Dangerous overtaking incidents involving a public bus and groups of cyclists have raised safety discussions on Mallorca's roads. The latest event took place on the Valldemossa road, near the University at around kilometre 8, involving both local and international riders during late spring.
The incident was documented by well-known island cyclist Raúl Márquez, who was cycling with a group heading towards La Serra. Márquez reported that a bus overtook their two-abreast peloton with minimal clearance, disregarding the regulated minimum distance and encroaching on the opposite lane.
Adding to the risk, a discretionary transport coach was approaching from the opposite direction, passing just centimetres from the bus. The near-collision between the two vehicles could have endangered the cyclists and drivers involved.
In an Instagram post, Márquez described the event: "A TIB bus overtakes us without respecting the one and a half metre distance or staying in its lane, while another bus was coming head-on on the same road. This isn’t just a 'scare', it was a situation that could have ended very badly." The cyclists were travelling at approximately 40 kilometres per hour, maintaining orderly formation at the time.
This episode has reignited discussions about road sharing challenges between cyclists and drivers in Mallorca, highlighting the need for vigilance and adherence to safety regulations across the island’s increasingly busy network of roads.