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ItalianoPochi argomenti legati al trasporto infiammano gli australiani più dello scontro tra ciclisti e automobilisti.
Mentre i ciclisti si battono per ottenere più diritti sulle strade e gli automobilisti spingono per l'opposto, una petizione online ha raccolto più di 100mila firme per modificare come i ciclisti usano le strade.
Il gruppo di pressione "Drivers for the Registration of Cyclists" ha attirato sostegno diffuso e diverse critiche per la petizione presentata su change.org.
Il gruppo chiede ai governi australiani di imporre ai ciclisti di viaggiare in fila indiana quando si trovano in gruppo, al posto della regola attuale che permette a due ciclisti di viaggiare fianco a fianco.
Ma i ciclisti e gli esperti di sicurezza stradale si oppongono a questa proposta, sostenendo che viaggare fianco a fianco sia molto più sicuro.
Il vice responsabile del centro sulla ricerca dei traumi e delle emergenze della Monash University Ben Beck ritiene che viaggiare in questo modo aiuto a prevenire incidenti.
“The legislation stipulates that cyclists can ride two abreast, or side by side, on any road and in addition to that they shouldn’t really be more than 1.5 metres apart. The reason for this regulation is firstly visibility: if you have a group of cyclists that are riding two abreast as opposed to single file, it’s easy for a driver to see the cyclist.”
Beck ha aggiunto che viaggiare in coppia impedisce ai ciclisti di venire spinti al lato della strada, eventualità particolarmente pericolosa nelle strade di campagna, nello sterrato o in strade con corsie di emergenza non asfaltate.
La scorsa settimana una ciclista di 55 anni di Canberra è deceduta dopo essere stata investita da un van.
Il guidatore è stato incriminato per morte causata per guida pericolosa.
Leggi che permettono la guida fianco a fianco sono valide nella maggior parte degli stati europei, in Asia e nelle Americhe.
I guidatori australiani, secondo Beck, sembrano mostrare un preoccupante livello di ostilità nei confronti dei ciclisti.
“From my perspective it’s a disappointing reflection on the current state of the culture around cycling in Australia. We know that there are really polar views at the moment around cyclists.”
Il presidente di Bicycle Network Craig Reynolds ha dichiarato che petizioni del genere non sono una novità e continuano ad alimentare un preoccupante livello di ostilità verso tutti i cliclisti in generale, non solo verso chi viaggia sulle strade.
“The real thing that’s so concerning about these sort of petitions is it’s really trying to dehumanise people riding bikes. What’s so worrying about this, and what gives me great cause for concern is it’s kind of saying people who are riding bikes should be lesser, we’re trying to dehumanise them, we’re trying to whip up hatred to them.”
Una delle posizioni principali della lobby degli automobilisti è che i ciclisti, immergendosi nel flusso del traffico due alla volta lo rallentano e mettono in pericolo se stessi e gli altri.
La petizione sostiene che anche quando sono presenti piste ciclabili, spesso i ciclisti le ignorino preferendo viaggiare sulla strada.
Al momento, le leggi sulle distanze di sicurezza in Australia impongono il rispetto di un metro tra il ciclista e il veicolo quando si viaggia sotti i 60 km orari, un metro e mezzo quando si supera questa velocità.
English
Few transport topics fire up Australians more than the clash between cyclists and motorists.
As cyclists fight for more rights on the road and drivers push for them to have less, an online petition has garnered more than 100,000 signatures to change the way cyclists use the road.
National lobby group, Drivers for the Registration of Cyclists, has attracted widespread praise, and some criticism, for its Change.org petition.
It calls on governments across Australia to “implement compulsory single file for all cyclists who ride in groups” rather than the current rule allowing two side-by-side.
But cyclists and road safety analysts are rejecting the call saying riding two abreast is much safer.
Deputy Head of emergency and trauma research at Melbourne’s Monash University says this way of cycling helps prevent accidents.
“The legislation stipulates that cyclists can ride two abreast, or side by side, on any road and in addition to that they shouldn’t really be more than 1.5 metres apart. The reason for this regulation is firstly visibility: if you have a group of cyclists that are riding two abreast as opposed to single file, it’s easy for a driver to see the cyclist.”
Dr Beck says riding two abreast also means cyclists are not pushed over to the side of the road, which is particularly dangerous on rural or dirt roads or roads with unsealed shoulders.
Just last weekend a 55 year-old female cyclist from Canberra died after being hit by a van.
The driver has since been charged with dangerous driving occasioning death.
Two-abreast laws are recognised in most of Europe, Asia and the Americas.
Dr Beck says Australian drivers in particular seem to hold a concerning level of hostility towards cyclists.
“From my perspective it’s a disappointing reflection on the current state of the culture around cycling in Australia. We know that there are really polar views at the moment around cyclists.”
Bicycle Network CEO Craig Reynolds says petitions like these are not new, and, continue to fuel a concerning level of hostility towards all bike riders, not just groups of road cyclists.
“The real thing that’s so concerning about these sort of petitions is it’s really trying to dehumanise people riding bikes. What’s so worrying about this, and what gives me great cause for concern is it’s kind of saying people who are riding bikes should be lesser, we’re trying to dehumanise them, we’re trying to whip up hatred to them.”
One of the main arguments from the drivers' lobby group is cyclists are spilling into main traffic-ways by riding two abreast, impeding traffic flow and endangering themselves and others.
The petition claims even when there are bike lanes, cyclists often ignore them and choose to ride on the road anyway.
Currently, the minimum passing distance laws in place around Australia require drivers to have a one-metre gap between a cyclist and their vehicle when driving under 60 kilometres per hour, and 1.5 metres when driving over that.
Report by Amelia Dunn
