One focus was on behavior at intersections, where 1,200 people in cars, on bikes and electric scooters, and pedestrians were observed during the morning rush hour in Vienna. The latter were particularly negative: “27 percent either crossed the road despite the red light or did not use existing protective routes,” says ÖAMTC traffic psychologist Marion Seidenberger. According to a broadcast in autumn 2022, the survey was carried out in cooperation with the executive. Other road users ignored red traffic lights less often than pedestrians – namely seven percent of cyclists or scooter drivers and one car driver. However, the fact that some drove in the short period between the green turn arrow going off and red also represents an “unnecessary risk”. In previous studies, however, it was noted that drivers also “didn’t particularly accurate”, Seidenberger is quoted as saying.
Most common misconduct: approach speed
A fifth of the cyclists also ignored the pavement markings separating the pedestrian and cycling areas. Just as many cyclists and scooter riders left the cycle path in the crossing area and approached it via the sidewalk. In Vienna, they also went on 43 observation trips, during which what was happening on e-scooters and bicycles was recorded directly from the flow of traffic. “The most common misconduct was approaching bike crossings at significantly too high a speed,” says Seidenberger, only 10 km/h are allowed here. A key campaign with the Vienna bicycle police also showed that 70 percent of cyclists and 80 percent of e-scooter users ignored a clearly visible stop sign. Half of the cyclists wore a helmet, but only twelve percent of the e-scooter riders.
The mobility club calls for compliance with the rules, because: “In the course of our investigation, we actually observed several near collisions,” stressed Seidenberger.
Source: Nachrichten
