Slip road to island?

[Wixxy]

Can you ride from a slip road in to an island if the slip road has a marked crossing or a Zebra (or are there different rules for either)?

Obviously the rules going across the crossing from footpath to island is well known, and what you have to then do at the main crossing with either a cycle lantern or not.

Am in WA.

[human909]

Briefly. Leaving or entering a road is largely a legal activity. This is what you are doing. Give way to others.

Want to know more? Read the road rules.

[Aushiker]

The WA Road Traffic Code can be found at https://www.slp.wa.gov.au/legislation/s ... _37241.pdf

[Scott_C]

The exact rule you want is 214.
http://www8.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/view ... /s214.html

The part of interest:
"the rider of a bicycle shall not ride across a carriageway, or part of a carriageway, on a children’s crossing, marked foot crossing or pedestrian crossing."

Provided you don't ride across part of a carriageway on the crossing you should be OK. As always, this isn't legal advice.

[Wixxy]

Thanks for the replies as always.

Okay so to be legal pull up to the kerb dismount on to the footpath and walk across the crossing?

Obviously with no crossing on the slip road I can just ride in to the island from the slip road.

[Wixxy]

Briefly. Leaving or entering a road is largely a legal activity. This is what you are doing. Give way to others.

Want to know more? Read the road rules.

Complicated by a crossing, and that you're not going from one footpath to another but entering one end of the crossing from the road and only over a small portion of the crossing.

[uart]

Are you talking about something like this wixxy? I do that all the time (to join the bike path running from left to right in the photo) at the intersection show here.

It's funny how cycling is the only daily activity that I can think of where you constantly have to be worrying "is it legal for me to try and avoid being killed by a psychopath here, or might I get a fine for trying to do that?".

[Wixxy]

Exactly that yes. For a similar reason, mine being to get to the opposite lights.

Normally, I tend to wait for a gap in traffic if am going up to the lights, but with no gap and constant traffic I opt for the island from the left turn lane as am then "safely" tucked in to the left kerb.


Am taking from the responses it's illegal, so I'll now only do it with no crossing.

Okay for the pedestrian it gives a right of way, for the cyclist an inconvenience.

[AdelaidePeter]

Exactly that yes. For a similar reason, mine being to get to the opposite lights.

Normally, I tend to wait for a gap in traffic if am going up to the lights, but with no gap and constant traffic I opt for the island from the left turn lane as am then "safely" tucked in to the left kerb.


Am taking from the responses it's illegal, so I'll now only do it with no crossing.

Okay for the pedestrian it gives a right of way, for the cyclist an inconvenience.

I'm not sure what you mean by "get to the opposite lights". Do you mean you're turning right?

[Wixxy]

No going forward.

[AdelaidePeter]

OK, I see - the road is so dangerous when it's busy that you just want to use the pedestrian crossing to go forward.

This wouldn't be a problem in SA because, as of earlier this year, we can now ride on pedestrian crossings. Hopefully WA will follow suit soon. I think it's a strange loophole when cyclists are allowed to ride on footpaths but not crossings.

[Scott_C]

Okay for the pedestrian it gives a right of way, for the cyclist an inconvenience.

It doesn't even give right of way to pedestrians. Pedestrians have right of way when crossing a slip lane with or without a marked pedestrian crossing.

WA Road Traffic Code 2000 REG 55

(5) If a driver at an intersection is turning left using a slip lane, the driver shall give way to any pedestrian on the slip lane.

See also REG 56 for the equivalent rule at a T-intersection.

MainRoads WA have a written policy on providing pedestrian crossings at slip lanes that completely ignores the fact that they are banning bicycles from riding across the slip-lane in order to encourage drivers to follow a right of way that already applies without the marked crossing.

This is one of my go to examples for how cyclists are treated by the Government, because drivers can't be trusted to follow the road rules they implement a solution that bans bicycles merely to encourage drivers to do something they are already required to do.

[Wixxy]

Am aware of your valid point, obviously some in MR and the local Shires don't what they are doing or a little over cautious.

Have you ever found them to remove a crossing following a complaint on these grounds?

[human909]

Complicated by a crossing, and that you're not going from one footpath to another but entering one end of the crossing from the road and only over a small portion of the crossing.

How is that complicated?

Leaving the road and crossing a footpath is legal. (FOR ANY VEHICLE)
Riding on the footpath is legal. (For cyclists in WA)

What exactly are you suggesting is illegal?

I don't see the complication unless you are failing to give way to pedestrians on the footpath.

[Wixxy]

Cycling on a crossing is illegal. Take your own advice and read the road rules as I was told to.

Thanks to everyone else on putting me right. Not everything is clear until you ask.

[Kronos]

Its a legal activity, even motorists are allowed to briefly enter into a painted traffic island if they're turning at the next intersection. The only rule for cyclists is that if you enter onto a traffic island in the case of a zebra crossing, motorists do not have to stop for you unless you are off your bike. You must get off your bike and walk it across unless there are bike crossing lights.

Thanks for the replies as always.

Okay so to be legal pull up to the kerb dismount on to the footpath and walk across the crossing?

Obviously with no crossing on the slip road I can just ride in to the island from the slip road.

Yes, this, to use a crossing point you have to get off your bike unless its signed otherwise.