cycling laws

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Very soon I will be visiting and possibly living in nsw, and am curious about laws that may differ from the usa. basically we have to follow all road laws that cars follow. in some places there are helmet laws, but they are overlooked most of the time.
are there helmet laws? any other cycling only laws you guys can give me heads up on?

any resources, opinions, or otherwise would be great.

thanks.

Check this out (http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/rulesregulations/internationalinterstate/index.html) ...it should answer your questions about the laws. Couldn't help you off-hand being a Mexican.
There's also a pdf brochure (http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/rulesregulations/downloads/overseas_visitors.pdf)

Hi basscadetz

Helmets are the law (although I have seen many ride without).
For other road rules you could check the following -

Australian Road Rules (PDFs)
http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/rulesregulations/downloads/roadraustr_dl1.html

If you're moving to Sydney you might also want to read through this -
http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/AboutSydney/ParkingAndTransport/Cycling/ResourcesForCyclists.asp

One other point to note, we ride/drive on the left side of the road. Damn colonials :p

im cool with the riding on the wrong side of the road, the helmet thing to me is silly. bike helmets are pretty goofy looking, ALTHOUGH i do understand the reasoning behind it.

bike helmets are pretty goofy looking, ALTHOUGH i do understand the reasoning behind it.
Having seen a few people with skull fractures in my time (some of which have been sustained falling from a bicycle), I can assure you that if you happen to experience one, you will no longer think its goofy at all.

n

im cool with the riding on the wrong side of the road, yeah, OK, but how do you reckon you'll go over here?

im cool with the riding on the wrong side of the road, the helmet thing to me is silly. bike helmets are pretty goofy looking, ALTHOUGH i do understand the reasoning behind it.
Having suffered a fall about 4 weeks ago thanks to oil on the road, I can assure you that helmets are far from silly. I smacked the road at some 50km/hr and miraculously managed to avoid the expected broken collarbone. However, my helmet was destroyed.

Long story short: when the ambos saw my helmet they said "we're taking you to hospital" in a manner that implied it wasn't negotiable. No permanent damage fortunately, although the next day you could say the lights were on but nobody was home. I supect I was momentarily KO's by the blow. The helmet definitely made the difference that prevented something much worse.

So if I have to choose between looking like a vegetable (with helmet) or spending the rest of my life living like one because of someone else's negligence, the choice is a no-brainer.

In NSW we have a name for cyclists who don't wear helmets.
... organ donors.

I believe there's a serious shortage of suitable donors, so feel perfectly free to ignore the rules and not wear your helmet. :D

ive been riding for many many years as both a messenger, and as a recreational cyclist. in major cities in major traffic as well. i've never worn a helmet, and have never had a wreck bad enough to need one. my arguement on the idea of forcing someone to wear a helmet is this.

<taken from another friend>

Personally, I don't think anyone should HAVE to wear a helmet. At the very least any operator of any vehicle should have the choice. I feel there has been a 'safety-slide' since I was a kid. All of this is what makes kids soft nowadays. Bumps and bruises are part of life. I don't doubt for a second people get hurt on bikes, but for the average joe shmoe riding the cruiser, we shouldn't have to.

Riding a bike comes with what a lawyer friend called assumed risk. To argue that everyone on a bike needs a helmet is ridiculous. By the rationale that they should wear one, the logical extension would be knee pads since your knees would quite often hit the ground first. What would next if you fall? Hmm.. well let's see, elbow pads and gloves to protect your hands from road rash as you slide to a stop. Then to extend this further all bicycles will have training wheels (soon called 'safety wheels') on them. We certainly can't have these dangerous things on the road (or safely paved trail) with only two wheels, what if you lost your balance?

In fact in a few years I foresee a crusade to outlaw bicycles. they will say that they are just to risky to be ridden since there just can't be a way to mount an airbag on them. This outlawing will come no doubt after the passing of the bicycle seat belt act fails to save enough lives. I mean what legislator wants to be seen as taking a stand against something that puts children in harms way? Bicycles will go the way of the easy to light Bic lighter and Lawn Darts. Enjoy them while you can.

<cut>
assumed risk. its part of life. forcing someone to wear a helmet on a bicycle would be similar to forcing a surfer to wear an anti-shark suit. should an adult ride a helmet when running? similar speed, similar distance from the ground. you might as well include a fire suit with a book of matches.

If you're planning on saying "well people drive crazy, you never know!" then my arguement is; the time spent in fining people for no helmets, should be spent on bike lanes, bike awareness, and the like.

and to add, yes i should wear a helmet. im stupid for not doing so, you're right. my arguement is that forcing one to do so OR ELSE they get punished by a fine? cummon.

Very soon I will be visiting and possibly living in nsw, and am curious about laws that may differ from the usa. basically we have to follow all road laws that cars follow. in some places there are helmet laws, but they are overlooked most of the time.
are there helmet laws? any other cycling only laws you guys can give me heads up on?

any resources, opinions, or otherwise would be great.

thanks.

What a bloody bitchin' choice, best damn country, I mean state, in the world. There is one law all drivers seem to follow - is that pretend you don't see cyclists, I think it's the only one that gets followed all the time.

Yes, you have to wear a helmet all the time (at least when you're on your bike).

Watch those Queenslanders, escpecially when we beat them in the State of Origin, they get mighty jealous.

Where will you be settling roughly?

ive been riding for many many years as both a messenger, and as a recreational cyclist. in major cities in major traffic as well. i've never worn a helmet, and have never had a wreck bad enough to need one. my arguement on the idea of forcing someone to wear a helmet is this.

<taken from another friend>

Personally, I don't think anyone should HAVE to wear a helmet. At the very least any operator of any vehicle should have the choice. I feel there has been a 'safety-slide' since I was a kid. All of this is what makes kids soft nowadays. Bumps and bruises are part of life. I don't doubt for a second people get hurt on bikes, but for the average joe shmoe riding the cruiser, we shouldn't have to.

Riding a bike comes with what a lawyer friend called assumed risk. To argue that everyone on a bike needs a helmet is ridiculous. By the rationale that they should wear one, the logical extension would be knee pads since your knees would quite often hit the ground first. What would next if you fall? Hmm.. well let's see, elbow pads and gloves to protect your hands from road rash as you slide to a stop. Then to extend this further all bicycles will have training wheels (soon called 'safety wheels') on them. We certainly can't have these dangerous things on the road (or safely paved trail) with only two wheels, what if you lost your balance?

In fact in a few years I foresee a crusade to outlaw bicycles. they will say that they are just to risky to be ridden since there just can't be a way to mount an airbag on them. This outlawing will come no doubt after the passing of the bicycle seat belt act fails to save enough lives. I mean what legislator wants to be seen as taking a stand against something that puts children in harms way? Bicycles will go the way of the easy to light Bic lighter and Lawn Darts. Enjoy them while you can.

<cut>
assumed risk. its part of life. forcing someone to wear a helmet on a bicycle would be similar to forcing a surfer to wear an anti-shark suit. should an adult ride a helmet when running? similar speed, similar distance from the ground. you might as well include a fire suit with a book of matches.

If you're planning on saying "well people drive crazy, you never know!" then my arguement is; the time spent in fining people for no helmets, should be spent on bike lanes, bike awareness, and the like.

and to add, yes i should wear a helmet. im stupid for not doing so, you're right. my arguement is that forcing one to do so OR ELSE they get punished by a fine? cummon.


It doesn't matter what you think.....its the LAW...wear the bloody helmet or don't ride...simple really!

Hey, Organ Donor, you still have a choice: you're quite free to disrespect the law if you want and not wear a helmet. They ain't gonna come and hold you down and crazyglue it to your head. <LOL> But you don't get to choose the consequences. A bit like life, in that regard, really.

The official estimate for the economic cost to the rest of the community of every traffic related early death was some $100,000 dollars as of about 10 years ago. So add 50% for today's dollars. Not wearing a helmet increases the risk of early death or debilitating brain injury significantly, so there is a real cost to us of your choice.

Given that you come from the land of economic rationalism and "user pays", I'm sure you won't mind if we apply the same "user pays" principle to your assumption of risk.

Think of it as a "fee" rather than a "fine". :D

i speak my mind and get called a seppo and cursed at? i thought forums were for opinions, not insults?

very classy of you.

janie: thanks for being very nice and accepting! i appreciate that! i should be arriving to your fine country within 2 months. we have a backup on passports due to "homeland security" issues, so im waiting for that. im basically packed and ready to go as soon as that arrives!

i'll be in the central coast region, near a town called "wyong" i will be working in sydney.

I CANT WAIT!

im not going to argue with you. i state my opinion about law, and you try pot shot insults. thats cool. i will be riding in victoria, hope to ride with ya! have a good one!

Seppo is a backhanded term of endearment we use here toward our american friends.

It has a connection to rhyming slang. Yankee -> yank -> septic tank -> seppo.

It's not intended maliciously, not the slightest litte bit. Like our term for the English: Poms. But if you want to be offended, by all means go ahead. Like civil disobedience, it's a choice. :D

i know what it means. i understand that.

it takes a lot more than that to offend me.

the "fark you" and "tool" kind of blew the whole "not maliciously" out of the water.

crikey! haha.

Heads up. If I come across a yank on beach rd, wearing some gay yankie doodle outfit, packing heat, not wearing a helmet and crapping on to some poor bloke about how its bullshit to have to wear a helmet in this country - I will personally push you over, steal your bike and run it off the end of st kilda pier.now it's come to threats? man you really do have some issues! i wasnt crapping on ANYONE for wearing a helmet. i was stating MY OPINION for MYSELF. i even said, "yeah, i should be wearing a helmet"

i think you need to put your steroids away or something. so aggro!

by the way, my yankee doodle outfit has WAY MORE STYLE than your spandex jumpsuit with the crotch absorber.

we have a saying in yankee doodle dandee land:

"those who can't argue, insult."

haha, i missed that. you got me on that one.

im even laughing at myself for that. good job!

You dont get to argue on Australian Law you arent a citizen. Wear your god damn helmet, dont complain about it and enjoy your stay.
yet.

im thinking of this one, to go with my steve irwin outfit.

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/ctd_images/bgprod/HAT-135.jpg