Cyclists face $116 NSW Police fine for breaking this road rule
While you most often see just one person on a bike, cyclists are allowed to carry passengers, however they need to be wary of one thing.
Some bike models can be fitted with extra seats to hold an extra passenger or two when on the road.
Australian road rules are tailored to accommodate these extra fittings meaning that cyclists are allowed to carry as many passengers as the fittings allow.
However, should a cyclist try to overcrowd their bike with too many passengers, this could see them pulled over by the local authorities and issued with a hefty fine. So just how much could it cost you?
Cyclists face $116 fine from NSW Police for breaking this road rule
$346 fine awaits any driver doing this with their kids in the car
Road rules for overcrowding
When it comes to overloading a bicycle with too many passengers, there aren’t any quotas or limits as to how many a bike can carry.
Instead, Rule 246 of the Australian Road Rules dictates that a cyclist who has more people riding on their bike than the number of fitted seats is in breach of the law.
This means, for example, that anyone with a seat fitted to hold one child can only have one child riding on that bike with a parent.
Should anyone try having both parents or two kids in just one seat, then they will be found breaking the rules.
It is very much a rule designed around road safety and with that in mind, it is a rule that has been universally adopted across all Australian states.
A fine line for overcrowding
If cyclists are found to be breaking road rules for carrying too many passengers, then the police can issue fines to any offending rider.
The fines aren’t ludicrous but most states will issue a penalty that stretches into triple figures. Some of the fines for cyclists breaking this road rule include:
NSW: New South Wales Police can fine riders $116 if they are found to be overcrowding their bike and carrying too many passengers.
VIC: In Victoria, local authorities will issue a penalty of $182 for any cyclist found carrying too many passengers when on the roads.
QLD: Any cyclist in Queensland found with too many passengers riding on a bike will be given a $130 fine by Queensland Police.
SA: South Australian cyclists should be wary that they will be hit with a combined fine of $154 if they are caught carrying too many passengers whilst cycling.
WA: Should any cyclist in Western Australia be found with too many passengers by WA Police, they will be issued a minimum fine of $50.
TAS: If anyone is found cycling in Tasmania with too many passengers, the local authorities can issue them with a fine of $87.
ACT: ACT Police will issue cyclists with a fine of $154 if they are found riding around Canberra with too many passengers on their bike.
With road safety at the forefront of the minds of local authorities, it is seemingly a no-brainer to punish anyone who tries to cram too many people on just one bicycle.
It’s why cyclists should always adhere to these types of road rules and ensure that they only carry the necessary number of passengers that they need to take with them when riding on the roads.
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