The Czech Republic and the Netherlands have joined forces. A series of videos have been prepared with international cycling stars and other public figures which call for mutual respect on the roads. "We don't have to love each other, we just have to respect each other," says Dutchman Fabio Jakobsen, stage winner on the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España.
The project was initiated by the greatest ever Czech road rider, Roman Kreuziger (pictured), together with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Prague. Several of the world's elite cyclists are involved in the project - the Dutchman Wout Poels, Lizzie Deignan of Britain, Michael Valgren of Denmark, Jasper Stuyven of Belgium and the phenomenal Italian sprinter, Elia Viviani. Tennis player Andrea Sestini Hlaváčková, the French Open and US Open winner, also supported the initiative.
The motto for the videos is simple "It doesn't matter whether I‘m riding a bike or driving a car, I'm first and foremost a person and I respect others," explains Roman Kreuziger. "I am pleased that we have prepared these videos in cooperation with colleagues from the Netherlands. This makes sense as the Netherlands is a cycling powerhouse and has a wealth of experience with mixed cyclist-motorist traffic," adds the ten-time Tour de France participant, who estimates he covers up to 50,000 kilometres a year behind the wheel in additional to thousands of kilometres in the saddle.
Mutual consideration seems to be precisely what is missing on the Czech roads – according to a recent survey by KANTAR, 50% of Czechs consider the relationship between motorists and cyclists to be hostile. Only a third of cyclists feel safe in traffic. They blame drivers for going too fast (48% of cyclists interviewed) or leaving insufficient space when overtaking (35%). On the other hand, motorists are most often bothered when cyclists ride side-by-side and do not respect the ban on riding on pavements.
The videos were filmed in the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Monaco and Italy between January and May of this year. During the summer, the videos can be viewed via the “Show respect” initiatives on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.