Wednesday 9 April 2014

The reality of cycling in Vienna

3 days after her picture was taken riding this cargo bike this happens:

She went to work today, on her bike. At Waaggasse, a rather small one-way street (bikes have the option to go both ways) a car gets behind her and hits the horn a couple of times, then overtakes with next to no space between her and the car. Also, we are in a 30km/h - zone here and she is not a slow rider. 

The car has to stop at the next crossing, She asks the driver what the fuck is up with him.He accelerates and hits her bike on purpose. She starts yelling at him, he hits her again, with the car, and speeds off. 

She is in shock, but is alright. 

And now off to the best part: 3 hours later, after finally having calmed down, she goes to the police and tells them, what happened. Their response: "You are lucky that you don't have to pay a fee now, because you too have committed Fahrerflucht because you didn't come to us within 20 minutes. Also it was an accident and nothing else and will not be processed in any way." 

A month ago my wife was hit by a car that overtook her as they dashed for the flashing green light.  The car speed off and she recovered after a wobble and shock.  She did not even bother reporting this to the Police who are clearly not interested in the safety of vulnerable road users.  They are too busy at the moment controlling the size of bike reflectors and issuing fines.

This is the reality of cycling in Vienna and frankly it disgusts me.  Campaigners and the City needs to stop all the "Safety in Numbers" bullshit and understand that "Safety is Numbers".

4 comments:

  1. More on this theme and details of one of these incidents in German here:
    http://inartissojo.com/blog/fahrradfahren-in-wien/

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  2. Exactly! I have also been in many unpleasant situations while riding my bike in Vienna, one very similar to this story, but it's unbelievable that most have happened in the cycle-path in Argentienstrasse, One time a guy was blocking the way in his car, and I was waiting for him to move and the guy reacted yelling at me, getting out of the car with threatening attitude, so I started to ride... and I am a woman, and i was just waiting for him to move! it's so sad that a city that always auto-promotes as one of the best to live in the world don't really make good polities respecting urban biking.

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  3. Hi

    I got hit by a Post van in the 23. Distrikt while I was trying to get out of the city to ride my race bike in the countryside.
    I was on the bike path. He came out of nowhere on the side. He hit me sideways. As people are so considerate in this "friendly" city, nobody stopped to ask if I was fine and to be whitnesses to the police. Went to the hospital. I have a swollen elbow and wrist. I can barely move them. Starting to sleep a few days after the incident

    Drivers are inconsiderate and don't respect the speed limit. Typical political of Vienna, they mention how safe cycling is in the touristic parts of the city, i.e. Ring and Danube. The rest, nobody cares.

    A police state but not regardinng traffic.

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    Replies
    1. I hope you are better now twiston43.

      There is not much you can do about a violent attack like this other than waste your time reporting the incident to the Police. They can issue an "Anzeige" is you have the number plate and you demand that they do.

      If you need legal help maybe try contacting the Rad Lobby.

      All the best,

      Doug

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