News from Amsterdam


To the front page

11/1 Jurists want to stay in Oudemanhuispoort

8/2 Mayor’s portrait

8/2 Websites for social cohesion

7/2 Spreading tourism proceeds with difficulty

7/2 GroenLinks on districts: Be a man

6/2 Zuideramstel opens new office on Sabbath

5/2 The truth about integration

4/2 Wilders has little support on Amsterdam

3/2 Elite involved in neighbourhood

2/2 Johnnie Walker avoids taxes in Amsterdam

1/2 Rotterdam to tinker with district councils as well

31/1 Wooden rowing boats to disappear from Amstel

31/1 ZeeburgTV launched

27/1 Privacy activists to mess up loyalty card system

27/1 A few were still coughing, but that was an act

27/1 Chrisis in de Baarsjes

26/1 Youth have positive view of districts

24/1 Action groups call for Carmel and Jaffa boycott

24/1 PvdA members dismiss plan for districts

23/1 KLM takes on crisis with new uniform

23/1 District office not squatted

21/1 Merge districts

20/1 Closing squat bar Vrankrijk not necessary

20/1 Cleaners welcome new Schiphol director

18/1 Palestine at the Jewish Historical Museum

18/1 What is the right size for a district?

17/1 PvdA Oost against fewer districts

16/1 Committee: 7 districts by 2010

15/1 Soldiers may attend Afghanistan debate after all

15/1 Bait bike leads to arrest

14/1 Youth for Christ to republish vacancies

13/1 Paintings of the Zuidas

13/1 New Youth for Christ contoversy

11/1 Social cohesion initiative raises eyebrows

10/1 Fewer districts in 2010

10/1 Zuidas: People feel that we are losers

9/1 Fun on the ice - but not for all

9/1 Supermarket coupon fraud thwarted

9/1 I Amsterdam must remain exclusive

8/1 Use term Apartheid in every discussion

8/1 No city kiosk in Amsterdam yet

7/1 Snow

7/1 Fatima Elatik to run Zeeburg

7/1 Municipal managers to return to shop floor

4/1 Police: take photo of strange people

3/1 Gaza protest criticises politicians

1/1 Thousands to protest against attacks on Gaza

1/1 Mustapha Laboui leaves district council

 

2008 Archive

2007 Archive

2006 Archive

2005 Archive

 

 

 

 

Exaggerated fear of blind spot accidents

9 april 2008 - Improving traffic safety has suddenly become a top priority for Amsterdam cyclists, a recent study reveals. The municipality suspects that the media hype on blind spot accidents is to blame.

In this year's bicycle monitor, one in three cyclists say improving traffic safety should be the highest priority, compared to just a 'small number' of respondents in the previous issue. This year, safety is the highest-ranking issue.

Johanneke Helmers of the municipal Traffic and Transportation Infrastructure Department thinks that extensive media coverage of so-called blind spot accidents may be the cause of this sudden change in priorities. These accidents involve cyclists being overlooked by lorry drivers turning right.

In 2006, four cyclists were killed in blind spot accidents in Amsterdam, compared to eight in the previous five years (the data for 2007 will be published on 24 April). However, Helmers points out that twenty people were killed in traffic accidents that year. Against that background, the amount of attention given to blind spot accidents seems exaggerated.

The municipality tries to prevent blind spot accidents by putting up mirrors at dangerous crossings (photo) and by allowing cyclists to stand in front of cars waiting for a traffic light, rather than to the right of them. The results of the monitor are not a reason to take more measures.

In the monitor, only 9% of respondents named bicycle theft as the most important issue to be dealt with, compared to 21% in the previous edition.

Helmers says this outcome can be explained by Amsterdam's successful approach to bicycle theft prevention. In the years before 2006, the number of stolen bicycles decreased from 80,000 to 50,000 per year. More recent data are not available.

 

Want to receive News from Amsterdam? Click here

 

This is the old website. Please find new content here