THE sentiment behind the Greens bill put before state parliament to bring into law a one-metre buffer zone between cars and cyclists is justified.
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It's true too many cyclists have died or been badly injured on our roads after collisions with vehicles that could have been avoided.
But the reality is such a law would be almost impossible to police.
The Greens proposal would see drivers required by law to give a cyclist a one-metre buffer in speed zones up to 60kmh and 1.5 metres in all other speed zones.
How are police supposed to judge such buffers, particularly on roads where cyclists are riding in large groups or more than one abreast?
How are police supposed to judge such buffers, particularly on roads where cyclists are riding in large groups or more than one abreast?
Distances can only be speculative and how can that work in a legal sense?
Surely the right course of action to reducing the number of accidents involving cyclists remains continuing education and promoting courtesy.
Education is vital in making everyone aware of how cyclists and drivers can share roads.
Courtesy is essential if riders and drivers are to share our roads in harmony.
Get those things right and a buffer zone becomes irrelevant.
Rod Case, editor