Cyclists who feel that drivers don’t understand what it is like to ride a bike will be encouraged by suggestions being made by the City of Sydney. Proposals for an upcoming NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into Driver Training and Road Safety are attempting to create an empathy for cyclists, which it is hoped will reduce accidents and aggression.

“As more riders are on the road it is imperative that drivers understand their perspective … to experience what it feels like to be on the road as a bike rider,” states the submission from the City of Sydney. “The effect would be better interactions between these drivers and other riders.”

Under that proposal, it is recommending that learner drivers be allowed to use a cycling proficiency course, such as those offered by the council, as part of the 120 log book hours they need to accumulate before taking their driver’s test.

Bicycle New South Wales also recommends that up to 10 hours spent on an approved bicycle safety course be credited in a learner’s log book, saying this would “increase awareness of vulnerable road users, and increase bicycle rider safety”.

Meanwhile the Amy Gillett Foundation, meanwhile is recommending a trial that will ‘recognise hours spent riding bicycles in a road environment for the calculation of log book hours.’ It wants this to have a maximum credit of 20 hours.

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