Jean Karl Soler (February 23) accuses George Debono and myself, both bicycle advocates, of a “knee jerk reaction” in defence of bicycles. I take this as a compliment. But I am deeply concerned that the Dr Soler’s original gripe was due to his having to avoid a bus that had crossed into his lane, this to avoid a cyclist innocently ascending Saqqajja Hill.

Shouldn’t he have taken the bus driver to task for inappropriately overtaking the cyclist? Or perhaps even critically examined his own proactive driving skills, given that this happened on the “narrowest part”?

But blaming the innocent cyclist, Dr Soler then attempts to give this credibility by generalising negatively against all cyclists and going so far as to suggest banning cyclists from major roads. While the former is being obtuse, not expecting Dr Debono or myself to react is, at the very least, somewhat naïve.

The benefit of cyclists to transport systems are well known. One only has to look at how London has developed its cycling infrastructure in recent years to see that. Even Bogotà has a system of efficient cycle lanes, far better than Malta’s. Yet, Malta’s bicycle commuting population has doubled in the last year. Clearly putting even a conservative figure of 0.6 per cent of commuters into cars would increase Dr Soler’s travelling woes considerably.

In my original letter I had suggested that if we wish cyclists to use the left-hand side of the carriageway, cycle lane or not, this needs to be safe or, at the very least, rideable.

The same hazards that I had identified in my original letter (damaged drain surrounds along Tower Road) have been cited by a car driver in The Times’ own online “pothole” campaign. Cited, I may add, as being so dangerous as to force car drivers into the opposing lane. So, clearly, car drivers cannot stay on the left either. Should we, therefore, ban cars also? We should not!

Dr Soler suggests that some cyclists do not use cycle lanes. Both Dr Debono and I have tried to inform Dr Soler as to the reason for this. Many of these are inappropriate, poorly designed and, at times, even dangerous.

While apologising for waving the sociological flag, as cycle lanes are supposed to be safe, not using them must underline in big, fat, red letters the fact that such infrastructures are largely not considered safe by their intended users. After all, even the mayor of Bogotà notes that “a bicycle way that is not safe for an eight-year-old is not a bicycle way” (Anderson, 2011).

As cyclists are already covered by the Highway Code and, considering Dr Soler’s liking for cycle lanes, I assume that any further restrictions he alludes to would imply the provision of a proper, full width (1.4 metre) and well-built cycle lane on every major road and thoroughfare. The alternative and reasoned option is that we need to learn to share the road. After all, we appear to share the same problems.

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