By Helena Adeloju
Bike riders caught using hand-held mobile phones while riding will be issued with an on-the-spot fine from July.
Under a new road rule effective from Saturday 1 July, police will be able to issue cyclists with a $476 fine for handling a phone while in motion. The change brings the road rules for cyclist into line with those for motorists.
Previously, police had to charge riders and take them to court.
VicRoads Director Road User and Vehicle Access Robyn Seymour said using a hand-held mobile phone to text or make calls was just as distracting for cyclists as it is for motorists.
“Not paying attention, even for a split-second, while riding or driving can result in tragedy,” Ms Seymour said.
“It is imperative that cyclists and drivers concentrate and focus when on our roads.
“Just like drivers, riders must pull over to the roadside and stop before they touch their phone handset to text or make calls.”
From July, under VicRoad’s commitment to safer cycling provisions that benefit all road users, riders will be permitted to use most bus lanes where a dedicated bike lane does not exist, removing cyclists from car lanes.
The new rules also stipulate that drivers must give way to bikes in a similar way to pedestrians at bike lantern traffic lights.
From the end of June a redundant rule requiring rear-mounted bike carriers to be detached from vehicles when not in use will also be abolished.
According to VicRoads the changes were developed following an independent review of Victoria’s cycling road rules and extensive consultation with the community, Victoria Police, cycling groups and the bus industry.
