Fewer cycling ‘near-misses’ on Maltese roads last year

A pressure group that called for more safety for cyclists last year has reported a decline in road incidents. Roads seem to have become slightly safer for cyclists, according to the Bicycling Advocacy Group (BAG), which said that both statistically and in practice riders felt there had been an increase in awareness. A major concern for cyclists is when vehicles get too close by pulling in too soon after overtaking them, trying to beat them to junctions, or overtaking just before a bus stop. Several incidents last year spurred an outcry for more tolerance on the roads. Cyclist Emanuel Inguanez, 66, suffered a broken pelvis after being hit by a car in St Paul’s Bay in July. A week later, Nanette Farrugia, 38, was hit by a bendy bus that kept going at “full speed” in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq. Similar calls were made in July 2009, when Lifecycle member Clifford Micallef, 45, died on the Coast Road after he was struck by a hit-and-run car driver, whom the police later tracked down. However, according to BAG’s end-of-year report, there was a steady fall in near-misses across the year, despite a slight rise in the third quarter that coincided with the summer peak. While nearly 180 near-misses...