‘Strict liability’ – what is it, what can it achieve and what won’t it do?: Val and Faith are joined in the studio by Thijs van der Heiden of Sparque. 

Thijs van der Heiden in the 3CR studio

We share our bike moments and take a look at some local news including last Friday’s Critical Mass ride, Mark Cavendish’s last Giro d’Italia and the Walmer Street bridge build. 

Thijs gives us an update on Sparque, an electric bike business that makes e-bikes accessible with salary packaging, lease or buy arrangements, and it’s development since we last spoke to him a few years ago.

Discussion then turns to ‘strict liability’, an issue often raised by pedestrian and cycling advocates in Australia but which is also often misunderstood. We discuss the insurance arrangement, how it doesn’t apply to traffic or criminal matters, what it has achieved in countries adopting it, and just as important, what it hasn’t. For further reading, particularly about the Dutch experience check out Bicycle Dutch, and for a broader perspective this Report on Strict Liability.