Fietspaal oorzaak van veel ongelukken

https://twitter.com/#!/kranksbikes/status/166278046574317568

From Gareth:

The bollards that prevent cars from driving on to bicycle lanes can be extremely dangerous.

They are a major cause of accidents involving bicycles. Every year there are 50 deaths and 46,000 injuries and 1 in 4 of them involve these bollards according to a group of researchers from the university of Groningen.

Many of the bollards are positioned badly such as immediately after a bend or in areas of poor visibility, some have inappropriate colours, "We encountered brown and even black ones, who thinks of this stuff?" said Dik de Waard of the traffic research group.

The bollards are usually placed out of a sense of tradition, "Its thought that if there is a cycle path, there must be bollards." Originally intended to protect the cyclist from motorists, they now seem to have little benefit concludes De Waard. "Not everywhere, but in most places they should be removed."

As an example, De Waard points out that during the autumn, when municipal services need access to tend plants and grass verges, the bollards are often temporarily removed. There are very few motorists who try to drive onto the cycle paths then according to De Waard.

The Bollards are especially fatal for the elderly. They generally have poorer eyesight, and a collision with a bollard is more likely to be fatal. Some municipalities, including Amersfoort and Goes, have stated that as a result of the investigation they will remove unnecessary bollards.

from Paul Jakma

Bollards the cause of many accidents

 

Groningen: Bollards intended to prevent car entering cycle-paths are extremely dangerous.

They are a major cause of single-party (note: i.e. no other vehicles involved) cycling accidents. They are responsible for 50 deaths and 46,000 injuries each year. They were factors in one in four such accidents, according to research by the traffic-psychology group of the University of Groningen. 

 

Many bollards are obscured and badly placed, such as after a bend or in a shaded area, or have an unfortunate colour. "We've come across bollards painted brown and even black. Who's bright idea was that?", says researcher Dik de Waard of the traffic group.

 

Protection

 

Bollards are often placed according to routine (process? habit?), he finds. "A cycle-path is being built so, hey presto, a bollard has to be installed. That seems to be the thought process". Though originally intended to protect cyclists, bollards are of little benefit to them, determines De Waard. "In very many places, though not all, it would be better to remove them".

 

De Waard points as an example to the autumn, when council services need to access parks and allotments. The bollards are then often removed temporarily. There are though few, if any, cars going onto cycle-paths, according to De Waard.

 

Elderly

 

The bollards are particularly dangerous for the elderly. They generally have poorer vision, and a collision with a bollard often has a worse outcome for the elderly, and a greater chance of being fatal. Several councils, including Amersfoort and Goes, have indicated they will be removing unnecessary bollards, based on the research findings, according to De Waard.

For those of you interested in the full study (that included interviews and the evaluation of visibility more than just bollards), the original publication in English is available to all:

Fabriek, E., de Waard, D. & Schepers, J.P. (2012). Improving the visibility of bicycle infrastructure, the International  Journal of Human Factors and Ergonomics, 1, 98–115

http://dx.doi.org/10.1504/IJHFE.2012.045274

Thanks,

Dick de Waard

For those of you interested in the full study (that included a survey, interviews, and the evaluation of visibility more than just bollards), the original publication in English is available to all:

Fabriek, E., de Waard, D. & Schepers, J.P. (2012). Improving the visibility of bicycle infrastructure, the International  Journal of Human Factors and Ergonomics, 1, 98–115

http://dx.doi.org/10.1504/IJHFE.2012.045274

Thanks,

Dick de Waard