Restrictions on cyclists now being discussed at Ministerial level.

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Alex321

Veteran
Location
South Wales
I'm not happy about any road user doing more than the speed limit. I'm less unhappy about ones with a mass of 100kg than those with a mass of 10,000kg. But that doesn't mean those with the lightest mass should be subject to zero regulation. Limits based on kinetic energy are unenforceable so a blanket limit is the only one that works (except on Motorways of course). The interesting issue is why cyclists think the blanket limit should apply to every road user other that themselves

It isn't only motorways where the limit varies by vehicle type. Dual carriageways have similar limits to motorways. Single carriageways have more variation.

Non urban single carriageway defaults are 60 for cars and vans, 50 if towing or various categories of PSV and LGV, 40 (Scotland only now) for HGVs.

https://www.gov.uk/speed-limits

There is no technical reason why the default urban limit has to be the same for all vehicles.

And it isn't necessarily the case that cyclists think it should apply to ever other road user than themselves, but it is fact that currently they do.

Whether it is worth changing the law for the very few cases where cyclists are traveling above the motor vehicle limit is debatable.

Whether it is worth also forcing cyclists to have visible ID such as registration plates is just a non starter IMO, but without it, cameras would not be able to enforce any speed limits that became applicable.
 

johnnyb47

Guru
Location
Wales
For argument sake what would happen if number plates were to be made legal.
In the real world it would be unworkable. Alot of bikes are often shared amongst kids and adults,and if an offence was committed and the number plate was somehow recorded how could it be proven who was riding the bike.
They will be lobbying for pedestrians next to sew a number plate into there clothes so that cctv cameras can identify them just in case they commit a crime in the street.
Its almost bordering on Big Brother.
If it were to come into force it would be the start of more things to come like the enforcement of mandatory insurance and a tax to entitle you to cycle on the roads. The way things are going at the moment with falling car sales and decreasing VED revenues the humble cyclist could become the next cash cow .
 

Jenkins

Legendary Member
Location
Felixstowe

Oh surprise - yet another sudden U-turn when a minister realises how stupid they've been. It's almost as if they're coming up with these sort of ideas in order to deflect public attention from much more serious problems that they are failing to deal with.

Shaps is a complete daffodil who, hopefuly along with a few others, will be out of a front line decision making job in a few weeks and potentially out of a job completely in a couple of years.
 

Gwylan

Veteran
Location
All at sea⛵
Oh surprise - yet another sudden U-turn when a minister realises how stupid they've been. It's almost as if they're coming up with these sort of ideas in order to deflect public attention from much more serious problems that they are failing to deal with.

Shaps is a complete daffodil who, hopefuly along with a few others, will be out of a front line decision making job in a few weeks and potentially out of a job completely in a couple of years.

Worse he could slither into some industry quango and lobby for some vested interest or another
 
If I have read the original Daily Fail article correctly it was “officials” who “acknowledge this means cyclists will need number plates or another form of identifiable markings for enforcement purposes.”

GS‘s only quoted comment relates to him “absolutely propose extending speed limit restrictions to cyclists.”

The rest is from unnamed “officials“ and speculation by the newspaper.
 

BoldonLad

Not part of the Elite
Location
South Tyneside
For argument sake what would happen if number plates were to be made legal.
In the real world it would be unworkable. Alot of bikes are often shared amongst kids and adults,and if an offence was committed and the number plate was somehow recorded how could it be proven who was riding the bike.
They will be lobbying for pedestrians next to sew a number plate
into there clothes so that cctv cameras can identify them just in case they commit a crime in the street.
Its almost bordering on Big Brother.
If it were to come into force it would be the start of more things to come like the enforcement of mandatory insurance and a tax to entitle you to cycle on the roads. The way things are going at the moment with falling car sales and decreasing VED revenues the humble cyclist could become the next cash cow .

Same way a a motor vehicle, presumably, each bicycle would have to have a registered keeper. Registered keeper would then get a request to declare who was riding bicycle, at time of offence. It would be an offence not to declare. It would be an offence to 'take someone's points' by saying you were riding.

Really workable, don't you think?

A bar code, tattooed on the forehead would be a more practical solution that a number plate on clothes, don't you think?

I jest of course, but, are they?
 

Alex321

Veteran
Location
South Wales
For argument sake what would happen if number plates were to be made legal.
In the real world it would be unworkable. Alot of bikes are often shared amongst kids and adults,and if an offence was committed and the number plate was somehow recorded how could it be proven who was riding the bike.
That really isn't an issue. It would be exactly the same as the current Section 172 requirement to name the driver.

It would be pretty well unworkable though, because plates would have to be retrofitted to millions of bikes, most of which have no reasonable way of attaching them.

It would also seriously discourage people from cycling, when supposedly cycling is to be encouraged.

They will be lobbying for pedestrians next to sew a number plate into there clothes so that cctv cameras can identify them just in case they commit a crime in the street.
Its almost bordering on Big Brother.
If it were to come into force it would be the start of more things to come like the enforcement of mandatory insurance and a tax to entitle you to cycle on the roads. The way things are going at the moment with falling car sales and decreasing VED revenues the humble cyclist could become the next cash cow .

I don't see it as being any more "big brother" than requiring car registration plates. I just don't see it as being practically workable.

I also don't see cyclists becoming a "cash cow" for tax. While we would all like to see many more people cycling, at the moment we are such a small minority that the admin would probably cost more than any revenue received, and it would also have the effect of pretty well stopping any casual cycling. Nobody is going to pay a tax for something they only use casually, a few times a year.
 

Gwylan

Veteran
Location
All at sea⛵
There was a time that bicycles in Belgium had to be registered with the authorities and have a number plate attached. It seems the process lapsed before my arrival.
But it was fun to spot these ancient plated models and their usually ancient owners.
 

Mike_P

Guru
Location
Harrogate
The rest is from unnamed “officials“ and speculation by the newspaper.
Way back when Orange and T Mobile were setting up their networks I had involvement in some of their new masts; one morning the phone started going mad with calls referencing phone masts having been made illegal which transpired to be a DM article. Taking the bull by the horns I phoned the DM and was told quite openly we made it up. That rag is not worth wasting time on.
 
Oh surprise - yet another sudden U-turn when a minister realises how stupid they've been. It's almost as if they're coming up with these sort of ideas in order to deflect public attention from much more serious problems that they are failing to deal with.

Shaps is a complete daffodil who, hopefuly along with a few others, will be out of a front line decision making job in a few weeks and potentially out of a job completely in a couple of years.

Job done - he's got motorists snarling at cyclists.

Welcome to the culture wars !

I was also looking forward to seeing white van man uploading video footage to the internet
"This is fookin bollox aye it"
 
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