tfal tan-nursery ha jkollhom jaqsmu fuq il-lights ( tant perikoluza ! ) biex imorru l-ground tal-futbol. Possibbli ma setghetx issir subway taht l-art meta t-triq kollha kienet maghluqa u nevitaw aktar periklu ghal pedestrians u s-sewwieqa.

J. Schembri

Sep 5th 2010, 08:33

Valletta road Zurrieq was never a four lane road. There were parts of it which were wider. From what I saw on TV this accident could have happened on any road; four lane or two lane , cameras or no cameras. A motor bike cruising at 50 km/hr behind a car which stops abruptly is enough to cause a similar accident. The car and the bike were not damaged beyond repair in this accident.
Maybe our road designers will think about a set of traffic lights in the San Guzepp cross road , this spot has seen many accidents, some were fatal.

Charles Grima

Sep 5th 2010, 07:25

While not wanting to incur a lot of wrath from all the bikers who write here, because a lot of them ARE bikers, I must admit to be being very angry at your accusations that it is always the car-driver's fault.

Doesn't everyone know that you wannabe Valentino's can't smell a stretch of road?

Many times my car has been rocked by your speeding alongside. The fact is... you all drive too fast. Extreme power to weight ration gives you all an acceleration that mentally, you simply cannot control.

While not going into the details of this unfortunate incident, and wishing the victim a full recovery, I would love to hear the version from the car-driver's point of view...

Yes I did own a bike, a beautiful black Honda CBR-600, but got rid of it when I realised it was simply too much for our short twisty roads...and.that.is.what.you.must.own.up.to...you.all.drive.too.fast!

My dear friends... speed is a passion we cannot afford here...and I have no doubt you are all speed freaks....my fr1ends often boast about tearing up to Ghajn Tuffiegha on a Sunday, knees scraping the tarmac...horrifying!

S. Grixti

Sep 5th 2010, 06:57

Aw xeba esperti f'dan il-forum.....is-soltu storja!! Kif tista' ma tidhakx!!??!

Albert Bezzina

Sep 4th 2010, 20:43

Irrespective of traffic flow and traffic density, road building is dictated by one simple cold fact. Roads' cost and maintenance is proportional to the area of road. Single lanes cost less than twin lanes. The safety of such roads is based on the assumption that all Maltese road users (motorists, motorcyclists, cyclists, pedestrians and horse drawn vehicles) observe regulations, control temper, respect other road users and avoid use of mind altering substances. Well, all it takes is one road user not to give a hoot! We Maltese have a national obsession at not giving a hoot; hence the assumptions on road user behavior for constructing single lane arterial roads are wrong and contribute to the incidence of road accidents.

PS. Somehow these single lane roads get to cost (per meter run) as much as major highways on mainland Europe. Here labor is cheaper, the raw material has to be transported for only a few kilometers and the machinery used is mostly obsolete, past its best before date and likely bought second hand after its useful life had been spent abroad.

ngauci

Sep 4th 2010, 19:29

it's high time slow drivers, especially those in the outer (or fast) lane get fined. They are the culprits for most accidents and the cause for high fuel consumption, traffic jams and road rage. if you want to drive slow, go ahead but please stay in your lane. someone else might be in a hurry or have an emergency and it's not fair to block the road sometimes arrogantly. Having said that, the speed limit must always be respected.

Daniel Schembri

Sep 4th 2010, 18:48

The main mistake was the widening of the pavements, and the narrowing of the road by decreasing the number of lanes. Being patient after some lame slow driver is frustrating. I'm from Zurrieq and I have been noticing dangerous overtaking because of the single lane available, and because of slow drivers sharing the road with impatient one.

Carm Ellul

Sep 4th 2010, 18:27

Last week I saw a biker almost ending under a building waste truck who on the way towards Zurrieq suddenly slowed down and turned right into one of the side roads ( hidden) that ead into the dissued quarries being used for depositing building waste.

This morning a few minutes this accident , I had to be patient and follow avan going towards ST , with one hand out of the window and enjoying the view.
The guy behind me just overtook and almost created a mess up , he was just lucky.

The worst experience was when there was the Mqabba / Qrendi Santa Marija , fireworks.
This road was full of parked cars, hot dog stands and people around small tables having drinks.
Accidents waiting to happen. and these are of our own making .

J. Schembri

Sep 4th 2010, 17:45

Speed cameras are there to control speed. There are no accident free roads , accidents are bound to happen sooner or later on any road. there are many different causes for road accidents.
When one assumes , one makes an ass of you and me. Your 'one plus one' is another word for 'jumping into conclusion'.
How did you conclude that I am a Mr?
Josette Schembri

albert cachia

Sep 4th 2010, 17:41

I think its time to double the fines for those who dont care about traffic laws.

Anthony Ellul

Sep 4th 2010, 16:26

Because of the new surface road,many drivers don't know how to drive on a new road,they speed up so that they pass the road in a few seconds,I see many drivers broken the speed limits which is 60 km/hr ,sometimes I think that they want in emercency use the toilet,before the repair of the road,happened many accidents,now it is not the cause of minimize the side of the new road,but because of their carless.they want to arrive to the destination earlier but they found that they never arrived.Min jimxi bil-mod,jasal Kmieni.

V Caruana

Sep 4th 2010, 15:41

Jekk ikollok vettura miexja bil-mod f'xi ħin issib lok fejn taqilgħu. Iżda meta tkun għaddej bi 60kph u tħoss tvenvina għaddejja minn ħdejk dan zgur huwa sewqan perikoluż. Ħafna jaħsbu li huma l-aqwa sewwieqa u l-vettura tagħhom xi super car. Ħaġa oħra. Ma nafx xi jridu jgħidu biha il-periti fid-disinn tat-toroq. quddiem l-ST lejn iż-żurrieq it-triq qegħda b'kareġġjata waħda. Kif tersaq lejn ir-rawndabawt tiftaħ fi tnejn (għalkemm mar-rawndabawr vettura waħda ddur). Għalhekk jekk tieħu triqtek eż. lejn l-Imqabba issib miegħek vettura oħra li tkun sejra lejn iż-Żurrieq. U hawnhekk first come first serve. Ma stajniex evitajna l-perikolu u ġallejna t-triq b'lane Wieħed?

Carmel D'Amato

Sep 4th 2010, 14:32

Fl-ahhar Valletta road giet irrangata. Sfortunatament it-triq djieqet ghal one-lane. Jekk ikollok slow moving veichle quddiemek zgur li tghmel li tistgha biex taqbiza u b' hekk qed naghtu lok ghal-aktar accidents fit-toroq Maltin.

M Vella

Sep 4th 2010, 12:03

VRT stations and wardens should check car tyres and see that they are in good condition,like I said in previous blogs VRT is a big joke in Malta

Paul Grech

Sep 4th 2010, 11:05

Dwar accidenti tat-traffiku. B'xorti tajba l-bierah il-Gimgha ghal-habta tas-siegha u nofs ta' wara nofs in-nhar gie evitat accident ikrah tat-traffiku ghax rajtu jiena stess isehh. L-acccident sehh fi triq ta' Ghajn Dwieli meta minhabba l-ewwel xita...waqt li 'van' b'xi persuni fih...skidja fin-nizla...u baqa' diehel f'karozza li kienet qed tinghata il-'petrol' minn sidha fl-unika pompa tal-petrol li hemm. Rajt lil min kien qed jaghti l-petrol lill-vettura tieghu jigri kemm jiflah biex jevita li l-van' jiskidja fuqu b'konsegwenzi gravi jekk mhux fatali. X'dwar dan l-accident ma smajna xejn imkien. Appell ghal prudenza fis-sewqan.!!

Robert Mifsud

Sep 4th 2010, 10:56

How much nicer it is to drive on a newely tarmaced road,but then these accidents multiply unfortunetely.A speed camera is a must before any more accidents occur once we are so undiciplined and cannot control our speed !
Hope the motorcyclist recovers soon.

l.farrugia

Sep 4th 2010, 10:15

kultant meta triq tkun imkisra u imfarka kif kienet it-triq taz-zurrieq ikun hemm inqas incidenti tat-raffiku ghax hadd ma jazzard jafas il-gas tal-vettura tieghbu.