Grieving parents of crash victim cyclist Richard Pollett call for bike 'safe zone'

THE heartbroken parents of cycling crash victim Richard Pollett say nothing will bring back their son. But they are determined to make roads safer for other riders.

Richard Pollett

THE heartbroken parents of cycling crash victim Richard Pollett say nothing will bring back their son. But they are determined to make roads safer for other riders and will be among the first to make public submissions on a review into proposed new cycling road rules.

Mr Pollett, a 25-year-old violin virtuoso, was killed when hit by an overtaking cement truck while riding his pushbike along Moggill Rd, Kenmore, in September 2011.

Compounding his family's grief, truck driver Luke Stevens was last month acquitted of a charge of dangerous driving causing death in the Brisbane District Court.

Mr Pollett's father Philip said he believed a one-metre buffer zone between vehicles and pushbikes, mooted by the State Government as part of the review, may have saved his son's life or at least helped secure a conviction against Mr Stevens.

"Nothing I say and no change to the law is going to bring my son back," Professor Pollett said. "But I think a (one-metre) safe cycling distance would help give vulnerable cyclists some protection and make motorists aware that they need to give cyclists more room."

Richard Pollett had well less than a metre of road between the truck and the kerb, his father said. "I'm still awaiting the court transcripts but my view is that the prosecution would have succeeded had we had a one-metre rule," he said.

Prof Pollett said he and his wife Patricia were aware of friction between motorists and cyclists and did not want to create more animosity.

"As a motorist myself, I know that cyclists frequently do not always observe the road rules," he said.

Transport Minister Scott Emerson announced the review after more than 60 cycling deaths on Queensland roads in the last six years.

Safe Cycling Australia has collected more than 5000 signatures on a petition calling for a mandatory 1.5m passing distance between vehicles and pushbikes. Another cycling safety advocacy group, the Amy Gillett Foundation, has been pushing for a 1m buffer and has applauded Queensland's proposed legislation, which would be the first in Australia.

Is the cycle buffer zone a good idea? Email [e-mail] or write to GPO Box 130, Brisbane, 4001.