Be careful, bicycles!

When I was a kid, I used to hang out with my friends. Every weekend we used to catch our bicycles and ride up and down the Diagonal or climb Montjuïc or Collserola. I remember I had a lot of fun and I really enjoyed riding on my bike. Actually, now that I am 33 years old, I would love to have a bike and ride whenever I could because I think it is a very nice sport and hobby. As you can read, I like bikes. I love cycling and I will watch any race it’s shown on TV. For me, it is a great sport.

However, it is a different thing altogether when people use the bikes to move around the city. The city council in the last few years has developed the so called Bicing, a service which allows you to rent a bike. The people who are supposed to rule our city, think that the bike is a great transport for the citizens. The main problem is that we don’t have the same culture as other countries have and it is dangerous for everybody: pedestrians, bike riders and drivers.

I am tired of seeing bike riders with a helmet that protects their heads, something that should be compulsory for all of them. If they fall off their bikes, they can get really hurt. Besides, the bike drivers don’t follow any rules. They can be in the streets pedalling as if they were running the Tour time trial or they can be in the middle of the road doing what they want.

I understand that the bike is a cheap transport and it is good for the city because it is pollution free. However, I think that our governors should have a look to the actual situation and pass some laws to try to make it easier for everybody. When I am in the car I suffer because I never know what they are going to do, many of them are unconscious and don’t follow their line. When they are in the streets it is similar and very dangerous for pedestrians as you can get run over by a bike if you are not cautios.

To start with, I think that all the bike riders should wear a helmet otherwise they should get fined by the police. Then, they have to decide what are they: a vehicle or pedestrians? As I said from the beginning, I like bikes but I think that now there are a lot of them and it is getting dangerous for everybody. We have to start making decisions.