I'm sorry to hear that. I can confirm what Bertrand says: trucks and busses can cut you off if they don't see you; simply don't position yourself next to them; either move in front or stay behind them. 

I don't cycle much in Geneva but it annoys me to no end that bicycle lanes often just end or suddenly appear on the other side of the road. And tram tracks, watch out for those too.

This is very sad and I am truly sorry to hear about this tragedy.

The subject is something I have written about on here before. As a cyclist in Geneva, commuting from Carouge to Geneva most weekdays, I am appalled at the treatment cyclists receive from every other road users, including pedestrians.

I regularly experience cars accelerating hard to overtake me and then turn right directly across my path. Many drivers simply pretend they don't see me, even though I know they've just looked directly at me (this is particularly a trait of middle to old aged women). Many pedestrians go to step into the road, look up, see me, and just carry on as if I am not worthy of another thought. It's a sad fact that cyclists are at the bottom of the feeding chain in Geneva.

I'm very sorry to hear that, its very sad.

Ive actually just seen an accident myself, a cyclist lying in the road on the roundabout at ferney, intermarche. Hope both driver and cyclist are ok :( 

As a cyclist who hasn't had an accident in 18+ years in Geneva, I recommend following these tips for safety:

-Ride on the side of the road. Not 1m from the curb,where you will piss everybody off, but 30-40cm. This will leave enough space for drivers in a hurry to pass you. 

-Try riding at the same speed as traffic. If you go 10kmh and a car attempts passing you at 40kmh, it is a more dangerous situation than if you were going at 30kmh. The lower the speed difference, the better. 

-Avoid large, busy intersections with traffic coming from multiple sides (near train station), and avoid any area that looks unsafe (ex: around plainpalais). 

-Try to use car-less shortcuts. There's many bus lanes and parcs in Geneva which I use to avoid cars. I ride in traffic about 1/6th of the distance between Champel and Bel Air for example.

-Avoid riding at night, or when the sun is low. Even with lights on, drivers will not see you well. If riding at night, there's very few people out anyway, so you can ride on sidewalks. Cops are usually okay with it.  

-Avoid carrying any bags (other than backpacks, or when affixed on the bicycle) on you or the bicycle. A bag with a shoulder strap will slide off in case of a sudden movement, and make things worse. 

-Wear closed shoes. I see women riding with sandals / heels all the time, and that's just not safe. 

Also obey the traffic rules. Ive seen bikes jumping red lights when cars are coming all the time. They it will be your fault if you get hit

Yeah I agree. Crossing a red light is tempting, and I sometimes do it (when safe) but some crazy cyclists just keep going without even looking if there's something around the corner! Madness!

I commute 6000km a year on the bike, and suffice it to say, the general lack of any enforcement of any traffic rules just baffles me. Not to mention the blanted disregard for human life. I feel  I have seen everything.

The sad state of the biking infrastructure to me is not so much a political thing but an engineering problem. I mean, if you are going to build bike lanes, why not do it correct. It is not exactly rocket science....

Meet a dutch intersection. Bikes to right and separate traffic lights. SImple.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlApbxLz6pA

and here's a short video of Place de Neuve and Rive:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWXcAdHHe1Y

I just read that a cyclist was seriously injured after being hurted by a truck in Geneva. Her vital prognosis is "very engaged". (Son pronostic vital «est très engagé») 

So again, please, be careful if you ride a bicycle. 

And be even MORE careful if you drive a car.

You don't often hear of a bicycle killing anyone.....

I cycled 20kms a day for 20 years in Central London and my 2 saviours were:

1. ALWAYS wear eye protection (special yellow glasses for night).  Something flies in you eye when you're cycling and you lose balance so quickly, it's not funny.  Reflex is to take one hand off the handlebar and go for a wobble.

2.  Buy a MEGAHORN.  It does what it says on the box "Clears pedestrians like a dose of salts".  It's the only horn loud enough for buses and HGV lorries to hear.  It looks like this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Megalert-Mega-Horn-Electronic-Bicycle/dp/B0017SFPQ8

I also don't know if it's true, but I was told that, if there is no cycle lane, then you're allowed to cycle on the pavement.  With due consideration to pedestrians of course.  I do it all the time and never been stopped by anyone.  

Safe and HAPPY cycling!

I cycle a fair bit in Geneva and so far the only accidents  I have had have been when hitting the kerb and going over the handlebars (twice).  Mea culpa and no other vehicle involved. In each case car drivers stopped to see if I was OK.  Apparently my crashes were spectacular.

I have the following rules / observations

1. I do not hug the kerb because it results in cars trying to squeeze past. If you are 50cm to 80 cm out, it gives you the option to swerve into the curb if there is a danger or something on the road.

2. I find in general that taxi drivers and bus drivers are the most respectful (and they are the ones who are more pressured by delays)

3. Often pedestrians let me through and I thank them.  A cyclist has to stop at a pedestrian crossing just like a car but hardly any do.  I am always ready to do so but usually the pedestrians let me through

4. At traffic lights cars turning right invariably do not indicate.  So rather than slug it out with them I either go in front of them (which does not impede them if they are going stright on) or stay behind them and inhale the exhaust fumes

5. Trucks and buses.  I am very aware that they hav huge blind spots.  I either pass them completely or stay behind

6. I accept that Geneva's cycling routes are a disgrace and outright dangerous but I adapt.  Sometimes you can cycle in a bus lane; sometimes the lanes are buses and taxis only.  Cycle lanes end in the middle of a busy intersection probably because the designers could not work out what to do with them and then they reappear again just when they are no really necessary

7. I will never work out how to cross  Bel Air on a bike

8. I steer well clear of girls (mainly) cycling while listening to music. they cannot hear horns or shouting.  But then these very people cut accross lanes of traffic without looking behind them

9. And finally I am aware of the law in Geneva which allows me to sing at the top of my voice while cycling but not while stopped at traffic lights     

I've been stopped by the police three times for cycling on the pavement, I guess you were misinformed. I wasn't fined, just instructed to get off and push the cycle. 

One of these times was on Rue de la Confederation, there's definitely no cycle lane and those tramlines are slippery when wet - I have numerous scars and chipped bones to support that statement. Pedestrians on that street are especially careless when crossing the road. I was once attacked by an old man with a stick who took exception to me ringing my bell to stop him stepping right in front of my bike. He battered my bike with his stick. A megahorn would have been handy.

All that said, I'm much happier cycling here than in London. I find that motorists are generally quite courteous, by comparison.

Amy. You are not allowed to cycle on rue de la Conderation between Rive and Bel Air apart from the first 100 metres in each direction and there are clear signs, round red ones with a cycle on them, to that effect. Cycling on the pavement is not an accepted alternative

Truck, camions, etc all think they are 'bigger/slower to stop' and all 'cars, scooters, velo, etc' must watch out for them or its your own fault of any accident.Dispite they drive to fast and dont fully stop at intersections/round abouts.

Most of them got there drivers licences from a cracker Jack box.

Oh they are often inibriated after lunch time, so be really carefull during this time.

Thanks Paul. That makes sense, it is dangerous. I never saw the signs, I was so focused on dodging trams, tram tracks and kamikaze pedestrians. I need to find a new route.

Amy you can follow the road that runs parallel (old town side) about 10 metres uphill and you can access it from the two points where cyclists are not permitted. A lot of cyclists go down rue de la C but you do run the risk of being attacked by old men with sticks.  Not too much traffic on the other road. 

I feel bad for her. And yes you are right that whenever you are on a bicycle and truck is next to you driver is unable to see the rider. So it is better to be aware of these situations.

Bertrand Hubert R, i do appreciate your thread. It is a very useful information.