Highway Patrol has called for drivers to show more courtesy on the roads after several reports of people travelling too close to cyclists around Bendigo this weekend.
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Senior Sergeant Ian Brooks said driving offence enforcement numbers were still "phenomenally too high" over the long weekend.
Police detected 85 driving offences across Bendigo, including seven drink driving offences.
There were six serious crashes around the region, three of which were in Bendigo.
Senior Sergeant Brooks said that police had received far too many comments about people driving too close to cyclists, with an influx of riders for the Bendigo International Madison.
Driving on our roads is a privilege, not a right just because you’ve got a driver's licence.
- Senior Sergeant Ian Brooks
Personally he spoke to three cyclists who had called to say that drivers didn't seem to understand they needed space.
Senior Sergeant Brooks said drivers needed to be more courteous. He said cyclists needed at least a metre's clearance.
"It’s everyone’s responsibility is to make sure people are safe on the road. That's all road users, not just car drivers," Senior Sergeant Brooks said.
Senior Sergeant Brooks said police were pleased that no one died on central Victorian roads over the weekend, but it was annoying to see people getting caught for the same offences.
Drink driving, drug driving, mobile phone use, and running red lights were among the offences police detected.
Police caught about 10 people not obeying traffic lights in Bendigo. Six people were found using their mobile phones while driving.
Read more: Too many deaths even as road toll plummets
Senior Sergeant Brooks said the road policing efforts would continue beyond the long weekend.
"Driving on our roads is a privilege, not a right just because you’ve got a driver's licence," Senior Sergeant Brooks said.
"It comes with the responsibility of obeying the road rules and driving carefully and courteously wherever you go."
More than 8768 traffic offences were recorded by Victoria Police during Operation Arid this Labour Day long weekend.
Two hundred and seventy five drug test offences were recorded, on top of 238 drink driving offences were recorded.
Road Policing Assistant Commissioner Stephen Leane said that each year the issue of drug driving becomes more prevalent during Operation Arid.
Mobile phone offences also appeared more problematic. Twenty percent more people caught using their phone behind the wheel than compared to last year.
Two lives were lost on Victorian roads over the long weekend.
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