A male cyclist in his 50s has died after being hit by a driver on the Midland Highway north of Ballarat. According to The Courier, Ambulance Victoria were called to the scene around 10am on Saturday but the cyclist could not be revived. The 81-year-old driver is assisting police with their investigation.
Later in the week, a pedestrian was killed in a crash near Carindale in Brisbane’s southeast. As The Courier Mail reported on Wednesday, the male victim was hit by a four-wheel-drive while crossing at an intersection on Meadowlands Road. Witnesses told The Mail that one of the first to provide aid was a cyclist who performed CPR on the victim until paramedics arrived. Unfortunately, the pedestrian died at the scene.
Police are investigating an alleged road-rage incident on the Gold Coast after a 76-year-old driver was punched in the face by a cyclist. The Courier Mail reported on Thursday that the man had been driving near Burleigh Heads when he shouted at two cyclists riding side-by-side, telling the pair to ride single-file. After pulling over at a nearby carpark the driver alleges one of the riders punched him so hard they broke his jaw, and threw his car keys onto the roof of a nearby building.
The incident attracted significant attention on social media, with numerous commenters on the Courier Mail’s Facebook page calling for cyclists to be required to have registration plates and compulsory insurance.
A learner motorcycle rider in Canberra has been fined after being caught by police riding in a bicycle lane and speeding. As the Canberra Times reported on Sunday, the 24-year-old told police he believed it was legal to lane filter by using the bicycle lane. Police allege he was travelling 20km/h over the legal limit for lane filtering and accelerated up to 141km/h after they tried to intercept him.
Lobbyists and Sydney residents have told The Sydney Morning Herald that a lack of end-of-trip facilities is discouraging riders from commuting into the city’s CBD. As The Herald reported, some buildings had closed facilities such as locker rooms and showers as a precaution against the spread of COVID-19. This has undermined efforts by the City of Sydney to encourage commuters to take advantage of pop-up cycling lanes instead of using public transport.
In Victoria, VicHealth has released results of a survey looking at attitudes towards pop-up cycling lanes and footpaths. The agency reported that 76% of Victorians “want local and state governments to adapt infrastructure so more people can walk or ride”. The survey also found that more than one in three respondents intended to increase their travel by bike or on foot. Key barriers included lack of lighting, not feeling safe while riding on roads and lack of separated cycling infrastructure.
Pedalling for Change 