An evaluation of bicycle passing distances in the ACT

Abstract

To evaluate bicycle passing distances in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), specialised passing distance measurement devices (PDMDs) were installed on a sample of 23 cyclists who ride in the ACT. Passing distance data and GPS data was collected by cyclists using the PDMDs for a four-week period, during a trial phase of a newly legislated minimum passing distance (MPD) rule. The MPD rule requires drivers to provide more than 1 metre of space when passing a cyclist on a road with a speed limit of 60 km/h or below, and 1.5 meters of space when passing a cyclist on a road with a speed limit above 60 km/h Analysis of the data collected in the study identified 16,476 passing events during 6,531 kilometres of cycling, over a period of 271 riding hours. Non-compliance with the MPD rule on roads zoned 60 km/h or less was 2.7% and the mean passing distance was 1.85 metres. On roads zoned greater than 60 km/h non-compliance was 11.2% and the mean passing distance was 1.97 metres. The degree of non-compliance varied considerably with road characteristics and location.