Zendrich

Hi, I am a commuting cyclist and have recently had a bad accident as I rode my bike through a bus lane and over a drain grate that ran verticle and parallal to the road. I did this after a split second decision to avoid more traffic.
There are a number of such hazardous rain grills all over the island and I am trying my best to get local councils to replace them.
https://f1plus.timesofmalta.com/artic...over-bad-roads
I have spoken to a lawyer who immediately said I did not have a case as I rode through a bus lane which in itself is illegal.
I am trying to find out more about this law all over Europe.

rogwilco

I know nothing about traffic laws on Malta, but on first thought I'm not convinced by this lawyer's argument. I'm assuming that this kind of drain gate is installed not only on roads with bus lanes but on all kinds of roads so the same accident could have happened anywhere else too. So unless bicycles are banned from bus lanes specifically because of the dangerous grates I see no reason why the bus lane makes any difference to your complaint.

And besides, if I were you I would look up whether bicycles are even banned from bus lanes at all, because that is not self evident and that lawyer "immediately" saying so without checking it makes me even more suspicious.