"Inhuman": Police Karlsruhe reaps Shitstorm after a life-threatening accident involving a cyclist

Created: 05/25/2022, 15:41

By: Nadja Pohr

The Karlsruhe police are being criticized on Twitter for reporting an accident in which a critically injured cyclist is clearly rated as the culprit (symbol image).

© Uli Deck/dpa

The Karlsruhe police were severely condemned on social media for reporting an accident between a cyclist and a driver.

Karlsruhe - Again and again there are serious accidents between cyclists and motorists on the road.

The Baden-Württemberg regional head of the General German Bicycle Club (ADFC) therefore warned last year that it was still too dangerous to be on the road by bicycle.

The association is pursuing the "Vision Zero", i.e. no accidents at all - but we are still a long way from that.

There was an accident in Karlsruhe on May 21, in which a cyclist was seriously injured.

A 58-year-old was hit by a 65-year-old driver when turning left.

The cyclist was charged by the lady's Mercedes-Benz, thrown onto the street and suffered life-threatening head injuries.

He wasn't wearing a helmet.

However, the question of who is to blame for the accident is being hotly debated online - the police are even getting a real shitstorm for it.

Serious accident between car and bicycle in Karlsruhe: social media users question police statements

As the Karlsruhe police announced, the cyclist did not pay attention to the traffic behind him and was therefore responsible for the accident.

However, the 58-year-old made it clear with a hand signal that he wanted to turn left.

On Twitter, users therefore see the offense clearly with the driver.

"It's more the job of the rear traffic to pay attention to what's happening in front of them," writes one user.

"Why should cyclists watch the traffic behind them when drivers just have to look ahead, i.e. to where they want to go?" Another user asks.

“You have to be damn neutral and your report clearly shows one-sided blame.

Even if he hasn't looked around, the rear-end driver caused the accident," one user ranted.

Some even accuse the police of intentionally turning perpetrators and victims away.

"Cyclists are always to blame, you learn from the police tweets on Twitter," comments one user.

"Victim blaming at its best.

Really inhuman.”

Police Karlsruhe defends itself against criticism - cyclists can also be to blame

The officials defend themselves against the criticism of the message and the investigation.

There are also accidents caused by cyclists, they write, among other things.

But the community won't give up.

For Twitter users, the police report is worded unhappily.

It would therefore encourage “motorized violence”, which was recently criticized in Stuttgart.

However, the Karlsruhe police maintain that the cyclist made the mistake, because witnesses would also prove that the driver did not behave incorrectly.

The cyclist himself could not be questioned because he is in the hospital.

Nevertheless, an expert is also consulted in the case to be on the safe side, the officials write on Twitter.