Road traffic - Federal government wants to allow indicators for all bicycles
The German government wants to allow indicators for all bicycles when turning. This is the result of an answer to a parliamentary question, which was first reported by the "Rheinische Post". A spokeswoman for the Federal Ministry of Transport said in Berlin that the new regulation was planned as part of a revision of the Road Traffic Licensing Regulations.
The ministry is concerned about the increasing number of accidents involving pedelecs, she added. It is currently necessary to take your hand off the handlebars to indicate a turning maneuver. In difficult situations, this could lead to impaired riding stability and altered braking behavior. This could be mitigated by optional direction indicators. Optional indicators could replace hand signals when cyclists indicate that they want to turn.
According to the current Road Traffic Licensing Regulations, "direction indicators" are only permitted on multi-track bicycles and bicycles with a superstructure such as bicycle rickshaws, where the rider's hand signals are completely or partially concealed.
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The proposal to allow indicators on all bicycles originated from Berlin, Germany's capital. This change, if implemented, could greatly improve road traffic safety, especially for pedelecs. The Federal Ministry of Transport has identified the need for this revision due to a rise in accidents involving pedelecs. Currently, only multi-track bicycles and those with a superstructure can use direction indicators, leading cyclists to use hand signals. The new regulation could potentially mitigate stability and braking issues during turning maneuvers by offering optional direction indicators. The Federal Government is actively considering this revision in the context of revising the Road Traffic Licensing Regulations. Cyclists in Germany may soon have the option to use a blinker instead of hand signals while turning, thanks to the Federal Ministry of Transport's plan.
Source: www.stern.de
