Darmstadt: Keep your distance when overtaking cyclists – Darmstadt wants to become a 30-speed model city

• fromJens Joachim

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An advertising motif on buses reminds drivers of the new distance rule. It is a joint campaign by the city of Darmstadt, cycling activists and the local transport company Heag mobilo. In addition, the city generally wants to introduce Tempo 30 across the entire city.

This has never been done before in Darmstadt: the city, cycling activists and the municipal transport company Heag mobilo are tackling a joint project and promoting a careful and considerate approach to cyclists.

In order to point out to motorists that they have to keep a minimum distance of one and a half meters when overtaking cyclists, five out of 80 Heag buses have been ad-printed. By the beginning of December, the words “Observe minimum distance!” And a corresponding infographic will be visible on the rear of the buses.

Outside of built-up areas, drivers must even keep a distance of two meters. If the traffic situation does not allow the distance to be maintained, cyclists may not be overtaken. This is required by the amended road traffic regulations, which came into force at the end of April. Mayor Jochen Partsch (Greens) reported on Friday when the buses pasted with the motifs were presented.

Unclear situation ended

So far, the road traffic regulations had only spoken of a “sufficient lateral spacing”. With the entry into force of the amendment, this unclear situation has now ended, said Partsch, who is also head of the Darmstadt transport department. The OB, who is constantly on the road in the city with his green-painted bicycle, also pointed out that overtaking too tightly endangers the safety of cyclists.

In Darmstadt, according to Partsch, bicycles are increasingly becoming a common form of transport. According to the latest study by the Technical University of Dresden, the share of bicycle traffic in total traffic in Darmstadt has now risen to 22 percent.

Darmstadt is applying as a Tempo 30 model city

After the Radentscheid initiative recently set up a temporary “pop-up bike path” on Rheinstrasse, OB Partsch now said that the installation of such temporary bike paths on the multi-lane main roads in Darmstadt “might be re-evaluated” given the currently lower traffic. In addition, the city had applied for a model project with a general speed of 30 across the entire city area to the Federal Ministry of Transport.

David Grünewald from the Radentscheid initiative said that “only the political will and a bucket of paint are needed” in order to make more pathways available for cyclists in Darmstadt in a very short time.

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