Cyclists complain about weaknesses - and campaign for referendums

Created: 2022-09-02 19:57

By: Dominik Stallein

For safety on the bike: Many cyclists signed on the Green Market for the referendum.

Here: Mark Ehlers and Martina Schwarzenbeck.

© Sabine Hermsdorf-Hiss

Bicycle activists collect signatures for the Radentscheid in Wolfratshausen.

You see a lot of need for action in transport policy.

Wolfratshausen - The city is a bicycle-friendly municipality - that is officially certified.

Since 2018, the municipality has held the seal of approval from the Free State of Bavaria.

That there is still room for improvement in the eyes of many cyclists was recently shown: activists from "WOR for Future" - an offshoot of the Fridays, Parents and Grandparents movement - collected signatures for the Radentscheid Bayern on the Grüner Markt.

Cyclists complain about weaknesses - and campaign for referendums

In front of the rafting inn, Dr.

Hans Schmidt, the city council's climate and environmental officer and active nature conservationist, and Martina Schwarzenbeck set up a "thank you point" for cyclists.

There it came to an exchange deal: A fresh plum was exchanged for a signature for the bicycle decision.

Business flourished: "We had ten sheets with us, and they were full after two and a half hours," reports environmental officer Schmidt.

In addition to their signature, the many passers-by who visited the Green Market left something else: criticism of some "insufficiencies for cyclists in Wolfratshausen", as Schmidt reports.

You can read all the news from Wolfratshausen here.

"More cycle paths are needed": Cyclists want more safety on main roads in Wolfratshausen

Peter Mähner, for example, warned of several hurdles for bicycle traffic.

"We need more bike lanes in general," he said.

He would like to see so-called pop-up cycle lanes on some main streets in the city.

This refers to short-term bicycle protection strips along the road, which are intended to ensure more safety.

The concept was successfully tested in Munich, for example.

In four places - for example on Rosenheimer Straße - these pop-up strips became fixed cycle paths.

The Wolfratshauser had cycled to the Loisachhallen parking lot to sign for the referendum.

Mähner parked his bike on a lamppost.

He sees this as another problem: "We need more bicycle parking spaces in many places in the city."

Bike racks in Wolfratshausen: cycling activists see a shortage

Christine Pollin sees it the same way.

She also signed for the Radentscheid.

"It's a general problem that there aren't enough bike racks - also in Wolfratshausen." When she goes shopping by bike, "I can hardly park my bike in front of the door of almost any shop".

She sees the responsibility of both shop operators and the municipality to create more parking spaces for non-motorized traffic.

She gave her signature for another reason: as a cyclist there are many moments when you feel unsafe on the road.

"Many cars speed past the cyclists far too close." Pollin hopes that a successful referendum will raise awareness of many people for the needs of cyclists - and that more consideration will be given to the weaker road users.

ADFC cycling decision: signatures are being collected

The Radentscheid is a Bavaria-wide referendum initiated by the General German Bicycle Club (ADFC).

He campaigns for safe and comfortable cycle paths and more fast connections in Bavaria.

In addition, the proportion of bicycle traffic is to increase to at least 25 percent by 2030.

Currently, bicycles make up only eleven percent of all traffic.

"Cyclists must feel safer so that more people can switch from cars to bicycles more often and the goal of noticeably more bicycles on the roads and cycle paths can be achieved," says the Radentscheid website.

And further: "An appropriate infrastructure creates more safety for cyclists."

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