Cars race across the Wolfsputterbaan in Helmond on Sunday morning, while cyclists wait for a safe moment to cross. A day after a cyclist was seriously injured in a collision here, they reacted shocked, but not surprised. “We had to wait for something to go wrong,” says Frits, who has just made the crossing.
That scenario became painfully clear a few hours earlier. In the night from Saturday to Sunday, a cyclist was hit by a motorist at the crossing. The woman was seriously injured and had to be rushed to hospital. For many cyclists, the accident is confirmation of what they have been saying for years: this crossing is dangerous.
“You could wait for it to happen at some point.”
Jolanda knows the crossing well and does not find it strange that a serious accident happened here. “It’s dangerous because it’s very busy here,” she says. According to her, you often have to wait a long time before you can cross safely. “You really have to be careful.” It is impressive that a cyclist was seriously injured on Saturday night. “Terrible. Really terrible.”
Frits also crosses here regularly and has ended up in a dangerous situation himself. “There are a lot of cyclists here and it is a very busy road. You could wait for it to happen at some point.”
Leo also calls the crossing dangerous. According to him, the speed of traffic in particular plays a major role. “You really have to pay close attention here. Cars drive fast and traffic comes from both sides.”
“People try to slip through the cracks, and then things go wrong.”
According to Corrie, it is often confusing here and you have to be constantly alert. “Super dangerous,” she says. “It’s very busy here, with students and cyclists.” She finds the crossing so dangerous that she prefers to avoid it. “That’s why I hardly ever come here during the week. It’s so busy then. Then I don’t cross.”
Last night’s accident doesn’t surprise her. “I heard that someone was seriously injured. Yes, that is terrible,” she says. According to her, it was actually a matter of time before things went wrong. “People try to slip through the cracks, and then things go wrong.”
Corrie has not yet experienced a dangerous situation herself, but she has seen it happen to others. “That traffic suddenly had to stop because someone was crossing the road. Very dangerous.”
“They should do something about that sooner.”
The province wants to tackle the crossing, but that won’t happen until 2029 at the earliest. “That’s late. Much too late,” says Frits. He takes good care of himself. “I’d rather wait a little longer than take the risk.”
Leo also finds it difficult to understand that nothing may change for a few years. “Safety is my top priority. They should do something about that sooner.”
It is clear to these cyclists that only drastic solutions can really make the crossing safer. This is what a bridge or viaduct is called, so that cyclists and cars no longer cross each other. Others are thinking of a tunnel or a middle crossing, so that the road can be crossed in two stages.
