A rider must ride as close as practicable to the left side of the road (RR.129; max. penalty: 3 pu).

As well as RR.255 ("riding too close to the rear of a moving vehicle"), RR.126 would seem to apply equally to riders and drivers. It states that "a driver must drive a sufficient distance behind a vehicle travelling in front of the driver so the driver can, if necessary, stop safely to avoid a collision with the vehicle" (max. penalty: 10 pu).

Many bike crashes (including one involving the author) occur when car occupants carelessly fail to check before opening their doors. In such cases, those occupants have breached RR.269(3) (max. penalty: 3 pu), which states: "A person must not cause a hazard to any person or vehicle by opening a door of a vehicle, leaving a door of a vehicle open, or getting off, or out of, a vehicle."

Cyclists, like other road users, are obliged to stop:

The above also applies to shared footpaths, separated footpaths and bicycle paths, and where there are bicycle crossing lights (RR.260; max. penalty: 10 pu; and RR.262; max. penalty: 5 pu). A rider must stop before reaching a yellow light if it is possible to do so safely (RR.261; max. penalty: 10 pu).

The Road Rules now refer to the strangely named "bicycle storage areas" and "bicycle hook turn storage areas". Both of these concepts are defined in the Road Rules Dictionary. Basically they are rectangular boxes painted on the road that, usually, open out from a bike lane just before an intersection with traffic lights, and can extend across several lanes. Many have been painted on roads in the Melbourne CBD.

The intention of a bicycle hook turn storage area is to make hook turns safer to execute, as cyclists can gather in the box and all take off at the same time when the lights go green. Several new offences have been created (or current offences amended) referring to these areas, such as prohibiting cars from entering the areas before the lights change, etc. See sections 27(1A), 31(4A), 32(2A), 56(3), 57(4), 60A, 247A and 247B of the Road Rules (some of which are discussed in detail below).

RR.60A(1) says "[i]f there is a bicycle storage area before traffic lights that are showing a red traffic light, a driver of a motor vehicle must not allow any part of the vehicle to enter the bicycle storage area" (max. penalty: 10 pu). Subrule (2) says "[i]f there is a bicycle storage area before traffic arrows that are showing a red traffic arrow, and a driver of a motor vehicle is turning in the direction indicated by the arrow, the driver must not allow any part of the vehicle to enter the bicycle storage area" (max. penalty: 10 pu).

RR.247A requires that cyclists approaching a bicycle storage area at an intersection with red traffic lights showing must not enter the bicycle storage area other than from a bicycle lane, unless the bicycle storage area cannot be entered from the bicycle lane (max. penalty: 3 pu). RR. 247B(1) requires cyclists, when entering a bicycle storage area, to give way to:

RR.247B(2) requires cyclists who are in a bicycle storage area that extends across more than one lane of a multi-lane road must, if any green or yellow traffic lights are showing, give way to a motor vehicle that is in any lane other than the lane that the bicycle is directly in front of, unless the motor vehicle is turning in a direction that is subject to a red traffic arrow (max. penalty: 3 pu).

At a give way sign, there is no legal obligation to stop fully. See "Giving way", following, for more instances where riders are legally obliged to give way.

All vehicles should be turned in a predictable manner. Cyclists should turn left by moving over towards the left kerb, signalling and then making the turn. When intending to turn right, they should look back to check what is coming and, if the way is clear, signal in the manner described below, merge towards the centre of the road and turn when appropriate.

RR.46(5) and RR.52 state that riders do not have to signal an intention to, respectively, turn left or stop/suddenly slow. However, for cyclists, as for all road users, the safest option is to always signal an intention to change direction.

When turning right (except when doing a hook turn: RR.48(5)(b)) riders must signal their intention to other road users by giving a hand signal (RR.48(1); max. penalty: 3 pu). How to do this is explained in RR.50: extend the right arm and hand horizontally and at right angles to the bicycle, with the hand open and palm facing forwards.

RR.31 sets out how a driver (or rider) is to approach a right turn from a road (penalty: 3 pu) and, as noted above (see: "How a bicycle should be ridden"), cyclists can choose to turn right at any intersection by doing a "hook turn" (RR.35), except where there is a sign that states "no hook turn by bicycles" (RR.36; max. penalty: 3 pu). Alternatively, riders may feel safer getting off their bikes and walking across the intersection using a marked foot crossing.

A rider must give way:

For the procedures required after any road accident that causes personal injury or property damage, see: "What to do after an accident", in Chapter 23*2 Motor Vehicle Property Damage.

Each of the penalties indicated in this chapter is the maximum prescribed by legislation for a first offence, should the matter proceed to court. Each offence applicable to riders or skaters/pedestrians can also be dealt with by way of Traffic Infringement Notices (on-the-spot fines) as per Part 9 of the RS General Regulations (see: Chapters 4*2 Driving Offences, and 4*4 Infringements and Fines).

Schedule 7 of the RS General Regulations states that for many bicycle offences the fine is 1 to 2 pu; however, on-the-spot fines for failing to obey traffic lights or stop/give way signs are the same for cyclists as they are for motorists (that is, 2.5 pu for failing to obey traffic lights and 2 pu for failing to obey stop or give way signs). Some argue this lacks fairness given the disproportionate killing potential of cars versus bikes, but it perhaps also reflects the life-threatening nature of those offences. On-the-spot fines for most pedestrian (and hence, skater) offences are 0.5 pu.

For more information on bikes and the law, check out the Bicycle Victoria website at www.bv.com.au.