Food for Thought: Should Cyclists Pay Road Tax?

[JBuk]

Also for some reason car drivers tend to get cross when I overtake them and do silly things like move out (or in) to try and block the route - that's plain stupid as I can do speeds of 30 MPH.

Yeah that is so annoying and dangerous too, that happens so often, infact this happened to me once and there was a police car behind the idiot that cut me up and nearly forced me off the road, I looked at the officer and gestured to them hoping they would go and have a word with the idiot but they just gave me a blank look

I do find it amusing though when boy racers rev up and look at me whilst at traffics lights as if we're about to have some kind of race, like a cyclist is ever going to win lol

 

[willhub]

He should have pulled over totally into the other lane.

I was going down a steep hill, the speed limit was 60mph.

 

[oddjob62]

Yes, and they should also have insurance too. For those time that the ****s leave a nice long scratch in your paintwork as they try to squeeze trough a gap in traffic, and then disappear off into the distance.

Surely if they disappear off into the distance it makes no difference if they have insurance or not.

 

[snail1]

Surely if they disappear off into the distance it makes no difference if they have insurance or not.

True - but this behvaiour is what gives cyclists a bad name along with Red Light jumping etc.

I would strongly encourage all serious cyclists to check their insurance situaton. As has been stated many house-hold insurance policies cover liability on the road. I noted some (Willhub?) say he was thinking about - my advice is to check if you are covered and if not, get it sorted.

I was involved in a collision with the rear of a Mini. Low speed, but it still caused over £ 500 worth of damage. Our insurance companies sorted it and the lady driver of the mini is happy as she had her car repaired and I can sleep at night knowing that the right thing has been done.

 

[Azagoth]

Surely if they disappear off into the distance it makes no difference if they have insurance or not.

CCTV would still allow them to be recognised, and if they also paid road tax they'd have to have some sort of Tax Disc on display too.

 

[rypt]

We are allowed to do that nor should we be forced to cycle right at the edge of the road where nasty things like drains exists.

In fact I once overtook a copper at 35 and he did a double take , looked at his speedo and then gave me the thumbs up!

Re the first point: I never had a problem with my mountain bike handling drains - if your bike can't handle it, then get a better bike. Most of the city round here has cycle lanes as it is; and doing 5mph, on a gentle slope in a 30mph zone two abreast is not sensible - and falls under the "you must not ride in an inconsiderate manner" of the highway code.

Equally, if you were doing 35 in a 30 you are once again breaking the law; as (per the highway code) you must obey all traffic signs - which includes speed limit signs.

 

[JBuk]

How did you manage to hit the rear ?

Cyclists do get a bad rep as lots jump red lights,etc but I see far more motorists doing it which imo is far more dangerous

 

[Glaucus]

How did you manage to hit the rear ?

Cyclists do get a bad rep as lots jump red lights,etc but I see far more motorists doing it which imo is far more dangerous

Sorry I have to call bs on that one. Far more motorists jump red lights? You have to be joking.

 

[oddjob62]

True - but this behvaiour is what gives cyclists a bad name along with Red Light jumping etc.

My point is, people who knowingly break the rules anyway are more than likely to ride without insurance even if it was manadatory. I myself have public liability cover for the reasons you stated.

 

[willhub]

Sorry I have to call bs on that one. Far more motorists jump red lights? You have to be joking.

In the city center here it does seem like it is as common.

 

[snail1]

How did you manage to hit the rear ?

Cyclists do get a bad rep as lots jump red lights,etc but I see far more motorists doing it which imo is far more dangerous

Pouring with rain going downhill on a narrow road. She slammed on the brakes so did I, however my bike does not have ABS.....

 

[JBuk]

Re the first point: I never had a problem with my mountain bike handling drains - if your bike can't handle it, then get a better bike. .

Its down to the tyre design and most road bikes have slim tyres with little grip which are not ideal for going over slippery drains

 

[oddjob62]

Sorry I have to call bs on that one. Far more motorists jump red lights? You have to be joking.

Even as a cyclist i must agree with AH2 on that one. The other difference is that when you see a motorist do it, it's most a second or two after a change ( i'm not saying makes it ok), wheras you often see cyclists go straight through a light that has been red for a while.

 

[rypt]

Its down to the tyre design and most road bikes have slim tyres with little grip which are not ideal for going over slippery drains

Which is my point; if you can't handle the road conditions get a better bike.

I can go get a supercar and then moan all day about the pot holes and the speed bumps and so on - but end of the day I am the one to blame for buying a certain vehicle that is not suitable for the prevalent conditions

 

[JBuk]

Sorry I have to call bs on that one. Far more motorists jump red lights? You have to be joking.

Why would it be bull? there are are far more motorvehicles on the road than cyclists

I may see one or two cyclists when I'm out and the may jump reds but I will see at least 10 times more drivers jump reds

 

[snail1]

My point is, people who knowingly break the rules anyway are more than likely to ride without insurance even if it was manadatory. I myself have public liability cover for the reasons you stated.

I agree - and I think that the same applies across the board. How many motorists drive without insurance and how much do I pay in my annual premium for this? I would not object to compulsory insurance for cyclists such as myself who commute over 1000 miles a year but there would be serious problems with implementation. But I take your point - that it is the chav on the stolen mountain bike who bangs a car who will not stop and will not be covered.

 

[semi-pro waster]

I also have issue with the "Don't need a license to ride on the roads" and "No MOT" meaning that someone with no idea of the highway code and no working brakes/lights can travel the same roads as me just because he's on a bike - if it was a car he'd be arrested and fined at the very least but seemingly a bike is OK! However seen as currntly neither of those requirements are law I can't blame the cyclists for that.

Technically an MOT doesn't mean your car is safe either, it simply means that the car passed the stipulated tests on that particular day. While it is irresponsible to ride a bike that isn't functioning 100% safely it comes back to a point I made above, in an accident the person most likely to come off badly is a cyclist unfortunately.

Sorry I have to call bs on that one. Far more motorists jump red lights? You have to be joking.

Maybe not always red lights but I see a quite astonishing number of people driving through when the lights are quite clearly amber or even red, it's as if going faster through makes it ok somehow. At the point where you've got the choice of stopping quite comfortably at the lights or accelerating through on amber/red a quite sizeable minority seem to pick the second option.

 

[Glaucus]

amber although wrong isn't really dangerous as the other lights have not changed yet. cyclists however just go through regardless of how long it's been. Driving in Bristol you might see 2 or 3 cars jump lights. But you will see scores of bikes jump lights.

 

[JBuk]

Which is my point; if you can't handle the road conditions get a better bike.

I can go get a supercar and then moan all day about the pot holes and the speed bumps and so on - but end of the day I am the one to blame for buying a certain vehicle that is not suitable for the prevalent conditions

I completely disagree

Even 2 1/2 inch mtb tyres can slip on drains
Road bikes are designed for the road, the tyres are designed for the road, the simplest way to stay safe is to avoid drains , which isn't a problem as cyclists should be riding away from the kerb anyways

 

[uk_unbeliever]

I don't disagree that jumping lights on a bike or in a car is dangerous, but would find it interesting to tally up how many times people break the law on their communte to work on a bike v's in a car. I know for certain that for me it would definately be the car. I know that i definately concentrate less in the care too. Not intentially, but it definately happens more