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Spanish road safety film teaches drivers how to share the road safely with cyclists (+ video)

Issues highlighted include safe overtaking distances and taking cyclists into consideration at junctions

Spain’s directorate of traffic, the DGT, part of the Ministry of the Interior has produced a road safety video primarily aimed at showing drivers how to share the road safety with cyclists.

Using a mixture of real footage shot in and around Barcelona and simple yet effective graphics, issues covered include safe overtaking distances, being aware of cyclists when negotiating a bend, and how to take the safety of cyclists into account at junctions.

Even if you don’t speak Spanish, the messages contained in the video, posted to YouTube in May this year, are clear, including that all road users need to be aware of each other, whatever means of transport they are using.

With an estimated 2 million Spaniards taking to their bicycles each day, the DGT also underlines the point that cyclists are hold driving licences too, while many drivers will also choose to use bikes for specific journeys.

At a time when Britain’s role within the European Union is once again under intense scrutiny, here at least is one area in which we can perhaps draw positive lessons from our neighbours on the continent.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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crazy-legs | 12 years ago
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In Spain they have a rule that says that a group of cyclists is counted as one vehicle. So if the front end of the club ride makes it through a green light, then the light goes red, the rest of the bunch still has right of way.

Once the first rider is on a roundabout, everyone else within that group can follow and traffic has to give way to the bunch as a whole.

So simple yet so good. And (IME) that respect goes both ways.

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pmr | 12 years ago
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OMG CARS giving way to cyclists! Cyclists without helmets!

I always thought that it was correct and proper to accelerate whilst passing a cyclist ensuring that the car is as close as possible to the rider.

In situations where it isn't possible to get by without making a mess of the cyclist all over the road, I also thought it was normal to shout as much foul mouthed abuse as possible at the said cyclist whilst leaning out of the car window?

And when out riding myself I thought a helmet meant that cars couldn't hurt me.

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Tribble | 12 years ago
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1.5m! That makes "3 feet please" (~0.9m) sound woefully inadequate.

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