A pressure group that called for more safety for cyclists last year has reported a decline in road incidents.
When it comes to hazards, bendy buses top the list, followed by cyclists riding bicycles without lights and those who cycle side by side or wear headphones
Roads seem to have become slightly safer for cyclists, according to the Bicycling Advocacy Group (BAG), which said that both statistically and in practice riders felt there had been an increase in awareness.
A major concern for cyclists is when vehicles get too close by pulling in too soon after overtaking them, trying to beat them to junctions, or overtaking just before a bus stop.
Several incidents last year spurred an outcry for more tolerance on the roads.
Cyclist Emanuel Inguanez, 66, suffered a broken pelvis after being hit by a car in St Paul’s Bay in July. A week later, Nanette Farrugia, 38, was hit by a bendy bus that kept going at “full speed” in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq.
Similar calls were made in July 2009, when Lifecycle member Clifford Micallef, 45, died on the Coast Road after he was struck by a hit-and-run car driver, whom the police later tracked down.
However, according to BAG’s end-of-year report, there was a steady fall in near-misses across the year, despite a slight rise in the third quarter that coincided with the summer peak.
While nearly 180 near-misses were reported every 1,000 kilometres in the first quarter, the number dropped by 100 by the end of the year.
However, while there were fewer accidents, riders faced “far more” verbal abuse in the last quarter.
The most popular subject on blogs and websites that concerns cyclists has remained Arriva, with 94 per cent of the comments related to the bus service being negative.
The action of Armed Forces of Malta personnel who went to the rescue of a cyclist, a cycling initiative at Junior College and the Lifecycle Challenge attracted 100 per cent positive comments.
Mater Dei Hospital’s new bike racks and the University’s cycling initiatives also earned praise.
The dangerous state of the Kirkop tunnels, which The Times flagged more than once last year, was a hot topic.
When it comes to hazards, bendy buses topped the list, followed by cyclists riding bicycles without lights.
Riders were equally critical of those who rode side by side or wore headphones.
They also criticised the lack of cycling lanes but the most popular post about the infrastructure was about cycling contraflows. This is when one-way roads have a lane for cyclists to ride in the opposite direction of the traffic flow.
According to BAG spokesman James Wightman, this reduces riding time and increases safety because it does not expose the riders to the same risks they face when riding with the flow.
Belgium recently celebrated 10 years of cycling contraflows. The system is not used in Malta.