For Jean-Marc Aubert
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A survey published by the Vinci Autoroutes Foundation shows that pedestrians, cyclists, scooters, motorcyclists and “two-wheeled” drivers often have great difficulty coexisting in built-up areas, as is increasingly the case in Montpelier, due to many arteries under construction, avenues and streets whose direction of circulation is modified. The national statistics published by this Vinci Autoroutes survey reflect the reality of Montpellier, with an incalculable number of daily violations.
Dangerous pedestrians
This study confirms the findings of road users venturing onto public roads: even after carefully looking left, then right before crossing, most pedestrians does not have peace of mind, since 94% of them fear that a motorcyclist or a “two-wheeler” will not stop to let them pass, when they are busy in a reserved passage. This statistic remains: among the most vulnerable users, pedestrians seem dangerous: in fact, they are not blameless, as 70% confess to having crossed a red light. 96% of road users admit to being afraid of the risky behavior of others.
Scooters and hoverboards
Made by‘Ipsos Institute for the Vinci Autoroutes Foundation of eleven European countries, this study shows more generally that sharing the road with different modes of transport is a source of fear: for example, 78% of pedestrians fear that a bicycle, a roller skate or one hoverboard he brushes them against a sidewalk. In Montpellier, these new machines identified, but which fall like UFOs, are more and more numerous. “The other day, two young people on scooters who were riding like crazy almost collided on a sidewalk and knocked me down,” testifies Madeleine, an alert septuagenarian from here, who has already been run over twice in recent years by cyclists, so she to cross a zebra crossing to go buy him bread: “Miraculously unharmed twice, but I have great apprehension when I go shopping on foot”.
Motorcycles are in the spotlight of the police: a special operation was carried out this Tuesday evening in the streets of Montpellier with 68 people driving these controlled electric vehicles, including 15 immobilized for lack of compulsory civil insurance. Other similar actions are planned.
Phone while driving
These scooters wear headphones in their ears, which increases the danger when crossing a road, when vehicles appear. 96% of French users explain that they are afraid risk behaviors of those with whom they share the road. Fears that are not unfounded, as 61% of motorists and 60% of regular motorists admit that they talk on the phone while driving, hands-free kit included. In addition, the truck drivers Those interviewed in this survey admit that they spend 9% of their time driving with their mobile phones.
Traffic jams on Avenida Pompignane
“And if it was only on the phone, it often overtakes semi-trailers on the A9 and A709 motorways, whose drivers are reading a newspaper at the wheel or watching a movie at all, it is very dangerous, because their attention is very impaired. ” , concerns jonathana young man commercial from Montpellier. Jean-Marc, a pensioner, is not angry with the practices of these shameless drivers who park on the avenue de la Pompignane, creating traffic jams at rush hour: “It’s recurring, they park in a lane in front of the trade where they go to do shopping, or a passenger, activating the warning, while there is a car park 50 meters away, it is a scandal. And when you ask them to drive because there is a traffic jam, they give you the thumbs up, women included.”
67% of motorists also admit to sometimes going through an orange or even red light, as do 38% of regular cyclists, even when the signs forbid it. cycling it seems more complicated in France than elsewhere, as the sense of security of the French (60%) is lower than the European average (82%). In this sense, the Dutch are way ahead, as 96% of them claim to shoot without fear.
Pedestrians touched each other
In France, cycling traffic requires more caution than driving for three out of four cyclists. The security measures they don’t always seem well integrated, as less than half (45%) of French cyclists say they wear a helmet frequently. 56% of French cyclists also admit that they sometimes ride on pavements. This data echoes the one according to which 78% of pedestrians have already been grazed by a bicycle in this location.
Bike lanes in question
We do not count the number ofcrimes recorded every day on the streets of Montpellier, where a good number of cycling fans refuse to take the specially designed tracks. Brian, teacher here he explains why: “These corridors are dangerous, because buses, private ambulances, taxis travel there, with my wife, my children and our friends, we never enter the cycle paths and, of course, we know which is prohibited, but we drive on the sidewalks, it’s the only way to feel safe.”
Brice, his family and his friends are not isolated cases, “they only cross Montpellier to realize that the bike lanes are deserted”, observe the drivers. Other realities: “two-wheeled” riders defy the ban on driving in the pedestrian areas of the Badge and the Place de la Comédie, where the municipal police keep watch. And the drivers “burn” the red traffic lights that announced the passage of a tram train, with a shock to the key, as was still happening in recent days on line 2, near the Aiguelongue station.
“Obstacle Race”
On his widely read Facebook page, Arthur Lansonneur, a student pedestrian who travels exclusively by bicycle, often points out, with supporting photos, the owners of the vehicles that illegally occupy the reserved lanes. He reports “a real obstacle course every day, in the city center and in the neighborhoods.”
Cyclists do not respect the traffic code, especially at roundabouts and cause material accidents. Four took place in the same week at the Benjamin Franklin roundabout, known as “Dell”, Millénaire district, on the edge of Montpellier and Castelnau-le-Lez. Benoit, plumber says: “Coming from Castelnau and going towards Odisseu, a guy on a bicycle entered this roundabout in the 2×2 lane while he saw vehicles coming. Two drivers were forced to brake suddenly, I was unable to avoid one of them and the cyclist quickly disappeared. However, he was mistaken, as yield signs are indeed placed at the level of the crossing in the small corridor reserved for bicycles. We have made a friendly report and we are waiting for the verdict of the insurance companies”.
Enhanced controls
These scenes take place on many occasions, at all the roundabouts in Montpellier and on the main arteries. Overall, users also seem to have difficulty moving in the lane reserved for them. Thus, 61% of cyclists take the bike lanes and 52% venture onto the sidewalks. 70% even admit that they sometimes park there, as do vehicles, especially trucks and vans, as is usually the case, for example, on the avenue de Lodève, at Arceaux station, on the line 3 of the tram. The municipal police it multiplies the controls, with verbalizations and embargoes, since the fatal fall of a cyclist, recently. 27% of motorists do not hesitate to park in a double line and 40% admit that they do not always check if a cyclist is coming before opening the door.
The followers of the little queen are happy to learn that the project to create a bike lane in the Comédie tunnel which was revealed last February by the mayor, Michaël Delafosse, is confirmed, which will expand the place of interest granted to bicycles here.
Lots of crashes
There are also champions who want to imitate high speed racing experienced in the five “Taxi” films and which are dedicated to rodeos and urban races that endanger those who respect the rules of the road. “The list of offences, from the smallest to the most important established in Montpellier is unimaginable, it makes you dizzy and this explains why there are so many accidents. Last week, the firefighters of Sdis 34 made 86 exits due to traffic accidents”, analyzes a road safety official, for whom the best weapon is still prevention, but who is in favor of dissuasive sanctions in the repression when drivers they are recidivist.
This study published by Vinci Autoroutes shows that the practice of the different modes of transport is an essential factor for a better respect for other users. To promote coexistence, nothing better than putting yourself in the shoes of the other, to share exemplary. Buying a pipe is priceless.
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