Overtaking where this is not actually possible, driving fast and even giving elbows: the reputation of cyclists in the city is not good for everyone. But is that right? Traffic expert Marjolein de Lange doesn’t think so.
The Weesperzijde in East is one of the places where cyclists have to take into account construction work and where this causes irritation. They are sent onto the sidewalk and onto a narrow strip of asphalt. “The cyclists are very annoying. They always think they come first,” says a local resident. A cyclist tells him that he has to look carefully. “Sometimes one wants to use his elbow.”
“Some cyclists speed past it,” De Lange acknowledges. “But in places like this, most cyclists adhere to it and take each other into account. And if it is slightly different every day, then it is really very complicated for cyclists.”
Close to work
According to the traffic expert, cyclists want to stay as close as possible to their normal route and it is therefore good that they hardly have to take a detour on Weesperzijde at the moment. “We can pass work here, that’s what cyclists prefer to do.”
Although she believes the situation is better than during the work around Central Station, there are some areas for improvement. For example, the curbs can be quite dangerous, the route is difficult to see in the dark and there are often parked vans. These block the view of cyclists coming in the opposite direction.
De Lange understands that work needs to be done in many places in the city, but she believes that the work often takes a long time. “When a highway is being renovated, work is done 24 hours a day. And that is not done on those busy cycle routes that are comparable. That is also a choice you make.”
The work on the Weesperzijde is expected to last until September of this year. The municipality has announced that the diversion for cyclists will be moved slightly later this month. They will then have to drive via Blasiusstraat.
Tags: cyclists behave antisocially option work
