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news
Remain seated Laura_LakerAustralia to allow cyclists to ride standing up - at last
Who knew: Australia, arguably the world's least cycle-friendly country, is proposing to repeal a law in FAVOUR of cyclists.
The little-known (at least from this side of the planet) Rule 245, that requires cyclists to be seated at all times while riding, could be changed along with a string of amendments to Australian Road Rules. Other proposed changes include allowing cyclists to go through red and yellow traffic lights if a green bike light is displayed, and allowing those with medical conditions to ride on pavements.
Of course Australia doesn't have the monopoly on silly, surprising, or just downright awful rules against cycling:
- In California no-one is allowed to ride a bike in a swimming pool
- In Germany you can lose the right to operate any non-licensed mode of transport (including a skateboard) if found drunk in charge of a bicycle
- In Yangon, the capital of Myanmar, cycling is banned altogether, since 2003 when police announced certain "busy roads" were closed to bicycles. As such, most of the city centre is out of bounds for bike travel.
- In Saudi Arabia, hands down the most disturbing law is the one that dictates women aren't allowed to ride bikes or operate vehicles on the road. A woman can only legally cycle in a park, wearing a burka, with a male chaperone.
Know any strange, obscure rules against cycling? Please add them in the comments section, below.
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24 comments
Mike the Bike. The law stipulates that the pedals must have the reflectors. Most cops may turn a blind eye if you have reflective material on your shoes/tights or have ankle bracelets (personally I find these measures more effective even with reflectors on my spuds). Though most officers are probably unaware of this law as they are with a lot of other laws covered by the Highways Act. Some members of Scotland's finest are even unaware of lights being a legal requirement - so I was informed on challenging a police cyclist in my area!!!
As I said above. If it comes to a compo claim the insurance wrigglers will do all they can do to reduce a claim. They already do it if the cyclist isn't wearing a helmet/hi-viz etc and lump it under contributory negligence.
Anybody with legal training out there?
The law says I should have reflectors on my pedals. I don't. But my Specialized shoes have reflectors front and rear and the shoes are fixed to the pedals by the cleats.
Am I OK?
Just curious.
I admit you'd have to be mad to cycle in Yangon but they do have bicycle taxis if not load carrying bikes. I have photograhic proof.
Apparently, in the UK, if you are cycling on the road, late at night, and you come up to traffic lights which are controlled by an induction loop, and the loop doesn't recognise your bike, so you are stuck there and the lights don't change, well it turns out that according to the law you have to either dismount and walk around them or else wait for a (friendly) motorist to drive up behind you and trigger the loop. Or else you can just wait there all night. I know - it's just insane!
This type of infrastructure needs a dressing. Either they need to come up with a system which detects cyclists or they need signage "cyclists may treat red light as stop sign"
I'm pretty sure there's rules about how you can ignore traffic lights that aren't working and behave like it's a give way. If the light won't detect your presence and won't change then it's not working, so feel free to ride through the junction carefully, yielding to anything crossing your path.
People in the UK can also be banned from cycling. Here's a 13-year old who was banned: http://www.shieldsgazette.com/news/local-news/asbo-boy-13-is-back-in-cou...
The German "drunk cycling" example is not as silly as it's claimed here. First of all, it's not a matter of being "drunk", but having such a high blood alcohol content where people are typically seriously incapacitated; you can ride a bike well above the drink driving limit without consequences.
However, at a very high blood alcohol content there is doubt whether you are responsible enough to operate a vehicle, so there will be an examination to find out if you're habitually behaving irresponsibly. I found 3 cases in which somebody was banned from cycling, but in each case this was because they refused to be tested. In the UK, if you refuse to cooperate with the courts, you'll also face consequences. It's a bit like an ASBO in the UK which also may ban you from doing certain things.
This legislation is not an "awful rule against cycling", but recognises that riding a bicycle can be fairly dangerous if you're habitually so irresponsible to do it when you have no control over yourself.
1. A question: does Germany actually enforce bans on drunk drivers of motorised vehicles?
2. People should be allowed to do dangerous things as long as it only affects them.
1. Yes. Germany also enforces speed limits, pedestrian priority and other rules against dangerous behaviour.
2. Riding a bicycle can be very dangerous to others if you're not in control.
Again, this is not about having a drink too many, but being highly intoxicated near the range where uncontrolled aggressive behaviour is typical and you're likely to lose consciousness any moment, AND a medical-psychological examination that indicates that this is not just a one off but habitual irresponsible behaviour.
The police don't stop cyclists randomly; for a blood alcohol test they must have serious issues with your cycling and your behaviour.
I found only a handful of cases over the last decade or so.
So another thing Germany does better than we do. Sigh.
As described the German law sounds very odd (and unlike the others, am I to understand its actually enforced?).
Does it apply to wheel-chairs and users of artificial limbs? So no walking in, or crossing, the road for any legless person who has been caught cycling while, er, legless?
But handcycles are OK?
Artifical limbs are not vehicles, unless you also use roller skates.
Good that the authorities address the problem of highly intoxicated legless people on roller skates, they are an absolute menace.
In England and Wales, it is an offence to ride a bicycle at night without reflectors fitted to the pedals, visible from front and back.
I don't mind that law too much, given that for some cyclists the pedal reflectors are the only visibility aids they have, on account of them having been on the bike by default.
(I mean, its not really enforced, is it, but it at least means bikes come with such reflectors by default).
Is it still obligatory for bikes to be sold with a bell?
Eric Pickles got rid of that a few years ago, during one of his purges on unnecessary "red tape" on small businesses.
Apart from all the bikes that are not supplied with any pedals except the ones the buyer chooses as an optional add-on.
I don't like this law because I worry that police officers could enforce it selectively in pursuit of aims unrelated to road safety.
My bike came with some bolted on reflectors. After one got damaged I think I asked for a replacement in three different bike shops - none had any so I ended up buying the reflectors online. I've haven't heard about anyone being prosecuted for this offence.
It's highly unlikely that a police officer will book you for this offence especially if you have lights. I'm not sure if it is now covered by a fixed penalty or if the peeler has to charge you and you appear before a magistrate or not. In the past you would have been given a rollicking and told to push your bike home and get some fitted. Most officers don't want to be lumbered with the paperwork which is why they seem to love the FPNs.
Having no reflectors may go against you in the event of a claim as it would reinforce the motorists defence that they didn't see you! The advantage of the pedal reflectors is that they show something moving from a distance. I've picked up a set of clip ones for my spuds and they work a treat.
I guess there is always the danger of prejudicial enforcement with laws that are generally ignored. But I was just thinking that the kind of cyclist who has no visibilty aid at all (and who perhaps most needs them) also tends not to be the kind to mess about with after-market pedals or custom-built bikes.
Perhaps be better to just say if you sell bikes with standard pedals they must have reflectors - but what a cyclist does after that is up to them.
Take a look at the work of the Amy Gillett Foundation over there. They've campaigned successfully for a minimum 1m overtaking cycles law to become law in a number of states.
Europcar hire cars all carry the AGF "A Metre Matters" sticker on the back.
"Australia,arguably the world's least cycle-friendly country"
Erhm, Britain is not far behind, I have been cycling for the past 10 years in a country where drivers would happily kill you for not paying your road tax ( wrongly and out of pure ignorance)
It's only illegal to ride a bike in the pool in one city in California. The rest of the state is cool with this perfectly normal activity.
Stand up down under
.
Those crazy b@stards!
They'll be riding one handed next...