On Friday 29th April, Tel Aviv became the scene of an enormous Passover exodus; over 500 cyclists met at Rabin Square to take part in a Critical Mass bike ride on the city’s main roads, down to Jaffa and ending in a park on the seafront. By far the country’s largest Critical Mass event, this one drew the crowds because people were keen to protest the Tel Aviv Municipality’s new enforcement measures for cycling laws. As of Sunday May 1, all cyclists caught riding on the sidewalk can be fined up to 250NIS.
TLV1’s Laragh Widdess joined the ride to find out what Tel Aviv’s cyclists are so vexed about. It turns out that cycling in the White City is less than straightforward…
Read: “How not to get hit by cars”
Music:
Pink Floyd – Bike
Florence and the Machine – Dog Days Are Over (Instrumental)
Kraftwerk – Tour De France 1983
Queen – Bicycle Race
Written and produced by Laragh Widdess
How can u play Pi
nk Floyd when that asshole anti-Semitic ROger Waters is a part !
I knew there would be very little enforcement (it’s Israel) and I will continuee to ride (responsibly) on the sidewalk when the road shoulders are small or non-existant, or I feel unsafe. I’d rather pay the fine than end up a casualty. Drivers should be fined (ok, really just increase the cost of benzene or whatever) and use that money to increase and improve bike lanes and educate the public not to walk in those lanes)