Police action on motorists endangering cyclists

[Santo]

Most people tend to think that bikes are cheap.

 

A good bike costs as much as a reasonably new small hatchback.

Each tyre can cost as much as a car tyre, as can brake pads.

Lube etc is usually more expensive for bikes, a little 250ml bottle of chain lube is the same price as 5L for my car.

 

This is if you're doing it properly and care about your bike, safety and performance.

 

They usually are less of a burden on the health system due to being healthier.

 

Yes appreciated. But I'm fed up of whinging about bikes. Loads of people have a bike AND a car so pay all the costs of both.

 

In 2008 (financial crisis) Argos started selling a knock-off Brompton for £99. It was very popular indeed.

[Cyclone]

Owning a majority of motor vehicles will incur VED. Almost all will require paying for a MOT or PSV and the preparation required to pass this along with registration and insurance. (There is a disproportionate amount of duty on road fuel too compared to your breakfast or lunch). Cyclists are required to comply with none of this, despite sharing the same roads and being just as capable of commuting carelessly or causing accidents. That isn't my idea of proportionate.

 

You think that cyclists should have to pay more tax because they COULD commute carelessly?

As a society we want to encourage cycling, not put up barriers, the more cyclists the better for everyone. I say that cyclists should be given a partial refund on the VED for 1 motor vehicle.

[RootsBooster]

Owning a majority of motor vehicles will incur VED. Almost all will require paying for a MOT or PSV and the preparation required to pass this along with registration and insurance. (There is a disproportionate amount of duty on road fuel too compared to your breakfast or lunch). Cyclists are required to comply with none of this, despite sharing the same roads and being just as capable of commuting carelessly or causing accidents. That isn't my idea of proportionate.

 

What exactly would you like them to pay for, to even things out?

 

(By the way, most food tends to have less harmful exhaust gasses, if we're getting proportional)

[Berberis]

Could we have some action on cyclists using the footpaths or jumping red lights/going through pedestrian crossings too please.

[Flexo]

I say that cyclists should be given a partial refund on the VED for 1 motor vehicle.

 

What a good idea!

 

Albeit rather unworkable in practice. But you still benefit from reduced fuel costs, improved fitness and a more pleasurable way to travel, so chin up!

[soopah]

Could we have some action on cyclists using the footpaths or jumping red lights/going through pedestrian crossings too please.

 

I would genuinely like to see this. These are the folks who give the rest of us a bad name.

 

However, I'd like to also see more action for drivers doing the same.

Neither side are blameless.

[Santo]

Could we have some action on cyclists using the footpaths or jumping red lights/going through pedestrian crossings too please.

 

Why not start a thread about that? Include your ideas of how to enforce this.

 

Since there is no number plate on a bike I'm pretty sure the only way is if they are caught red handed by a police officer. What makes you think they wouldn't have a word with them now if they saw such behaviour?

Edited September 19, 2016 by Santo

[Berberis]

I would genuinely like to see this. These are the folks who give the rest of us a bad name.

 

However, I'd like to also see more action for drivers doing the same.

Neither side are blameless.

 

I dont believe there are many motorists who drive on the footpaths to get round traffic lights and there is already lots of measures used to catch cars etc that jump red lights.

 

I drive through sheffield every day and I have watched many cyclist as I drove. More often than not I see them ride through red lights. It seems to be that it's pretty uncommon to see a cyclist waiting at a set of traffic lights. Maybe its the fair weather cyclists that are to blame, I'm not sure? Its also only my personal opinion and I assume many others will disagree, however I have never had a car drive at me on a pedestrian crossing shouting for me to get out of there way. I have had the same experience with a cyclist, who, if he had given me a second more time to think, would have felt my boot.

 

---------- Post added 19-09-2016 at 15:25 ----------

 

Why not start a thread about that? Include your ideas of how to enforce this.

 

There have been many threads discussing this on there and all end up in a slagging match. Those who were willing to compromise are drowned out by the militant cyclists who seem to think we should all be kissing their behinds for doing us all such a good service.

[Flexo]

I've seen loads of cars going through red lights in recent weeks. Two of them completely failed to notice the lights at all and went through lights that had been red for some time (not recently changed). In one instance, the driver going across on green was being observant and did an emergency stop. In the other instance there wasn't anything from the other direction at that time.

 

Mostly it's drivers gambling and going over the stop line when the light has changed to red, despite having plenty of ability to stop.

 

I haven't seen anyone on a bicycle run a red light recently; no doubt some do, though I can't get worked up about that.

 

The red light thing is done to death, very boring and not related to the topic of this thread.

 

Back on topic now?

[Cyclone]

Ah, I went back and looked. You didn't have a point, you were just arguing the minutiae of points that other people had made, taking them out of context or making pointless observations.

 

---------- Post added 19-09-2016 at 15:35 ----------

 

There have been many threads discussing this on there and all end up in a slagging match. Those who were willing to compromise are drowned out by the militant cyclists who seem to think we should all be kissing their behinds for doing us all such a good service.

 

I suspect that the problem is that the 'good' cyclists dislike being told that "cyclists do this" and "cyclists do that". You know, stereotyping.

In addition to the minority of drivers putting their lives at risk, and the posters who defend those drivers with nonsense like "cyclists run red lights" or "cyclists don't pay road tax". As if that makes the driving you'll see on my youtube channel acceptable somehow.

 

---------- Post added 19-09-2016 at 15:37 ----------

 

What a good idea!

 

Albeit rather unworkable in practice. But you still benefit from reduced fuel costs, improved fitness and a more pleasurable way to travel, so chin up!

 

It's true, I am fitter, smarter, more well off and better looking than my twin double who doesn't cycle.

But I'd still like a refund of 90% on my VED as well. Who wouldn't, that'd pay for an ultra bright headlight to try to discourage drivers from ignoring me.