One-metre rule: Near enough good enough, says Commissioner
The state’s Police Commissioner has conceded there are “some challenges” with policing controversial new cycling laws that came into force last week, admitting prosecutions would likely only follow “significant breaches”.
Under the new regulations, motorists need to ensure they keep at least a metre’s distance from cyclists at all times, though they are allowed to cross the double lines to overtake when it is safe to do so.
The changes also allow cyclists to ride on the footpath, which has prompted the Opposition to instigate its own review of the laws and potentially to repeal them.
Commissioner Grant Stevens today acknowledged police would have some difficulty adjudicating with pinpoint accuracy whether the metre rule was being adhered to.
“There are some challenges with this,” he told ABC891.
“Confirming the distance of one metre…if it’s about one metre, then I don’t think anyone’s going to be prosecuted for being in that near vicinity.”
Stevens said police had been receiving video footage captured by cyclists with GoPro cameras, dobbing in drivers who “have come incredibly close”.
“That’s something that we could pursue (but) it would have to be a significant breach of the rule or the regulation for us to actually act on a complaint from a cyclist because it’s very difficult to show the exact distance,” he said.
“The other thing we do have at our disposal is where a person is driving a vehicle without due care…the one metre component is something we may consider, but we’ve got other options as well.”
He said the laws’ operation, including deciding whether to attempt to overtake, “does come down to a matter of courtesy”.
“There are going to be occasions on some of those narrow roads where the driver of the vehicle will simply have to wait,” he said.
“People need to check their frustrations.”
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Importantly, Stevens emphasised the rule puts the onus for maintaining the distance on the driver, rather than the cyclist.
“I honestly believe that the vast majority of us don’t have a big issue with this (change),” he said.
“We’re conscious of the safety of other people on the road and we do the right thing…it’s the vocal minority from both sides that we hear from.”
Police Association SA president Mark Carroll told InDaily last week: “Our members have to police these new laws…a good dose of commonsense will be required.”
