Cycling on Maltese roads has turned into a dangerous quest marked by careless driving and many close shaves, which nearly cost a person’s life, according to a number of regular cyclists.
“Before we get on our bicycles, we make the sign of the cross. It’s just become so impossibly dangerous,” Nicholas Micallef, training for the half Ironman triathlon in Budapest, says.
Before we get on our bicycles, we make the sign of the cross
Mr Micallef was hit twice by a construction truck last week. While cycling along the Żebbuġ bypass, the truck’s mirror struck his arm. Instead of swerving outwards, the truck further pressed against Mr Micallef, hitting his elbow and sending him tumbling to the ground.
The driver’s response was that he thought he had overtaken the cyclist.
“I was very lucky,” the 28-year-old says. “I escaped with only a few bruises. But had I not kept my balance the first time round, I would have ended up beneath the truck’s wheels.”
Peter Zammit, 41, wasn’t as lucky. While training for the full Ironman triathlon, he was nearly run over by a car that drove out of a side street. In a desperate attempt to avoid it, he swerved violently, flying off his bicycle and fracturing his pelvis, in the process dashing any hopes he had of competing in the triathlon.
“There’s a severe lack of education. For instance, how many drivers know that our shoes are clipped to our pedals? It takes us a bit longer to place our feet on the ground.
“Small wheels and less traction mean that the braking distance for a bicycle is longer.”
Triathlete Fabio Spiteri, 40, notes that there are more than 340,000 registered cars and this, together with the fact that a number of roads are closed due to works, are making drivers more nervous.
Drivers do not respect the 1.5-metre rule, he adds, instead driving right past without slowing down. They also do not realise the same roundabout rules apply for cyclists, with many drivers failing to give way.
“Almost all my friends who cycle have been involved in a car accident, one of them – Cliff Micallef – fatally, back in 2009.
“I’ve had my own share too. I almost have a near miss every day I cycle but, so far, I was always lucky thanks to my quick reaction. There are moments when a vehicle passes so close that the mirror either grazes my elbow or I can literally feel the wind suction pulling me towards the vehicle.”
Being a competitive triathlete, Mr Spiteri has travelled all around Europe. He has cycled in cities with no cycling lanes and in roads that are single lane but notes that the culture was strikingly different. Vehicles approaching a bicycle slowed down, left adequate space and drove past carefully.
The cyclists also cannot understand the incessant hooting of horns. “What am I supposed to do when a car hoots its horn, stop cycling?” a perplexed Mr Zammit asks.
“Cyclists sometimes take certain risks due to overconfidence. It’s wrong to have two or three cyclists next to each other or disregarding a red light. But, having said that, I’ve never heard of a cyclist injuring a person.”
Mr Zammit, an architect by profession, adds that the infrastructure is very poor.
Roads in Malta are designed solely for cars. Bicycle lanes, green spots and pavements seem to be an afterthought.
“Malta is small and blessed with fine weather. Cycling would greatly help cut pollution levels as well as target the obesity problem. But people who wish to cycle to work are not catered for. There are no showers in the workplace, for instance. Instead, we seem to invest in public transport that no one uses much anyway,” Mr Zammit notes.