ding-ding
Following yet another hair-raising near-death experience on two wheels at the weekend I feel it’s high time we call for some legislation to protect cyclists from the unabated driving aggression we experience week in, week out. And we’ve only to look across that brief strip of water, La Manche, for the perfect model.
In France, the law requires overtaking vehicles give cyclists at least one metre of clearance in urban areas and 1.5 metres in the countryside. In the unlikely event that there’s an accident involving a cyclist, the motorist is always to blame in the eyes of both the law and of the insurance company, non-negotiable. Consequently, French drivers usually give cyclists more than enough room for safe passage, and indeed often cross the centre of the road with all four wheels to avoid such an incident. The whole relationship between two and four wheels is both respectful and more understanding. Our combative culture needs to change and the only way to do this is via legislation.
Furthermore, I’m surprised no-one has suggested another relatively obvious solution from over the water – the banning of HGVs. It is arguably these that cause some of the largest problems and in France HGVs are not allowed unrestricted access to centres of population. Surely a town is for its people, not massive and unweildy vehicles? Those above three tonnes (vehicles not people, though perhaps the same could be applied!) are not allowed to drive through the centre of a town , village or conurbation if there is any alternative route. They are not allowed to use a trunk road if there is a motorway in parrallel, and they are not allowed to move at all on Sundays or bank holidays!
Despite these appalling restrictions on the rights of raod hauliers to destroy the urban environment and kill pedestrains and cyclists alike, life goes on!
