1 metre rule

[cowled]

I hope the 1 Metre rule goes beyond the trial and becomes permanent.

I'm sure the 1m rule will become permanent. I suspect that they will drop the 1.5m.

Mind you, the State Government has said that they will assess the rule after the two year trial. The question is, what measures will they use to assess the outcome of the trial? As far as I can tell, the Queensland Police Service are doing their best to avoid enforcing the rule.

[Dragster1]

I have noticed when they first introduced the 1m rule motorist were keeping well away from cyclists but now when I ride in back streets of suburbs I have had quite a few close shaves. It has left me no choice but to ride defensively in these pinch points by riding in the middle of a single way road. Its like a game of cat and mouse, when you ride around the CBD most motorist will abide by the 1m law get them when no one is looking or around different story.

[outnabike]

I know we don’t have 1.5 metre distance laws in Vic for clearance but they will need a bit of work to achieve some sort of standard for cyclists.
I am in a designated lane here in an 80 zone and the Ute and trailer don’t give a lot of room. This type of out fit and caravan seem to be a bit of a hazard. From the centre of the bike lane allowing say 500 mm width for the bike, there is probably not much more than a metre in a lot of cases.

The trailer is full width and that is him giving me clearance; once past he is back to the bike lane edge.



The same thing with the truck, you can see how you need a 1.5 metre clearance all right.

[il padrone]

Just goes to illustrate the problems, often very risky, with Melbourne's inadequate 'bike lanes'. We need a serious compulsory minimum standard of 1.5m for a bike lane. Otherwise don't bother, it's all a waste of time. Currently it is 1.2m and not a compulsory standard - often the lane is a lot less.

[KenGS]

Just goes to illustrate the problems, often very risky, with Melbourne's inadequate 'bike lanes'. We need a serious compulsory minimum standard of 1.5m for a bike lane. Otherwise don't bother, it's all a waste of time. Currently it is 1.2m and not a compulsory standard - often the lane is a lot less.

And even that inadequate 1.2m includes the gutter!

[human909]

The bike lane on Sydney Rd, Brunswick is LESS than a metre, including the gutter! Whatsmore it is a official signed bike lane during clearway times. Fortunately it only exists for 2 hours per day and the rest of the time it is parking space for cars. (I say fortunately because you have more space riding next to the parked cars than riding in the bike lane.)

I ride Sydney Rd often but rarely during the clearway times. If I am riding during those times I take the lane despite the many cyclists riding in the gutter.

[Mububban]

Yesterday driving home, I saw a Toll Ipec truck, one side of which was completely covered in a sign saying "Everyone deserves to get home safely, a metre matters." Hopefully their drivers have been told to keep a safe distance when passing.

[Leaf T]

This is an article in Bicycle Victoria's current RideOn magazine...
"Laws make riders "worse off"
Reports are surfacing that the new 1 metre passing laws introduced in QLD in April are leaving riders "worse off".
The local media in QLD including the Courier Mail have reported that since the trial law's introduction three bike riders have been killed and only four motorists fined for passing too closely to riders.
On the flipside 1300 bike riders have been fined for a raft of offences including speeding and riding through stop signs. QLD transport minister Scott Emerson said the law wasn't about fines, it was about changing attitudes on the road. The trial for the law will end in April 2016."

BV don't agree that the law will improve safety for cyclists so they highlight a tabloid newscorp article(courier mail) as evidence that it is not working. Maybe I'm reading too much into this but are BV trying to tell their readers what's good for them? Are they trying to rubbish the trial? There is so much wrongness in that article I truly wonder who's side they are on.

[Robinho]

How is 4 drivers being fined for breaking 1 law comparable with 1300 cyclists being fined for breaking any laws. How many drivers were fined for speeding, using their phones, no seatbelts, failing to give way, drink driving etc. in the same period? How many cyclists were fined for all offences in th same period last year. Sloppy journalism at its best.

[Xplora]

Take BV out the back and shoot them??

The 1300 fines for riders against 4 fines for close passes shows the discrimination in the police force, nothing more. I wonder how many riders have been HIT and no fine handed out? I haven't heard of any driver getting away with that

[human909]

I wonder how many riders have been HIT and no fine handed out? I haven't heard of any driver getting away with that

Are you kidding!!??? Cyclists being hit without the drivers getting fined is very common.


The bias in the police force is obvious when you have police waiting at STOP signs on hills and fining cyclist for not stopping completely.

[softy]

How is 4 drivers being fined for breaking 1 law comparable with 1300 cyclists being fined for breaking any laws. How many drivers were fined for speeding, using their phones, no seatbelts, failing to give way, drink driving etc. in the same period? How many cyclists were fined for all offences in th same period last year. Sloppy journalism at its best.

Yes it has an angle, not representing true facts!
Are we surprised? This is the media today with all topics.

[softy]

I wonder how many riders have been HIT and no fine handed out? Ihaven't heard of any driver getting away with that

Are you kidding!!??? Cyclists being hit without the drivers getting fined is very common.


The bias in the police force is obvious when you have police waiting at STOP signs on hills and fining cyclist for not stopping completely.

If you go through a stop sign and get fined, that is breaking the law, a car driver would have the same law applied.

I don't get your logic, if you expect police to enforce the 1 metre law, surely you would expect them to enforce the stop sign law?

[InTheWoods]

I don't see how success or otherwise of the rule can be measured by the number of people booked. Are laws about speeding "successful" because we book so many people for doing so? Is the law about murder a failure because not that many are punished for that each year?

The real measure is how many cyclists are hit while being passed, and of those, whether prosecutions are more successful now that the "I thought it would be safe" excuse won't work.

[ldrcycles]

Take BV out the back and shoot them??

The 1300 fines for riders against 4 fines for close passes shows the discrimination in the police force, nothing more. I wonder how many riders have been HIT and no fine handed out? I haven't heard of any driver getting away with that

A good mate of mine was hit by a car and broke his wrist not long after the safe passing law came in, and oddly enough my boss was driving behind him at the time and saw the whole thing. Initially he was told the police were taking the driver to court but after some time he eventually found they had dropped it "because a police officer didn't witness it". I keep telling him to go nuts about it but he hasn't got the energy or time to fight them.

[il padrone]

How is 4 drivers being fined for breaking 1 law comparable with 1300 cyclists being fined for breaking any laws. How many drivers were fined for speeding, using their phones, no seatbelts, failing to give way, drink driving etc. in the same period? How many cyclists were fined for all offences in th same period last year. Sloppy journalism at its best.

You've got to be joking??

Those 4 motor vehicle drivers were the only ones fined for the extremely dangerous act of elbow-shaving cyclists. Is this not something that concerns you? Do you really believe that Qld drivers are so wonderful with their driving that this is any semblance of reality?

By contrast, I'd love to have data on how many of those 1300 cyclist offences were for such dangerous acts as not having a bell fitted, or not wearing a helmet.

The 'grudge act' by police is patently obvious. You must remember that 99.9% of police are motorists first and foremost.

[Robinho]

It concerns me, but also concerning is that the report neglects to tell us how many motorists were booked for all offences, as we are told how many cyclists were booked for all offences, otherwise the cyclist data is irrelevant. I bet the number is a !! BAN ME NOW FOR SWEARING !! load more than 1300. I'd also wager that 1300 is probably comparable with the year on year cyclist fining scores. I see no point in comparing the 4 motorist fines as there is not a comparable offence, but it does concern me that there are only 4, given the number of reports that have likely been received

[Mulger bill]

What's that blurb again?
"More people riding in our pay per pedal events more often" Don't really need a 1m rule on closed roads...

[AUbicycles]

Laws make bike riders worse off?

No laws make bike riders.....

[il padrone]

....maybe happier for all, if it's treated wisely.

[Mulger bill]

....maybe happier for all, if it's treated wisely.

It's a great idea but I'm wondering if it could work here.

For any treatment like that to be successful requires a civil and me ASAP mentality from all users. The default here seems to be push stupid hard for a half metre to nowhere and ME FIRST!

More than anything else, we need to change that mindset to peaceful cooperation. Pity the me first, mgif crowd can't work out that everyone gets there quicker that way.

[il padrone]

You reckon pommie drivers are civil ??

Not what I hear from people who cycle there.

[Mulger bill]

Compared to ours Pete, the hordes of Genghis Khan are a bunch of softies...

[Lukeyboy]

The bike lane on Sydney Rd, Brunswick is LESS than a metre, including the gutter! Whatsmore it is a official signed bike lane during clearway times.

Nothing like skating this bad boy at 60kph

[Dragster1]

parts of Gladstone street in south Brisbane are awesome too