Bicycles are a type of vehicle—when you ride a bicycle on a Queensland road, you have rights and responsibilities like all other road users. Show
When you ride a bicycle or power-assisted electric bike (also know as an e-bike) you must obey the general road rules the same as other motorists, as well as the specific road rules for bicycle riders. Electric bikes have additional rules you need to follow. On this page: Riding a bicycleWhen you ride a bicycle, you must:
Carrying peopleYou can carry another person if:
SignallingYou must use a hand signal when you turn right. To do this, extend your right arm out horizontally—at a right angle from the right side of the bicycle. Your hand should be open, with your palm facing forward. Towing with a bicycleYou must not:
Riding with a person in a bicycle trailerYou can tow a child in or on a bicycle trailer if:
Riding too close to a vehicleYou must keep at least 2m between you and the back of a vehicle when you follow that vehicle for over 200m. Being a traffic hazardYou must avoid being a traffic hazard—do not ride into the path of a driver or pedestrian. Keeping left and overtakingWhen you ride, you must:
Bicycle helmetsWhen you ride a bicycle or an electric powered wheeled recreational device or a personal mobility device like a rideable, you must wear an Australian Standard (AS) approved bicycle helmet. You must securely fit and fasten it. An approved bicycle helmet means a helmet that complies with AS 2063 or AS/NZS 2063. You may only carry passengers on your bicycle if the bicycle is designed to carry passengers. If you carry a passenger on your bicycle, they must also wear an approved helmet, securely fitted and fastened. However, if they are a paying passenger on a 3 or 4 wheeled bicycle, they do not have to wear a helmet. You do not need to wear a helmet if you have a doctor's certificate stating that, for a specific amount of time, you cannot wear a helmet:
If you have a doctor's certificate, you must carry it with you when you ride without a helmet. You also do not need to wear a helmet if you are a member of a religious group and are wearing a headdress customarily worn by your group, that makes it impractical to wear a helmet. Helmet attachmentsThere is no law that prohibits the attachment of a camera or other technology (such as communication equipment) to a bicycle helmet, as long as the helmet remains compliant with the above mentioned standards, and is an approved attachment (according to the helmet manufacturer). As an alternative to a helmet-mounted camera, you may use a camera mounted on your bicycle or a body-mounted camera. Bicycle equipmentEvery time you ride, your bicycle must have:
Bicycle equipment for night time and unsafe weatherIf you ride at night or in weather conditions that make it difficult to see, you must display (either on the bicycle or on you):
Carrying a load on a bicycleYou can carry a load on your bicycle. If you choose to carry a load, you must:
Riding in a bicycle lane on a roadA bicycle lane is a marked lane with either a bicycle lane sign or a road marking of a bicycle symbol and the word 'lane' painted in white. The road may be painted green. You can choose whether or not to ride in a bicycle lane where one is provided. You must not ride in a bicycle lane on the wrong side of the road (travelling towards oncoming traffic). Riding on the road shoulderYou can ride on the road shoulder or either side of a continuous white edge line on a bicycle. However, you must give way to vehicles on the road when moving back into the lane from the road shoulder. Special purpose lanesYou can ride your bicycle in a special purpose lane. A special purpose lane is a marked lane, or part of a marked lane, including:
Most of the Gold Coast tram system operates on a 'tramway'. A tramway is not a tram lane, or any kind of special purpose lane. Bicycle riders must not travel along the road in a tramway. Riding across a road at a crossingCrossings include:
You can ride across pedestrian crossings at traffic lights, if you:
You can ride across a zebra crossing or children's crossing as long as you:
You must give way to vehicles and other road users at uncontrolled intersections before you ride across. A separated path signRiding on a separated pathOn a separated path, you can only ride on the side that is for bicycle riders. The other side is for pedestrians. The separated path sign will show you which side of the path you must ride on. You must always ride to the left of bicycle riders coming toward you. A shared path signOn footpaths and shared paths, you share the space with pedestrians. You must:
'No bicycle' signs and markingsYou cannot ride on a road or path where signs or road markings prohibit bicycles. Bicycle crossing lightsWhen riding along the road and facing a red traffic light, do not ride past the red traffic light unless a green bicycle crossing light is also facing you. When crossing the road at bicycle crossing lights, you must:
Bicycle storage areasA bicycle storage area is a section of the road, before an intersection with traffic lights, where you can wait (for the traffic lights to change) in front of the stopped vehicles. A bicycle storage road area will have painted bicycle symbols, be between two parallel stop lines and may be painted green. Bicycle and motorcycle riders are allowed to cross the first stop line to enter the bicycle storage area but must stop at the second stop line at a red traffic light. Motor vehicles, other than motorcycles, must stop at the first stop line. A bicycle rider may choose to enter a bicycle storage area from a bicycle lane. When you enter a bicycle storage area, you must:
RoundaboutsBicycle rider turning right at a roundabout Bicycle rider must give way to the red car that is exiting the roundabout. The driver of the blue car must give way to the bicycle rider ahead of them before exiting the roundabout.Multi-lane roundaboutsAt multi-lane roundabouts, motor vehicle drivers who want to turn right must enter the roundabout and turn from the right lane (unless signs or road markings indicate otherwise). However, when you are riding a bicycle, you may enter the roundabout and turn right from the left or right lane. It is important that all road users maintain a safe distance behind the vehicle in front to be able to stop safely, if necessary, to avoid a collision. If you choose to turn right from the left lane, you must give way to any motor vehicle that wants to leave the roundabout. If you are already on the roundabout and a motor vehicle is entering they should give way to you. Roundabouts with only 1 marked laneIn a single-lane roundabout you can choose to take up the whole lane like other road users. Hook turnsPerforming a hook turnYou can turn right at an intersection using a hook turn. The way you should do this depends on whether or not the intersection has traffic lights. How to use a hook turn to turn rightIf the intersection has no traffic lights, you should:
If the intersection has traffic lights, you should:
Some intersections will have line markings for you to use for hook turns. Hook turn storage boxHook turn storage boxA hook turn storage box is an area marked on the road within an intersection. It shows you where to wait if you are performing a hook turn. Bicycle riding and mobile phonesTo keep yourself and other road users safe your full attention is needed when riding. Holding a mobile phone in your hand or resting it on any part of your body when riding is illegal—even if you're stopped in traffic. The phone does not need to be turned on for it to be an offence. When safely stopped, you can hold a phone to:
You are allowed hands-free use of a mobile phone, for example, in a cradle attached to the bike. Hands-free can include to accept a call, use navigation apps or skip a song. You can use a phone hands-free if it's in a pocket of your clothing or a pouch you're wearing. You must not touch or look at the phone. It can only be operated using your voice. Penalties for bicycle ridersThere is no minimum age limit for the issuing of fines by the police. Bicycle riders who break the road rules will be given the same fines as motorists, but will not accumulate demerit points. Offences common to both bicycle riders and motorists include:
Common offences specific to bicycle riders include:
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