Safe Cycling Australia

Welcome to Safe Cycling Australia

The new 2012 SCA jersey is fresh out of the oven!

Any Aussie cyclist will be able to tell you a story or two when it comes to close calls. This project would like to see the cyclists of the future with less stories to tell rather than more. But we need your help for that to happen. Safe Cycling Australia is all about us reclaiming space on Australia's roads.

The aim of this site is to enlist your support in lobbying the State and Federal Government's for a Minimum Safe Passing Distance rule of at least one (1) metre to be enshrined in law.

Such a change will help to ensure that we can all get from A to B and back

to A again by being able to maintain a more authoritative position whilst sharing our limited roadspace with other users.You can choose a letter - or more if you're really keen - to download, sign and send to your nominated target Minister and add to the growing calls for the right of cyclists to ride safely on the roads we all pay for.

It is my hope that with your support, we can expect a real chance of being heard by our pollies, and get the change we need to be able to maintain our presence on the road now, and into the future.

Thankyou for helping us

Important Update!

We are now pushing for a 'split' Rule

1 Metre < 80kph

and

1.5 Metres > 80kph

Bike lanes and the risk of dooring.

We all know that car dooring's can seriously injure and kill cyclists. Unfortunately even though bike lanes are supposed to be installed to a national standard, many of us are finding that they are at times putting cyclists lives at risk due to poor design and placement, especially in the "door" zone.

We've decided to do something about it. We will be offering these transparent car door mirror decals for $2 early next year in an attempt to prevent the inevitable happening. Put one on your drivers and rear view mirrors, your partners', and offer them to your mates and family members.

We would hope that the RACQ/RACV etc and or our State Governments can support this initiative, as such a simple idea will save a life in 2012.

My wife Katrina and I met yesterday with the Queensland Transport Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk and two of her key advisors including Matt Johnson, Director of the State Government's Cycling Program. The purpose of the meeting was to establish a dialogue between ourselves and the Minister with the intention of working towards workable solutions to the Government's concerns regarding the effective and enforceable implimentation of the 1 Metre Rule.

We discussed both the existing proposed 1 Metre Rule as well as an additional 1.5 metre passing distance once motor vehicle speeds reach in excess of 80kph. The proposed 'split' rule was welcomed as one viable solution to the argument that in some instances 1 metre may be insufficient in order to protect the cyclist.

One major area of concern in terms of effective enforcement by the QPS, is that it would be difficult to police 1 metre when a cyclist is filtering through traffic at an intersection. However the Minister and the Department are keen to discuss the proposal further, and another meeting will be organised within four to six weeks which we hope Tracey Gaudry, representatives from CARRS-Q and Pof. Jan Garrard will be able to attend.

Annastacia has committed to seriously reviewing Queensland's current legislation regarding vulnerable road users provided we can provide clear evidence that will convince the Minister of the requirement for and the benefits of the 1 metre split rule.

In the interim the Department is keen to invest in new driver education campaigns, and will focus on publicising their recommendation to Queensland motorists to provide 1 metre when overtaking cyclists. The Minister and Matt Johnson have also agreed that a State-wide system of street signage must be implimented in the near future as cycling participation increases in the Sunshine State.

Another meeting will be organised within four to six weeks which we hope Tracey Gaudry, representatives from CARRS-Q and Pof. Jan Garrard will be able to attend.

Signs are looking very encouraging - at this early stage - that Queensland will adopt the 1 Metre Rule in the near future.

SCA has now been opitmised for Smart Phones, so we're with you where ever you go. Whether you like it or not.

While you're here, please take some time to visit these websites. We love them because they've supported us and safer cycling in Australia

hans-holger albrecht