[sustran] Fw: Call for support for Spanish cyclists

[David Mozer]

-----Original Message-----
From: Daniel Eritja i Mathieu <deritja at pangea.org>
Date: Monday, January 11, 1999 1:57 PM
Subject: Call for support for Spanish cyclists


>SPANISH CYCLISTS NEED YOUR SUPPORT AGAIN
>
>You may have notice that the Spanish Traffic Law is going
to be amended to
>include more provisions for cyclists. Senate took the
initiative of
>preparing a draft bill. The proposal included, among other
points,
>mandatory helmet wearing, special clothing and odd
reflectors at night, ban
>from freeways and a half-way permission to carry small
children on the bike.
>
>During the last year, the Spanish cycle users'
associations, supported by
>cycle advocates from all over the world (you may be one of
them), have
>campaigned against these proposals, which would not really
increase road
>safety but charge increased responsibilities and
impediments onto cyclists.
>
>The draft bill has now passed to Congress unmodified, but
the battle is not
>lost. In the Senate plenary session, the authors of the
draft bill, both
>from government and opposition parties, went into an
unusual series of
>justifications and explanation of why they did not do good
work but only
>just a job, quoting almost literally the cyclists' concerns
and arguments.
>They all expressed their hope that Congress will do better
work. (You can
>read the transcription of this session at
>http://www.senado.es/boletines/PS0098.html - in Spanish, of
course.)
>
>Now the next round has begun, and it needs renewed support.
Politicians
>shall know that their work is being observed from
everywhere in the world.
>They do not have to re-invent the wheel - neither round nor
square: there
>is much good practice in legislation and international
experience which
>they should not ignore.
>
>So you are urgently invited to spread this message among
your colleagues
>and express your concern in letters to the persons below.
They are the
>Spanish Minister of the Interior and ultimate political
responsible for a
>new traffic law, and the President of the Parliament Lower
House, where
>this issue has to be treated now. Their address is:
>
>Excmo. Sr. Jaime Mayor Oreja
>Ministro de Interior
>Ministerio de Interior
>Calle Amador de los Ríos, 7
>E-28071 Madrid
>Spain
>
>Excmo. Sr. Federico Trillo Figueroa
>Presidente del Congreso
>Palacio del Congreso
>Calle Fernanflor, 1
>E-28014 Madrid
>Spain
>E-mail: federico.trillo at presidente.congreso.es
>
>(Please send a copy to Amics de la Bici, Barcelona at
deritja at pangea.org or
>fax nr. +34 93 431 5379).
>
>The traffic situation in Spain may be different from that
in your country.
>Therefore, you will find below some points to highlight the
needs of the
>cycling community in Spain.
>
>The measures proposed by cycle advocates to increase road
safety for
>cyclists in Spain include:
>
>First and foremost:
>
>- Substitution of the actual car-oriented traffic law by a
law of mobility
>based on the needs of those who do not cause danger nor
pollution:
>pedestrians and cyclists, and putting on those who cause
the danger (i.e.
>drivers of motor vehicles) the full responsibility to take
all necessary
>previsions to avoid harm to the weaker under all
circumstances (even
>"irregular" behaviour).
>
>- Recognition and enforcement of the cyclists' right to
circulate under
>acceptable conditions of objective and subjective road
safety. Traffic
>calming and promotion of cycling.
>
>Specifically:
>
>- Safe, comfortable and functional bicycle paths for
cyclists only (not to
>be shared with speedy mopeds as they are now), effective
speed reduction
>and control of motor traffic.
>
>- Definition and implementation of adequate new traffic
signs and roadmarks
>for bicycle infrastructure, including advanced stop areas
at crossings.
>
>- Strict enforcement of a safe side distance when motor
vehicles overtake
>cyclists (at present, it is 1.5 m, but this is never
enforced by the police).
>
>- Permission that 2 cyclists ride abreast on road as well
as in town, to
>improve their visibility and thus their safety.
>
>- General permission for transport of small children in
special seats or
>trailers (still forbidden, but widely practised).
>
>- In urban areas, recognition of the cyclists' right to use
any given lane
>at its centre and not be confined to the outer edge (where
he/she is all
>too often overlooked and consequently overrun by
motorists).
>
>- Cyclists and other vulnerable road users should be given
the right of way
>over motorised traffic when crossing or turning.
>
>- It would be against the constitutional right to mobility
to ban cyclists
>from freeways if there is no safe and convenient
alternative route.
>
>- Mandatory helmets will not improve road safety but will
keep people off
>cycling.
>
>- The makers or sellers of bicycles should be made
responsible that any
>bicycle to be sold is equipped with all the elements
required by law to
>ride these vehicles among other traffic at any time. The
range of
>authorised lighting and reflector systems should be wide
enough to suit the
>different needs of different user types.
>
>If you have any questions or doubts about these points, do
not hesitate to
>contact deritja at pangea.org.
>
>Thank you for your support.
>
>
>
>-----------------------------------------------------
>Daniel Eritja i Mathieu
>C/ Mare de Déu de Port, 397, 17è 1a
>E-08038 Barcelona
>Tel/Fax: +34 93 431 53 79
>
>
>+Is this list valuable to you? Your contribution is
>what helps to ensure its continued operation and
>growth. Find out more at http://cyclery.com/support/
>+-----------------------------------------------------+
>