citywomble wrote:As someone who has to know and understand the road rules as a part of my job I give sincere thanks that I live and have to conform to the WA Road Traffic Code. This at least follows the Australian Uniform Road Rules fairly well and benefits from a logical structure.....
......The difference, WA rules are much clearer and legally unambiguous, whereas Vic Roads are confused and disjointed.
OMGosh, that is the best joke I've heard in quite a while. Any time I have looked at the WA Road Rules I have been amazed how unlike the National Road Rules model they are. I do believe that Vic (along with NSW, SA, and to a lesser extent Qld) have adopted the National Road Rules model quite closely.
I'll take just one rule as an example, the one under discussion, bicycles riding two-abreast:
National Road Rules wrote:151 Riding a motor bike or bicycle alongside more
than 1 other rider
(1) The rider of a motor bike or bicycle must not ride on a road
that is not a multi-lane road alongside more than 1 other
rider, unless subrule (3) applies to the rider.
(2) The rider of a motor bike or bicycle must not ride in a
marked lane alongside more than 1 other rider in the marked
lane, unless subrule (3) applies to the rider.
(3) The rider of a motor bike or bicycle may ride alongside
more than 1 other rider if the rider is:
(a) overtaking the other riders; or
(b) permitted to do so under another law of this
jurisdiction.
(4) If the rider of a motor bike or bicycle is riding on a road that
is not a multi-lane road alongside another rider, or in a
marked lane alongside another rider in the marked lane, the
rider must ride not over 1.5 metres from the other rider.
http://www.ntc.gov.au/filemedia/Reports/ARRFeb12.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Victorian Road Rules wrote:151 Riding a motor bike or bicycle alongside more
than 1 other rider
(1) The rider of a motor bike or bicycle must not ride on a road
that is not a multi-lane road alongside more than 1 other
rider, unless subrule (3) applies to the rider.
(2) The rider of a motor bike or bicycle must not ride in a
marked lane alongside more than 1 other rider in the marked
lane, unless subrule (3) applies to the rider.
(3) The rider of a motor bike or bicycle may ride alongside
more than 1 other rider if the rider is:
(a) overtaking the other riders; or
(b) permitted to do so under another law of this
jurisdiction.
(4) If the rider of a motor bike or bicycle is riding on a road that
is not a multi-lane road alongside another rider, or in a
marked lane alongside another rider in the marked lane, the
rider must ride not over 1.5 metres from the other rider.
from
BN -Victorian Road Rules 2009
Spot the difference - none
No mention made in any section about single-file riding.
citywomble wrote:That said, in relation to shared paths, Vic Roads (in places to ride) states:
A bike rider using a shared path must keep to the left of the path unless it is impractical to do so.
Can you give me the road rule number that covers this rule? It's just that I have never seen it mentioned. Maybe Vicroads website is taking it from Rule 129 (Keeping left), but this rule specifically states that it appplies on roads, and 'road' does not include road-related areas in this case. Bike/shared paths are road-related areas, so the rule does not apply to them. Certainly an inconsistent rule it may be, but paths are all a bit more low-key than many roads.
Advice on good cyclecraft is one thing but it does not make for a road rule.