When Politicians Maim Bike Laws (busted)

[Stefan Mikes]

I do not want to bitch about the ruling party of Poland with the majority in the Sejm (Parliament), with the Government and the President. No, I won't say a word on how much incompetent they are.

THE BELOW IS MISINFORMATION BASED ON IRRESPONSIBLE MEDIA REPORTS. IN FACT, CYCLISTS and SCOOTER RIDERS HAVE THE FULL PRIORITY ON "BIKE ROAD CROSSINGS IN POLAND". Chapter 27, Article 27, Point 3 of the latest Poland's Road Code.

Quite recently, I read an article about the change in the Poland's Road Code, announced with total media silence in November 2021. Namely, the cyclists lost their priority when approaching a dedicated and marked "bike road crossing"! With the zebra crossing, pedestrians have got the full priority. If a driver is caught in the act of not allowing a pedestrian to cross a zebra, the consequences for the driver are dire. Now, the cyclist approaching the "bike road crossing" (which is clearly marked with wide red stripe and white markings!) will need to stop and wait for their turn! So the pedestrian is a holy cow (rightly!) but the cyclist is scum?

Again, the automotive lobby won. And cyclists were not informed at all. The change in the law effectively invalidated the "bike road crossings" as these are meaningless now! I can only hope the ruling political party would lose the next elections (the chances are there, although slim), and the law would be mended again...

 

[J.R.]

Are you saying bikes in pic 1 will have to stop at that crossing on every approach? Do traffic lights control cars, peds and bikes and everyone gets a turn? Sometimes red and stop, sometimes green and keep rolling?

I don't completely understand as you might've guessed

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Do not mix the traffic lights into the picture. You can see the red stripe in the first picture. I live by a huge logistic base, with immense traffic of big lorries and cars through the gate. A bike path is running along the base. Quite recently, the bike crossing was painted there, so I could ride at 20 km/h and have the priority there, only slowing down a little to not increase the risk.

Now, I have lost the priority, so any Heavy Goods Vehicle or a car can get into and out the base completely ignoring my presence on the bike path. When I'm riding to the nearest city, there are as many as four such bike crossings. All of them became meaningless with the recent change in the law. I might post some pictures in the morning.

 

[J.R.]

Do not mix the traffic lights into the picture. You can see the red stripe in the first picture. I live by a huge logistic base, with immense traffic of big lorries and cars through the gate. A bike path is running along the base. Quite recently, the bike crossing was painted there, so I could ride at 20 km/h and have the priority there, only slowing down a little to not increase the risk.

Now, I have lost the priority, so any Heavy Goods Vehicle or a car can get into and out the base completely ignoring my presence on the bike path. When I'm riding to the nearest city, there are as many as four such bike crossings. All of them became meaningless with the recent change in the law. I might post some pictures in the morning.

Having to stop on any kind of bike degrades their efficiency and makes them less useful.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

less useful.

Useless.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

@J.R.: Thank for your interest!
Fortunately, one of my friends who is an astute person read carefully the in new law. In fact, the pedestrians but also cyclists and scooter riders have the full priority on zebras and bike crossings. So this thread has been wrong as it was based on irresponsible media reports.

Relieved!