When it is busy, cyclists and scooters come from all sides, walkers cross the road and there are also trucks and cars that want to pass by. The Strijps Bultje in Eindhoven is busy and confusing during rush hour. A serious accident happened there on Wednesday in which a cyclist ended up under a truck. Local residents and entrepreneurs of Strijp-S want the municipality to quickly make this dangerous traffic situation safer.
Rens Verhoeven provided first aid to the young cyclist who was run over by the truck on Wednesday. The boy survived the accident, but was seriously injured. “I was at the scene of the accident just half a minute after the accident happened,” says Rens. “I put him in a recovery position and put a blanket over him. He was responsive, but you see things you would rather not see.”
Visibility limited
Rens knows the intersection in question well. He runs a nut bar a little further away in the Veem building and must always pay close attention when he crosses there by car. “It is a very busy point under a viaduct, where support pillars also significantly limit the view. In addition, cyclists and mopeds also ride on the sidewalk because it is faster. That is not allowed, but it does happen. You have to have eyes everywhere in your head to keep an overview.”
Although local residents find the situation dangerous, the police can only find three accidents on the Torenallee where the Strijps Bultje is located. These figures cover the past year and a half. There may have been more accidents, but they were registered on surrounding streets.
Lots of near misses
Rens has also not seen more accidents than the one from last Wednesday. “I have often seen that things just didn’t go well. Who knows this traffic situation?can only conclude that it is a confusing situation. I hope something will change soon, otherwise we’ll just have to wait for the next accident.
Help from AI chatbot
To find a solution, Rens turned to ChatGPT for help. He took photos of the Strijps Bultje and asked the AI chatbot if it had any ideas to make the intersection safer. After some thought, ChatGPT comes up with a design.
“Lighting has been installed, the cycle paths have been widened and there are block markings. A small traffic island has been installed in the middle and the direction of travel is also indicated. The cyclist now plays a leading role and is easier to see. The cycle path has also been given a nice role,” says Rens, who immediately saved the illustration on his phone.
Opinions are divided among cyclists. “I have to be quite careful to stay on my feet. The different signs and signs on the road are confusing,” said an elderly man wearing a bicycle helmet. “The intersection is slightly complicated. I don’t think it is very clear where you should cross as a cyclist. It is half a motorway and half a cycle path,” responds another cyclist.
A man who crosses the intersection by bike three times a week says: “I don’t feel unsafe here at all. Most cyclists go in the same direction and I never actually see traffic from the side. I find it clear.”
“Whether you have to immediately turn everything upside down in the event of one accident. I can imagine that it is a messy issue. Perhaps something can be done with minor adjustments,” asks another cyclist.
Political questions
CDA Councilor Marcel van den Bunder has asked questions to the aldermen and mayor about this traffic situation in Eindhoven. “We hope to gain clarity about the safety of this traffic point. Now that Eindhoven is developing and expanding itself, we should not lose sight of the safety of existing traffic situations.”
