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Amateur cycling in Moscow

Дата публикации: 28 октября 2015
Автор(ы): Anton Razmakhnin
Публикатор: Научная библиотека Порталус
Рубрика: RUSSIA (TOPICS)
Номер публикации: №1446058121


Anton Razmakhnin, (c)

На фото: Amateur cycling in Moscow, автор: admin

The Moscow city authorities and the State Road Traffic Safety Inspectorate (GIBDD) acknowledged the seriousness of the "two-wheeled" problem a few years ago. But for some reason, officials - from Mayor Sobyanin  to road traffic safety experts - believe that the principal cause of the high accident and injury rates among bicycle and scooter riders is not the lack of cycle infrastructure, but their uncontrolled use. Therefore, to reduce the number of "two-wheeled" road accidents, they propose using a provision in the Traffic Code that allows local authorities to introduce registration and licensing for cyclists.

Needless to say, cyclists and scooter riders regard these initiatives as an encroachment on their freedom. "People have always bought motorized scooters and mopeds to be independent of traffic rules, and to have complete freedom of movement," said Dmitry Makurin, a member of the Moscow Scooter Club Organizing Committee.

The advocates of administrative regulation cite European experience: for example, in the UK, a cyclist has to pass a riding skills test and obtain a license plate.

Yet before citing the strict UK regulations, perhaps city authorities should first make cycling in Moscow as safe as it is elsewhere in Europe. To this end, it is above all necessary to build cycling lanes and bicycle parking facilities, as well as give cyclists right of way on the roads. Studies show improved safety for motorists when bike lanes exist, because motorists passing cyclists when no bike lane exists veer farther left into the next traffic lane. This rule exists in the majority of European cities, especially in Northern Europe. The results are there for everyone to see: the traffic congestion problem is eased, if not resolved; parking facilities for thousands of bicycles at historical town centers in the Old World are fairly compact; and "two wheel" priorities allow the authorities not to build expensive [and not always effective] giant on-ramps and off-ramps.

At one time, such a policy also worked in the Soviet Union: Lithuanian Siauliai and academic township in the Moscow region, surrounding but not including the city of Moscow, primarily Dubna (about 120 km to the north of the capital), became bicycle havens. The question, of course, is how this strategy, which is quite effective in small towns, would work in such a megalopolis as Moscow. There is not much cause for painting an idyllic picture here, but peaceful coexistence between cyclists and motorists is quite feasible: consider Amsterdam and some other European capitals.

In Moscow, however, cyclists and scooterists find themselves in a less than enviable position. Nevertheless, several times a year, Muscovites have an opportunity to see that bicycles can harmoniously blend into a large city: every once in a while mass cycling marathons, called Kriticheskaya massa (Critical Mass), are held in the capital (for information on upcoming events, visit http://massa.org.ru).

Maybe we will be lucky, and one day it will be possible to move about Moscow with just a push of the pedals or with children with micro scooters and bicycles. But cyclists will need a protective helmet and an air purifying respirator since cars are unlikely to disappear anytime soon.

FACT BOX

Segregated cycle facilities may consist of separate roads, tracks, paths or lanes designated for use by cyclists and from which motorized traffic is generally excluded. Segregated cycle facilities are distinct from facilities in which cyclists are integrated with other traffic (i.e., not separated from other traffic by class).

There are various types of cycle facility and different countries use differing, often legally defined, terms to distinguish them. In essence, segregated cycle facilities fall into two categories; "Off-road" and "On-road". "Off-road" facilities may exist on their own dedicated right-of-way or else run alongside an existing roadway. In the United States, off-road unsurfaced trails are commonly called "bike trails" or "mountain-bike trails", while surfaced trails that are separate from roadways and which meet more rigorous standards for width, grade and accessibility are commonly called "bike paths." In the United Kingdom and some other places, the terms "cycle path" or "cycle track" are sometimes used as a blanket term for any off-road device. "On-road" devices are typically termed "cycle lanes" and consist of portions of a roadway or the shoulder which have been designated for use by cyclists.

Terminology:

Cycleway: Road (UK) or path (USA) dedicated to cyclists on separate right of way. Cycle track/Cycle path or Sidepath: Roadside converted-footway type structure alongside (but not on) a carriageway (UK) or sidepath alongside (but not on) a roadway (USA).

Cycle lane: A lane marked on existing carriageway (UK), or a marked and signed portion of a roadway or shoulder (USA), that is designated for cyclist use.

(Source: Wikipedia)

Опубликовано на Порталусе 28 октября 2015 года

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