Call to make road cyclists register bikes after Mark Young has collarbone, three ribs broken
A Mount Martha man is calling for cyclists to be registered after an incident left him with broken bones and a big bill. HAVE YOUR SAY
South East
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A nasty accident on the Mornington Peninsula has reignited a call to introduce registration for cyclists.
Mark Young is nursing a fractured collar bone and three broken ribs after a pair of cyclists allegedly forced him off the Esplanade at Mount Martha on Sunday night.
The 61-year-old builder is also expected to be without his work vehicle for at least three months because of damage caused by the accident.
“I’m out of pocket and off work and will have to wait months for parts to fix my car,” Mr Young said.
“Yet the cyclists who caused it all are scott free.
“They didn’t even stop and I have no way of identifying them.”
Mr Young said serious cyclists sharing road with cars should be held accountable through registration.
“I think bikes that cost $1500 or more should come with compulsory registration and third party insurance.
“I’m not talking about kids on push bikes. I mean expensive bikes that adults use on the roads.”
Mr Young said he was heading home along the narrow cliff top road about 9.30pm on Sunday when he navigated a bend and encountered two cyclists riding side-by-side “in the middle of the road”.
“I had to swerve onto the other side of the road to avoid them,” he said.
The manoeuvre put Mr Young into the path of an oncoming car and close to the edge of the clifftop road.
“I had to swing back onto my side of the road and the front of the car went into a culvert and hit a small tree.”
Mr Young said he was travelling about 30 km/h when he first saw the cyclists.
“It’s a windy road with lots of blind corners. I came around one and they were right there, I was almost on top of them when I first saw them.”
He said the bikes did not have lights and the riders were not wearing reflective clothing.
“I don’t think they had helmets on either.”
Mr Young did not report the accident to police and is insured.
His call for registration follows a 2021 survey that revealed close to 200 people wanted cycling restricted on the Esplanade between Mount Martha and Safety Beach.
A Leader poll revealed that of the 193 respondents, 183 wanted bikes banned.
The stretch of the narrow, winding, single lane road has double lines that prohibit a motorist from legally overtaking another vehicle or cyclist.
No restrictions on cycling are in place along the Esplanade and the route is hugely popular on weekends.
The Esplanade is an arterial road managed by the state government.
At the time of the poll the Department of Transport said all road users had a responsibility to ensure roads remained safe.
“We urge all road users to share the road safely, be patient and give each other space,” a spokesman said.
Bicycle Network has been contacted.