A pedestrian safety group is calling for cyclists in Melbourne to receive on-the-spot fines if they're caught speeding.
Around 10,000 people ride into the Australian city's central business district (CBD )every day for work and pleasure, so there are plenty of wheels on the ground. While the majority of them are fine, there are a few who break the rules and give the rest of the cycling community a bad reputation.
Pedestrian safety group Victoria Walks wants to see authorities given the ability to fine cyclists if they're seen going above the sidewalk speed limit of 10km/h.
The organisation's Ben Rossiter told 7News: "We think it's a gap in our road rules that [cyclists] should be able to be issued an infringement directly.
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"We know walkers and cyclists don't mix, particularly fast-moving commuter cyclists and older walkers - people with disabilities and vision impairments.
"They just don't work together."
At the moment, police are able to hand out fines, but not on-the-spot. Authorities have to issue the fine via a summons, according to 7News, which can take a lot more time and effort and some cases could slip through the cracks.
Victoria Walks argues that cyclists would be much more wary of going above the sidewalk speed limit if they knew they could receive a fine right then and there.
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7News reports some cyclists have been caught going as fast as 20km/h on sidewalks, which not only puts them at risk of running into an obstacle at speed, but also puts pedestrians in danger.
Bicycle Network CEO Craig Richards said: "The number of people coming here has increased significantly, so there are some design issues we do need to look at."
A new bike path is being developed in Melbourne's Southbank area, however it will likely take a larger attitude change to fix the issue of cyclists speeding.
Last year, a cyclist advocacy group wanted federal funding to incentivise more people to jump on a bike to ride to work. In a statement, The Bicycle Network said: "Australians should be paid $5 every time they ride a bike to work.
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"Research shows that for every kilometre cycled, society benefits up to $1.07. An average bike commute of around 10km contributes $10, but an average commute by car in Australia costs society up to $9.30.
"Rewarding people who ride to work with a $5 bonus will encourage even more people to swap out cars for bikes. Keen bike commuters who ride every day could earn up to $1,100 a year, while also saving on car and petrol costs."
Unsurprisingly, it wasn't adopted by any political party.
Featured Image Credit: PA