Silly Cycling Policy

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Not sure if I'm posting this in the correct place but can't see where else this might be appropriate. I quote an email that arrived in the night verbatim:-

"You have probably heard about the anti-cyclist New South Wales government and their new laws and higher fines. It's presented as a "trade-off" for a 1 meter passing law, but that makes no sense - if a law is worthwhile then it shouldn't require a bad law to justify it.

Increased penalties include:
- Not a wearing helmet (from $71 to $319)
- Running a red light (from $71 to $425, 500% increase)
- Riding dangerously (from $71 to $425, 500% increase)
- Not stopping at a pedestrian crossing ($71 to $425, 500% increase)

Making it compulsory for adult riders to carry photo ID at all times.

There is no evidence that higher fines or compulsory ID will make anyone safer. There is plenty of evidence it will turn people away from using the bicycle for transport.

Sign the Community Run petition, whether you live in NSW or not, it concerns you. Compulsory ID is an idea that needs to be stopped now. By the way, it's not just any photo ID. If you don't have a NSW driver's licence, you must obtain specific cycling ID from a NSW government department before you can ride a bike in NSW. So if you aren't a NSW resident, don't think about visiting - cycling there will be illegal for you.

For NSW residents, cycling ID and higher fines are just another barrier to the convenience and ease of using a bicycle to get around. This government has ripped up cycleways in Sydney and is now looking for other ways to make cycling less popular. Overall result? More traffic congestion and higher health bills as exercise levels go down.

If this anti-cycling government succeeds in having the NSW Parliament pass this new law, it could spread, just like bicycle helmet law spread after Victoria became the first jurisdiction in the world to make helmets compulsory. We need to stop it now, so lend your support by signing the petition organised by cycle.org.au at

https://www.communityrun.org/petitions/a-cost-too-high-for-cyclist-safety"

If true seems bonkers to me. I'm going to sign. Am I being misled?

 

[Smurfy]

Totally bonkers! Apart from the helmet bit, they are approaching it from the point of view that cyclists are aggressors, and then wrapping it up in a cyclists are vulnerable and need protecting with a minimum pass distance.

 

[Drago]

So all cyclists have to do is obey the law and they don't get reamed with these fines...?

I'm against helmet compulsion but no issue with road users of any stripe being punished for flouting the regs. Sounds like the NSW police would have a coronary if they had to work in London!

But the cycle ID thing, however, is just barking. I never liked Oz much anyway, and that kind of seals the deal.

 

[Lonestar]

So all cyclists have to do is obey the law and they don't get reamed with these fines...?

I'm against helmet compulsion but no issue with road users of any stripe being punished for flouting the regs. Sounds like the NSW police would have a coronary if they had to work in London!

Just noticed your avatar and it just registered.doh. (also) but I do agree with your post.

 

[benb]

So all cyclists have to do is obey the law and they don't get reamed with these fines...?

I'm against helmet compulsion but no issue with road users of any stripe being punished for flouting the regs. Sounds like the NSW police would have a coronary if they had to work in London!

But the cycle ID thing, however, is just barking. I never liked Oz much anyway, and that kind of seals the deal.

Punished yes, but the fines should be proportionate to the seriousness of the offence.
They have increased the fines to be the same as the ones handed out to drivers, which IMO is ridiculous.

 

[Drago]

They share the same road, the punishment to each infraction should be the same.

 

[Markymark]

They share the same road, the punishment to each infraction should be the same.

Should a person taking a cork screw onto a plane face the same punishment as someone taking in a bomb as it's they are sharing the plane and both taking disallowed items?

 

[Drago]

I've not seen anyone riding a corkscrew through the streets of NSW. In any case, an explosive device is not a banned item on the prohibited list, but a specific terrorist offence, so you're not making terribly good comparison.

As far as Oz goes cyclists are reaping what they've sown over the years with their flagrant disregard for the rules and regs of the road - cyclists over here are much the same, but as anti a our car drivers can be theyre nothing compared to the right wing motorists of Oz, our government isn't so inclined to use a legal hammer to crack a walnut, and with PACE our police are much less likely to kick you in the teeth for failing to stop for them.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

They share the same road, the punishment to each infraction should be the same.

The consequences of the infractions are more severe to innocent parties in the case of the motorist. An RLJ'ing cyclist is mostly going to get himself badly hurt.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

As far as Oz goes cyclists are reaping what they've sown over the years with their flagrant disregard for the rules and regs of the road.

Was that actually a serious comment? You sound like the worst of our anti-cyclist campaigners.
In Australia, the general trend is for cyclists to observe the road rules with a higher rate of compliance than motorists - our police have stated this themselves.

 

[benb]

They share the same road, the punishment to each infraction should be the same.

What a steaming pile of