Over 620 special road signs are going to be posted around the island to provide greater information for cyclists about road safety, the Council of Majorca has announced.
The tragic death of the German cyclist just over a week ago has brought the issue of road safety to the top of the agenda, considering that some 100,000 cyclists come to the island every year heading to population destinations such as Playa de Palma, Calvia, Cala Millor, Cala Ratjada, Alcudia and Pollensa.
The funding for the campaign, 370,678 euros, is going to come from the tourist tax bank and will be rolled out in three phases. The primary initiative is to have sign posts and information boards in each municipality, indicating the safest cycle routes. For example, the road on which last week’s fatal accident occurred is not considered suitable for cyclists. This is the kind of information which is going to be provided.
Information regarding suitable rest stops will also be provided, and town/village centres will be remodelled to cater for the needs of cyclists. There will, for example, be special areas where bicycles can be parked securely and without causing an obstacle for the general public.
Information will also be provided about the safest routes to use to get from one municipality to another without having to use the busy main roads.
The councillor for infrastructure, Mercedes Garrido, says: "Providing cyclists with as much information with regard to safety and security is our main intention and it is vital for the welfare of the booming industry. A large number of roads on Majorca are not suitable for cyclists and we want to share that information so we reduce the number of accidents and also increase the level of goodwill and understanding between vehicle drivers and cyclists."
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After watching my son play football in soller,we chose to travel over the mountain on our way back to calvia(home) On the route up we were blocked by 3/4 abreast cyclists,no problem,we weren't in a rush. However on the road downwards we were seriously troubled by them.circling the car,overtaking on both sides,and while each side of the car talking about how we were being unreasonable by I can only think 'driving' A group of Spanish riders who made for a very uncomfortable journey.
maybe bike riders should be required to wear reflective clothing and not block traffic riding 5 abreast down a main road .
Perhaps the Consell de Mallorca should use some of the 'Tourist Tax' money to invest in publication of English & German translations of the DGT guidance for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists which are currently only available in Spanish, as it is clear from the ill-informed comments here and on other pages that most foreigners do not understand the rules of the road (or the pavement), which are not the same as their country of origin. It always seems to be the ignorant that shout loudest ...
To Galles Mike, really sorry to read your post. Glad you were all ok. Regarding this and my previous posts, does anyone know how to denounce cyclists...indeed has this ever happened (I doubt it as we drivers are legally always liable). I have a friend who is a senior police officer...if he tells me anything helpful I will report back!
Mr M. Please don't take it personally. Try staying 'on topic' and do remember...................you can't win em' all.
I imagine everyone else in the know on this forum has been having a good laugh at my expense but I get it now.PalmaDave is the MDB chatbot!I guess I am lucky it wasn't programmed with even the most rudimentary artificial intelligence that would enable it to appear to reply to what I said instead of generating some random response or I could have been strung a long a bit more.Very good.
Mr M. Please remove your blinkers and read whats being said. This link may help. http://www.forum.puertopollensa.com/walking-cycling-golf-sports/12791-cyclists-driving.html
To Steve Jacobs. The film you suggested doesn't provide any education for the Tramuntana mountain area as that area is quite different from the Tramuntana mountain area and most cyclists are not as disciplined as those in the film. Respect should be mutual.
I visited the island last week with my wife and children, which was my first visit at this time of year, I normally visit during the summer holidays and fancied touring the island by car to see where we could stay over the summer.We hired a car and stayed in Muro and Santa Ponsa, whilst the cyclists around Muro were plentiful, we didn’t find them to much of an issue as the roads are wide.Last Tuesday was our last day and we decided to head from Santa Ponsa and drive along the coast on the Ma10 between Andratx and Soller.To say this was a big mistake is an understatement, I class my self as a good and careful driver, I drive 30k miles a year in the UK and when you have your family in the car you are extra cautious.The fact is that as long as the amount of cyclists using the narrow and winding roads along these coastal areas, people will get hurt or killed.There is a huge risk to both cyclists and vehicle occupants.The worst part of our journey was between Valldemossa and Deia where the council have started to resurface the roads, this has lead to the roads being finished in lovely new black top tarmac which is around 8-12” above the existing level, thus leaving a large drop off the road into the ditches which usually fall away to a 10feet drop down into the trees.This then leads to drivers having to hug the white line or straddle it.We were driving in this stretch of road uphill at approx 15kmh, when around a blind bend came 10 cyclists doing high speeds, hugging the white line, we had two options allow them to hit us or us swerve and flip my vehicle down an open ravine, you can guess which one I opted for, luckily nobody was badly hurt but this could have been a whole lot worst.After a long and difficult day we ended up missing our flight home and have had what was a lovely holiday ruined, through no fault of our own.We will never return to the island at this time of year if the cyclists remain as we feel the whole thing is a constant lottery if when and where an accident will happen.
By the way, I tend to be doubly-damned as usually, when I am waiting patiently behind cyclists, I get an aggressive school run mum tailgating me, horn blaring. I can’t win. Plus, you all know, don’t you, why they weave and block? Because there is nothing they hate more than having their group/procession broken up. Selfish, arrogant bunch.