Based on the width of the roads, cars are not allowed to overtake cyclists on almost all streets in the inner city centre and centre of the district in Antwerp, according to the Cyclists' Union.
According to the traffic regulations, drivers have to leave one metre in between their car and the cyclist they want to pass, but that is impossible in many places, say the results of a study by the Cyclists' Union (Fietsersbond).
The streets are too narrow to leave a meter in between, as the road code imposes in urban areas. "If that meter is not respected, it can lead to dangerous situations, especially in an urban environment with many parking lanes," said Maarten Vrebos of the Cyclists' Union, reports VRT.
Those streets should, therefore, become streets where cars are no longer allowed to overtake cyclists, such as bicycle streets. "However, it should not be necessary to entirely change the setup of the street, with markings and traffic signs in order to enforce a ban on overtaking," Vrebos said, on Radio 2 Antwerp.
The Union calls on drivers to abide by the traffic regulations, and not pass cyclists on streets that are too narrow. Additionally, the Union asked for more police checks.
Maïthé Chini
The Brussels Times
