Qld cycling inquiry - recommendations

[Shut Up Legs]

A bit of (not so) light reading!

http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/tableOffice/TabledPapers/2013/5413T4163.pdf

2013 has been the worst year on record for the Australian state of Queensland for the number of cyclist deaths, resulting in a parliamentary inquiry, and the above list of recommendations. It makes interesting reading. Some of these recommendations are great, others just plain silly***, but at least it shows the state government is taking the issues seriously. A pity that it took a lot more cyclist deaths than usual to prompt some action, though . The recommendations are clearly listed from pages 17 to 27, so you need not read the whole 200+ page document.

*** No comment on which recommendations I think fall in to each category, though: I'll let you make up your own minds about this.

 

[Ern1e]

Hi @victor has you state it should not take more deaths for something like this to happen but at least they are looking like they are trying to bring these figures down so fair play ! Now just my observation on this but since the last Olympic's I have noted a quite large increase in the numbers of cyclists around here so as an all in all thing the more of us then the greater the chance of something happening if you follow me,plus again this is my view I think driving standards are not what they used to be plus larger volumes of traffic so best thing to do ban cars and shove everbody on a bike and bingo problem solved ! oh and trucks well lets face it dutch cargo bikes !!!!!

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Yes, I'd like to see a lot more kids being ferried around in Dutch cargo bikes instead of 4WDs (or as we call them in Melbourne, "Toorak tractors"***, or alternatively UAVs******). No doubt the kids would be happier that way, also.

*** Toorak is one of Melbourne's posh/pretentious suburbs.
****** Urban Assault Vehicles.

 

[avalon]

I've only had time to skim through the report, but it was interesting to see that the Netherlands, with the highest cycling rate in the developed world, also has the lowest fatality rate. I assume this would suggest that helmet compulsion is not the answer.
One thing I have noticed in news reports on cyclist fatalities, is the tendency to put at least some of the blame on the victim. In particular, there was a recent fatality in central Australia where it was pointed out by the news reader that "she was wearing dark coloured clothing and riding a black bike". I would suggest that given the intensity if the sun and the colour of the landscape in that region, wearing dark colours may actually make you more conspicuous than wearing bright or fluorescent colours.
If you were to pull out on or run into a dark coloured car that blended into the background, there would be no question that it was your fault and I can't imagine a news report pointing out the colour of the victims car or whether or not the car had it's lights on so that it could be clearly seen by other road users.