Some minor amendments were made to the NSW Road Rules last month, including amending section 245 to allow cyclists to ride ‘out of the saddle’. It’s a rule that most cyclists may have been unfamiliar with, where the ‘rider of a bicycle must sit astride the rider’s seat facing forwards’. This meant that the common practice of lifting one’s body off the bike seat when ascending a hill or increasing speed was in fact illegal before 1 July 2016.

Since July, rule 245 has been amended to read that the ‘rider of a bicycle must be astride the rider’s seat facing forwards’, in order to reflect the cycling practice better. You can rest assured that you won’t be risking an on-the-spot fine the next time you attempt to tackle that dreaded hill on your way to work!

Further amendments on the Transport for NSW website include rules 98 and 99 where bicycle and separated footpaths have been added to the list of places where cyclists’ do not have to ride in the same direction as indicated by road signs. Rule 250 allows cyclists to ride on the footpath if they have a medical condition that makes it impractical or unsafe for them to ride on the road. However, cyclists must carry a medical certificate signed by a medical practitioner indicating this is so at all times.

You can view the list of amendments on the Transport for NSW website HERE.

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