Daily motorbike news, views & reviews
A driver who caused the death of a rider has walked free from court over a technicality that allows motorists to dangerously pull over on the side of multi-lane highways and motorways. Burpengary rider Luke Harris, aged just 25, died on 28 December 2017 in a crash caused by a ute pulling out in front …
Just days after we published an article in which Queensland Police waived an erroneous fine for a “void” motorcycle helmet sticker, a second similar incorrect infringement has surfaced. And it seems one of the chiefs of the Road Policing Command is so out of touch with the Australian and Queensland Road Rules and Standards he …
A rider who was rear-ended believes he would have been able to avoid it if he had been taught to lane filter and has called for the skill to be included in learner and advanced rider-training courses. Shannon, 37, of Caboolture, Queensland, says he was rear-ended because he lacked the training and therefore confidence to lane filter. …
Technology has outpaced road rules on driver distraction, leaving the current rules inadequate, difficult to police and confusing as they vary between state boundaries. So, in the wake of a recent national summit on driver distraction, the National Transport Commission is calling for public input to tighten the rules. Rather than seeking a technological solution, …
The Victorian Motorcycle Council has called to remove mandatory hi-vis vests for learner riders in its 10-page submission to the review of Victorian Road Safety (Driver) Regulations. Among many changes to the road rules, the road regs review proposes one demerit point for learner riders who do not wear a “securely fastened” hi-vis vest and …
A recent reader asked if it was legal, safe and wise to switch off the motorcycle when stopped for a long time at roadworks. Firstly, it is not illegal to switch off your motorcycle when stopped at roadworks or even the traffic lights. In fact, many modern cars have stop-go technology that automatically switches off …
If you think Australian road rules and lane filtering rules vary substantially between states, how about the USA where the only two states with lane splitting have completely different rules! California has now been joined by Utah which has recently legalised lane splitting, while several more states are considering lane-splitting rules. Lane splitting It’s called …
Hopes of a trial of forward stop lines or motorcycle boxes for the safety of filtering riders have been set back after the Australian Road Research Board rejected the idea. Forward stop lines are used in many European and Asian countries to give riders a safe head-start from traffic and protect them from rear-end crashes. The only …
This cyclist video from a Tasmanian rider shows how cyclists use numbers to defy the road rules, prompting more calls for an identification system for bicycles. Suzuki rider Estelle Rose posted the video on her Facebook page. Cyclist video “I’m riding to work this morning, obeying the road rules and such, but then I get …
A recent crash that injured a NSW police motorcyclist happened despite a new rule requiring motorists to slow to 40km/h when passing stationary or slow-moving emergency vehicles. The incident occurred at Warrell Creek near Nambucca Heads, NSW, last Sunday when the officer pulled over a car and was hit by another car. Motorcycle Council of NSW Chairman Steve …