Canberra's cyclists say ACT roads remain some of the safest in the country for riders, despite the death of endurance cyclist Mike Hall.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Hall was killed last week on the Monaro Highway while competing in the Indian Pacific Wheel Race, a 5500 kilometre race from Fremantle to Sydney.
While the fatal accident sent shockwaves through the capital's cycling community, its members vowed to keep riding as normal.
Canberra Cycling Club president Nathan Edwardson said while there was always a risk involved in cycling, ACT roads were more bike-friendly compared to roads in Sydney and Melbourne.
"Generally in Canberra the drivers are quite courteous and pass with reasonable amounts of distance," he said.
"People who heard the news about Mike didn't think twice about going out riding, but more likely considered what route they were taking."
Mr Edwardson said conditions on the road have been made safer for cyclists since a two-year trial of the 'metre matters' rule in November 2015.
"While not everyone gives exactly one metre, people have been giving greater distance [when overtaking] and that definitely helps," he said.
"There are some people who are not following the rules, and unfortunately when it's a car versus a bike, it's the bike that comes out worse."
President of the Viking Cycling Club Simon Tennent said the club was shocked following Hall's death and the tragic event served as a reminder about road safety.
However, after hearing about cycling conditions in other capital cities from interstate clubs, he said roads in the territory remain some of the safest for riders.
"Generally Canberra is a fairly safe cycling city," he said.
"It's very uncommon for cyclists to come back from a weekend ride and have an experience with near misses and safety issues."
Martin Wells from the Amy Gillett Foundation, an organisation promoting cyclist safety, said the metre matters legislation had had a large impact on safety since the laws were introduced.
He also said factors such as less traffic made conditions ideal when compared to other cities.
"There's also very wide roads, and if cyclists aren't riding on cycling-specific infrastructure, and they're sharing the road with other road users, the roads are wonderfully wide to allow for space," Mr Wells said.
Pedal Power ACT executive officer John Armstrong said despite the many wide roads in Canberra, there are some roads that ACT cyclists avoid such as the Barton Highway.
"It's the classic example of a major road that provides very little shoulders and there's heavy traffic as a result," he said.
"It's often avoided by many riders as a result."
Cyclist Michael James, who passed through Canberra on the Indian Pacific Wheel Race route on Saturday, said he had adopted a defensive riding practice for the length of the trip.
"The trucks are big and scary, but the truckies are bloody good," he said.
"But with the ordinary motorists, you just don't know what they're going to do."
