RMS guidelines on bike lanes are perfectly clear

There is a lot of confusion about whether or not bicycle riders should be riding in “the bike lane”.

Most often on our local roads “bike lanes” are in reality only road shoulders or parking lanes. Sometimes these have bicycle symbols painted in them. This does NOT make them a legal “bicycle lane”. The RMS guidelines are quite clear:

“Bicycle lane signs have a picture of a bike with the word LANE underneath. When a bicycle lane is marked on the road and has bicycle lane signs, cyclists must use it unless it is impracticable to do so. Although these lanes are for bicycles, cars may use them for not more than 50 metres to enter or leave the road at a driveway or intersection.” 

So a legal “bicycle lane” requires three things: a lane marked, bicycle logos painted on the road pavement and correct signage.

If any one of these is lacking then the lane is NOT a bicycle lane and the cyclist is under no obligation to ride in it.

It is also important to note that “these lanes are for bicycles”, they are not breakdown lanes, mobile phone conversation lanes or parking lanes. Neither are they for the use of motor bikes.

Jenni Gormley, Chairperson, Sutherland Shire Environment Centre

RE ‘’Cylists in safety push’’ (Leader, March 9). Why is it that residents need to advise the so-called expert planners on how to plan for our city's future with any form of common sense? Obviously we have traffic problems and obviously we need to encourage uptake of more active transport. Putting cycleways in the safest, flattest, straightest orientation is of course going to make them more desirable and increase their patronage.

Brent Heber, theleader.com.au