for Years, the traffic management was proud of each and every cycle lane, which was painted on the carriageway of the main streets: We create space for Cycling and to bring the cyclists into the field of vision of the motorist, was the message since about the year 2000. Meanwhile, the strips are marked on almost 270 kilometres, often on heavily traveled routes.
However, while experienced and athletic cyclists, the strips (if they are not blocked by illegal Parkers) in fact, to other rather more on the rumpligen old high-Board-bike lanes or illegally on the sidewalk, where they endanger pedestrians.
Behind this everyday and unfortunate phenomenon is, apparently, an error in the System, such as a legal opinion suggests that there is day-to-day mirror: The insurers accident research (UdV) has noted in the case of distance measurements and behavior observations, that there is a marked cycle lanes are often narrow. The Radmesser project of the daily mirror came to the conclusion that motorists will no longer stick to cycle lanes distance than on roads without bike lanes.
the UdV, commissioned opinion of the traffic law, Professor Dieter Müller should clarify the question, how big is the lateral distance when Overtaking cyclists on the marked strip needs to be.
Between bike and car traffic has hardly rolled square
Müller for the study of court decisions and sections of the road traffic regulations (StVO). Result: on the cycle lanes, motorists must maintain a distance of “at least 1.5 to two meters”, such as, for example, the Brandenburg higher regional court in 2011 ruled. In the case of less space leaders insist for the vehicle to be a “de facto ban on Overtaking”. You would have to herzuckeln behind the cyclists until the adjacent lane or the oncoming lane is free to pivot to the left.
Would keep all Motorized, could it be the traffic on many main roads to a Halt: The so-called protection strips are usually 1.5 meters wide, the adjacent car lanes from three to three and a half meters, but in places also less. Since trucks and buses are 2.55 meters wide, and even many passenger Cars including a mirror more than two metres to measure, remains between the wheel and car traffic, often barely a metre square. Dangerous little, especially on streets with bike lanes usually 50 km / h applies and the road damage to Manhole covers, as well as proximity to parked cars, forcing cyclists often have to ride far to the left.
The Status Quo invites drivers to permanent rule breaches at the expense of safety. 21 accidents were there in 2017, because the motor vehicles in cycle lanes overhauled, the police announced on the daily mirror inquiry. It’s not only ten percent of all such accidents, but at the same time, a disproportionately high number, since the above – mentioned 270 kilometres to the amount of five percent of the entire Berlin road network.
run over by cycle lanes with dashed line “in need”
the solution for this mobility should create a law that at least two-Meter-wide tracks as a Standard. The implementation is likely to drag on for a few years. On behalf of the accident research Müller has been dedicated also a legal gray area: While bike lanes are by a solid white line for motorists generally taboo, you may hit the “Quote marks” with a dashed line according to road traffic regulations “on demand”, if you endanger any cyclist. More precisely, the highway code is not.
The Traffic law expert has considered the most common cases in which motorists use the bike lanes to turn right or waiting to the Left in order to show how past zudrängeln. Müller’s conclusion, after study of the Judgments and the law comments: The only legitimate “need” for motorists is to make on narrow roads with a dashed strip of oncoming traffic space.
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reminder of traffic deaths in Berlin, A memorial against the Die on the streets
Robert Kiesel
From the point of view of the UdV, which has commissioned the report, is now asking the legislature to clarify the rules. And to make them known, especially as future wider wheel tracks is only likely to invite legal to illegal Driving.
