Bicycle road banned by law - but motorists are now hit even harder

Created: 01/26/2022, 07:22

By: Marcus Efler

A judge sued a bicycle street in Hanover - and won.

However, he probably did not expect this blatant reaction from the municipality.

Hanover - Whether new bike paths, pop-up lanes or entire bike streets - where the coexistence of cyclists and cars in town is regulated, there is often trouble.

The latter facility in particular demands a little more tolerance from drivers than usual: cyclists are allowed to use the entire lane and also ride next to each other.

The road is approved for cars with a maximum speed of 30 km/h, but they may have to trundle patiently behind cyclists.

(Bicycle courier lands in Hamburg's Elbe tunnel - but he's extremely lucky)

Bicycle road banned by law - but motorists are now hit even harder

Apparently that did not suit a Hanoverian: The judge complained about the conversion of Kleestraße in the Zooviertel into a bicycle street - and was right.

The city did not do what could be expected, namely to appeal, but reacted completely unexpectedly, as reported by 24auto.de.

(Drivers with good intentions for the coming year: walk more, but . . .)

Always good for trouble: a bicycle road.

(Iconic image) © Gottfried Czepluch/Imago

Bicycle street banned by court – city deletes car parking spaces

She turned the reasoning for the judgment against the motorists in a way that was as elegant as it was nasty.

The court had decided that it was not enough to simply dedicate the small street to bicycles with signs and markings: for this to be legal, cyclists must actually have advantages over normal streets.

According to the "Hannoversche Allgemeine", that's exactly what the civil engineering office provided for the bicycles - by making the car parking spaces that were parallel to the road disappear.

This guarantees that you can cycle next to each other in the narrow street, even if there is oncoming traffic.

In addition, the approximately 20 other bicycle lanes are now to be checked.

(Cyclists overtaking prohibited: new sign shocks motorists)

Bicycle street banned by court – FDP sees “Green dictatorship”

Law respected, drivers frustrated - politicians divided.

The Greens, who also provide the mayor with Belit Onay (41), cheer, the FDP rages.

"Anyone who votes green has to live with the Green dictatorship," said FDP faction leader Wilfried Engelke.

However, FDP voters in Kleestrasse now have to look longer for a parking space and then maybe walk a few more steps.