Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

Behave yourselves you naughty Victorians....

MELBOURNE, Nov 16 AAP - Anyone who lives in Melbourne knows that
the sport of cycling is booming, but it can be dangerous and police
will target cyclists in black spot areas from Tuesday.
It has been a bad year on Victoria's roads and so far this year
seven cyclists have been killed, three more than this time last
year.
Acting Senior Sergeant Robert Zussa said the three-day Operation
Nora would aim to ensure cyclists and drivers were riding and
driving safely around Melbourne's CBD.
"Police will not only target offences committed by cyclists but
also crack down on drivers compromising their safety," he said.
Police may fine drivers and cyclists disobeying traffic signs
and lights, failing to wear helmets, motorcyclists using bicycle
lanes and vehicles stopping or parking illegally.

from memory only one cyclist was killed in the city last year and I didn't hear of any being killed this year...

perhaps they should start watching cars and cyclists in the areas where we all travel, sydney road, St georges Road, Nicholson street, the main arterial roads that head into the city

Theyd be targeting known revenue hotspots

at least I wont have to avoid the CBD... I'll be tramming it to work

They'll have to follow me around for a while to catch me misbehaving.

Still confused tho'. When did hemlet laws for smokeboxers come in?

Mate of mine was riding down Swanston Street, stopped at the lights on the cnr of Swanston and Flinders lane heading towards St. Kilda Rd he was riding a Time RXR racing bike, he was approached by two cops whom were crossing the road (most probably heading to Brunetti's for there free coffee) they stopped and asked him where his bell is!!

Ofcourse he didn't h ave a bell they hit him with an on the spot fine of $260.00!!

Apparently if you are racing the bell is not required, but it is a legal requirement when your riding on the road or bike path.

Can someone please expand on this......

Cheers

Fabian

It is exactly as it sounds fabby, the bell is required by the law, regardless of how aero the bike is

((

But 260$!!!! It says 149$ on BV, as of July 1. Have they increased it by more than a 100$ since?

Break one... carry it in your jersey pocket. If the Brumby revenue collectors pull you up just take it out of your pocket and say it's cheap plastic crap that just plain broke off because of the amount of times you have to ding ignorant flogs who walk up the middle of the cycle lanes.

wheels46 wrote:Break one... carry it in your jersey pocket. If the Brumby revenue collectors pull you up just take it out of your pocket and say it's cheap plastic crap that just plain broke off because of the amount of times you have to ding ignorant flogs who walk up the middle of the cycle lanes.

Good one!

Scenario No. 2... I could get flamed for this "however" what's wrong with giving the wallopers a fake name and address also? Last time I checked bikes don't have number plates and riders don't carry rider's licenses. Technically we're invisible.

$260.00 was the fine i actually saw the ticket myself.

If the bell is required by law, then why is it not a requirement that bikes are sold with bells as a standard?

This is la la land!

Fabby wrote:$260.00 was the fine i actually saw the ticket myself.

If the bell is required by law, then why is it not a requirement that bikes are sold with bells as a standard?

This is la la land!

It is actually, the law and the la la ness of it.

IIRC, Vic law states that a bike requires "an audible warning device" (Pedants can google the law themselves). The only bike of mine that runs a bell is me commuter and I've never used it. A shouted "OY!" will get more attention and is orders of magnitude louder than the anaemic tinger that most bikes are sold with.

Fabs, I'd suggest that your mate check the appropriate resources for the gazzetted fine for this "offence" and take it further if needed. Personally, I'd be looking for the opportunity to wheel me bike into court as supporting evidence.

Late change. I decided to not be lazy and googled...

258. Equipment on a bicycle
A person must not ride a bicycle that does not have—
(a) at least 1 effective brake; and
(b) a bell, horn, or similar warning device, in working order.
Penalty: 1 penalty unit.

According to BV one penalty unit is costed at $119.45.

Fabs, I'm more than suggesting now...

Shaun

Cheers.
I've sent this on to him.
Thanks again.

The bell is required on all bikes at sale when new. Lots don't have them because:
a) the buyer asks for it to be removed
b) the bike is stated to be used for racing
c) it is a custom-built bike (both b and c are exempt from the rule at sale)

Rather than carry a busted bell in your pocket (what a damned nuisance that'd be ) just get a cheap bell and fit it to your seat post or other suitable out of the way place. The law only specifies that it be fitted, nothing about being on the bars

Back in the 70s roadies who wanted to keep legal but have the bell out of the way did this

Isn't there something about reflectors too? How are you going to keep those out of the way?

il padrone wrote:Back in the 70s roadies who wanted to keep legal but have the bell out of the way did this

WOT? Point at a centrepull brake cable stop?
Yep, that'll keep them pesky iPeds in line

I might just drop by the pet shop and hang one of these under the saddle...

It's a warning device. Isn't it?

EDIT
@FT_C, plastic reflectors areas good as useless outside a very narrow angle of view. The law is light years behind the available kit.
Try THIS. Obey the spirit rather than the letter of the law.

Take it to court and say you had your voice on the bike. It's a clearly audible warning device.

I know this is very late in the piece but if I came across this thread today someone else is bound to come along behind me so I thought I might put my two cents in.
I have a bell on my bike and use it regularly, and by the way peds almost always move out of the way and many actually thank me for using it.
The advantages of a bell as far as I can tell are twofold, being so high pitched the sound is very directional and it clearly indicates the intent/source(cyclist).
I would stand corrected by someone with greater knowledge but I believe that humans can locate the source of a high pitched sound (bell) far more easily than a low pitched one (voice). A loud OYY unlike the ding of a bell, does not clearly indicate source or intent of the OYYer and tends to startle/frighten the peds rather than simply get them to move to one side.
Aside from the simple fact that it is the law, for the sake of one or two grams of additional weight I have the bell available to use, I can do this at sufficient distance that if it is not heard I can still OYYY, but you can not create a bell from thin air if your OYY does not work.
By the way my bike did not come with the bell but the next time I was back in the LBS where I purchsed it I mentioned it, and they gave me a couple to see which one I liked (gratis).
IMHO as a commuter rather than a racer, it is worth giving the bell a try, even if only to avoid the chance of a fine.
Regards,
Dave.