New Zealand code for cyclists online produced by the New Zealand code of transport

Pertinent cyclists sections below

Introduction
Cycling is a great way to get around and a sport enjoyed by more than a million New Zealanders.

If only three in 100 people took up cycling instead of driving, New Zealand would save more than 1 billion dollars per year!

Cycling is the pollution solution that improves your health, increases your productivity at school or work, and enhances the safety of your community. ??

Every time you ride, you have an opportunity to help encourage a cycle friendly culture. Don't underestimate the impact that a wink or a smile and a wave can have on motorists' attitudes to cyclists.

Practice your skills and take care of your bike following this code, and enjoy a lifetime of cycling through beautiful New Zealand.
•    The cycling section
•    The signs section
•    The equipment section

This document explains cycle related rules using plain English - for the precise wording of laws you should refer to the various acts, regulations and rules which are in effect. These include:

•Land Transport Act 1998
•Land Transport Rule: Road User Rule 2004
•Land Transport Rule: Traffic Control Devices 2004
•Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Standards Compliance 2002
•Land Transport Rule: Tyres and Wheels 2001
•Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Dimension and Mass 2002
•Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Lighting 2004
•Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Equipment 2004
The law refers to ‘cycles’ which includes bicycles (bikes) and tricycles. In this document the word ‘cycle’ has been used broadly to refer to both bicycles and tricycles. The words ‘bicycle’ (and occasionally ‘bike’) or ‘tricycle’ have also been used to refer to specific types of cycles.

Other available information for cyclists:
•    advocacy and research - see www.can.org.nz
•    cycling news and events - see www.bikenz.org.nz
•    NZ government cycling resources and initiatives - see www.nzta.govt.nz  and www.bikewise.co.nz
•    local cycling - see your local and regional council web pages.

Rules
Before cycling on the road you must know the road rules. They apply to cyclists as well as those using motor vehicles. The rules help to prevent crashes and reduce risk of injury.

Equipment rules
•Cycle helmets must: be worn; meet an approved standard and be securely fastened.
•Cycles must have brakes and reflectors.
•Cycle lights must be on when it's dim or dark.
•Doubling is not allowed unless there is a special seat called a pillion fitted and there are footrests for the passenger. The legs of small children must be protected from the wheels. Passengers must wear cycle helmets.
•Cycles can tow a specially designed cycle trailer but must not be fitted with a sidecar.

Behaviour rules
•Always ride as near as you can to the left side of the road. If you are holding back traffic you must move as far as possible to the left side of the road to allow traffic to pass, as soon as you can. However, you do need to cycle in a sensible position on the road to keep safe. See Cyclist responsibilities for more information.
•Two cyclists can ride next to each other but should take into account the keep left rule and not hold back traffic. Three or more people cycling next to each other is illegal, except in the case of a road race that has been given traffic management approval from a road controlling authority.
•Ride in single file when passing vehicles.
•Use hand signals to show other road users what you are doing.
•When cycling behind other cyclists and vehicles you must be able to stop, keeping clear of the vehicle in front, if it stops suddenly. It is recommended you keep at least two seconds behind.
•You are only allowed to cycle on the footpath if you are:
    ◦    delivering newspapers or mail, or
    ◦    you are riding a small wheeled recreational device that has a wheel diameter of less than 355 millimetres (typically tricycles or small children's bicycles).
•Don't park your cycle so that it blocks paths or driveways.
•It is illegal for a cyclist to be towed on their cycle.
•Loads need to be secure, must not touch the ground and mustn't extend more than one metre out in front of or behind the wheels, or more than half metre on either side.
•You must obey all signs and signals.
•You must obey the give way rules and give way at pedestrian crossings.
•You must obey local bylaws (these often cover cycles and parks).
•Give way to emergency vehicles when their sirens are on or when lights are flashing. It is a good idea to pull over to the kerb and stop.

Cyclist responsibilities
Your responsibilities as a cyclist are to:
•Keep left
•Use the correct lane
•Pass other vehicles safely
•Use hand signals
•Be safe and courteous when cycling in groups
•Share the road and paths
•Expect hazards and ride to avoid them

Keep left
Road rules state that road users should keep as ‘near as practicable’ to the left side of the roadway. This means that you should keep left, but not to the extent that it compromises your safety.

•Ride in a position where you have a good view, and where other road users can see you. Cycling in a straight line (ie not swerving in and out) will help other road users predict your movements.
•Never ride so closely to the kerb or edge of the road that you are in danger of cycling into the kerb or off the road.
•Never ride in the ‘door zone’ (the space where car doors open) when cycling past parked cars. Allow at least one metre between you and a parked car.
•If the road is too narrow to safely allow vehicles to pass, you are in danger of being run off the road or hit by a passing car. In this situation it is acceptable to move further out into the path of traffic to prevent other users from passing you. If you do have to move further out, remember to find a gap, signal your intentions and move across when it is safe. Once you have moved out try to ride as quickly as you can and allow the following traffic to pass when the road widens.

It is recommended that young or inexperienced cyclists avoid narrow roads where cars travel quickly.

The ‘car door zone’

Use the correct lane
Before reaching an intersection, or when turning, you need to get into the correct lane. Inexperienced cyclists may choose to stop and get off in a safe place before reaching busy intersections, and walk their cycle to where they want to go.

Pass other vehicles safely
When passing moving vehicles, pass on the right unless lanes allow passing on the left, or when other vehicles are turning right. Hang back if you see a truck turning left, because cyclists are often not seen by truck drivers.

When riding past queues of stationary or slow moving vehicles, your visibility will be reduced and turning cars may not see you. Slow down and be particularly careful when there is a gap in the queue - the driver leaving the gap may have left it for a turning vehicle.

Use hand signals
Hand signals must be used at least three seconds before:
•    moving into traffic
•    stopping
•    turning left
•    turning right
•    moving from a lane.

Turning left

Slowing down or stopping

Turning right, passing or pulling out

Roundabouts
You must use hand signals before reaching a roundabout and at the roundabout. Once you are in the roundabout you may need both hands on the handlebars to keep control of the cycle, so it is okay to only indicate when you are able. For more information on indicating at roundabouts see Roundabouts.

There are also other situations where it will be difficult to use hand signals because you may need both hands on the handlebars, eg on very rough roads or in strong winds. In these cases you should stop and get off in a safe place and walk your cycle to where you want to go.

Hand signal procedure
1.Well before you need to signal, check behind to see when a good time to move or stop would be (keep both your hands on the handlebars).
2.Do the hand signal while slowly counting ‘one-thousand and one; one-thousand and two; one-thousand and three’. Then return your hand to the handlebars.
3.Check that other road users have seen you and understand your hand signal. Then carefully make your move, or stop. If you are able to make eye contact with other road users, this will help to ensure that they have seen you.
Be safe and courteous when cycling in groups

General considerations for group cycling
Group cycling can be a very enjoyable experience provided you know how to ride in groups. The ‘rules’ that should be followed are listed below:

•Each cyclist should know the route and where the next stopping/meeting place is (meeting places should not be too close to intersections).
•There must never be more than two cyclists cycling next to one another. When the road is narrow or vehicles cannot pass, everyone should cycle in single file.
•Pass other moving cyclists and motor vehicles on the right, if they are in the same lane as you.

Group cycling

•Everyone should communicate. Let others know that you are passing, stopping, slowing down or turning. Hazards need to be pointed out to cyclists behind. If a motor vehicle driver is having difficulties passing the group, the cyclists at the back should let the cyclists at the front know.
•When following a vehicle, you must have enough clear space to stop, should the vehicle in front stop suddenly. The exception is where cyclists are participating in council-approved cycle events that allow cyclists to closely follow one another (typically referred to as ‘drafting’ or ‘paceline cycling’). When riding closely, any sudden movements by any cyclist in the paceline can result in serious crashes. A good way to tell if you are leaving a safe distance between you and the cyclist in front is to use the two second rule, described in the box below.
•Everyone should ride smoothly with no sudden stops, starts or turns. If something unexpected happens, you should try your best to continue cycling smoothly and at the same time let the rest of the group know that a stop is needed.
•Advanced cyclists entering events may wish to practice their drafting skills. This skill takes time to master and should only be learnt with other experienced riders present. Your local cycling club or shop may offer courses or provide group rides with other experienced riders.

Sharing with motor vehicles
Be alert and ride safely.

•Use cycle lanes and cycle paths if they are available.
•Keep to the left side of the road when possible.
•Ride in a straight line. If you have to swerve to avoid something, try not to veer too far off line.
•Obey road rules, signs and signals.
•Only ride next to another cyclist if it safe to do so, otherwise ride in single file. It is illegal for three or more cyclists to ride next to one another.
•Always ride so that you can control your cycle and are able to stop suddenly if you have to.
•Try to be as visible as possible. Wear brightly coloured or reflective clothing and use lights at night.

Wearing bright clothing makes you more visible

•Be aware that drivers of other vehicles may not be able to see you if you are in their ‘blind spot’. Cyclists know if they are in a blind spot if they can't see the driver's eyes in the vehicle's rear view mirrors.
•If an ambulance, fire engine or police car has its siren on, you should move off the road or as far to the left as possible. Watch for motor vehicles that are also trying to move out of the way.
•Thank other road users when you can. For example, let them know you are happy they waited for you by waving, smiling, or giving them a ‘thumbs up’.
•Respect other road users and be courteous. When it's appropriate, wait for them, give them space or wave them through.
•Be ready for the unexpected - ride defensively. The most common mistakes people driving cars, trucks or buses, make are:
◦not giving way
◦passing you and then turning left straight in front of you
◦coming from the opposite direction and turning right in front of you
◦driving too close to you when they are overtaking
◦opening their doors wide enough to hit you when you are cycling past
◦not checking properly before coming out of driveways or parking places
◦cutting corners
◦driving too fast for the conditions
◦trying to be nice by letting you turn at times when it's not necessarily safe for you to make the turn. If this happens don't make a move until you can see that the way is clear in all the lanes you need to cross. Wave them on if you want to.
What drivers would like cyclists to know

•Drivers expect cyclists to obey the road rules and to be courteous, ie using hand signals and not cycling through red traffic signals.
•Because cars travel fast it can be difficult to stop them quickly and safely - so responding to hazards on the road is normally harder for the driver of a motor vehicle than for a cyclist.
•Unpredictable cycling behaviour can be unsettling - try not to swerve or change direction suddenly.
•Drivers can feel delayed by cyclists.

Emergency stop for a car pulling out

Sharing with pedestrians
•Where there are a lot of pedestrians, slow down and be prepared to stop quickly.
•Be careful when cycling past parked vehicles or stopped buses, as pedestrians may suddenly appear.
•Slow down and be ready to stop for any pedestrians on, or stepping onto, a crossing. See Using different types of pedestrian crossings for more information on legal stopping requirements at different types of pedestrian crossings.
•If you want to use a pedestrian crossing to cross the road you must get off your cycle and walk. The exception is at crossings with special traffic signals for cyclists - here you may cycle across the crossing when the signal shows a green cycle symbol. See Using shared pedestrian and cycle crossings for more information on these types of crossings.
•Shared paths (paths that allow pedestrians and cyclists) have their own set of rules - for more information on these, see Shared paths.
What pedestrians would like cyclists to know

•If you are on a footpath with your cycle you should be walking with it, unless you are delivering mail or are cycling a wheeled recreation device that has a wheel diameter less than 355 millimetres (normally a tricycle or small child's bicycle).
•Pedestrians often can't hear cyclists approaching, especially from behind or to the side. Call out politely or use a bell if you have one.
•Children, especially those under the age of nine, may have poor road skills. Be very careful when cycling near them.
•Until children reach 15 years their vision is not fully developed. This limits their ability to see easily to their sides and can mean they may not see you until you are in their direct line of vision.
•Children have trouble judging the speed of moving cyclists, so they may try to cross the road even if they do see you.
•Some people may have disabilities that prevent them from reacting or moving quickly.

Children may be hard to spot behind vehicles and may behave unexpectedly

Helpful hints for cycling defensively in traffic

•Look for the presence of people inside a parked car - a door may open or the car may move off.
•When a vehicle is stationary, look for brake lights or exhaust fumes - this is a sign that the car has started and may be about to leave.
•Look for indicator lights on vehicles - but be careful not to rely on them - wait to see if the car's speed reduces or it changes direction.
•At side roads and intersections, look at the angle of other vehicles' front wheels - this may give you an idea about what direction they might be about to head in.
•Where possible try to make eye contact with other road users.
•Before checking behind you, check that the forward path is clear.
•Listen for changes to the pitch of a vehicle's engine. Learn to recognise the sounds of accelerating, braking, and changing gear.
•Look for shadows on the road, reflections in shop windows and vehicle lights at night to give clues about hazards.
•When riding past queues of vehicles, your visibility will be reduced and turning cars may not see you. Slow down and be particularly careful when there is a gap in the queue - the driver leaving the gap may have left it for a turning vehicle.
•In the rain:
◦wear reflective clothing and use your lights
◦ride slowly and keep the bicycle upright especially on corners
◦brake slowly and smoothly using both brakes
◦avoid surface water, drains and rough surfaces.

Based on information from Cyclecraft - the complete guide to safe and enjoyable cycling for adults and children, written by John Franklin.

Shared paths
It is normally illegal to ride on footpaths, unless delivering mail or when cycling a wheeled recreational device that has a wheel diameter less than 355 millimetres (normally a tricycle or small child's bicycle), but some councils have created shared paths that both cyclists and pedestrians can use.

Sometimes the shared path is sign posted to let you know what type of user has priority, and in this case, you need to give way to the user who has priority. When a shared path does not have priority signs, you should give way to the slower user. However, if you encounter a horse on a shared path it is sensible to give way to the horse, as they are easily startled.

All users on shared paths are required by law to use shared paths fairly and safely, and to try and not hold anyone up.

If you are riding on a shared path you should:
•keep left
•let pedestrians know you are there by politely calling out or ringing a bell when you are approaching from behind them
•pass on the right, when possible - unless the pedestrians are on the right in which case pass them in the safest way you see fit
•ride defensively and cycle at a speed that does not put others at risk
•look out for traffic going in and out of driveways - vehicles from driveways do need to give way to those on the shared path, but often drivers may not expect fast traffic on the shared path
•be careful at intersections and give way to motor vehicles if you need to.
Expect hazards and ride to avoid them
Being a safe cyclist means being aware of hazards and being prepared for them. In this section we have listed hazards you may encounter while cycling. Read these lists and think about:

•where and when you might encounter these hazards
•what might happen
•what you would do if any one of these hazards occurred suddenly
•how you might avoid the hazards.
Plan your trip with the hazards you might encounter in mind. When cycling, continuously check for hazards.

Consider taking a cyclist skills course. Research has shown that after training, cyclists have five times fewer injuries than non-trained cyclists.

Road surface hazards
•Debris - gravel, rocks, leaves etc.
•Things that have been thrown or dropped on the road.
•Glass.
•Oil leaks from cars.
•Drains without covers, or covers with grills parallel to your direction of travel.
•Deep gutters.
•Roads with a steep side slope.
•Railway lines.
•Potholes and uneven road surfaces particularly on the side of the road.
•Gaps or steep ridges between the tarseal and the gutter.
•Sudden patches of gravelled road.
•Metal plates in wet weather.
•Shiny tarseal in wet weather.
•Paint markings in wet weather.
•Paint markings, reflectors and rumble strips that have very thick sides.
•Some road features, such as built-out sections of footpath that narrow the road and assist pedestrians crossing.

Road works, uneven surfaces and metal plates can all be hazardous in certain situations.