Have you heard about the new Queensland cycling laws?
These road rules affect both cyclists and drivers. There has been some confusion about how these laws apply, so here’s a quick summary.
I’m a Driver. How Do These Rules Affect Me?
As a driver, you need to allow more space beside you when you’re passing a cyclist. If the speed limit is 60km per hour or slower, you need to allow a metre or more of space. If the speed limit is over 60km per hour, you need to allow 1.5 metres.
The confusion for drivers arises around this question: What happens if you can’t give a cyclist this much space?
The new Queensland cycling laws allow a driver to safely cross certain road lines, in order to pass a cyclist.
But, if you can’t safely pass them, you need to wait behind them until it is safe to pass. This means that you might need to drive slowly until there is an opportunity to safely pass.
I’m a Cyclist. How Do These Rules Affect Me?
As a cyclist riding on the road, it’s important that you follow road rules. If you don’t follow road rules, you’re subject to the same fines as drivers.
As long as you follow the road rules, and other cycling rules, these new laws won’t affect the way you can ride. However, they may make you feel a little safer on the road.
As we all know, there are many rules and restrictions about carrying guns in Queensland. If you want to own or use a firearm, you need to be licensed. There are different steps, depending on your circumstances and needs.
But, what about knives? We all know that it’s fine to have them in our kitchen. But what about in public? Is it legal to carry a knife then?
The answer, as is often the case, is both yes and no, depending on the situation. You can have a knife with you in a public place if you have a reasonable excuse.
So, what is a reasonable excuse?
In a general sense, a reasonable excuse means that you have a knife with you to carry out a lawful activity. To test whether this is the case in your situation, you could think about how you intend to use the knife that you’re carrying.
You might use your knife as part of your work, and so have it with you for work purposes. For example, you might use a knife to open boxes, or you have a knife with you for work in a restaurant.
Certain hobbies necessitate carrying knives at times, too. For example, if you have your fishing knife with you while you’re fishing, that can be a reasonable excuse, too. Or, you might display a collection of your knives at a show.
However, self-defence is not a reasonable excuse. This means that it’s not legal to carry a knife in public if your intention is to use it to defend yourself.
If you’re unsure about whether it is legal to carry a knife in your particular situation, it’s a good idea to check the facts.
"*" indicates required fields
Criminal Law, Traffic Law and Domestic Violence related matters anywhere in Australia
