A few years ago I sold my sedan and bought a cruiser bicycle – satin black with white-wall tyres, bull-horn handlebars and back-pedal brakes. An enthusiastic (mid-life) convert, I rode every day – from Redfern to Erskineville, Newtown to Glebe, Surry Hills to Woolloomooloo. Travel time was quick and parking a breeze. My backyard, no longer a carport, was now perfect for outdoor dining and gardening.
I have continued to enjoy cycling, though last year I bought a more practical urban-style bike with narrower handlebars and a lighter frame. And during these colder months, I’ll admit, I’ve more often left the bike at home and walked with my umbrella – or hired a GoGet car.
Still, I love it – the freedom, the exercise, the stress-relieving joy of rolling through the streets of my neighbourhood.
There are many of us out there – a growing number of cyclists on inner-city roads.
It’s important to follow the basic safety tips: always wear an approved bicycle helmet, properly fitted and fastened; always obey the road rules, including traffic lights, stop signs and give-way signs; allow pedestrians a metre of space on shared paths (ringing a bell and whizzing past a pedestrian is rude and dangerous); ride in a predictable manner so that other road users do not have to react suddenly to your movements; give hand signals when changing lanes or turning left or right; make yourself visible by wearing bright, light or reflective clothing (when I needed a new helmet earlier this year I opted for white with rainbow stripes); always be in control of your bike – it is an offence to ride with both hands off the handlebars, feet off the pedals or to carry anything that prevents you from having control. Speeding with arms folded through crowds of pedestrians at Circular Quay or in Hyde Park might look impressive, but it is foolish, disrespectful and illegal.
Some new rules have recently come into force. Since March 2016, drivers have been required to give bicycle riders at least one metre of space when passing. Drivers caught not allowing the minimum distance face a $319 fine and a penalty of two demerit points. All cyclists aged 18 and over must now carry photo identification. From March 1, 2017, riders stopped by police for breaking the road rules could face a $106 fine if they do not have a driver’s licence or a NSW Photo Card.
I’m still learning to ride more carefully and wisely. Choosing to take quieter streets is often a safer option. Using cycleways improves safety and travel time. Knowing the road rules – such as the use of transit lanes by bikes – is essential.
One local example is how cyclists may travel through Waterloo Green. Waterloo Green is a part of the Waterloo Public Housing Estate, which is home to thousands of tenants. It is intersected by the north-south running George Street Cycleway, and cyclists are required to dismount before entering the property. Signs have recently been erected on Phillip and Raglan streets but it’s still common to see bikes racing through without regard for the safety of residents in their own backyard.
Another courtesy relates to flashing white headlights, which are known to trigger seizures for pedestrians vulnerable to epilepsy and other health conditions. There’s no need for flashing white lights. A steady white headlight is perfectly adequate.
Consideration for safety on roads and footpaths enables all to enjoy using public spaces. Roll on!
