Cycling in Sydney Australia

Cyclists and bike paths and rules of the road and avoiding head ons and simple common courtesy

I've been holding my tongue about this for a while, but I'd be curious to know what everyone's opinion is about this... and whether I'm being entirely unreasonable. Are there no bike path rules? Is it every cyclist for him/herself? This may be an inarticulate rant...

My understanding of bike paths is that they should follow similar rules to that of the road. Keep left, keep to within your lane, give way in the usual road rule way.

I ride every day on bike paths and roads, and here are a few close calls I've had in the past week on my local bike path:

1: A group of about 20+ "older" cyclists who took up both lanes of the cycle path and didn't seem to heed blind corners so that oncoming cyclists had to slam on the brakes in order to avoid a head on with 10 senior citizens on the wrong side of path. Why? Why so careless? - Location: The velodrome style bit of path past the brighton fishos bridge where the weeping willows weep over the path on the bend there. It always seems to happen there. Why? Why?

2: Cutting corners on blind corners. I ended up on the grass the other day because someone cut the corner on a blind-ish curve and ended up coming into my lane. Really? Why? Why be so reckless? - Location: This was under the road bridge coming out onto the main drag to the airport where the bike path is the footpath - I was heading toward the very dark overpass bridge and the person was coming out from under the bridge in my lane!

3: Riding two abreast with one person in the oncoming lane: Why? Why? I had to just stop on a dime today because I realised this idiot woman was going to keep going in my lane towards me alongside her friend and hit me head on. Why? Why? - Location: this was down just near dolls point where the speed bumps are and there's a bike path next to the pedestrian path.

Sigh.

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Comment by Paul on May 15, 2012 at 12:46am: My understanding of bike paths is that they should follow similar rules to that of the road. Keep left, keep to within your lane, give way in the usual road rule way.

Refer to NSW Road Rule 250 and 251

You'll find that Bicycles need to keep left on shared paths, but there is no such requirement for pedestrians on the same path. Cyclists must give way to everyone, including those walking on the "wrong" side of the path.

If it is a dedicated cycle path, then pedestrians are not meant to be walking there at all. That is covered by Rule 239

Comment by rococoabean on May 15, 2012 at 11:03am: Anne-Lise, this is may be off-topic, but I think we have these problems generally with shared paths, too: pedestrians don't get the 'keep left' idea and I Don't Know Why. Honestly, it's the same as if you were on the road - why is that so hard?!

Comment by Anne-Lise Larsen on May 15, 2012 at 1:48pm: I hear you rococoabean. Why? Why? Actually, if we even take bicycles out of the equation, why has everyone started walking down the footpath like a mob of cows in all directions? It's so easy and orderly just to keep left.

Comment by Anne-Lise Larsen on May 15, 2012 at 1:49pm: I take that back. A herd of cows is more orderly.

Comment by Anne-Lise Larsen on May 15, 2012 at 1:49pm: ;)

Comment by Anne-Lise Larsen on May 15, 2012 at 1:53pm: Thanks for the official details Paul! I'll look forward to reciting rule 239 next time I find the meandering pedestrian on the bike path when they have a perfectly nice footpath just next door. ...or perhaps I should keep that to myself and pedal on. It's usually not worth the effort.

Comment by Aaron K on May 15, 2012 at 9:03pm: Anne,

I ride this path on many occasions myself. It would be safe to say that it ain't the best cyclepath in the world, by any stretch of the imagination, that's the first problem.

Look at this youtube website, and you will see some proper cycling infastructure (gee I wish I were dutch!):

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLB271D0D935C03800

Second problem is that it's clear these groups of fellow cyclists are not very experienced, but I guess all you could do there is, if you caught up with them just have a quiet chat you know when you are discssuing the weather and stuff at the next bubbler/toilet stop (just a suggestion)

Ped's, can't do anything there except ring your bell or toot your horn (that's what I do)

I'm coming to the conclusion that beggars can't be choosers in this city, you can ask the RMS or councils to, make better signage, cut down branches, trim hedges and grass, and they 'might' get around to it, 'when they feel like it', but that's it.

Alot of great BUG groups, and BUG leaders on this site (thanks Bill,John, Madame B, to name a few), do excellent work in the advocacy department, and especially when it comes to building new cycle paths, but they can only do so much...

Anyway I hope it get's better for you. Happy Cycling!

Comment by Aaron K on May 15, 2012 at 9:30pm: When I said Bill, I meant Bob Moore, sorry Bob.

You are doing a really great job for us cyclists!

Comment by Anne-Lise Larsen on August 28, 2012 at 3:30pm: Ha, I just watched those videos Aaron. Very cute. Would be nice wouldn't it? Anne-Lise :)

Comment by Bob Moore on August 28, 2012 at 4:31pm: It is great to see senior citizens out riding. I wonder what group they are with or from ? If you see them again and find out you could send their leader/organizer a letter about path etiquette and safety. Trouble with organized social type rides is every one gets chatty and forgets to keep left etc.

Cyclists and bike paths and rules of the road and avoiding head ons and simple common courtesy

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