See a new line of road-safety discussion at http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=4395#40173

I cycle to work about 50% of the time, ~25km a day. Have done for 20 years.

I am thoroughly sick of the number of laws that are unsuitable for cyclists. For example, turning left through a red light, with care, should be perfectly acceptable, as should going straight ahead at a T junction, or the same through a stop sign.

I am even more sick of the lack of general knowledge of the law, as it pertains to cyclists. For example, it is legal to ride on the footpath, but most people think you are an ignorant-of-the-law idiot if you do.

I am even MORE sick of the lack of policing of obvious illegalities regarding cycling, most notably riding at night without lights, or with a red rear flashing light and no front light.

When it comes to cycling the law is a mess.

Despite Peter Beatty’s strong road safety campaign, and the increase in cycling as fuel prices rise, there is ZERO attempt in Qld, or anywhere in the country, to clarify the rules, police the rules effectively, and increase safety accordingly

Just spent five weeks cruising around the Territory and western Queensland. Have noted a few concerns over road safety issues and rules. So here’s the first…

Just drove the Flinders Hwy from Hughenden to Townsville. The speed limit on the open road changes from 100 to 110 and back and forth numerous times. I would love to know why some areas are 100kmh and other 110, on a road that is essentially the same – a good highway though flat and gently undulating country with a low traffic volume. The only areas that I think possibly should by 100 are the windy bits on the Burra Range and the Mingela Range. The latter is 100 with 110 zones on either side, but the former is 110.

I can see no reason at all why any of the other 100k zones should not be 110. It seems to me that there is scant accountability for those who implement the various speed limit zones. With this example, the 100 and 110 zones seem to just be quite random.

Ok, so what if these speed zones alternate?

Two things – it is just bloody hard to come out of a 110 zone into a 100 zone and then keep your speed down, especially if the road conditions are just the same. I found that it took absolute concentration to keep my speed from creeping above the bookable speed, and when my concentration lapsed even slightly… up went the speed into the coppable zone.

Secondly, with the incredible paucity of signs indicating these speed zones, it is very easy indeed to think you are in a 110 zone when you are in a 100 zone, and to get busted for it, or vice versa and wear the wrath of drivers coming up behind for going too slow (by way of tailgating and dangerous overtaking). There are only signs after each siding or small town, which are many kilometres apart

The Northern Territory has an amazing contradiction in its speed zones – no speed limit on most of the open road, but extraordinarily long slow zones on the main road in and on both sides of many towns.

Tennant Ck is a classic. The 80kmh zones on each side of town on the Stuart Hwy are about 50 times longer than they need to be to slow traffic down on the approach to town. 50k zones then start well out on the open road, even though the road is flat straight and a four-lane dual carriageway. This is a grossly over cautionary approach.

I was stopping to look at plants, birds and rocks all over the place. I found that many times when in towns or close to them, I ran the very real risk of exceeding the speed limit after a stop well before I hade reached what I considered to be even the most cautious speed for the conditions.

Again, these absurdly slow zones, that do not match the conditions, are nowhere near well enough signed and are far far too easy for drivers to inadvertently infringe.

Encountered two of my pet hates this evening, in one package as they often are:

1.Chronic tailgating and 2. Stupid and dangerous driving by young drivers who just don’t have a clue about the risks or consequences of their actions.

I actually got a chance to chat this turd when we stopped side by side at the lights. He then proceeded to chronically tailgate several vehicles and dart in an out of traffic and grossly exceed the speed limit for short distances where he could.

So what should I do? I have the rego number, description of vehicle and driver. As a matter of principle I should go to the cops. And I would if I thought it was worthwhile, but as I have expressed previously on this thread, there is no frigging point… because they are not interested in things like that.

But I just might give it another go and assert as strongly as possible that I want my complaint dealt with

Another experience in NT which has cost me a lot middle-of-the-night ponderings:

At Mindil Beach, Darwin, I was chatted by the police for not wearing a seatbelt….on a loop road which is essentially a car park, where a speed of even 15kmh is too fast.

Both of us were going so slow as we approached each other that the cop was able to very easily stop level with me… and proceed to lecture me straight away. He didn’t book me, but neither did he politely or tactfully remind me to put my seatbelt on before I got out on the open road, which is what he should have done if he had really felt the need to say anything at all.

He had just passed a ‘no entry’ sign, having entered the loop road / car park the wrong way. He stopped me only about ten metres past the sign. So he had brazenly ignored one road rule and proceeded to pick me up on the most pedantic point that you could ever imagine. Indeed, I couldn’t have imagined that happening.

I don’t know if failing to wear a seatbelt in that situation is actually illegal, but it was sure as hell not in keeping with the principle and purpose of that particular law, So I would say that the police were wrong to bother with it at all.

The terse manner in which this officer spoke to me reeked of a young cop who felt that he was above the law and could basically offend, abuse or do what he liked with impunity. That was unacceptable. There is no excuse for anything other than a polite and decent approach from the police until they have a very good reason to do otherwise.

The police should have the right to override the law when they need to, but must surely operate within the law at all other times.

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