Safety on the roads, 40 write to Mattarella: “Help us pedal”

The tragic death of Davide Rebellin and the safety emergency on the road for cyclists. A perennial emergency, unfortunately. And there is the initiative of the association IO RESPETTO IL CICLISTA (Paola Gianotti, Maurizio Fondriest and Marco Cavorso) and ACCPI (Cristian Salvato), who have just sent an open letter to the President of the Republic, Prime Minister, President of the Senate and Speaker of the House.

The letter

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“Once again we mourn a friend who died on the road. Michele Scarponi, now Davide Rebellin killed yesterday. And also yesterday a 16-year-old boy killed while pedaling in Ferrara. Like Tommaso Cavorso, Silvia Piccini, Thomas Casarotto and many, too many others friends. In 2021 alone, over 200 people have died on bicycles, almost 500 pedestrians, many of these victims of road accidents due to people who simply weren’t aware of their presence. They didn’t realize they were there. Distracted by their cell phones , caught up in the frenzy with one foot always on the accelerator and looking who knows where. The road is not just for cars. The road is for the child going to school, for the mother or father who accompany their children by bike or on foot, for elderly people who move perhaps with the only means they have available, their own legs. The road belongs to everyone, or so it should be, but then it is absolutely not true. And we become obstacles in the path of crazed racing cars or distracted people who don’t realize that the car becomes an instrument of death if handled with distraction and lack of respect. Because speed on the road is as much a factor of success as indifference for those who are weak users is an ordinary fact to cry on for only a few minutes in the daily tragedy that affects families hit, and it is appropriate to say, by the bad fate of a pirate who simply didn’t look. Our battle to impose stricter rules on the highway code to protect cyclists will not stop. We’ve tried it over and over again and we keep trying. We ask once again that minimum limits be established for overtaking a bicycle on the road. It is a small step but an important step. Because establishing clear distance rules when overtaking cyclists saves our lives. One and a half meters are one hundred and fifty centimeters which represent the distance between life and death. And I assure you that this is the very great truth. We don’t want to, we can’t, we mustn’t stop asking for different rules. We had almost succeeded a few months ago but once again the bureaucracy slowed down and someone thought to say that introducing a simple rule produced a cost not covered in the state budget. But what sum, however infinitesimal, can a person’s life be worth? Whoever saves a life saves the whole world. Here we don’t have to save the whole world we just have to write a simple rule. Give us back the right to live our experience on the road as cyclists with serenity and safety. Give us rules, help us ride safely. One and a half meters. Three steps of walking. Let’s do them!!”

the signatories

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Paul Alberatiformer professional; Moreno ArgentinaWorld Champion; Alessandro BallanWorld Champion; Elisa Balsamomultiple world champion;
Daniel Bennatticoach of the national cycling team;
Sofia Bertizzolprofessional;
Paul Bettiniformer professional;
Alberto Bettiolprofessional and Flanders winner;
John Bugnoformer professional and CPA President;
Davide Cassaniformer professional, former coach of the national team; Alessandra Cappellottoworld champion;
Yuri Chechiformer Atlanta Olympic gold medalist gymnast;
Francesco ChicchiUnder 23 world champion;
Claudius Chiappucciformer professional; Sonny Colbrelliformer professional European and Italian champion, Roubaix winner;
Simone ConsonniOlympic champion; Alessandro DeMarchiprofessional; Alessandra DeStefanodirector of Rai Sport;
Martina Customsprofessional; John Ellenatechnical director Androni Toys;
Andrew Ferrigatoformer professional; Martina Fidanzaworld champion;
Philip Gannaworld champion, Olympian, hour record;
Francis LamonOlympic champion; John LombardiOlympic champion; Elisa Longo Borghiniworld champion and Olympic champion;
Justin Matterashowgirl, actress and TV presenter;
Giancarlo Minardipresident of the Imola circuit ;
Jonathan MilanOlympic champion; Vincent Nibaliformer professional, winner of the Maglia Rosa and the Tour de France Alexander Petacchiformer professional; Paolo PoliMugello Circuit President; Dominic Pozzo aliveformer professional; Marina Romoliformer professional and vice world champion;
Antonio RossiOlympic and world champion and delegate to Sport Lombardia; Matteo Trentinprofessional;
Diego Ulisseprofessional;
John Visconti3 times Italian champion;
Elia VivianiOlympic champion;
Christian ZorziOlympic and world champion in cross-country skiing.