A CYCLIST who broke his arm and developed a deep vein thrombosis after crashing into a bump that’s supposed to keep cyclists safe on Barrack Street, has pleaded for Perth council to revamp the cycle lanes.
Michael Martinovich, an experienced cyclist of 50-years, went over his handlebars on the intersection of Barrack and Murray Streets, after failing to spot a line of raised bike lane delineators installed on the side of the cycle lane.
• Perth Voice distribution assistant Michael Martinovic suffered a broken arm and deep vein thrombosis after running into road delineators that were supposed to keep him safe.
Gloomy
Mr Martinovich said they were particularly difficult to see because it was a wet, gloomy day because of their dark colour which did not stand out from the tarmac.
There were no signs warning cyclists of the bumps, which are about 600mm long, 100mm wide and 50mm high.
Breaking his arm in two places Mr Martinovich experienced intense pain and will be in a cast for eight weeks, impacting his ability to work and make money.
A couple of days after the fall, he noticed his leg was stiffening up, which was diagnosed as a deep vein thrombosis.
The City of Perth conceded in an email to Mr Martinovich that the lane was out of date with modern designs.
A spokesperson for the city later told the Voice there were no record of previous incidents at the intersection and no plans to immediately upgrade them.
The accident happened during the middle of the day, and with his history of competitive cycling and mountain-bike riding, Mr Martinovich says he was not overly susceptible to the dangers of cycling.
He worries about the potential for further injuries, as the accident “could happen to anyone”.
Mr Martinovic also fears the outcome could be far worse if the rider fell directly into the traffic lane, rather than back into the bike lane as he did.
While he can see the merit of delineators, Mr Martinovic says the current design is too dangerous.
He believes signs warning cyclists of their presence should be installed while the delineators should have a bright, fluorescent colour.
A spokesperson from the City of Perth said the line markings, delineators and green surfacing was added when the street was converted to two-way traffic in 2015.
“While the City currently has no plans to modify the delineators, future projects under the new Bike Plan launched this year, include extending green surface treatments in the area,” the spokesperson said.
“These upgrades aim to improve safety for cyclists and increase driver awareness of the infrastructure.
“Since the launch of its inaugural Cycle Plan in 2012, the City of Perth has continued to enhance and expand its cycling infrastructure, promoting sustainable and healthy transport alternatives across the City.
“Over the past decade, the delineators have served their purpose in offering cyclists a level of protection from adjacent vehicle traffic, particularly at high-traffic intersections like Barrack Street and Murray Street.”
by OLLIE JAMIESON