Cyclist in wheel trouble over ‘dangerous’ practice

THE state peak body for cycling has slammed a bike rider caught on camera being towed by a car on a busy Gold Coast road.

In the photos it appears the man is holding onto the car deliberately as it travels down Oxley Drive in Runaway Bay. The road is a 60km/h zone.

Bicycle Queensland spokesman Andrew Demack said being towed by cars was an unsafe practice.

“It’s pretty simple from our point of view,” Mr Demack said. “It’s not a safe practice, it’s illegal. If they’re breaking the law, the police should deal with them.

“Lots of people on the Gold Coast enjoy the health benefits (of cycling) and we’d much rather concern ourselves with those aspects.”

Gold Coast traffic boss Senior Sergeant Bradyn Murphy said while they didn’t see cyclists taking part in this everyday, it was a “dangerous offence” to be towed by a car.

“It normally happens with utes,” he said.

“If it happens, (the motorist) can slow down and advise the cyclist not to do it.”

He said cyclists being towed had ended up underneath car wheels before and both cyclists and motorists knowingly taking part could be fined.

“The bike’s not designed to be at that speed,” he said.

It was unclear whether or not the motorist was aware of the cycling hitch hiker.