I was sitting in the bus when I heard someone shouting from outside: an old man. He was riding his bike home and was almost knocked down by the bus. When the bus reached a bus stop, the man approached the bus driver and started cursing. Even though this time it was nothing more than a scare, cyclists are not that lucky all the time.
Bristol, also called Britain's First Cycling City, received £11m pounds from the Department for Transport to transform the city: new on-road cycle lanes, traffic-free routes, new cycle parking spaces and other projects to encourage thousands of people to use bikes. However, every effort is in vain if the City Council does not make sure other drivers are aware of cyclists.
Gloucester Road. for example, is a very busy road, especially during rush hour. Buses, taxis, cars and bikes fight for space in a two-way street. Bus lanes and cycle paths usually merge and intertwine at different points of the road. Usually, bus drivers do not check the road when they turn, and bikes crush into the bus.
I know that cyclist not always follow road rules. They don't always stop at traffic lights and pedestrian crossings. They don't always wear a helmet or light-coloured clothing. However, car and bus drivers don't drive properly either. They should expect cyclists in any unexpected place, check mirrors and blind spots very often, and shouldn't drive aggresively around cyclists. As important as investing in infrastructure, Bristol City Council should also educate Bristolian drivers in cycling awareness to learn how to drive safely around cyclists.
A must-read: 'Advice for drivers and cyclists'
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