The German capital is struggling with the growing number of accidents involving cyclists. The proposed solution to this problem is surprising. As suggested by German uniforms, it would be beneficial to introduce mandatory license plates for two-wheelers.
“Because of the growing number of complaints sent by pedestrians, it is worth considering the mandatory marking of bicycles ” – Barbara Slowik, the head of the Berlin police quoated by PAP, told the daily “Berliner Morgenpost”. This postulate was supported by the CDU parliamentary group in the Berlin Landtag. As the spokesperson for the transport of the group pointed out, the idea is to make it easier to bring cyclists who are the perpetrators of collisions to justice.
According to the calculations of German law enforcement officers, already over 50 percent. incidents involving cyclists taking place in the capital of our western neighbors are caused by the users of two wheels themselves. According to the police, some of the collisions are caused by cyclists ignoring the rules or aggression on their part. It is difficult to refuse even part of the German police. It has been known for a long time that ignorance and aggression do well under the wings of anonymity. There is, however, the other side of the coin. Many commentators in Germany see the source of the Berlin problem elsewhere.
Hendrik Lehmann from “Der Tagesspiegel”, quoted by PAP, notes that the bicycle infrastructure no longer meets the needs of a growing group of cyclists. This is why some of them avoid their designated roads. He also notes that the police have been helpless for years in terms of increasing the safety of vulnerable road users. Finally, he wonders why bicycle license plates should solve the problem when cars with them cause a lot of accidents.
According to the Berlin police, in 2019 cyclists only participated in 3.9 percent. accidents in the German capital. For comparison, in Poland in 2019 this percentage was as high as 14.6%. No wonder that we also have voiced about the mandatory marking of bicycles from time to time. The problem, however, is that it is difficult to do it in a way that is both legible and not absurd because your imagination quickly tells you that a bicycle with a license plate would be just like in a car. However, it is a good idea to take out insurance which, in the event of damage to the bicycle, will cover the amount necessary for their removal. Many people already have them – along with an insurance policy for an apartment or a car – without knowing anything about it. A reflective vest with a number is obligatory, the driver is better visible, a large field.