“Every day, the lives of decent, hardworking cyclists are being threatened.”
Many are making the switch from Land Rover to lycra these days. Whether it be because of rising fuel costs, an increasingly health conscious world, or a love of skin-tight shorts, the number of cyclists on NSW roads has skyrocketed in the last few years.
However, many cyclists believe there is a distinct lack of laws protecting them on the bitumen, and the few laws that do exist are often not enforced.
This is the reasoning behind a recent petition signed by 4000+ frustrated cyclists. The petition calls for NSW police to enforce the Minimum Passing Distance law that was first introduced in 2016.
The rule requires drivers passing a cyclist to leave a minimum gap of one metre between the car and the bike when the speed limit is 60km/h or under. If the speed limit is over 60km/h, the distance is bumped up to 1.5 metres.
However, just 65 drivers have been fined for this offence in the past two years, and only 18 in the last 5 months despite a promiste to “crackdown” on the law.
Frustrated by the results, David Maywalk of the Dulwich Hill Bicycle Club set up a change.org petition calling for law enforcement to take the law seriously.
“Every day, the lives of decent, hardworking cyclists are being threatened by a small minority of reckless drivers,” Mr Maywald wrote on the webpage
“There have been thousands of victims of dangerous close passes since the law was changed, but only a handful of fines gave been issued….You are four times more likely to win Lotto in NSW than to get fined for a dangerous close pass.”
In response, Bicycle NSW public affairs general manager Bastien Wallace said many motorists weren’t aware of the new law.
To sign the petition, click here.
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Written by Kate Stevens
Image: Getty
