Aren’t cyclists citizens too?
About year ago, Cliff Micallef was cycling along the Coast Road in the early hours of the morning when he was run over, and died on the spot. Leaving behind a wife and three children, Mr Micallef’s eldest son, Max, called on the Transport Authority to...
About year ago, Cliff Micallef was cycling along the Coast Road in the early hours of the morning when he was run over, and died on the spot.
Leaving behind a wife and three children, Mr Micallef’s eldest son, Max, called on the Transport Authority to encourage more entities and driving associations to sign up to the European Road Safety Charter to increase vehicle and infrastructure safety on Maltese roads. A petition was signed by hundreds of citizens who cycle on the dangerous roads of Malta.
What has been done since?
Not much at all is the answer! To add insult to injury, it was reported in The Sunday Times (December 26) that mayor Peter Bonello is banning cyclists from the promenade.
Mr Bonello says cyclists are not his problem. Probably because he rather strolls on the promenade or drives his car around, making it unsafe for cyclists who, if his proposed bylaw goes through, would have no choice but to cycle on the street.
Two years ago I had the opportunity to cycle in the environment-friendly city of Barcelona. There, bicycles have become a big part of the public transport system. In contrast with the environment-unfriendly mayor of St Julian’s, the Barcelona city council launched an innovative bicycle-borrowing scheme called ‘El Bicing’ in 2007.
This has become an important part of Barcelona’s public transport system and more residents of Barcelona have become regular cyclists.
I cycle every day to and from work on an almost-empty promenade, since it is usually too early for strolling. So why be so selfish about who uses the wide promenade? Are cyclists not citizens too?
Do Max and many others like him have no rights?