Road safety – Safety of bikers: the Belgian breakaway –

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Biker safety: the Belgian breakaway

Road safety - Safety of bikers: the Belgian breakaway -

Will the long rapprochement of the European peoples end up pulling up French thinking on road safety? The first Belgian campaign to raise awareness of the risks run by bikers tends to lead people to believe…

Contrary to the current French approach, according to which the biker tends to be more or less consciously assimilated to a big brute thirsty for speed and pollution who should be muzzle as soon as possible, the new Belgian campaign for motorcycle safety is proof of an encouraging common sense in terms of European construction…

Far from the simplistic and demagogic policy of the French leaders – whether they are on the right in the government or on the "left" in the town hall of Paris -, the Belgian approach appeals by its common sense and its fairer appreciation of the auto issue. motorbike.

The first campaign for the safety of motorcyclists from across Quevrain, broadcast until May 8, recalls in certain aspects the poster "Fragile" once broadcast in France, in the sense that it invites motorists to watch out for bikers. by carefully monitoring their mirrors. "Don’t lose sight of bikers: keep them in your retro", concludes a television clip at the end of an urban journey during which the helmet of a biker is permanently inscribed in the retro exterior of a car.

"Motorcycles are on the rise and motorized two-wheelers can no longer be ignored in today’s road landscape", notes Renaat Landuyt, Belgian Federal Minister for Mobility and President of the Belgian Institute for Road Safety (IBSR) straight away..

"Various factors explain this development: a motorcycle takes up less space than a car, which makes it possible to navigate through queues and congested urban traffic more quickly.", explains the Belgian counterpart of Gilles de Robien before noting, contrary to what the Green Khmers of the town hall of Paris say (read and our), that"direct contact with the environment also explains the popularity of motorcycles as a recreational vehicle. Parking facilities and lower fuel consumption are other positive points. However, the flip side is the insecurity that bikers still face today.".

Jointly produced by the Belgian authorities, Fedemot and the Motorcycle Action Group (MAG), the campaign "Don’t lose sight of the bikers" aims to "draw motorists’ attention to the fact that they share the road with bikers and encourage them to show more courtesy and respect towards them", continues the Belgian minister who does not hesitate to recall that"even if the latter do not always behave in an exemplary manner in traffic, it is clear that in the event of an accident, the disproportion of the forces present will always turn to their disadvantage".

The Belgian government also has the courage to rely on the results of the European MAIDS study, published this winter but immediately classified vertically in France after being torpedoed by Remy Heitz, the interministerial delegate for "road safety" (read) , quite disturbed not to find there the confirmation of his credo "speed = danger".

"Bikers must also actively contribute to their own safety", specifies the Belgian minister:"thanks to their position on the road, they can make them better visible. Equipment made of bright colors and reflective material can further increase their visibility. Driving defensively and always anticipating the behavior of other road users is the message to get across. Climbing up the lines is only possible when the traffic is moving slowly (up to 50 km / h) and, in this case, you should always pay attention to the blind spot in the mirrors of cars and especially trucks. Of course, there is no question of driving on the emergency lane, on road sections closed due to road works or on hatched areas on the ground.".

Also within the framework of this campaign, a leaflet entitled "Motorists, do you know bikers ?"will be distributed by around 120 police zones in the flat country, which will carry out actions on the ground. He will specify in particular that"other users should be more aware of the presence of motorcyclists in traffic and be aware of the fact that they are not always clearly visible. By actively considering bikers, motorists can help prevent accidents. Leave them space in the lines, be particularly attentive when changing lanes and take into account the fact that motorcycles can accelerate faster than cars, but that they have more difficulty in making an emergency stop".

Finally, note the new slogan as a nod from the Motorcycle Council (MCC), an organization bringing together all Belgian players in the motorcycle sector (manufacturers, users, sports associations, motorcycle schools, etc.) and an integral part of the countryside : "Your car is heavy metal, I’m not"…

Eric MICHEL

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