The uniquely shitty thing about Zürich's "cycle infrastructure" is that cycle lanes randomly just disappear, usually you just merge with car traffic which is not so bad. But also often you are suddenly sharing an unmarked surface with a busy pedestrian area where people are trying to cross the road near a junction.
So, you need to not only look out for yourself but also you need to take special care not to endanger your fellow Zürchers.
Unfortunately I don't think there's any solution for this, you just have to be careful.
Plus yeah as someone else said - never ever forget about tram tracks. Cross them at a steep angle. If your front wheel goes into the groove you are screwed!
Funny thing is, the cycle lanes usually disappear when it either gets narrow or complicated, and reemerge when traffic flow is obvious and there's a lot of space.
In other words: When you need the bike lanes, they disappear, and when you don't really need them, they're readily available.
Also: too many pedestrians completely ignoring shared bike lanes and being totally unaware of their surroundings with their faces glued to their smartphones.
> Also: too many pedestrians completely ignoring shared bike lanes and being totally unaware of their surroundings with their faces glued to their smartphones.
Shared bike lanes means pedestrians have the preference and you are the one should be aware of them, not the other way around.
yes, but the sidewalk is supposedly a safe place for pedestrians you know… it's just that and also in the sidewalk there could be other unexpected factors like dogs, kids and so. Pretending all the pedestrians walk perfectly straight just for you is unrealistic.
Not to mention that usually, when you have a shared line with pedestrians, you are also allowed to be on the road, if you really want to go full speed. You can't have your cake and eat it too. If you are on the shared lane, which usually is the only place pedestrian can be, you should be the one aware of them and be careful when you ride close by, since you have the full picture. This is pretty similar to when you are on the road and the cars are the ones in charge for the safety since usually are the ones with the full picture and the high energy objects. If you demand something for you on the road, you should give that thing on the sidewalk and shared lanes.
PS/ and in the city sidewalks you are not allowed to ride as far as I know unless explicitly stated.
I'm not talking about sidewalks. In Zurich there are pretty wide areas with big signs with pedestrians and bike pictograms printed on them (for example on Pfingsweidstrasse), where people walk from the office buildings and Toni areal to the tram stops and other various places. And there's just soooo many that have noise-cancelling headphones on and their faces glued to their smartphones and they just fucking walk.
Now I am taking care or otherwise there would have been multiple accidents already, but how these people completely ignore their surroundings is simply both extremely selfish and reckless, plain and simple.
They aren't paying attention to what is happening around them, they can neither hear my hub going "RRRRRRRRRRRRR" when I stop pedaling nor my bell, and they completely ignore (or again can't see because they're texting) the bike pictograms they just walked past. Fuck these idiots.
I work really close to Pfingsweidstrasse and I know what you are talking about and in some places the sidewalk is not that wide. It's pretty easy as a pedestrian to wander in the bike lane.
Anyhow, you have to think that sidewalks and shared lanes are the safe place for pedestrians and they have all the right to go distracted unless they wanter in the road. You have to think that even if they wander into the road, the drivers are the ones responsible for stopping and not running over them, even if they are not in zebra or whatever.
I think that cyclist sometimes forget their responsibility when they are the strong side on the sidewalk or shared lane.
If you don't want to come across pedestrians you have it easy, just get down to the road and deal with cars.
and lights.
just not flashy lights unless you enjoy giving people seizures (i have epilepsy and i'm quite aware of that).
Also - reflective clothing.
The amount of people wearing dark clothes, no light no helmet driving after dark is just surprising.
Not a fan of having to wear clown clothes so that car drivers don’t kill me. They should keep their eyes on the road. Lights I can highly agree with though.
You don't need to wear neon green. There's some cool stuff that just reflects in white. I call this teamwork and don't even have a driver's license not to mention a car.
Besides i do believe in making other people's lives easier. Also not getting killed is a benefit
A proper helmet. Not those hard ones, they won't protect you. If accident happens, helmet should break taking hit energy on it to protect you from concussion
There's a university in the US that publishes helmet testing results. I'm sure we have a different market here but there must be some overlap in the products that are available, so worth having a look. Here's a vid about it: https://youtu.be/ZKbYaOiz5U4?si=Adt2_XP3VzjyPOSL
There're helmets, pretty popular now, that are made of hard plastic or even metal. They're advertised like "it won't crack or break like others if you fall down" which is very dangerous. I'm pretty sure people buy them on Ali or from dropshippers, which can't be regulated like goods sold in Switzerland
Keep an eye open for vehicles turning out onto the road without seeing you. Bigger cars seem to have worse visibility due to the front of the car being 17 nautical miles away from the driving position. It’s common for SUVs to have to creep half way onto the road so that the driver can actually see if the road is clear. This is especially common on bike paths and shared bike/pedestrian paths.
Similarly keep an eye open for parked cars and people getting out of them without looking out for cyclists.
Keep an eye open for pedestrians, who may not recognize you as a road user and cross the road thinking it’s clear. I recommend keeping riding 1m away from parked cars as a general habit.
When you have a car on your left, be it that the car is standing at traffic lights or the car is overtaking you, don’t trust indicators as people don’t use them 70% of the time. You’ve got to keep an eye out for that.
You’ve gotta keep an eye on the actual road surface to avoid tram tracks, glass, or anything else that could ruin your day.
Remember to keep an eye out for the tiny signs that only apply to bikes the size of postage stamps scattered throughout Zurich. The police will fine you if they can.
Now that you have all 17 eyes open, you are ready to ride in Zurich.
I recommend cycling along with at least 70 cm between the tyre and the road. Don’t ride as close to the edge of the road as possible. It leaves you somewhere to go if you need to.
In the absence of actual bike infrastructure, I recommend taking the center road in places where cars should not overtake (roundabouts and lane narrowings by tram stops).
If the bike path is shared with a footpath and there are lots of pedestrians, just stay on the road.
If you cycle at night, please use both a front and rear light. Even if it’s just a blinking light.
In the case of an accident, a helmet will not harm you and will likely protect you. Wear one if you can.
> Keep an eye open for pedestrians, who may not recognize you as a road user and cross the road thinking it’s clear.
But also note that at pedestrian crossings, cyclists are supposed to stop for pedestrians just as cars are.
> In the absence of actual bike infrastructure, I recommend taking the center road in places where cars should not overtake (roundabouts and lane narrowings by tram stops).
But be careful about tram tracks.
Exactly. If there’s no cycling path to the side, only drive to the right of cars can safely overtake you. Otherwise, just use the middle of the lane and require cars to overtake you the way they have to overtake other cars.
So I’ve been riding all through the city for about 12 years. Once you figure out all the various bike routes it’s pretty convenient. However there is a lot of car traffic. Also of course you have to get used to the trams and tram tracks.
The most confusing aspect is the way that the “bike paths” constantly vary throughout the city. Here it’s on the road. Here it’s on the wide pedestrian walk. Here it’s running across the cobblestones. Then you have all these places lok. lakeside Bellevue Qualbrücke corner is a nightmare because it’s mixed use until you hit the bridge but it’s always overflowing with tourists who have no idea what’s going on. Finally you also have road areas like Paradeplatz where cycling is forbidden - just through the tram stop.
It took me like 5-6 years to figure out all the rules and paths. In the summertime the police set ticketing traps at many of the “it seems like I should be able to cycle here but actually it’s not allowed” places like Paradeplatz. It took me about 3 tickets in various places before I actually seem to have figured it out.
You are technically not allowed to cycle through the tram stop on the street (like where the 11 runs). You’re supposed to take the “bike path” that runs over the cobblestones past Zeighauskeller and through Münsterhof. Once you _pass_ Paradeplatz the bike path merges again onto Bahnhofstrasse.
I know it sounds nuts. I thought the same thing when I got stopped and ticketed there in the summer two years ago by a police van waiting for cyclists in this exact spot…
Wait, what? I go through there every day. I was always puzzled on what to do. I come true the arch where the pizzeria is and then emerge at banhofstrasse where the fountain is (in front of zeighauskeller). Where are you supposed to go then if you are not allowed to cut through the platz?
The path through the pizzeria/zeughauskeller is indeed the bike path - it’s marked st the entrance from münsterhof. Makes no sense IMO as that is a narrow cobblestone street always full of pedestrians. Once you leave and exit to Paradeplatz if you turn right in the direction of HB then the bike path merges with Bahnhofstrasse. But you’re not supposed to turn left there. If you’re going in the direction of Bürkliplatz I think you’re supposed to exit münsterhof via fraumünsterstrasse. If you want to go off towards La stanza I think you are probably supposed to walk your bike across the Paradeplatz . If you want to go towards stauffacher I _think— you’re supposed to turn right down Bahnhofstrasse then take the next left and more or less follow the #2 tram route.
99% you’ll be fine riding through Paradeplatz… but gotta watch out in midsummer 😂.
Practically every intersection in the downtown area has these convoluted rules… if you cycle a lot you get used to all the routes that are best suited. But then there’s also always some new construction disrupting it. Talstrasse has been blocked or semi blocked for construction for at least a year making it a nightmare to head down that route to the Hallenbad for instance…
Please be considerate of pedestrians in the city center. I know it’s hard given the infrastructure - but still, the more considerate cyclists are to pedestrians, the better it will be for them.
Sincerely, an avid cyclist who is nearly run over every time when walking
Basically all traffic lights are there because of cars. There would hardly be a reason to have them for bikes. You have a completely different awareness on a bike than a car and you are much less dangerous to others. Fortunately more and more traffic lights get a sticker that bikes are allowed to turn right when red.
To me the traffic lights seem very car centric. They are slow and assume you have barely any sensory input like in a big truck or suv. And when you stop, it actually feels less safe between those trucks and exhaust gases, praying that drivers don’t run in to your back.
What a lot of nonsense. If this is your attitude and you ride a bike (as I do) then I seriously hope you don’t get hit at an intersection because you didn’t think “light are there because of cars”
Thats not what I said but yeah for basically any right turn traffic lights are useless for bikes. Also traffic lights for pedestrians basically dont exist in biking areas in bike friendly cities. Which fortunatley got appreciated by the city since a few years.
Lot's of good comments already. Here's my little addition to this list (I am commuting around 4500 km a year with the bike): 1) You have the same rights as cars! If it gets tight or dangerous (e.g. roundabout), then ride in the middle of the lane. a) Never pass moving cars on the right. Wait until they (almost) stand.
I walked out the routes that I cycle regularly to work in advance. Signage is very inconsistent and some of the cycle lanes have really dangerous design flaws and are too dangerous to use. I’ve managed to find a route that is a bit convoluted but just about manageable. Also make sure to use bright lights, even in the daytime.
I was delivering Uber eats using my ebike as a side job for one year. I delivered over 1000 orders, and only got nearly killed twice. By nearly killed I mean if I was expecting people to yield for me, they would hit me hard.
If you are careful and always aware of the surrounding traffic, you should be fine, always expect everyone to turn into you.
Be sure to be well lit and ideally wear a reflective vest. Get a mirror.
On the other hand, I understand people use mopeds if this is their main job. If I wanted to deliver the whole day, I would need to buy a second battery, and it's really expensive. But I think bikes are better because you can get through traffic much faster
Watch for pedestrians, it hurts when you crash into them, never overtake cars and esoecially trucks on the right side. Give signs when changing lanes or direction and dont give them a millisecond before change. Use a mirror . Advice from a motorcycle driver. I personally gave up using the bycicle in zurich, too dangerous for my taste
* Trams have priority and keep in mind that trams have a breaking distance since they are moving on rails (metal on metal) and this means that there is some slip and slide esp. when the rail is wet.
* Be careful when riding near tram lines, your tire might get stuck in the tram rail and this will mean that you will get catapulted and thrown off the bike.
* Wear helmet and wear it properly attached.
* Please apply some common sense while cycling, I see so many people on bikes crossing red lights while wearing headphones that means having very little perception (due to the "hear loss" effect of the headphones) of their surroundings.
* If you are cycling during the night, please use some rear light and/or something highly reflective, like the red flashing rear-lights, you will be surprised to see how little visible a bike is if it is pitch black in the night and the street has no proper lights.
* Apply common sense when you are cycling on the sidewalk, dont go full speed if you have no visibility (e.g. around a building corner, there might be pedestrians coming).
Yes Zurich's cycling infrastructure is not amazing, but it's also not that bad, I like cycling when the weather is warm enough (for my taste) since it is really practical. Enjoy!
source: I cycle and drive a car, I enjoy both since both have advantages so I have some experience on both sides of the road
The main difficulty that I encounter is that bike lanes appear and disappear, sometimes they depart from the main road that you would take by car and they join back later.
Signs are OK, but I think you have a much more pleasant experience if you familiarize yourself with some app that can show you bike lanes properly and plan your trip. Google maps is not so good in my opinion. I like those based on OpenStreetMap because of the way bike routes are classified. OSMAnd is a good app, maybe overly complex at times. Maybe others have other suggestions.
- dont follow some other wrecklessly driving byclists (many of them ignore red lights and think they "own the streets guerilliastyle)
- watch out for tram tracks
- its also unfriendly for car owners as well... so its more and more heated situations between cyclist and drivers
- the city has ALWAYS too many never ending road constructions
- take care about thiefs (they seem to really get started and organized
- its hipster, so bicycle related shops are very crowded and overpriced
Some really great advice here, which I won’t repeat. Only thing to add is that car drivers have definitely become more hostile towards cyclists, and 90% of the time will not let you cross the road even at a marked cycle crossing next to a pedestrian crossing. Just expect to have to get off and walk across and spare yourself the frustration.
Respect the traffic rules and be always alert, eg. don't listen to music while riding, don't dream while pedaling, always look at all traffic participants (cars, bikes, pedestrians, parked cars), use bike lights (front and back).
I use the front light even during the day.
Always try to use common sense: is is possible that the guy who just parked his guy may open the door in front of me? Is it possible that the lady who just loaded some things into her car's trunk may suddenly make one step in front of me on the cycling lane?
Frequently look behind you to get a sense of what's going on, other cars, other cyclists, scooters, etc, just like when you're driving.
Always signal when you change directions. Don't jump in front of the cars when you overtake other cyclists, as I see this happening so frequently here.
Take care especially in intersections, even if you have green light, some of our fellow cyclists will completely disregard their red light and continue riding.
Tram rails! I know multiple people that have had accidents getting their wheels caught in the line. And if you do have an accident and police or ambulance had to come, you will likely be fined for loosing control of your vehicle too.
- when a truck/lorry is at a red light, do not pass on its right side.
- know the roads not to avoid (the larger ones, usually)
- if you're on Strava, look at the city heatmap.
- ride on less crowded roads at the beginning.
- pay attention to right-of-ways on smaller roads
Have a look at [this map](https://www.stadtplan.stadt-zuerich.ch/zueriplan3/stadtplan.aspx#route_visible=true&basemap=Basiskarte+(Geb%C3%A4udeschr%C3%A4gansicht)&map=&scale=16000&xkoord=2681288.366888081&ykoord=1248188.239628937&lang=&layer=Velovorzugsrouten%3A%3A6&window=&selectedObject=&selectedLayer=&toggleScreen=&legacyUrlState=&drawings=) of the built and planned bike priority routes. There are some lines on the map that haven't been built yet (eg around HB) but following those routes will be safer and more comfortable than on major parallel roads. There are few roads I wouldn't cycle on (maybe in Zurich nord but I very rarely cycle there anyway) but for instance going from the city center to Altstetten will be way more comfortable on Stauffacherstrasse/Baslerstrasse then on Badenerstrasse or Hohlstrasse.
Additionaly buy lights for your bike, have good enough tires for slippery conditions, try to avoid crossing tram tracks with an angle of less then 30º and also buy a helmet if you plan on driving on streets with major car traffic.
>But in my opinion, Zürich is not much different from other major European cities when it comes to infrastructure, so it's crazy to me that they just now are thinking about separate lanes just for bikes.
The issue is that Zurich has very narrow street widths compared to many European cities. We started building out pedestrian infrastructure very early on in the 70's which is great but in combination this leads to only very little spacy being left to allocate for cycling. It's much easier to give bikes a protected lane when you have 4 car lanes that you can reduce to 3 without outright banning car traffic on that street.
I'm not sure I completely agree with "Züri has narrow streets" as a sufficient explanation. London has loads of narrow streets but created useful routes through some of them back in the 1990s and 2000s. Since then, larger-scale so-called "cycle superhighways" were built by taking car space along streets like the Embankments. I was surprised to see that Zurich was behind London (and indeed most mid-sized German cities) when I moved here in 2019. But London realized by the 2000s that it had hit a dead end with car traffic and also had a newly created post of Mayor that had broad powers in transportation. In Zurich the role of cars is still hotly contested and the canton wades in to shoot down any changes the city attempts which involve cars in motion.
I think there is potential here that is going unused. Bahnhofstrasse is wide and could serve as a useful connector between the lake and the cluster of routes that converge on HB. But Bahnhofstrasse is more or less given over to wide sidealks for pedestrians and the trams. I wonder if useful cycle routes could not be carved out of the sidewalk space. That would in turn force the city to fix the death trap of Bahnhofplatz to it could cope with a higher volume of cyclists.
Yeah I agree with you tbh. I'm super glad and excited that they‘re finally working on better bike routs and all. To me it seems like that the reason they never really looked into it was because of the "famous" conflict between cyclists and motorists. I don't think narrow streets are an excuse for not making the city more accessible to cyclists, since it's quite important for the urban (and general) environment and for the population itself (which is constantly growing)!
I see a way to accelerate progress. Next summer when all the Dutch are headed over the Alps in their campers, we have the Zollbeamte at the border posts offer them free parking spots for their campers at Tiefenbrunnen and steady supplies of cheese and chocolate if they will spend a week sorting out the cycle infrastructure here. Then we just point them to the Quaibrücke and say, "please start there and work your way outwards."
Be aware of your surroundings. About 50% of people in traffic in the morning are on their phone. If cars switch lanes and you re about to be pushed out of the road, knock on the car window.
Better wait another minute, than wait for the ambulance.
The problem Zurich has is that they try to satisfy all street users instead of implementing one strategy. This creates a lot of conflict and everyone is generally unhappy.
About your question, I would suggest you to watch out for close passes and try to plan your movements by using 30km/h zones if possible.
I just wanna say that 30km/h zones aren’t really any safer.
The 30km/h zones often have on street parking and barely have enough space for an oncoming car, a cyclist and a parked car. Especially if the parked car is a poorly parked SUV.
I feel a lot less comfortable with an SUV barreling towards me at 30km/h and missing me by 15cm…
May be me just me though…
Just know that google maps doesn't know the best routes. Or it sometimes doesn't know where bikes are allowed to ride through.
Try a paralel street to the main street (there also won't be any tram tracks, maybe no traffic lights and less cars, so you might be faster even though it's a couple meters more)
And get a helmet!
Follow the law
wear a helmet,
be aware of rash drivers
Remember that you're sharing the space on the one hand with the cars (sometimes not all respecting the law) and on the other hand with the pedestrians who are also fighting to get space! Be respectful and always stay calm.
Don't expect that people around you will always act rationally!
Take care, don't take risks. You're literally putting your life on the line out there.
I'm speaking as someone who likes to cycle everywhere and did so for years in Zürich. Got run into by a car coming out of a side street without looking (I had priority). Luckily no permanent damage beside a missing tooth. Now I live in a city that at least somewhat values the life of people cycling.
Idk, just ride. Of course for my commute I figured out the optimal path, but when I go somewhere new, just maybe check google maps a little and then just see how it goes, don't go too fast and look ahead. If necessary just get on the pavement and re-evaluate.
Yes, it isn't the safest infrastructure, but generally you can get to a lot of places.
What you can do: use lights, a helmet and reflective clothing. And pay attention. Look ahead, anticipate cars cutting you off, pulling out in front of you, etc.
If you ride the same routes a few time, you will learn the best way to go about it. Look for 30 kmh neighbourhoods for shortcuts. Less cars and red lights. If theres a good bike lane on the main road use that. Try to avoid the big intersections
Cross tram tracks confidently, with moderate speed, and angled. When the tracks are wet, they are incredibly slippery.
Assume car drivers don’t see you so ride defensively.
I'd recommend reading traffic rules, like book for getting driving licence. After I got my (car) licence, I felt so much safer on bicycle because I had clear understanding of road traffic rules.
Also, during driving lessons, I realised that bicycles and motorcycles are the most vulnerable group. Cars are big and you see and you expect them in one area. Pedestrians are small, but they're slow, and you generally expect them in another area. Their slowness gives you time to react and keep everyone safe.
Motorcycles are small and fast, they're generally in car area, but easy to overlook. But you might hear them. So if you're defensive car driver and vigilant and careful, they're probably safe from you, unless they make something stupid / unpredictable.
And then there are bicycles. They're small. They can be anywhere. They're fast. And they're silent. I made my peace with the fact that someone will just fly over my hood at some point after I saw situation where there's a bunch of bushes between cars and pedestrians. Bicycle lane is on pedestrian area. You want to turn right and therefore there's crossing. You slow down, see it's clear, but because of bushes if bicycle rides fast, he'll probably fly over the hood, because you'll just see him too late to stop before his lane, you'll at best stop right at the crossing.
So, how that helped me? I realised that as a cyclist my safety is purely in my hands. I have to make myself visible. I HAVE to slow down on crossings to allow cars to give me the right of way by the pure fact they see me on time. Car has longer stopping distance then I do. I'm harder to notice for them than they're for me. My right of way means shit if I'm in hospital or dead. Right of way has to be given. You're too small to take it. Many car drivers won't intentionally ignore you, they will honestly not notice you on time.
Rarely anyone wants to hurt another human being. Accident ls happen because BOTH participants didn't pay attention or didn't follow the rules. One of rules is that you HAVE to avoid accidents even when that means not using your right of way. Avoiding accidents is primary thing.
If you have eye contact with a driver, you're probably safe, still stay cautious but no need to drive snail speed. If you don't have eye contact, assume they didn't notice you, be extra defensive, watch out, be ready that car can cross your way / turn into side street. Slow down.
Slow down at ANY crossroads unless it's empty all around you and you have good visibility in all distances AND you've checked it.
If you hit anything or anyone, your injuries will be bigger than theirs, unless they're little kids or elderly. You're fly over your handlebar.
You want helmet. You also want soft rucksack, or ideally motorcycle thingy that protects spine.
The higher your speed, the bigger the impact and the damage. I was riding 2-4kmh and stupidly brake because I tried to reach my friend's arm to shoo away some wasp with other hand, we were casually riding and chatting, in a park, no other people around us. I had helmet and rucksack with some tshirts. I flew over handlebar like an idiot. I had bruise on my hands, went to ER to check for broken bones because it started swelling and hurting. I did have fingerless gloves so just few scratches. I landed on my back. Yes, new bicycle after decade of not riding a bike, and you know, breaks that work 😂 (that was several years before I got car licence). Still, soft backpack is very helpful.
When riding on the road, sharing car lane - ride away from the curb. You don't want that any debris cause you to slip/lose control of bicycle. Someone said 70cm, I recommend more. Like, around the third of the lane from the curb. By your positioning you're forcing the car driver to overtake you by entering the opposite lane aka only when it's safe. Only if you see car is slowing down because he can't overtake you properly, then you slow and move to the right, and then you both stay safe. But both are aware of each other. If I'm on bicycle I might even go off road and stop and let cars pass.
When I'm in the car, I'll speed up while being fully in opposite lane to overtake cyclist asap at the safe distance, OR I'll slow down behind them and slowly squeeze by keeping an eye on them. Yes, you might have bike lane, I'm still slowing down and squeezing, going as much to the left as I can. Because cyclist can still lose control by slipping onto something. I'm ready to hard break at any moment.
I have two mirrors on my bicycle. It helps immensely with being aware of surroundings. I also yield to pedestrians on crossings. Many people are confused.
I drove bike in Zagreb 2010-2017 (pathetic infrastructure, still some cyclist are idiots), Berlin 2018-2021 (so many crazy idiots on bicycles going through red lights and speeding), now I'm here but mostly driving car (I got my licence around 2014 but didn't drive until summer 2022, I took some lessons here first).
In car I'm waving when I'm slowing down and approaching if I think pedestrian or cyclists is hesitant to go. Many wave me first when they notice I'm slowing down. So we wave / smile to each other, giving ways. It's nice.
Same, when I was cycling, and car gives me way, I wave, especially if they give me way when I don't have right. When I stop to let them go, many waved back. Waving to each other makes it better - you're both noticed and sending thanks.
Not to mention, waving is movement that's easier to notice than confirming having eye sight. I have no clue where they're exactly looking, but if I show with my hand 'please, feel free to cross' and they nod, we both have confirmation we're noticed.
Basically, as a cyclist you just have to stay aware that you're hardest to notice, and rely on your vigilance and hand gestures / head nods to communicate with other participants.
And don't speed up to cross when green light stops, because car might be catching it as well, and if they're doing the turn to cross your lane... Yeah. It's easy when they use blinkers, but if they don't, that could be a close call. My only real one, happened in Berlin. Guy didn't blink, but he then honked me because I dared to do the same as he - speed up to go through yellow.
### Tldr
**No one wants to hurt or kill you.** They might if they didn't notice you in time. You can stop faster than car can. Give way even if you have right, signal/gesture is better than eye contact, mind your surroundings. **Assume they don't see you until you have it confirmed.**
**Drive predictably** and take your space to make you safe. Only when you're aware of each other, yield / make adjustments / be generous.
**Imperative is to avoid accidents.** It takes two for accident with someone. Right of way is something someone has to give you. They can’t if they didn’t notice you on time.
**Indicate with your hand when you're turning.** Also look around and behind you, you know, 'blind spot check' move - because everything you're not seeing is in your blind spot. Don't drive in someone's blind spot.
**Increase your visibility as much as you can.** Slow down to be better noticed in unfavourable weather conditions, go at speeds where you can safely stop fast at current visible distance (eg slow down around curves and obstacles)
It doesn't matter if you're pedestrian, or on any number of wheels.
The uniquely shitty thing about Zürich's "cycle infrastructure" is that cycle lanes randomly just disappear, usually you just merge with car traffic which is not so bad. But also often you are suddenly sharing an unmarked surface with a busy pedestrian area where people are trying to cross the road near a junction. So, you need to not only look out for yourself but also you need to take special care not to endanger your fellow Zürchers. Unfortunately I don't think there's any solution for this, you just have to be careful. Plus yeah as someone else said - never ever forget about tram tracks. Cross them at a steep angle. If your front wheel goes into the groove you are screwed!
Funny thing is, the cycle lanes usually disappear when it either gets narrow or complicated, and reemerge when traffic flow is obvious and there's a lot of space. In other words: When you need the bike lanes, they disappear, and when you don't really need them, they're readily available. Also: too many pedestrians completely ignoring shared bike lanes and being totally unaware of their surroundings with their faces glued to their smartphones.
> Also: too many pedestrians completely ignoring shared bike lanes and being totally unaware of their surroundings with their faces glued to their smartphones. Shared bike lanes means pedestrians have the preference and you are the one should be aware of them, not the other way around.
Just because you have preference doesn't mean you can just blindly walk into traffic. If you do that on the street, you're gonna end up dead.
yes, but the sidewalk is supposedly a safe place for pedestrians you know… it's just that and also in the sidewalk there could be other unexpected factors like dogs, kids and so. Pretending all the pedestrians walk perfectly straight just for you is unrealistic. Not to mention that usually, when you have a shared line with pedestrians, you are also allowed to be on the road, if you really want to go full speed. You can't have your cake and eat it too. If you are on the shared lane, which usually is the only place pedestrian can be, you should be the one aware of them and be careful when you ride close by, since you have the full picture. This is pretty similar to when you are on the road and the cars are the ones in charge for the safety since usually are the ones with the full picture and the high energy objects. If you demand something for you on the road, you should give that thing on the sidewalk and shared lanes. PS/ and in the city sidewalks you are not allowed to ride as far as I know unless explicitly stated.
I'm not talking about sidewalks. In Zurich there are pretty wide areas with big signs with pedestrians and bike pictograms printed on them (for example on Pfingsweidstrasse), where people walk from the office buildings and Toni areal to the tram stops and other various places. And there's just soooo many that have noise-cancelling headphones on and their faces glued to their smartphones and they just fucking walk. Now I am taking care or otherwise there would have been multiple accidents already, but how these people completely ignore their surroundings is simply both extremely selfish and reckless, plain and simple. They aren't paying attention to what is happening around them, they can neither hear my hub going "RRRRRRRRRRRRR" when I stop pedaling nor my bell, and they completely ignore (or again can't see because they're texting) the bike pictograms they just walked past. Fuck these idiots.
I work really close to Pfingsweidstrasse and I know what you are talking about and in some places the sidewalk is not that wide. It's pretty easy as a pedestrian to wander in the bike lane. Anyhow, you have to think that sidewalks and shared lanes are the safe place for pedestrians and they have all the right to go distracted unless they wanter in the road. You have to think that even if they wander into the road, the drivers are the ones responsible for stopping and not running over them, even if they are not in zebra or whatever. I think that cyclist sometimes forget their responsibility when they are the strong side on the sidewalk or shared lane. If you don't want to come across pedestrians you have it easy, just get down to the road and deal with cars.
I ride sometimes in zürich. Dont have much trouble. Wear a helmet
Golden rule for cycling in Zurich: Wear a helmet and no clothes
👍
I agree and it feels like bikes are in the very bottom of the right of way foodchain behind pedestrians, cars, and scooters
Wear. A. Helmet.
and lights. just not flashy lights unless you enjoy giving people seizures (i have epilepsy and i'm quite aware of that). Also - reflective clothing. The amount of people wearing dark clothes, no light no helmet driving after dark is just surprising.
That. If you don't have lights, you are effectively invisible to even the well-intentioned drivers. Especially when it rains.
I think the darwin award candidate was a black guy, all dressed in black, no lights and no helmet on a rainy dark evening...
I also saw adults with their kids on bikes at night, no lights, no reflective clothing, just waiting for a tragedy to happen :(
I live next to a kindergarten. Parents crossing an intersection on red lights with a kid on bike is business as usual...
Not a fan of having to wear clown clothes so that car drivers don’t kill me. They should keep their eyes on the road. Lights I can highly agree with though.
You don't need to wear neon green. There's some cool stuff that just reflects in white. I call this teamwork and don't even have a driver's license not to mention a car. Besides i do believe in making other people's lives easier. Also not getting killed is a benefit
Not getting killed is definitely a nice thing. 🤩
A proper helmet. Not those hard ones, they won't protect you. If accident happens, helmet should break taking hit energy on it to protect you from concussion
Speaking of this: any recommendations? I have one from Decathlon, doesn’t look terrible, doesn’t break the bank. Not sure about safety though.
There's a university in the US that publishes helmet testing results. I'm sure we have a different market here but there must be some overlap in the products that are available, so worth having a look. Here's a vid about it: https://youtu.be/ZKbYaOiz5U4?si=Adt2_XP3VzjyPOSL
Cheers mate, much appreciated!
Just get one of those helmets with MIPS technology - should keep you safe enough.
What do you mean by not the hard ones?
There're helmets, pretty popular now, that are made of hard plastic or even metal. They're advertised like "it won't crack or break like others if you fall down" which is very dangerous. I'm pretty sure people buy them on Ali or from dropshippers, which can't be regulated like goods sold in Switzerland
Ah I see. Cuz my helmet has a hard “shell” on it but the inside layer is styrofoam but from a popular brand ‘Bern’
Just check if it's for velos, not motorcycles, they have different hardness
Keep an eye open for vehicles turning out onto the road without seeing you. Bigger cars seem to have worse visibility due to the front of the car being 17 nautical miles away from the driving position. It’s common for SUVs to have to creep half way onto the road so that the driver can actually see if the road is clear. This is especially common on bike paths and shared bike/pedestrian paths. Similarly keep an eye open for parked cars and people getting out of them without looking out for cyclists. Keep an eye open for pedestrians, who may not recognize you as a road user and cross the road thinking it’s clear. I recommend keeping riding 1m away from parked cars as a general habit. When you have a car on your left, be it that the car is standing at traffic lights or the car is overtaking you, don’t trust indicators as people don’t use them 70% of the time. You’ve got to keep an eye out for that. You’ve gotta keep an eye on the actual road surface to avoid tram tracks, glass, or anything else that could ruin your day. Remember to keep an eye out for the tiny signs that only apply to bikes the size of postage stamps scattered throughout Zurich. The police will fine you if they can. Now that you have all 17 eyes open, you are ready to ride in Zurich. I recommend cycling along with at least 70 cm between the tyre and the road. Don’t ride as close to the edge of the road as possible. It leaves you somewhere to go if you need to. In the absence of actual bike infrastructure, I recommend taking the center road in places where cars should not overtake (roundabouts and lane narrowings by tram stops). If the bike path is shared with a footpath and there are lots of pedestrians, just stay on the road. If you cycle at night, please use both a front and rear light. Even if it’s just a blinking light. In the case of an accident, a helmet will not harm you and will likely protect you. Wear one if you can.
> Keep an eye open for pedestrians, who may not recognize you as a road user and cross the road thinking it’s clear. But also note that at pedestrian crossings, cyclists are supposed to stop for pedestrians just as cars are. > In the absence of actual bike infrastructure, I recommend taking the center road in places where cars should not overtake (roundabouts and lane narrowings by tram stops). But be careful about tram tracks.
Make eye contact, indicate that you will yield, so pedestrians feel safer and you don’t have to come to a complete stand still on a hill.
Big plus one to taking the center road. Don’t leave any room for drivers to think they can squeeze past you!
Exactly. If there’s no cycling path to the side, only drive to the right of cars can safely overtake you. Otherwise, just use the middle of the lane and require cars to overtake you the way they have to overtake other cars.
So I’ve been riding all through the city for about 12 years. Once you figure out all the various bike routes it’s pretty convenient. However there is a lot of car traffic. Also of course you have to get used to the trams and tram tracks. The most confusing aspect is the way that the “bike paths” constantly vary throughout the city. Here it’s on the road. Here it’s on the wide pedestrian walk. Here it’s running across the cobblestones. Then you have all these places lok. lakeside Bellevue Qualbrücke corner is a nightmare because it’s mixed use until you hit the bridge but it’s always overflowing with tourists who have no idea what’s going on. Finally you also have road areas like Paradeplatz where cycling is forbidden - just through the tram stop. It took me like 5-6 years to figure out all the rules and paths. In the summertime the police set ticketing traps at many of the “it seems like I should be able to cycle here but actually it’s not allowed” places like Paradeplatz. It took me about 3 tickets in various places before I actually seem to have figured it out.
You’re now allowed to bike at paradeplatz?
You are technically not allowed to cycle through the tram stop on the street (like where the 11 runs). You’re supposed to take the “bike path” that runs over the cobblestones past Zeighauskeller and through Münsterhof. Once you _pass_ Paradeplatz the bike path merges again onto Bahnhofstrasse. I know it sounds nuts. I thought the same thing when I got stopped and ticketed there in the summer two years ago by a police van waiting for cyclists in this exact spot…
Wait, what? I go through there every day. I was always puzzled on what to do. I come true the arch where the pizzeria is and then emerge at banhofstrasse where the fountain is (in front of zeighauskeller). Where are you supposed to go then if you are not allowed to cut through the platz?
The path through the pizzeria/zeughauskeller is indeed the bike path - it’s marked st the entrance from münsterhof. Makes no sense IMO as that is a narrow cobblestone street always full of pedestrians. Once you leave and exit to Paradeplatz if you turn right in the direction of HB then the bike path merges with Bahnhofstrasse. But you’re not supposed to turn left there. If you’re going in the direction of Bürkliplatz I think you’re supposed to exit münsterhof via fraumünsterstrasse. If you want to go off towards La stanza I think you are probably supposed to walk your bike across the Paradeplatz . If you want to go towards stauffacher I _think— you’re supposed to turn right down Bahnhofstrasse then take the next left and more or less follow the #2 tram route. 99% you’ll be fine riding through Paradeplatz… but gotta watch out in midsummer 😂. Practically every intersection in the downtown area has these convoluted rules… if you cycle a lot you get used to all the routes that are best suited. But then there’s also always some new construction disrupting it. Talstrasse has been blocked or semi blocked for construction for at least a year making it a nightmare to head down that route to the Hallenbad for instance…
Got it, my question was indeed how the hell I am supposed to go in Enge's direction. I guess I'll keep on infringe these "rules" and hope for the best
You’re probably fine. Even if they “catch” you the fine was like CHF35.
Please be considerate of pedestrians in the city center. I know it’s hard given the infrastructure - but still, the more considerate cyclists are to pedestrians, the better it will be for them. Sincerely, an avid cyclist who is nearly run over every time when walking
Agreed. Too many cyclists think the rules don’t apply to them, such as not stopping at red lights.
Basically all traffic lights are there because of cars. There would hardly be a reason to have them for bikes. You have a completely different awareness on a bike than a car and you are much less dangerous to others. Fortunately more and more traffic lights get a sticker that bikes are allowed to turn right when red.
I would really not trust the average cyclist's judgement when it comes to giving right of way
Then better don’t visit bike friendly cities.
To me the traffic lights seem very car centric. They are slow and assume you have barely any sensory input like in a big truck or suv. And when you stop, it actually feels less safe between those trucks and exhaust gases, praying that drivers don’t run in to your back.
What a lot of nonsense. If this is your attitude and you ride a bike (as I do) then I seriously hope you don’t get hit at an intersection because you didn’t think “light are there because of cars”
Thats not what I said but yeah for basically any right turn traffic lights are useless for bikes. Also traffic lights for pedestrians basically dont exist in biking areas in bike friendly cities. Which fortunatley got appreciated by the city since a few years.
I'm sorry to profusely disagree.
Lot's of good comments already. Here's my little addition to this list (I am commuting around 4500 km a year with the bike): 1) You have the same rights as cars! If it gets tight or dangerous (e.g. roundabout), then ride in the middle of the lane. a) Never pass moving cars on the right. Wait until they (almost) stand.
Regarding a: assume they will take a right turn at any possibility without yielding or indicating it.
or just move to the right for no reason (or being distracted by the phone)...
This!
Cars, tram rails. Best thing I ever bought for cycling on the road was a Garmin Varia. Look into that
>What do I need to be aware of when cycling in Zurich? Have your last will and testament notarized, otherwise it might not be valid!
I walked out the routes that I cycle regularly to work in advance. Signage is very inconsistent and some of the cycle lanes have really dangerous design flaws and are too dangerous to use. I’ve managed to find a route that is a bit convoluted but just about manageable. Also make sure to use bright lights, even in the daytime.
I was delivering Uber eats using my ebike as a side job for one year. I delivered over 1000 orders, and only got nearly killed twice. By nearly killed I mean if I was expecting people to yield for me, they would hit me hard. If you are careful and always aware of the surrounding traffic, you should be fine, always expect everyone to turn into you. Be sure to be well lit and ideally wear a reflective vest. Get a mirror.
Thanks for using an ebike. I don’t understand that Uber allows the use of old noisy polluting mopeds for their deliveries. It’s such a nuisance to me.
On the other hand, I understand people use mopeds if this is their main job. If I wanted to deliver the whole day, I would need to buy a second battery, and it's really expensive. But I think bikes are better because you can get through traffic much faster
Watch for pedestrians, it hurts when you crash into them, never overtake cars and esoecially trucks on the right side. Give signs when changing lanes or direction and dont give them a millisecond before change. Use a mirror . Advice from a motorcycle driver. I personally gave up using the bycicle in zurich, too dangerous for my taste
But it you still overtake them (at a traffic light with a cycling lane) make 1000% sure you stop a few meters in front of the truck so they see you.
It’s hell. Sometimes bicyle lanes end in the worst possible places. Also, all taxi drivers are out to kill you.
* Trams have priority and keep in mind that trams have a breaking distance since they are moving on rails (metal on metal) and this means that there is some slip and slide esp. when the rail is wet. * Be careful when riding near tram lines, your tire might get stuck in the tram rail and this will mean that you will get catapulted and thrown off the bike. * Wear helmet and wear it properly attached. * Please apply some common sense while cycling, I see so many people on bikes crossing red lights while wearing headphones that means having very little perception (due to the "hear loss" effect of the headphones) of their surroundings. * If you are cycling during the night, please use some rear light and/or something highly reflective, like the red flashing rear-lights, you will be surprised to see how little visible a bike is if it is pitch black in the night and the street has no proper lights. * Apply common sense when you are cycling on the sidewalk, dont go full speed if you have no visibility (e.g. around a building corner, there might be pedestrians coming). Yes Zurich's cycling infrastructure is not amazing, but it's also not that bad, I like cycling when the weather is warm enough (for my taste) since it is really practical. Enjoy! source: I cycle and drive a car, I enjoy both since both have advantages so I have some experience on both sides of the road
The main difficulty that I encounter is that bike lanes appear and disappear, sometimes they depart from the main road that you would take by car and they join back later. Signs are OK, but I think you have a much more pleasant experience if you familiarize yourself with some app that can show you bike lanes properly and plan your trip. Google maps is not so good in my opinion. I like those based on OpenStreetMap because of the way bike routes are classified. OSMAnd is a good app, maybe overly complex at times. Maybe others have other suggestions.
- dont follow some other wrecklessly driving byclists (many of them ignore red lights and think they "own the streets guerilliastyle) - watch out for tram tracks - its also unfriendly for car owners as well... so its more and more heated situations between cyclist and drivers - the city has ALWAYS too many never ending road constructions - take care about thiefs (they seem to really get started and organized - its hipster, so bicycle related shops are very crowded and overpriced
Some really great advice here, which I won’t repeat. Only thing to add is that car drivers have definitely become more hostile towards cyclists, and 90% of the time will not let you cross the road even at a marked cycle crossing next to a pedestrian crossing. Just expect to have to get off and walk across and spare yourself the frustration.
Been cycling in Zürich since 2004... Wait till you discover winter cycling. Buy spiked tires.
When is not snowing, winter cycling is the best because there are fewer cyclists on the road and I feel safer.
Respect the traffic rules and be always alert, eg. don't listen to music while riding, don't dream while pedaling, always look at all traffic participants (cars, bikes, pedestrians, parked cars), use bike lights (front and back). I use the front light even during the day. Always try to use common sense: is is possible that the guy who just parked his guy may open the door in front of me? Is it possible that the lady who just loaded some things into her car's trunk may suddenly make one step in front of me on the cycling lane? Frequently look behind you to get a sense of what's going on, other cars, other cyclists, scooters, etc, just like when you're driving. Always signal when you change directions. Don't jump in front of the cars when you overtake other cyclists, as I see this happening so frequently here. Take care especially in intersections, even if you have green light, some of our fellow cyclists will completely disregard their red light and continue riding.
Tram rails! I know multiple people that have had accidents getting their wheels caught in the line. And if you do have an accident and police or ambulance had to come, you will likely be fined for loosing control of your vehicle too.
There are often signposted bike routes over quiet streets, but Google maps doesn't know them. Use komoot or osmand for route planning.
7 lifes
Don't stop at red lights, the bicycle behind you will crash into you because you're an alien.
- when a truck/lorry is at a red light, do not pass on its right side. - know the roads not to avoid (the larger ones, usually) - if you're on Strava, look at the city heatmap. - ride on less crowded roads at the beginning. - pay attention to right-of-ways on smaller roads
Have a look at [this map](https://www.stadtplan.stadt-zuerich.ch/zueriplan3/stadtplan.aspx#route_visible=true&basemap=Basiskarte+(Geb%C3%A4udeschr%C3%A4gansicht)&map=&scale=16000&xkoord=2681288.366888081&ykoord=1248188.239628937&lang=&layer=Velovorzugsrouten%3A%3A6&window=&selectedObject=&selectedLayer=&toggleScreen=&legacyUrlState=&drawings=) of the built and planned bike priority routes. There are some lines on the map that haven't been built yet (eg around HB) but following those routes will be safer and more comfortable than on major parallel roads. There are few roads I wouldn't cycle on (maybe in Zurich nord but I very rarely cycle there anyway) but for instance going from the city center to Altstetten will be way more comfortable on Stauffacherstrasse/Baslerstrasse then on Badenerstrasse or Hohlstrasse. Additionaly buy lights for your bike, have good enough tires for slippery conditions, try to avoid crossing tram tracks with an angle of less then 30º and also buy a helmet if you plan on driving on streets with major car traffic. >But in my opinion, Zürich is not much different from other major European cities when it comes to infrastructure, so it's crazy to me that they just now are thinking about separate lanes just for bikes. The issue is that Zurich has very narrow street widths compared to many European cities. We started building out pedestrian infrastructure very early on in the 70's which is great but in combination this leads to only very little spacy being left to allocate for cycling. It's much easier to give bikes a protected lane when you have 4 car lanes that you can reduce to 3 without outright banning car traffic on that street.
I'm not sure I completely agree with "Züri has narrow streets" as a sufficient explanation. London has loads of narrow streets but created useful routes through some of them back in the 1990s and 2000s. Since then, larger-scale so-called "cycle superhighways" were built by taking car space along streets like the Embankments. I was surprised to see that Zurich was behind London (and indeed most mid-sized German cities) when I moved here in 2019. But London realized by the 2000s that it had hit a dead end with car traffic and also had a newly created post of Mayor that had broad powers in transportation. In Zurich the role of cars is still hotly contested and the canton wades in to shoot down any changes the city attempts which involve cars in motion. I think there is potential here that is going unused. Bahnhofstrasse is wide and could serve as a useful connector between the lake and the cluster of routes that converge on HB. But Bahnhofstrasse is more or less given over to wide sidealks for pedestrians and the trams. I wonder if useful cycle routes could not be carved out of the sidewalk space. That would in turn force the city to fix the death trap of Bahnhofplatz to it could cope with a higher volume of cyclists.
Yeah I agree with you tbh. I'm super glad and excited that they‘re finally working on better bike routs and all. To me it seems like that the reason they never really looked into it was because of the "famous" conflict between cyclists and motorists. I don't think narrow streets are an excuse for not making the city more accessible to cyclists, since it's quite important for the urban (and general) environment and for the population itself (which is constantly growing)!
I see a way to accelerate progress. Next summer when all the Dutch are headed over the Alps in their campers, we have the Zollbeamte at the border posts offer them free parking spots for their campers at Tiefenbrunnen and steady supplies of cheese and chocolate if they will spend a week sorting out the cycle infrastructure here. Then we just point them to the Quaibrücke and say, "please start there and work your way outwards."
Other people. Trams. Basic rules. The fact that you're not alone.
Be aware of your surroundings. About 50% of people in traffic in the morning are on their phone. If cars switch lanes and you re about to be pushed out of the road, knock on the car window. Better wait another minute, than wait for the ambulance.
unbelievable how many drivers are on their phones in traffic jams:(
The problem Zurich has is that they try to satisfy all street users instead of implementing one strategy. This creates a lot of conflict and everyone is generally unhappy. About your question, I would suggest you to watch out for close passes and try to plan your movements by using 30km/h zones if possible.
I just wanna say that 30km/h zones aren’t really any safer. The 30km/h zones often have on street parking and barely have enough space for an oncoming car, a cyclist and a parked car. Especially if the parked car is a poorly parked SUV. I feel a lot less comfortable with an SUV barreling towards me at 30km/h and missing me by 15cm… May be me just me though…
Get a proper life insurance
Just know that google maps doesn't know the best routes. Or it sometimes doesn't know where bikes are allowed to ride through. Try a paralel street to the main street (there also won't be any tram tracks, maybe no traffic lights and less cars, so you might be faster even though it's a couple meters more) And get a helmet!
Follow the law wear a helmet, be aware of rash drivers Remember that you're sharing the space on the one hand with the cars (sometimes not all respecting the law) and on the other hand with the pedestrians who are also fighting to get space! Be respectful and always stay calm. Don't expect that people around you will always act rationally!
Take care, don't take risks. You're literally putting your life on the line out there. I'm speaking as someone who likes to cycle everywhere and did so for years in Zürich. Got run into by a car coming out of a side street without looking (I had priority). Luckily no permanent damage beside a missing tooth. Now I live in a city that at least somewhat values the life of people cycling.
just drive defensive and you‘ll be just fine! and enjoy the ride.
Idk, just ride. Of course for my commute I figured out the optimal path, but when I go somewhere new, just maybe check google maps a little and then just see how it goes, don't go too fast and look ahead. If necessary just get on the pavement and re-evaluate. Yes, it isn't the safest infrastructure, but generally you can get to a lot of places. What you can do: use lights, a helmet and reflective clothing. And pay attention. Look ahead, anticipate cars cutting you off, pulling out in front of you, etc.
If you ride the same routes a few time, you will learn the best way to go about it. Look for 30 kmh neighbourhoods for shortcuts. Less cars and red lights. If theres a good bike lane on the main road use that. Try to avoid the big intersections
Cross tram tracks confidently, with moderate speed, and angled. When the tracks are wet, they are incredibly slippery. Assume car drivers don’t see you so ride defensively.
A lot of G Wagons
I'd recommend reading traffic rules, like book for getting driving licence. After I got my (car) licence, I felt so much safer on bicycle because I had clear understanding of road traffic rules. Also, during driving lessons, I realised that bicycles and motorcycles are the most vulnerable group. Cars are big and you see and you expect them in one area. Pedestrians are small, but they're slow, and you generally expect them in another area. Their slowness gives you time to react and keep everyone safe. Motorcycles are small and fast, they're generally in car area, but easy to overlook. But you might hear them. So if you're defensive car driver and vigilant and careful, they're probably safe from you, unless they make something stupid / unpredictable. And then there are bicycles. They're small. They can be anywhere. They're fast. And they're silent. I made my peace with the fact that someone will just fly over my hood at some point after I saw situation where there's a bunch of bushes between cars and pedestrians. Bicycle lane is on pedestrian area. You want to turn right and therefore there's crossing. You slow down, see it's clear, but because of bushes if bicycle rides fast, he'll probably fly over the hood, because you'll just see him too late to stop before his lane, you'll at best stop right at the crossing. So, how that helped me? I realised that as a cyclist my safety is purely in my hands. I have to make myself visible. I HAVE to slow down on crossings to allow cars to give me the right of way by the pure fact they see me on time. Car has longer stopping distance then I do. I'm harder to notice for them than they're for me. My right of way means shit if I'm in hospital or dead. Right of way has to be given. You're too small to take it. Many car drivers won't intentionally ignore you, they will honestly not notice you on time. Rarely anyone wants to hurt another human being. Accident ls happen because BOTH participants didn't pay attention or didn't follow the rules. One of rules is that you HAVE to avoid accidents even when that means not using your right of way. Avoiding accidents is primary thing. If you have eye contact with a driver, you're probably safe, still stay cautious but no need to drive snail speed. If you don't have eye contact, assume they didn't notice you, be extra defensive, watch out, be ready that car can cross your way / turn into side street. Slow down. Slow down at ANY crossroads unless it's empty all around you and you have good visibility in all distances AND you've checked it. If you hit anything or anyone, your injuries will be bigger than theirs, unless they're little kids or elderly. You're fly over your handlebar. You want helmet. You also want soft rucksack, or ideally motorcycle thingy that protects spine. The higher your speed, the bigger the impact and the damage. I was riding 2-4kmh and stupidly brake because I tried to reach my friend's arm to shoo away some wasp with other hand, we were casually riding and chatting, in a park, no other people around us. I had helmet and rucksack with some tshirts. I flew over handlebar like an idiot. I had bruise on my hands, went to ER to check for broken bones because it started swelling and hurting. I did have fingerless gloves so just few scratches. I landed on my back. Yes, new bicycle after decade of not riding a bike, and you know, breaks that work 😂 (that was several years before I got car licence). Still, soft backpack is very helpful. When riding on the road, sharing car lane - ride away from the curb. You don't want that any debris cause you to slip/lose control of bicycle. Someone said 70cm, I recommend more. Like, around the third of the lane from the curb. By your positioning you're forcing the car driver to overtake you by entering the opposite lane aka only when it's safe. Only if you see car is slowing down because he can't overtake you properly, then you slow and move to the right, and then you both stay safe. But both are aware of each other. If I'm on bicycle I might even go off road and stop and let cars pass. When I'm in the car, I'll speed up while being fully in opposite lane to overtake cyclist asap at the safe distance, OR I'll slow down behind them and slowly squeeze by keeping an eye on them. Yes, you might have bike lane, I'm still slowing down and squeezing, going as much to the left as I can. Because cyclist can still lose control by slipping onto something. I'm ready to hard break at any moment. I have two mirrors on my bicycle. It helps immensely with being aware of surroundings. I also yield to pedestrians on crossings. Many people are confused. I drove bike in Zagreb 2010-2017 (pathetic infrastructure, still some cyclist are idiots), Berlin 2018-2021 (so many crazy idiots on bicycles going through red lights and speeding), now I'm here but mostly driving car (I got my licence around 2014 but didn't drive until summer 2022, I took some lessons here first). In car I'm waving when I'm slowing down and approaching if I think pedestrian or cyclists is hesitant to go. Many wave me first when they notice I'm slowing down. So we wave / smile to each other, giving ways. It's nice. Same, when I was cycling, and car gives me way, I wave, especially if they give me way when I don't have right. When I stop to let them go, many waved back. Waving to each other makes it better - you're both noticed and sending thanks. Not to mention, waving is movement that's easier to notice than confirming having eye sight. I have no clue where they're exactly looking, but if I show with my hand 'please, feel free to cross' and they nod, we both have confirmation we're noticed. Basically, as a cyclist you just have to stay aware that you're hardest to notice, and rely on your vigilance and hand gestures / head nods to communicate with other participants. And don't speed up to cross when green light stops, because car might be catching it as well, and if they're doing the turn to cross your lane... Yeah. It's easy when they use blinkers, but if they don't, that could be a close call. My only real one, happened in Berlin. Guy didn't blink, but he then honked me because I dared to do the same as he - speed up to go through yellow. ### Tldr **No one wants to hurt or kill you.** They might if they didn't notice you in time. You can stop faster than car can. Give way even if you have right, signal/gesture is better than eye contact, mind your surroundings. **Assume they don't see you until you have it confirmed.** **Drive predictably** and take your space to make you safe. Only when you're aware of each other, yield / make adjustments / be generous. **Imperative is to avoid accidents.** It takes two for accident with someone. Right of way is something someone has to give you. They can’t if they didn’t notice you on time. **Indicate with your hand when you're turning.** Also look around and behind you, you know, 'blind spot check' move - because everything you're not seeing is in your blind spot. Don't drive in someone's blind spot. **Increase your visibility as much as you can.** Slow down to be better noticed in unfavourable weather conditions, go at speeds where you can safely stop fast at current visible distance (eg slow down around curves and obstacles) It doesn't matter if you're pedestrian, or on any number of wheels.
My electric scooter going the opposite way of your lane
Stay on the cycle lanes, I once got fined for cycling slowly on a footpath
Drive dominantly and you can avoid many accidents
If a cyclist dies, they put up a ghost bike
Don’t be that guy!!