I would like to see the following happen as regards the laws on cycling:
1. Wearing of helmets should be made compulsory. I have experienced first hand how a helmet can save your life. If you are old enough to ride a bike, even a childs, you should wear a helmet.
2. Bicycles should be registered using a number stamped on the frame and logged with an authority like the DVLA. This would help aginst bicycle theft which appears to be on the increase and it would also be able to confirm a cylists name should he/she be stopped for running a red light. You know who you are and you are giving the rest of us law obiding cyclists a bad name. And pay road tax for using the road plus insurance for the accident they are involved in 1. That's our lookout. Unlike the current government in the UK, I believe people have a right to be stupid. You're right, helmets can save your life, but it's my choice if I want to be stupid and risk my life. We don't like being told what to do!
2. And are you also proposing that there's a registration fee to pay for this, as with driving? One of the many reasons that cycling is so great is that it's appealing to people on low incomes who can't afford cars. If it's possible to buy a bike for 拢20 off a mate, and this fee would probably be at least that, then it's going to put a lot of people off cycling. Sorry mate, bike theft is a problem - I've had three nicked - but your solution's not worth it.
Insurance... there may be a case for that, but it would have to be minimal as a) we don't want to put people off cycling, and b) I'd be interested in how many accidents are actually caused by cyclists. I can't imagine them doing a lot of damage.
Mind you, if cyclists have to have insurance, then so should pedestrians. I bet they cause as many accidents as cyclists.
Stop worrying about other people's misdeeds. Ok, so a few cyclists can't follow the rules of the road, but If somebody's small-minded enough to tar all cyclists with the same brush then you should be strong-minded enough not to pay attention to them. You know you've done nothing wrong.
ps: to those people who say we should pay road tax: how many miles does a car do? Tens of thousands. How many miles does a bike do? Hundreds at best. How much of the width of the road does a bike take compared to a car? How much does a bike weigh? A few kilograms. How much does a car weigh? About a ton. How much more damage does a ton weight do to a road compared to a few kilos?
Do you want the country to keel over and die of heart attack through lack of exercise? Why not go the whole hog and have a number stamped on everybody's forehead? That would make it easy to confirm a pedestrian's name should he be stopped for crossing the road on a red pedestrian light.
I've been a cyclist for over four decades. Heaven forbid that the native freedom of cycling should be yet another loss to a bureaucratic centralised control system. We're close enough to a police state as it is.
Note:- Cyclists do pay tax. Road tax was not instituted to pay for the USE of the roads, but to pay for the repair to DAMAGE caused to the highways by motor vehicles. This is why road tax is banded according to vehicle size.
Roads are built by local authority highway agencies, funded by council tax (formerly rates), not road tax. Therefore, cyclists have paid to use the roads, and as they do no damage to roads, they do not pay a levy to repair them. Safety is important yes - but safety of oneself should be down to oneself, not legislated by the nanny state.
The only thing I would like to see is cyclists having to have some form of road insurance - I don't see why it should be the responsibility of every other road user to finance anyone elses bad luck, stupidity or lack of training and subsequent mishaps whilst operating their chosen form of transport.
And yes, I do cycle and I do drive a car and own a motorcycle too - and I'm as careful as I can be. Camel Herder are you Big Brother?
To analogize: I wear my seat belt in my car each and every time I drive -- we don't need a law telling me to. My children came home from the hospital and rode in a approved car child seat every time they were in a moving vehicle until they were 48lbs.-- we don't need a law telling me to do so. I wear my cycling helmet each and every time I ride my bike -- we don't need a law telling us to do so.
WE DON'T NEED A NANNY STATE.
Back in the day .... in fact on my collector 1970 bike it still appears to this day ... we had bicycle registration and they had to display a license (with its own number) on the bike. It was a bureaucratic nightmare. Non-enforceable with children involved, and the premise of recovery through identification was a pipe dream. It was thought through and discontinued.
What you do doesn't give me a bad name. You run the light... you are at fault...not me.
WE DON'T NEED SAVED FROM OURSELVES.
By the way I am insured for liability while riding my bicycle. Are you? I am a careful rider who takes few chances and obeys the law. Are you? It Is a law here where I am to wear a helmet when riding a bike.
You get a fine If you caught without one. 1. Helmet usage is self-selecting, no need for a law. Those who don't have nothing to protect, and we won't miss them when they're gone. Darwin was right.
2. Terrific. More government bureaucracy. Sorry, I don't see a big problem with bike theft. Secure it, and don't leave it laying around in sketchy areas, there isn't a problem.
I'm with you on traffic law enforcement. We'd all be better off and get where we're going faster if motor vehicles AND cyclists did what they're supposed to do.
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Edit: An exception to my feeling on fees and government. In Wisconsin, they have a nominal trail use fee. If you've ever ridden on their singletrack or rails-to-trails system, you'd probably agree that you get good value for your money. NO!
I always wear a helmet when I ride, and who are you to say that someone doesn't have the right not to? Oh wait, you must be a fascist. I ride a bicycle because after the initial investment, it's free. I don't have to have it registered with the state. I don't have to put gas in it. I don't have to get it insured. Bicycling is about freedom, not rules. Cyclists who run red lights and ride like @$$ho!e$ will eventually get hurt or killed. Same goes for motorists who drive like crap. Seatbelt laws, registration, licenses, etc don't stop people from behaving like children out on the road, so why do you think that imposing more rules on cyclists would do any good? Yes, there are bad cyclists out there who give ALL cyclists a bad name. However, nobody on a bike has ever run into someone's car and killed them. What really needs to change are people's attitudes. When I ride my bike responsibly and obey traffic laws, people do not give me the respect on the road that I am legally entitled to, and furthermore, they usually do not treat me like I am a human being. I'm sick of all these people posting questions on this forum about MORE bike laws. Quit trying to regulate my life. rock on silver bullet...
ive very rarely seen a situation in which more government oversight was helpful.
i ride as safely as practical and take responsibility for the risks that are inherent to my means of conveyance, would that all people (drivers and cyclists alike) do the same we would certainly find something else to argue about.
good luck all I have car, home, health, dental, life, business and an umbrella insurance policy that covers anything the others don't. I don't think I need a separate policy for my bicycle!
I wear a helmet because it matches my bike. I don't need a law to be saved from myself!
You want to help stop bike theft? If you buy a second-hand bike, make very sure the seller can show proof of ownership--or don't buy it! I bought my road bike from e-bay and before bidding, I requested the seller provide proof of ownership, which I then confirmed directly with the manufacturer. I would not have bought the bike otherwise.
Do you really need to have a law passed for you to do the "right thing"? I feel there's already more than enough government regulation over our lives as it is, and don't need anymore.
Cyclists riding on the road are already subject to the same laws as vehicles. If a police officer feels the need to ticket you, they don't just take your word regarding your identity. If you don't have ID on you, they can run your driver's license or state ID to confirm your address or physical description. If you don't have a driver's license or state ID? Well, unless you're under 18, you're basically required to have one or the other so if you don't, they might bring you in and require you confirm your identity. If you're under 18? They'll call your parents.
If you see a cyclist riding in a manner which is hazardous or illegal, don't get mad, just pick up your cell phone, call the police and report them! At least where I live, the police will be there in 5 minutes to pull them over for a little chat--at minimum. You don't have to go in or file a report to do this either, and you can report vehicles as well. No need to just allow someone to endanger your life, or the lives of others. I thoroughly agree that some type of licensing scheme should be introduced. There should also be tests for any cyclist that intends riding the bike on any public way and comprehensive or third party should be made compulsory. It should be illegal for any cyclist to ride on pavements or public footpaths. Cyclists should also adhere to the rules and regulations that appertain to drivers and operators of other vehicles on the road. There are no laws that punish people who put a gun in their mouth and pull the trigger, so there should NOT be a law requiring people to wear helmets.
It's called NATURAL SELECTION, and I think the world needs more of it.
I, for one, will not be joining their ranks. I have destroyed three helmets in 17 years of riding, and wear one on every ride. Yes I agree, they should also pay road tax (they use the road) and have insurance! Well honestly im not one who likes to wear helmets unless im in the park ripping skyt up. And as for running red lights that shouldn't be made a law thats stupid i LOVE beating the light thats one of the best parts of riding my bike! But for the stamp thing thats a good idea i dont want my Haro to be stolen. Riding bike has no age to be honest. Theres no such thing "to be old enough to ride a bike" unless if its a baby.... But i say one thing they should change the law for riding on the sidewalk!! THATS THE BEST PLACE TO FIND OBSTACLES TO DO TRICKS ON WTF!!
Road tax for riders: COMPLETELY STUPID!!!!
You need to think of the BMX riders out there who are still young. What the hell we cant pay no taxes you stupid? Besides as for "law obiding" im 16 and i dont "obide by the law". Where im from we hate cops.... |
