Changes to bicycle rules in QLD

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Zynster
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Changes to bicycle rules in QLD

Postby Zynster » Fri Oct 04, 2013 5:56 pm

"Cyclists are now allowed to ride across a signalised pedestrian crossing. Vehicles must give way to cyclists and pedestrians at these crossings."

http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Safety/Queens ... rules.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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rebilda
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Re: Changes to bicycle rules in QLD

Postby rebilda » Fri Oct 04, 2013 6:07 pm

Well! it's about Time! (did there used to be a fine for riding on a Pedestrian crossing?)

......But I was Horrified to read that Motorcyclists are no longer allowed to take the Dog for a ride on the petrol tank :shock:
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Re: Changes to bicycle rules in QLD

Postby find_bruce » Fri Oct 04, 2013 6:59 pm

rebilda wrote:Well! it's about Time! (did there used to be a fine for riding on a Pedestrian crossing?)
Still is in NSW - another area where Qld is ahead of other states

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Re: Changes to bicycle rules in QLD

Postby jcjordan » Sat Oct 05, 2013 5:49 pm

Not allowed in the ACT but is never enforced

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Re: Changes to bicycle rules in QLD

Postby RonK » Sat Oct 05, 2013 6:12 pm

This was one of the changes under consideration by the recent Queensland Parliamentary enquiry, when a mandatory minimum passing distance was the main focus.

Presumably this implies that a change to the passing regulations did not get up.
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Re: Changes to bicycle rules in QLD

Postby myforwik » Sat Nov 23, 2013 12:28 am

Ron that committee has not reported back yet. The committee is actually reporting back on the 29th November.

Unfortunately the cycling groups who pushed this committee are nieve, and it will likly prove to be a huge disaster to the cyclist communitee. When you lobby for these sorts of things, you need to ensure mass one way pressure. But cycling groups didn't get their act together or advertise this very well. The net result is the motorists are much better positioned and will win the lobbying fight. Infact they already were in front in just the way they were able to steer the inquiry.

The 1m passing distance was just used to get the foot in the door. Every other thing being considered by the committee is a net negative to cyclists.

The 1m passing distance will just be paid lip service and won't be implemented, while they will recommend the things they really want, which include:
-Increasing all the fines for cyclists so that they are same as vehicles (even though bicycles are no where near as dangerous as motor vehicles).
-Banning riding on roads over 80km/hr. They are using the classic play here: asking to ban cyclists from all roads over 60km/hr, then falling back to 80km/hr as a 'compromise'.
-A general push for complete equality of pedestrians and cyclists (so that cyclists can be moved off the road easier in the future).
-Changes to cyclist grants so that they have to spend most of the money insuring there is no negetive effect on motorists by adding cycling facilities.

And of course their main goal: Registration of all bicycles. This is the BIG goal, they probably won't get it this time, but it is their ultimate goal. It is the goal that they will hope will stop cyclist growth for good. Combined with the 'equality' in fines, they will be pushing for rego with an $800 fine for driving unregistered bicycle riding.

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Re: Changes to bicycle rules in QLD

Postby biker jk » Sat Nov 23, 2013 10:30 am

myforwik wrote:Ron that committee has not reported back yet. The committee is actually reporting back on the 29th November.

Unfortunately the cycling groups who pushed this committee are nieve, and it will likly prove to be a huge disaster to the cyclist communitee. When you lobby for these sorts of things, you need to ensure mass one way pressure. But cycling groups didn't get their act together or advertise this very well. The net result is the motorists are much better positioned and will win the lobbying fight. Infact they already were in front in just the way they were able to steer the inquiry.

The 1m passing distance was just used to get the foot in the door. Every other thing being considered by the committee is a net negative to cyclists.

The 1m passing distance will just be paid lip service and won't be implemented, while they will recommend the things they really want, which include:
-Increasing all the fines for cyclists so that they are same as vehicles (even though bicycles are no where near as dangerous as motor vehicles).
-Banning riding on roads over 80km/hr. They are using the classic play here: asking to ban cyclists from all roads over 60km/hr, then falling back to 80km/hr as a 'compromise'.
-A general push for complete equality of pedestrians and cyclists (so that cyclists can be moved off the road easier in the future).
-Changes to cyclist grants so that they have to spend most of the money insuring there is no negetive effect on motorists by adding cycling facilities.

And of course their main goal: Registration of all bicycles. This is the BIG goal, they probably won't get it this time, but it is their ultimate goal. It is the goal that they will hope will stop cyclist growth for good. Combined with the 'equality' in fines, they will be pushing for rego with an $800 fine for driving unregistered bicycle riding.
Meanwhile, 28.3% of the Australian population is obese according to an OECD report (fourth highest in the world). The mounting health care costs will eventually bankrupt most state governments. We continue to live in a fools paradise.

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Re: Changes to bicycle rules in QLD

Postby myforwik » Sat Nov 23, 2013 1:28 pm

It will be interesting to see what happens.

I still think nothing major will happen, simple because majority of cyclist deaths are cyclist faults - 80% of cyclist deaths are kids/teens riding out in front of cars etc.

The registration angle is bizarre. All the serious submissions seem to be against it, but for the wrong reasons. The main reason they claim are discourage of cycling. The actual reason should be that it makes no economic sense what-so-ever. We know from when QLD made cat/dog registration a requirement that most councils have to charge $40 to $50 a year just to break even on administration costs. To actually get some revenue for animal control the typical price is $100/year.

If cyclists have to register and get a plate and rego sticker, it could easily pass $70 per year just to break even. Add CTP and some revenue raising, and $100+/year per bike isn't out of the question, which is why I don't believe it will ever be implemented (until a labor government gets back in).

What I don't like is the change in fines. If they pull of this 'equality' bull crap fines will go way up. For example no helmet fine will go from $100 to $300 and 3 points of your motor car licence.

Also many of the dangerous vehicle acts have laughable fines. For example driving at night with no lights on is $44. Left hooking a cyclist is $66. No giving way to a cyclist or cutting them off is $66. Which is why police don't bother with them.

Also does anyone remember the cyclist who fell over on a level crossing in front a police car, making a train stop? The police then fined him $800 and 6 points - which is the penalty for using your vehicle to obstruct a level crossing and delaying a train.

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Re: Changes to bicycle rules in QLD

Postby queequeg » Sat Nov 23, 2013 11:01 pm

myforwik wrote:It will be interesting to see what happens.

I still think nothing major will happen, simple because majority of cyclist deaths are cyclist faults - 80% of cyclist deaths are kids/teens riding out in front of cars etc.
Still waiting for some references to back up that ridiculous claim. Last time you said it was 70% (
http://www.bicycles.net.au/forums/viewt ... 3#p1052232" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;), now it is 80%

There have been almost 50 Cycling fatalities in Australia this year. According to your figures, 40 of them are kids/teens.
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Re: Changes to bicycle rules in QLD

Postby The 2nd Womble » Sun Nov 24, 2013 1:22 am

I think you'll also find that failing to observe signage at level railway crossings is closer to 10 times that amount. For taxi's and their drivers it's now around either $40k or $80k.
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Re: Changes to bicycle rules in QLD

Postby myforwik » Sun Nov 24, 2013 1:10 pm

queequeg wrote:
myforwik wrote:It will be interesting to see what happens.

I still think nothing major will happen, simple because majority of cyclist deaths are cyclist faults - 80% of cyclist deaths are kids/teens riding out in front of cars etc.
Still waiting for some references to back up that ridiculous claim. Last time you said it was 70% (
viewtopic.php?t=69753#p1052232" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;), now it is 80%

There have been almost 50 Cycling fatalities in Australia this year. According to your figures, 40 of them are kids/teens.
ATSB ROAD SAFETY REPORT July 2006
"In over 60 per cent of crashes, the cyclist was deemed to be ‘responsible’ for the
action that precipitated the fatal crash"

ATSB ROAD SAFETY REPORT July 2011
"In over 70 per cent of crashes, the cyclist was deemed to be ‘responsible’ for the
action that precipitated the fatal crash."
"More than two-thirds of the cyclists were aged 5–17 years. Their deaths were generally the result
of the cyclist failing to give way to oncoming traffic"

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Re: Changes to bicycle rules in QLD

Postby queequeg » Sun Nov 24, 2013 1:45 pm

myforwik wrote:
queequeg wrote:
myforwik wrote:It will be interesting to see what happens.

I still think nothing major will happen, simple because majority of cyclist deaths are cyclist faults - 80% of cyclist deaths are kids/teens riding out in front of cars etc.
Still waiting for some references to back up that ridiculous claim. Last time you said it was 70% (
viewtopic.php?t=69753#p1052232" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;), now it is 80%

There have been almost 50 Cycling fatalities in Australia this year. According to your figures, 40 of them are kids/teens.
ATSB ROAD SAFETY REPORT July 2006
"In over 60 per cent of crashes, the cyclist was deemed to be ‘responsible’ for the
action that precipitated the fatal crash"

ATSB ROAD SAFETY REPORT July 2011
"In over 70 per cent of crashes, the cyclist was deemed to be ‘responsible’ for the
action that precipitated the fatal crash."
"More than two-thirds of the cyclists were aged 5–17 years. Their deaths were generally the result
of the cyclist failing to give way to oncoming traffic"
The ATSB does not attribute blame to either party. The biggest issue is that in deeming who is "responsible", the dead cyclist has no say and there is a bias in that the only statement as to what happened is from the motorist. They also don't say what "responsible" means.

Reading the whole 2006 report, it certainly does not match up with 60%. How is a cyclist "responsible" for getting hit from behind in the same lane, left hooked, turned across etc? Simple....driver says "I didn't see him/her", so victim must be responsible for being invisible, not driver for failing to watch what they're doing.

Quite I interesting that other studies (the ATSB report is not a study, just a reporting of statistics) show quite the opposite.

For example, looking at the most recent stats for Australia Wide for a full year http://cyclepolice.com/cyclists-deaths- ... alia-2012/ shows that children between the ages of 0 and 16 accounted for 2 of the 33 fatalities, a far cry from the 80% figure you quote. For the 17 to 25 age group it was 3, so even combining them for 5 out of 33 it makes 15%.
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Re: Changes to bicycle rules in QLD

Postby myforwik » Sun Nov 24, 2013 10:13 pm

Yeah none of the stats add up.

The ATSB reports more deaths (80 vs 40), as the other guys tend to seperate road users and kids playing.

When the deaths are down to 40ish, the stats are probably completely miss-leading. I swear the reports would be shorter if they just told you what happened in each of the 40 deaths!

I have always found the lack of information around road deaths very disturbing, as it seems like anyone can get the stats to show whatever they want. I have no seen hit by behind while passing apparently accounting for 60% of deaths to 4% of deaths depending on who you believe.

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Re: Changes to bicycle rules in QLD

Postby myforwik » Fri Nov 29, 2013 9:40 am

The enquiry into cycling issues have finished and reported back to parliament. I can't find anything released in the documents, but the they will be going ahead with what appears to be 2 year trial of:

-1m passing law :-)
-Increase all cyclist fines to be same as motorists :-\
-Allow cyclists to treat stop signs as giveway signs :-)
-Allow cars to cross double lines to pass cyclists :-)

Overall it looks like a win for cyclists, which is good. There seemed to be alot of pressure from groups like RACQ against the 1m passing rule.

Hopefully they will release the full documents later to day. Its not yet known when the new laws will start, but it could be as late as middle or next year :-( or as early as jan 1st :-)

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Re: Changes to bicycle rules in QLD

Postby elantra » Fri Nov 29, 2013 10:50 am

myforwik wrote:The enquiry into cycling issues have finished and reported back to parliament. I can't find anything released in the documents, but the they will be going ahead with what appears to be 2 year trial of:

-1m passing law :-)
-Increase all cyclist fines to be same as motorists :-\
-Allow cyclists to treat stop signs as giveway signs :-)
-Allow cars to cross double lines to pass cyclists :-)

Overall it looks like a win for cyclists, which is good. There seemed to be alot of pressure from groups like RACQ against the 1m passing rule.

Hopefully they will release the full documents later to day. Its not yet known when the new laws will start, but it could be as late as middle or next year :-( or as early as jan 1st :-)
Wow :D
But i suspect that the general road-using community will probably remain ignorant of these changes.
Some sort of community awareness campaign would be a good idea.

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Re: Changes to bicycle rules in QLD

Postby biker jk » Fri Nov 29, 2013 10:52 am

myforwik wrote:The enquiry into cycling issues have finished and reported back to parliament. I can't find anything released in the documents, but the they will be going ahead with what appears to be 2 year trial of:

-1m passing law :-)
-Increase all cyclist fines to be same as motorists :-\
-Allow cyclists to treat stop signs as giveway signs :-)
-Allow cars to cross double lines to pass cyclists :-)

Overall it looks like a win for cyclists, which is good. There seemed to be alot of pressure from groups like RACQ against the 1m passing rule.

Hopefully they will release the full documents later to day. Its not yet known when the new laws will start, but it could be as late as middle or next year :-( or as early as jan 1st :-)
The earlier the introduction the better but there will need to be an education campaign first and that would take some time. On the RACQ opposition perhaps cyclists who are members can write some letters to the board?

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Re: Changes to bicycle rules in QLD

Postby Aushiker » Fri Nov 29, 2013 11:49 am

myforwik wrote:Hopefully they will release the full documents later to day. Its not yet known when the new laws will start, but it could be as late as middle or next year :-( or as early as jan 1st :-)
The report can be found at http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/docume ... 3T4163.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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Re: Changes to bicycle rules in QLD

Postby RonK » Fri Nov 29, 2013 12:51 pm

Astonishing - the committee have recommended a relaxation of the helmet laws, and an exemption for bike hire schemes. With the main focus being on overtaking. I doubt anyone expected that.

The question is - will the Qld Parliament adopt the recommendations - let's hope they do...
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Re: Changes to bicycle rules in QLD

Postby jasonc » Fri Nov 29, 2013 12:54 pm

It's a wish list. If we get any but the easy ones, I'd be surprised

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