Page 34 - Operation Lifesaver Estonia Annual Report 2011

Railway Safety in Estonia - 32 - Annual Report 2011
In spring 2001 was started cooperation between Aerobike
Cycling Agency organising road bike competitions and
OLE in order to improve the railway crossing habits of
bicyclist.
We are glad to see that there are more and more
Estonians fond of recreational sports. In recent years
there has been a particularly sudden increase in the
number of people using bicycles as a training tool. If
before people used more mountain bikes then now many
of them prefer road bikes, maybe due to the fact that
there are well-known Estonian sportsmen achieving good
results in international competitions.
Although the increased popularity of recreational sports
can only be welcomed, it causes certain additional risks.
As we know, there are many bicyclists who are not very
eager to comply with all the traffic regulations, including
red traffic lights both on roads and railway crossings.
The increased number of bicycle users increases also the
probability of traffic accidents and creates the need for
explaining railway safety issues amongst them.
In the season of 2011 Aerobike Cycling Agency organised
in Estonia 3 major competition series: Filter Tempo Cup
consisting of 6 competitions, Filter Road Cup consisting
of 6 competitions and Fakto Auto Tallinn Bike Festival
lasting three days. In total we organised last summer
15 different competitions, comprising ca 80% of all road
bike competitions in Estonia targeted at recreational
sportsmen. It should also be mentioned that the route of
several competitions went across railway lines.
Our cooperation with OLE started for the
reasons mentioned above. Together we
prepared a programme of measures for
raising bicyclists’ awareness in order to
reduce risky behaviour at railway level
crossings. Each contestant was given an
informative sticker and the level crossings located on the
competition routes were marked with illustrative signs.
OLE’s logo was displayed on competitions’ advertising
materials and we also launched a joint drinking water
project that became the most important informative
measure.
The drinking water project consisted of distributing
drinking water bottles with labels promoting safe railway
crossing. Each contestant received a half-litre bottle of
drinking water after crossing the finish line. During all the
competitions taking place throughout the season we gave
out drinking water to ca 4000 contestants from different
age groups. The vast majority of the contestants were
The drinking water project consisted of distributing
drinking water bottles with labels promoting safe
railway crossing.
OLE DRINKING WATER
FOR CYCLISTS
Aerobike Cycling Agency
Mihkel Reile | Chief Organiser of
Competitions
COOPERATION PROJECTS