Jean Karl Soler, Rabat
Making life slightly easier for drivers
Photo: Chris Sant Fournier
I was thinking about this piece while driving to work in Attard, down the Rabat road. Just out of Saqqajja, I saw the telltale dusted-down oil slick at the roadside where a car crashed into a tree.
Further down, I saw cyclists happily pedalling along the Rabat-Żebbuġ bypass, in the slow lane of one of the few fast two-lane roads on the islands. I then drove past the new bus interchange just outside Ta’ Qali. On to the only wide part of the road to Attard, where overtaking of buses and other slow traffic is possible but prohibited by double white lines.
Why has the widest stretch of the Rabat-Attard road been made into an artificial obstacle for fast-moving traffic?
This wide road is the domain of traffic wardens who wait to impose road taxes on motorists who take advantage of the only safe and easy overtaking spot between Mrieħel and Dingli.
There is now a new practice in place. A policeman has recently started to haunt this part of the road to make up his monthly tally of traffic tickets.
If you overtake when he is there, you are not booked once but three times: one for crossing a white line, another for driving on the other side of the road and another for changing direction without signalling.
Not that he will tick the appropriate boxes when he gives you the ticket, mind you. You will only know this when you receive notification of the three court cases many months later, when you would have forgotten what you actually did on the day.
Even worse, if you fail to see him, he will add a fourth ticket: for not obeying the legitimate orders of a policeman. How can you do that when you don’t see the man, hiding behind a tree? Four tickets for overtaking slow traffic on a road wide enough to take two buses abreast on either side, with room to spare. Admittedly, it is illegal but so is driving at 61 kilometres per hour on the best two-lane road in Żejtun. It is basically just another senseless road tax. Why not facilitate overtaking when there is space for it rather than block it with artificial means imposed by fines?
Some readers may now be thinking that it serves me right to get a ticket for breaking the law. But if one should prevent cars from crossing white lines, why not police the Ta’ Qali bus interchange area? When a bus stops in one of the bays, all cars overtaking that bus will cross a white line. That is illegal, too. But is it unsafe? The road is far narrower there and the risk of overtaking much greater. The number of tickets issued would be much greater than 200 metres further down the road. The ideal solution would have been to put the bus interchange at the widest part of the road, where overtaking a stationary bus would be safer. The current situation does not make sense. It is as if Transport Malta planners want to make life difficult for motorists and offer opportunities to policemen and wardens to “educate” drivers with fines. And what about cyclists who ignore a much more important safety rule? How many cyclists have been booked for ignoring the cycle lanes on the Żebbuġ, Rabat and Mġarr roads and joyriding on arterial roads? They force cars to change lanes or cross to the other side of the road to overtake them safely. Is this not a hazard? Does one expect a car to drive slowly behind a joyriding cyclist? Where in Europe are cyclists allowed to joyride on major roads and ignore cycle lanes?
Back to the Rabat road and the lack of road barriers. If we are serious about road safety in Malta, then we should work hard to make our roads safer, at every opportunity. Narrow roads with trees by the roadside should have crash barriers. No lame excuses please.
Cyclists should be banned from obstructing other road users, especially when they have an available cycle lane. Bus interchanges should not be set up at the narrowest part of a busy two-way road. Opportunities to overtake slow traffic should be maximised to avoid frustrating drivers. Abroad, road design is driver-friendly. Slow moving traffic is made to drive by the side to allow faster traffic to pass. With road planning respectful of road users, road users would, in turn, respect road signage.
In the end, I suspect nothing will change. The recent letters on traffic and transportation management in Malta leave little room for hope.
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James Wightman
Oct 24th 2011, 21:46
Actually the cycle lanes Mr Soler mentions are cycle tracks, shared with pedestrians. These are in rural areas. Now is it fair that cyclists whizz along a shared path at 20-40KPH? I think the reasonable answer is no. So thats why they are on the road.
Perhaps this is why RoSPA actually state that such cycle tracks should be the last resort. But some twit at TM had a shower moment. Additionally these cycle tracks are not constructed with these speeds (not fit for purpose) in mind so cyclists are just following the highway code when is says these might be used 'when possible' just as keeping to the left is the rule BUT when possible and safe to do so.
But then in doing so, cyclists are a way to help with traffic congestion. In fact I suspect they were a way of getting more cash from the EU for our roads. But don't bother to thank us.
Do tell me Mr Soler when did you plan to come out with the letter about the boyracers joyriding their cars around?
Josephine Borg
Oct 24th 2011, 19:43
It has been statistically proven (p = 005. University of Ulster if I remember correctly) that drivers of large cars tend to hog the road.
These road hogs try to push any one off the road. Cyclists beware.
In this particular case I am sure Transport Malta's experts know more than these selfish drivers. I would have gone further: Give him a fifth ticket for trying to arouse opposition to road regulations
Joe Mallia
Oct 24th 2011, 19:41
Each cyclist results in one less car on the road. So I would expect Mr. Soler to be grateful to cyclists for reducing carbon emissions and traffic congestion.
Am Camilleri
Oct 24th 2011, 16:06
Why are you in such a hurry to reach Attard from Rabat - most workers need to travel much further than that, so . . . try solving your problem yourself - leave a few minutes earlier and walk or freewheel on a bicycle down the hill!
C Pisani
Oct 24th 2011, 14:43
@Jean Karl Soler. I just thought of a nice letter for The Times. "Making Life slightly easier for CYCLISTS". Now THAT'S a thought.
C Pisani
Oct 24th 2011, 14:21
Jean Karl Soler, your article goes to show how self centred you are. If you are not happy, then get rid of all other road users, as long as you can speed along happily. Do you really want us to believe that "With road planning respectful of road users, road users would, in turn, respect road signage." I don't think so. Have you ever ridden a bicycle? Did you ever try our famous "Cycle Lanes"? So all over Europe, goverments are ENGOURAGING bicycle use, as an alternative and environmently friendly mode of transport, but in Malta were you can cycle to Cirkewwa in an hour from Valletta, we have to get rid of bicycles, to accomodate people like you. Or are we Europeans only when it suits us? Whoever uses a bicycle is healthier and gets to were s/he wants in reasonable time, if not faster in rush hour, , and is WAY less frustrated when they get there. Except when they meet someone like you who thinks they are the owners of the road, or who purposely try to block your path because THEY are the ones who are frustrated as they are stuck in traffic. The roads are there for everyone, so if you are stuck in traffic, exept the fact that YOU are one of the causes of traffic, and not cyclists. Well its pointless arguing with someone so opposed to cyclists. I just hope I never come across you when I'm out cycling.
Gerard Said
Oct 24th 2011, 13:33
Having ridden my bike in Sicily, Spain, Germany, Rumania, Ukraine, Poland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Italy, France, Switzerland, Morocco and Cyprus, I can attest that cyclists are 'allowed to joyride on major roads and ignore cycle lanes' in every single one of these countries.
Having said that, I believe the worst attitudes I've encountered is from large vehicle drivers in Malta.
I would also like to congratulate Transport Malta on maintaining record low levels of grip on tarmac-ed roads in this country. It's always fun to have an adventure when out riding!
Mr Lawrence Mifsud
Oct 24th 2011, 13:08
Very true indeed Mr. Soler, particularly your last sentence.
Sarcastic remarks by other correspondents will not improve the situation.
Gianfrancesco Buttigieg
Oct 24th 2011, 12:52
So you've got a problem with the very infrequent cyclists you might come across might hold you up for a few seconds, but not the other 310,000 cars who might hold you up for minutes (hours if you're unlucky!) ? Doesn't make any sense.
Often, the few available cycle lanes are in such a terrible state that they're unusable and dangerous. Cyclists aren't nuts - they'd love to have proper, functional cycle lanes and keep off the roads if that was possible... why on earth would they not use them if they were in an acceptable state of repair?
Ideally, cyclists would have nice, segregated bike lanes and motorists big wide lanes all to themselves - but this is not the ideal world and this is not Texas, either. This is a small nation with small streets and the highest number of cars per capita in Europe - so the road has to be shared. Bicycles have every right to be there. You might not like them there Mr. Soler but that is irrelevant - there is much I don't like - but the fact remains they are there legally and legitimately and they're reducing the number of cars for you to get stuck behind.
I use all means of transport - car, bicycle and public transport - according to my needs, and if certain motorists can't do such a basic manoeuvre as safely overtaking a small 'obstacle' like a bicycle I don't think they should be driving at all...
G G Debono
Oct 24th 2011, 11:41
I must congratulate Jean Karl Soler for this excellent letter about the terrible tribulations siffered by motorists at the hands of buses, cyclists and other suchlike pestilential road users. After all, driving a private car unimpeded along clear wide roads is a fundamental human right; so there is every reason why it should be promoted as a major item of culture and life on this fair land.
As such Mr Soler’s suggestions are far too kind to other road users. No Sir! Mr Soler, your basic rights are at stake! You should call for more radical measures! Motoring will never become the great boon to humanlity unless the most teriible inconveniences you referr to are drastically eliminated!! – and more !!
Recently, Professor H Kiosk, Chairman, Association of Motoring and Urban Conservation was asked to draw up a feasibility report on measures to ease the suffering of our beleaguered motorists and these are some of his recommendations : The primary aim will be to create ideal conditions for free and fast movement of motor vehicles by widening all roads to a minimum of 120 feet to accommodate at least 6 fast lanes. Private vehicles will be given absolute priority; pedestrians and cyclists will be made fair game for target practice, especially if they are cheeky enough to temporarily impede the speedy progress of a car.
As to important road users, including, of course, Mr Soler himself............ Prof Kiosk rcommends that, in the event that, should important people like Mr Soler, need to reach their destination in GREAT SPEED, they are given the facility to phone the police who will declare s state of emergency whereby all buses and cyclists must immediately get off the road to allow him clear passage on his important mission. Any cyclist who does not immediately chain his bicycle to a stout railing or tree will be immediately arrested and condemned to eat his bicycle in a public space....
If these measures alone are implemented, Professor Kiosk confidently predicts that the cycling species will have become totally extinct and forgotten within a reasonable time, say, 6.5 million years after which period of evolution the luxurious wide cycle lanes, as provided today to cyclists, will anyway no longer be required. This evolutionary period can be significantly shortened - by almost 50%, claims Professor Kiosk - if the death rate of cyclists is enhanced through systematic banning of brakes so that cyclists will systematically self-destruct at the bottom of steep hills......
If we act now, Mr Soler can look forward to the dawn of the new Motoring Age when, at last, Homo Sapiens will be have access to unlimited enjoyment behind the wheel without being held up by unimportant road users......
Saviour Sam Agius
Oct 24th 2011, 10:12
Most of the time, when I'm cycling, I'm faster than all the other cars stuck in traffic. They shouldn't be blocking my way. Cars are wider, and they are the ones obstructing other road users not vice-versa.
The "cycle lanes" we have available, apart from the very short section in Ħaż-Żebbuġ, are more dangerous than the road itself, so it comes as no surprise that no one actually uses them.