Gearing up for disaster
Time for something different – as in, something that is unrelated to Mintoff, because I don't know about you but I'm finding myself thoroughly bored with everyone flogging the same dead (sorry) horse.
There is a cyclist every 90 seconds during rush hour traffic, we were proudly informed today by the Bicycling Advocacy Group. And apparently this is something we should all be rejoicing about.
It's not. Go on, hate away. Anyone with an iota of common sense will tell you that cycling on Maltese roads during rush hour is the worst idea ever.
Well, unless you happen to think that road rage, unpunctuality at work, high blood pressure and the occasional accident add a certain something to the day. In which case you're right, hurrah to rush hour cycling.
Before you start hating, remember one thing: the majority of roads in Malta have no bicycle lanes. Which means that whether our intrepid rush hour cyclist is using the main thoroughfare leading to Valletta, or one of the narrow side roads in the village, the end result is the same. The cyclist is creating a potential hazard both for him/herself and for drivers who get caught behind.
Because I know that misquoting is a national pastime, I will spell this out: drivers need to respect cyclists and their safety. At all times. No exceptions. No matter how late you will be to the office and no matter how tempted you are to open the window and scream out some choice epithets at the cyclist happily veering in front of your car.
But this doesn't stop me from pointing out the obvious. Given that bicycle lanes remain a far-off nirvana, is it really such a wise idea for the Bicycling Advocacy Group to advocate rush-hour cycling?
It is not enough to back up these calls for cycling with a safety awareness campaign – although, of course this is a laudable endeavour. What's really needed, however, is strict enforcement of traffic regulations even vis-a-vis cyclists. After all, if while driving I switch lane without putting on the indicator, I get fined. If I overtake from the inside, guess what? I get fined. If I don't observe all traffic regulations (including give way signs, roundabout etiquette etc) I also get fined. Enforcing these rules on vehicle drivers while exempting cyclists creates chaos and encourages poor regard to safety regulations.
I should add that I've encountered many cyclists who practice prudence on the road. Unfortunately, I've also encountered many more who don't. These are the ones who don't keep to the very inside of the driving lane; the ones who veer dangerously from side to side while a gazillion cars are trying to overtake; the ones who cycle in parallel with their buddy, effectively blocking the whole lane... you get the picture.
Then there's the other breed of cyclists who choose to block the pavement rather than the road. The Bicycling Advocacy Group actually encouraged this (I like to think, unwittingly) by marking out the "cyclist-friendly promenade" in Sliema.
Guess what. The promenade is not "cyclist-friendly", as you call it. It is pedestrian-friendly and was created with the specific purpose of offering people somewhere where they can enjoy the fresh(ish) air without worrying whether they're going to be run over by, say, a cyclist.
The only solution to the impasse is obvious: well-planned bicycle lanes across Malta. Until this happens, please excuse me if I don't rejoice whenever I see a cyclist ahead of me during rush hour.
Call me paranoid, but the first thing my mind's eye sees in these situations are not freed up parking spaces, but accidents waiting to happen.
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Malcolm Aber
Aug 29th 2012, 08:48
To Ramona Depares:
Quote: "please excuse me if I don't rejoice whenever I see a cyclist ahead of me during rush hour"
You don't have to worry about cyclists during rush hour....you would be stuck in traffic while the cyclist can go through with caution without disturbing anybody. Thanks for your attention :)
paul camilleri
Aug 29th 2012, 16:24
and perhaps running a red light here and there and if that is not all perhaps the cyclists would have the nerve to press the cross button and peddel over to the other side of the road.. as i have had occassion to see quite frequently by our peddel pushers
James Wightman
Aug 30th 2012, 04:56
Mr Camilleri your tending to generalize again. Not all cyclists run red lights. Neither for that matter do all car drivers, although some do.
Yep I hate that too, personally if I can avoid pushing a pedestrian crossing button I do because it slows traffic down. But that's because I know how frustrating that is when I'm driving. But if there's a safe gap in the traffic most pedestrians and cyclists acting as pedestrians will probably cross. It's kind of human nature.
paul camilleri
Aug 29th 2012, 08:06
i appologise Mr Wightman not Mr Wighton
paul camilleri
Aug 29th 2012, 08:04
to all you cyclist i would just like to say one thing. LEARN THE RULES OF THE ROAD AND CYCLE ALL YOU WANT
but i can say that BAG is just that a BAG of AIR that does not know what it is doing i pointed out to Mr Winghton many times on pictures published on the times what the cyclist is doing wrong and as usual he comes out and says oh BAG did not take that picture or those two cyclists that are pulling into a drivers path probably signalled before the picture was taken a load of BALONEY for a start the cyclist should keep his arm out till he/she completes the manuover of pulling out also the cyclist is not even bothering to look to see if cars are coming from behind and should by all means give way, because that is what motorists do when changing lanes they indicate and if clear pull out if not clear they slow down and stop if necessary
Malcolm Aber
Aug 29th 2012, 09:03
Quote: "because that is what motorists do when changing lanes they indicate and if clear pull out if not clear they slow down and stop if necessary"
Are you sure that ALL motorists indicate where they are going before changing lanes?? ARE YOU REALLY SURE?? I can assure you that 40% of the motorists do not signal/indicate anything before changing lanes....ahseb u ara kemm ha iharsulek lura biex jaraw min hemm warajhom!
PS: I am not saying that cyclists are the perfect example of driving etiquette. Kullhadd ghandu tieghu, kulhadd irid jitghallem b'xi mod jew iehor!
Malcolm Aber
Aug 29th 2012, 10:19
PS: to all you drivers i would just like to say one thing. LEARN THE RULES OF THE ROAD AND DRIVE ALL YOU WANT!
paul camilleri
Aug 29th 2012, 12:42
@Malcolm Aber i did not say ALL motorists
Malcolm Aber
Aug 29th 2012, 13:09
...but you did say to ALL you cyclists :)
paul camilleri
Aug 29th 2012, 16:13
@Mr Malcolm Aber
that i did say and why i said all cyclists? is because all cyclist ignore the rules of the roads
Joe Mallia
Aug 29th 2012, 19:57
You should start using your camera to take pictures of reckless drivers. I am sure that your camera will run out of memory. If you have a problem spotting the drivers, I invite you for a bicycle ride to experience the thrill of dangerous driving.
James Wightman
Aug 30th 2012, 05:11
Mr Camilleri, I'm not quite sure why you're so negative about myself or BAG, or even cyclists in general.
Again it is current best practise to keep both hands on the bars throughout the manoeuvre phase as hitting something on the ground or loosing grip could cause an accident, most likely when leaning into a turn, it also means that the brakes are covered. The look behind and signalling should be done well ahead of this in preparation for the manoeuvre. Sorry if it seems like baloney to you but best practise is what best practise is.
If a cyclist is in the left hand side of the lane and moving into the centre of the lane to avoid something or take a better position for the sake of visibility, s/he is not actually changing lanes, they are in the same lane? In that case the car is overtaking them and the onus of responsibility is with the car driver. Sorry but there has already been a test case at law (in Malta).
If however they cross a lane line I would agree with you - the cyclists should slow down and give way, (I wouldn't suggest stopping in the middle of Marsa for instance) till its safe to complete the manoeuvre.
James Wightman
Aug 29th 2012, 07:07
Actually Ramona BAG did a similar small study about transit times and door-2-door found it was quicker by bike. In peak rush-hour traffic that is. Most journeys door to door were the same as a car going up to a 50% reduction in journey time particularly when the schools go back. We're not saying people use them for long journeys - although many do - but for short trips bike2shop etc..it would reduce local car congestion.
Little known fact: Often cyclists complain that cars hold them up in traffic - something we rarely hear of in the press.
Cycle lanes are great but once you get to the end of it you lose the protection and your back to sqr1! We just can't put cycle lanes everywhere. We can put 'sharrows' and advisory cycle lanes. More importantly we need to develop cycle routes and bike counting is part of that process. At the moment even TM don't know where cyclists go to or from. Without that info your just wasting tax revenue that angers motorists because its not used and cyclists because its in the wrong place/ineffective.
Joe Mallia
Aug 28th 2012, 20:21
Your views are completely opposite to the measures adopted in civilized countries. Perhaps a visit to Amsterdam, Copenhagen, London, Zurich, Munich and other major cities could make you think otherwise.
Mr Andrew Camilleri
Aug 28th 2012, 12:05
When I saw the heading of this blog, I thiought it would be about the disaster that was yesterday - leaving Valleta at around 4pm I got to Paola at just before 8pm. Any traffic control or help from the police? None at all. I would hate to be around if some disaster like an earthquake hit Malta. Yesterday was a total disgrace.
Gianfrancesco Buttigieg
Aug 28th 2012, 08:59
What about all the other stuff? what about the environment? what about malta being the most inactive nation on earth (its going to cost us millions of euros in healthcare)? what about the congestion (again, malta is a leader)? what about the parking spaces saved? what about the fact that a bike is easier to overtake than a car and a car is Impossible to overtake in a traffic jam? What about the accidents by heavy vehicles that create mayhem (3 just yesterday!)... I could go on...
Seriously - I said it before and I'll say it again... if certain motorists can't do a simple manouver such as safely overtake a bicycle I don't think they should be driving at all. It isn't that difficult, it really isn't
Besides, am I the only one who sees double parked cars (the hazard-lights-on, nipping-in-for-pastizzi type). Never countedthem but on an average working day I'll easily encounter and overtake well over a hundred.., I encounter way more of these than bicycles, they're more difficult to overtake and they're doing no one any good...
environmental or healthwise or in any other way... let's keep things in perspective.
Mr robert micallef
Aug 28th 2012, 07:28
in all foreign cities i went i noticed that cyclists were always allowed in pedestrian zones, i also saw that cyclists were increasing every year. more and more people are taking to the bike especially in rush hour as its faster then a car, maybe you just need to go abroad more often or to start noticing what's going on in the world. i get the impression you have run out of subjects to write about.
CJohn Zammit
Aug 27th 2012, 20:31
Whenever I want to amuse my Canadian friends, I mention Malta with its population of 420000; its Local Councils (some 69); its Parliament with 69 members; and last but most hilarious, its over 300000 registered vehicles in an area slightly smaller than our little town of Fort Erie. Impossible!
Dear Ramona, it's time to get serious ... Unless you get over your love-affair with the car, you'll be chocking yourselves to death. In Malta, you don't need a car.
For distances of 2 Km or less, walk! Take a bike for anything longer; it will get you to your destination much faster.
(Yeah, I know ... imagine the Prime Minister or the Archbishop walking, or on a bike! Ye godz!) ☺ ☺ ☺
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