This measure may well change the situation for all cyclists who know difficulties in circulating in town.
Navigating by bike in town can sometimes look like a real obstacle course. Between the traffic rules to be respected, interactions with motorists and urban developments that are constantly evolving, cyclists must adapt permanently. Among the most delicate maneuvers, the left-in-law remains one of the most problematic. Currently, to turn left, the cyclists must position themselves in the center of the roadway, cross the opposite traffic lanes and fit into traffic, a maneuver which exposes them directly to motorized vehicles and which can be dangerous.
To respond to this problem, an innovative experiment has just been launched concerning the practice of indirect bicycle turning, announced road safety in a press release. This new approach offers cyclists a more secure alternative to make this maneuver, thanks to a specially designed signaling panel and specific ground marking. Instead of going through the traffic directly opposite, they will first be able to position themselves in a cycling airlock specially fitted into the right street, then cross the intersection by going straight to the following green light. The decree which details the contours of the experiment was published on September 4.
The objective is to streamline traffic while strengthening the safety of cyclists during their urban trips. This experiment will be tested in four pioneering communities for 36 months: Paris, Lyon, Strasbourg and Nantes, which were selected for their cycling circulation density and their commitment to the development of soft mobility. This new rule will be precisely tested in Strasbourg, Nantes Métropole, in the Hauts-de-Seine Departmental Council in Bourg-la-Reine, and the Val-de-Marne Departmental Council in the municipalities of Cachan and Villejuif.
This initiative is part of a broader approach to modernize the highway code and adapt to new uses of mobility. The results obtained in these four pilot cities could then influence a generalization of this measure to the entire French territory. For cyclists in these communities, it will therefore be important to familiarize yourself with this new signage and to understand the new rules that accompany it!
