Cycle riders and licence plates

[Cyclone]

As a regular cyclist who obeys the rules of the road I've no problem with this.

 

If the excuses about plates being impractical, how about a hi-vis vest with a number on the back?

 

But who or what will do the policing? Will there be increased patrols by police? Will red light cameras catch cyclists?

 

Like all projects, I suspect it would just end up in bureaucracy and end up costing the public.

 

As a regular cyclists you should be against any idea that creates barriers to cycling, and this certainly does.

 

The reason you should be against them is that it's well established and proven that cyclist safety increases as numbers of cyclists increase, the theory being that drivers get more used to seeing them and driving safely.

 

Ideas like this, like compulsory helmets, like tax or insurance or licensing, they all create barriers that stop people cycling, and that makes it more dangerous for everyone who does still cycle.

 

There are plenty of practical problems with this as well, what about children for example, what about hire bikes, who pays for registration, how is the system policed and does it actually achieve anything (and if yes, is it worth the cost)?

 

---------- Post added 09-10-2014 at 13:38 ----------

 

Reg plates wouldn't work at all, I've always said that a hi-viz bib (which many already wear) with numbers printed on it would be better.

 

I wouldn't have a problem wearing one.

 

And when you were wearing a rucksack?

 

Who would issue them, and track the numbers? Would you need to get them for your children?

[Zamo]

Frightening that we elect people to positions like Police Commissioner who are so dim. Is that woman really going to influence police strategy and policy?!?

[monkey69]

As a regular cyclists you should be against any idea that creates barriers to cycling, and this certainly does.

 

The reason you should be against them is that it's well established and proven that cyclist safety increases as numbers of cyclists increase, the theory being that drivers get more used to seeing them and driving safely.

 

Ideas like this, like compulsory helmets, like tax or insurance or licensing, they all create barriers that stop people cycling, and that makes it more dangerous for everyone who does still cycle.

 

There are plenty of practical problems with this as well, what about children for example, what about hire bikes, who pays for registration, how is the system policed and does it actually achieve anything (and if yes, is it worth the cost)?

 

---------- Post added 09-10-2014 at 13:38 ----------

 

 

And when you were wearing a rucksack?

 

Who would issue them, and track the numbers? Would you need to get them for your children?

 

Thats the pot calling the kettle black isn't it?.

one of the most appealing aspects of riding a bike in a congested inner city like sheffield is the sense of freedom. You know not being stuck in traffic, being able to hop off and walk for a bit (if your legs ache) AND getting away with minor infringements of the highway code.

According to you though we should all follow the highway code to the letter. dont jaywalk, dont cycle in pavements, dont go through traffic signals, make sure you have adequate lights on when its dusk, ect,ect,ect,

If anything following those rules to the letter will put more people off cycling around a gridlocked city like Sheffield. if there is no advantage to be gained by suffering the morons who drive around then whats the attraction??

[geared]

Waste of time and money.

 

That could be said for both that suggestion and PCC's in general really I spose

[Cyclone]

Thats the pot calling the kettle black isn't it?.

one of the most appealing aspects of riding a bike in a congested inner city like sheffield is the sense of freedom. You know not being stuck in traffic, being able to hop off and walk for a bit (if your legs ache) AND getting away with minor infringements of the highway code.

According to you though we should all follow the highway code to the letter. dont jaywalk, dont cycle in pavements, dont go through traffic signals, make sure you have adequate lights on when its dusk, ect,ect,ect,

If anything following those rules to the letter will put more people off cycling around a gridlocked city like Sheffield. if there is no advantage to be gained by suffering the morons who drive around then whats the attraction??

 

You're now trying to claim that having to follow the highway code is a barrier to cycling uptake...

 

Yes, you should follow the highway code, but more specifically, the law. Cycling is not an excuse to break the law.

(Jaywalking is not an offence in the UK). Yes you should adequate lights on, if you don't you're a complete idiot!

 

There is obviously a lot to be gained, cycle paths, cut throughs, filtering past queues, but not riding without lights in the dark or jumping red lights.

[Becky B]

Thats the pot calling the kettle black isn't it?.

one of the most appealing aspects of riding a bike in a congested inner city like sheffield is the sense of freedom. You know not being stuck in traffic, being able to hop off and walk for a bit (if your legs ache) AND getting away with minor infringements of the highway code.

According to you though we should all follow the highway code to the letter. dont jaywalk, dont cycle in pavements, dont go through traffic signals, make sure you have adequate lights on when its dusk, ect,ect,ect,

If anything following those rules to the letter will put more people off cycling around a gridlocked city like Sheffield. if there is no advantage to be gained by suffering the morons who drive around then whats the attraction??

 

Why woouldn't you have lights on when it's dark? If you're riding on the road you should follow the rules of the road too.

[RootsBooster]

As a regular cyclists you should be against any idea that creates barriers to cycling, and this certainly does.

That would be down to how much it costs, in my opinion. If it's cheap enough, it's not likely to be much of a barrier.

The reason you should be against them is that it's well established and proven that cyclist safety increases as numbers of cyclists increase, the theory being that drivers get more used to seeing them and driving safely.

 

Ideas like this, like compulsory helmets, like tax or insurance or licensing, they all create barriers that stop people cycling, and that makes it more dangerous for everyone who does still cycle.

...in your opinion.

I think that if cyclists were identifiable they'd probably ride safer, knowing that there's more chance of them being reported if they can be identified.

 

There are plenty of practical problems with this as well, what about children for example, what about hire bikes, who pays for registration, how is the system policed and does it actually achieve anything (and if yes, is it worth the cost)?

In my opinion, it shouldn't apply to children under 16, as this tends to be the benchmark age when the law starts to see people as being legally responsible for themselves and their actions.

 

Hire bikes? I'm not sure how cycle hire is mostly done. If over a counter, a marked bib can be handed over with the bike, temporarily linked with the person hiring the bike (showing ID upon hire).

 

Who pays for registration? Well, ideally, I think insurance and identification should go together. You pay for insurance (it's very cheap for cyclists) and you get a policy number. The policy number, or some version of it can go on the hi-viz bib, no need for an extra registration system then.

 

Policing? That would take place the same way that car reg numbers are policed, by police. The number system itself would be self-regulated (policy number and ID number the same).

 

These are just brief ideas, I haven't given it any deep thought and I don't claim they are foolproof.

 

And when you were wearing a rucksack?

These... https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=rucksack+cover+cycling&espv=2&biw=1440&bih=799&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=rrw2VP_MJ4bd7QbF6oDwDA&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAg

Who would issue them, and track the numbers? Would you need to get them for your children?

Insurance companies and no (see above for details).

[WalkleyIan]

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/public/cyclesafety/article4231138.ece

 

Im in full agreement with the police on this one. Whats your view?

 

Actually the Police aren't pushing for it at all. That's just a sound bite from a PCC who displays an alarming amount of ignorance about how roads are funded and is basically a politician looking for airtime / click time. (which to be fair to her she has now achieved)

 

http://ipayroadtax.com/licensed-to-cycle/licensed-to-cycle/

[sugartip]

More targeting cyclists, some people have sad lives.

[WalkleyIan]

I think that if cyclists were identifiable they'd probably ride safer, knowing that there's more chance of them being reported if they can be identified.

 

 

Hey we could apply a similar idea to cars buses and lorries. If every vehicle had a unique number that identified them then no one would ever drive badly.....hang on wait a minute.