Cycleists should have to take a test
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Cyclists are a hazard. Wether they are riding sensibly or not. By the highway code, anything that causes a vehicle to adjust it's speed or course is a hazard. That hazard is allowed free reign over the roads (and perhaps rightly so. Environmentally friendly, healthy and if it wasn't for cars... safe) with the exception of motorways (and dual carriageways? im not sure there).
Cyclists do cause accidents. Wether its their fault or not, accidents are caused by the fact they are slow, often unweildy and unpredictable. A large proportion do not adhere to road rules and regulations and as such, put other cyclists and road users (including public transports, not just cars) at risk. Cars are as much to blame for these accidents as the cyclists. Cars cause just as many accidents by themselves, so im not saying that cyclists are in the wrong. But, cars pay insurance. Cars pay road tax. Cars pay fuel taxes (of course, i dont expect to see a cycle equivalient. im just saying) Do cyclists have to pay congestion charges? actually scratch that they dont really cause congestion do they.
In any case, cyclists have just as much responsibilty over the lives of road users as car owners. Therefore, they should also have the responsibility of protecting themselves and others from these accidents by taking a mandatory road usage test, (perhaps free.. i dont know) and buy (very cheap) insurance. Although perhaps road tax is just me being bitter
Cyclists do cause accidents. Wether its their fault or not, accidents are caused by the fact they are slow, often unweildy and unpredictable. A large proportion do not adhere to road rules and regulations and as such, put other cyclists and road users (including public transports, not just cars) at risk. Cars are as much to blame for these accidents as the cyclists. Cars cause just as many accidents by themselves, so im not saying that cyclists are in the wrong. But, cars pay insurance. Cars pay road tax. Cars pay fuel taxes (of course, i dont expect to see a cycle equivalient. im just saying) Do cyclists have to pay congestion charges? actually scratch that they dont really cause congestion do they.
In any case, cyclists have just as much responsibilty over the lives of road users as car owners. Therefore, they should also have the responsibility of protecting themselves and others from these accidents by taking a mandatory road usage test, (perhaps free.. i dont know) and buy (very cheap) insurance. Although perhaps road tax is just me being bitter
Don't start me on cycle lanes and drivers. The local council has just put green cycle areas at all the new traffic lights, supposedly for cyclists to be able to get to the front of the line. I can never stop there because 9/10 there's a blummin car stuck in it!
As for cyclists riding like pillocks, yes quite a few do. As said, you do need to ride aggressively to maintain your road presence especially in built up city areas or in traffic. However, with regards to red lights that's a proper no-no for me - even if I'm stuck in traffic and not in my new green cycle area.
As for cyclists riding like pillocks, yes quite a few do. As said, you do need to ride aggressively to maintain your road presence especially in built up city areas or in traffic. However, with regards to red lights that's a proper no-no for me - even if I'm stuck in traffic and not in my new green cycle area.
The worst thing are groups of cyclists they think they own the road as there are lots of them. I hate large sponsored bike rides 80%+ of the bikers cannot ride safely. You get 4 or more in a row on the wrong side of the road on corners. When you break to stop they look at you like its your fault and they have a right to be on the wrong side of white line and the one who jump red lights bug me two.
Soldato
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FWIW, I drive and also cycle... It can help, as when you are on the bike, you can often see things from a drivers perspective, and vica verca.
There are good and bad drivers, and good and bad cyclists.
A bad cyclist will probably injure themselves, and maybe others...
A bad motorist will often cause as much damage to others as to themselves...
Going back to the original point, I wouldn't be against a bike test. Something like a CBT for mopeds would be good... as long as it's not too expensive.
There are good and bad drivers, and good and bad cyclists.
A bad cyclist will probably injure themselves, and maybe others...
A bad motorist will often cause as much damage to others as to themselves...
Going back to the original point, I wouldn't be against a bike test. Something like a CBT for mopeds would be good... as long as it's not too expensive.
Yeah driving definitely makes you more aware from a drivers perspective
For example, gf's brother has red and white lights on the front of his bike. That would confuse the **** out of drivers in the dark but he just doesn't seem to understand why
God help us the day he gets behind the wheel 
For example, gf's brother has red and white lights on the front of his bike. That would confuse the **** out of drivers in the dark but he just doesn't seem to understand why
God help us the day he gets behind the wheel For example, gf's brother has red and white lights on the front of his bike. That would confuse the **** out of drivers in the dark but he just doesn't seem to understand why
Bikes seem to have become imune to the laws governing lights it seems every second one I see has flashing led that and blinking led the other! As far as I'm aware the legal requirment for any vehicle on the orad in poor visibility is a continuously lit red light on the back and a continuosly lit white/yellow one on the front. I know for a fact if I replaced my tail lights with flashing red ones I'd be stopped so why a bikes not?
Soldato
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I was told by a bloke in a bike shop that you can't use flashing lights on its own, it has to have a constantly on one with it. I was like, WTF is the point of that?
Anyway, as a very keen cyclist, I follow traffic rules as far as I can (traffic lights etc) but sometimes if Im talking with a mate or somethings just happened my concentration lacks.
But after at-least 5,000 miles on my bike over 10 years, I haven't had an incident, reasonably close calls but nothing that required major breaking on either side car or bike
Should be taught in school tbh, one or two lessons on cycling safety. But then again I didn't and I just use common sense and look around constantly about whats happening.
IMO the driving test should be far harder, far far far far far far FAR too many total and utter ****s on the roads....
He's right. Flashing lights aren't illegal, but the requirement is that there must be solidly lit lamps before flashing lights are allowed.
Yeah mine was taught in school
It was run by old people with nothing better to do (they were really sour) but at least it got some proper riding practises into our young minds and didn't cost us anything.RE the driving test, there's definitely too many ****s on the road, but I reckon a harder test wouldn't change that
It would be exactly the same as at the moment - because It's not how people drive during their test that's the problem, it's how people drive after their test. If people drove on the road how they did during the test, it would A) be really slow, but B) be much safer. I admit I don't drive how I did during my test, but really, I don't think the test is sensible - it's unrealistic to expect a driver to follow routines like that for the rest of their driving life!Attitudes towards driving are what need to be changed really... maybe some propaganda video before the test, explaining exactly why they shouldn't drive fast. Some stuff that will stick in their heads - like some convicted dangerous driver interviews who have killed people by driving too fast, some re-creations of crashes showing how suddenly things can change and how easy it is to take a life by accident...
That to bring the truth home, and some measures against anti-social driving (www.operationcrackdown.org is there for sussex
).
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Soldato
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Wrong. The law changed last year - (Most) flashing lights on bikes are now legal. I think they are safer as they make bikes more noticeable.
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I don't care about legality here, it's not about what's legal, it's about being polite and considerate to other road users. If they wish to ride eight abreast, I couldn't care, as long as they move over to assist traffic who wish to pass.
It's not a legal requirement to let people out of a junction, or to let someone cross in front of you who wishes to turn into a road or whatever on your side of the road, but you do it, because it's the polite and considerate thing to do.
I hate cyclists who blatently run red lights. It's one of my pet hates.
Never go to amsterdam, all dutch people ingore traffic lights, the people you see standing at red lights are tourists
azagoth said:
Right so I'd have to pay monthly for a bike?
Really that would mean about 5 million people would dump their bike and replace with a car, because they have to pay anyhow, wich will only results in a worse situation for cars.
I want you to pay me too, not gona happen though.DampCat said:
Seriously, who's gona pay for all those 7 and 8 year olds going to school?
The parents?
I mean really if you tax bikes it means the only free way of transportation would be waling, wich is stupid imo.
Most of you anti bike people should really avoid the NL, here about 50 % never uses lights, always ingores red lights unless there's police around, and most don't comply to the requirements by the law ( 2 working brakes, a bell, etc...).
But the police hardly ever check bikes so you can get away very easely.
Btw when I was in the UK I was woundering about 2 things wich imo looked very stupid:
1: Why on earth do bikers stand in line with cars in a jam, there's easly enough space to pass the cars, is it illegal to overtake cars or something?
2: Do you guys have to wear helmets
? Pretty much everyone I saw was wearing a helmet .Btw with bikes I actually mean bicycles, sorry if that caused any confusion, just used to saying bikes...
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Btw when I was in the UK I was woundering about 2 things wich imo looked very stupid:
1: Why on earth do bikers stand in line with cars in a jam, there's easly enough space to pass the cars, is it illegal to overtake cars or something?
2: Do you guys have to wear helmets
Btw with bikes I actually mean bicycles, sorry if that caused any confusion, just used to saying bikes...
1: People do go past cars, but it's dodgy if a car doesn't see you on a bike, they're just being safe!
2: They'd rather keep their skull in tact if they fall over or get hit by a car.
cyclist **** me off, trying to get a bus around them when they won't move over is SO irritating its untrue. Also they have a habbit of sitting in my blind spot at roundabouts. I tend to sit the bus on the yellow line just so the idiots can't get in the blind spot or leap frog past me just to hold me up again 10 seconds later. Occasionally you meet a cyclist that realises your a bus not a car and will try to let you pass.
I didn't realise thats what you were getting at - fair point. But you can hardly say that drivers are always considerate. They cut into cycle lanes, stop in the areas at traffic lights that are meant for cyclists, they pass to close and too quickly. OK, thats a lot of examples that cause me a problem when I'm on my bike. So when I'm in my car, what about the person that sits a foot off my back bumper, pulls out in front of me etc. etc.
Lots of impolite and incosiderate things happen on our roads, and that isn't down to bikes, or cars, or buses. Have you ever considered that maybe you should show a bit of consideration for that cyclist who is a bit wobbly, or whatever. You don't own the road, regardless of whether you pay road tax or not, no matter how much you would like to think it.
However, I realise, especially in this forum, that this isn't an argument I'm going to win, so we should probably just both admit that cyclists and drivers both cause their fair share of problems on the roads
I ride like a complete ****.
It's weird, I jump on a mountain bike and instantly become an urban terrorist.
I vary wildly between pavement and road, up and down walls, all sorts. I always get out the way of cars though because as a car driver I am sympathetic towards them and naturally hate "normal" cyclists
It's weird, I jump on a mountain bike and instantly become an urban terrorist.
I vary wildly between pavement and road, up and down walls, all sorts. I always get out the way of cars though because as a car driver I am sympathetic towards them and naturally hate "normal" cyclists
Or that giving way to the right on roundabouts includes them & they shouldn't just drift onto them, thinking they don't take up any space.
Also those electric old people buggys everyone these days are a nightmare on the road as well. No lights, mirrors or tax ffs.