Cyclists in Melbourne’s CBD have been warned: observe the road rules or face fines of up to $292.
Police have begun a three-day bike safety blitz designed to target the streets of central Melbourne and enforce a range of new road rules.
Acting Senior Sergeant Falconer said the aim of the operation was to improve the safety of cyclists.
“Along with pedestrians, cyclists are our most vulnerable road users,” he said.
“The main contributing factor to bicycle collisions is that they have not been seen or heard by motorists.
“While motorists also have to learn to share the roads, cyclists have to do the right thing and abide by the laws."
Bike-related laws to be enforced include failing to wear a helmet (up from $58 to $146), failing to obey a traffic light (up from $234 to $292), riding in a tram safety zone ($292) and not having bike lights (up from $58 to $146).
According to acting Senior Sergeant Falconer, police will focus on educating road users about the new road rules, in particular the ‘bicycle box’ area reserved for cyclists at intersections.
“This is a new road rule and many road users may not be familiar with it,” he said.
“Police will be warning motorists of the changes to ensure they stop at the first white line.
"We will also be telling any cyclists who may not be aware of the changes that they can stop in this area ahead of traffic so they are more easily seen.”
Doesn’t seem like too much of an issue, just more police patrolling the city.
i’m pretty sure the safety zones are the sections of tram lines that have a solid yellow line separating the vehicle lanes and the tram tracks, like along collins street, but i’m not 100% on that
Easy targets to keep the KPIs up. Who is whose off as a result? Who is hurt? Who has a lesser quality of life? Police are not there to protect the people any more(not sure if they ever were), but rather to protect the interests of the crown and in turn corporations by fining code breakers.
you say that until you have someone step out from beside a car/truck when you are going quickly down the street and you hurt them, and trash your bike and self.
im touchy after hitting 2 peds on consecutive days over the weekend b/c they decided to make less smart walking decisions. one guy was very lucky after he ran out in front of a bus on johnston st late at night. i may not have been just a bike next time.
glad the cops that pulled me and my mate over for running a red at 2am last saturday morning let us off with a warning!!! $292!!!
the one time i run a red too…
ps - does anyone know the story with losing points from your car/motorbike licence if you break the rules on a bicycle? would i have lost points had the police not been so nice?
$292, geez. back in my day not long ago, all bicycle fines were $20 and all pedestrian fines $15, had been for years (back when it was alot of money I guess).
“Accordingly the Committee considers that Traffic Infringement Notice penalties for pedestrians be raised to $50.00.”
Government. “Sure”
“Mr Batchelor (Transport Minister) said the new penalties had been developed in light of feedback from Bicycle Victoria and a Parliamentary Road Safety Committee inquiry into the incidence and prevention of pedestrian accidents.”
Enter our favourite bicycle advocacy organisation…
“Bicycle Victoria spokesman Mr Harry Barber said the group supported the increase.” = $165
A few months later… “Red light fines for cars go from $165 to $200”
The journey from $200 to $234 took a few years (linked to CPI).
I work in a custodial setting and only now have an idea of how hard many police officers work. I agree that some of them can be assholes, but they have a pretty shitty job that most people wouldn’t be able to stomach.
Further more, they are increasing the fines, that money goes back to the government and builds things like roads and bike paths. Don’t get me wrong, I am not in love with State or Local governments, but I think it is pretty easy to sit back and have a go at them for ‘ripping us off’ when we live in a pretty decent place. That doesn’t mean that people shouldn’t be critical of processes and policies, I think it’s our duty as voters to hold governments to account. I just think it’s easy to bitch about the fact that the cops are targeting people who are breaking the law, they’re not punching your face in for riding a bike, they are just enforcing the rules, and given the way a lot of people ride I understand why.
obviously we’re talking about the cops who are employed to sit there and fine ppl who are minding their own business and breaking fairly arbitrary laws.
they’re always there when there’s money to be made and then when a bouncer gets his foot cut off by a machete-wielding gang where are they? (oh , still fining cyclists for being in ‘tram safety zones’)