should they bring in rules and laws for cyclists? (please read before shooting me down)

[Smokin Joe]

The word "Helmet" did it for me.

 

[winjim]

The word "Helmet" did it for me.

Everyone's entitled to their own sexual proclivities.

 

[palinurus]

When i was a fair bit younger we had to do a bike proficiency test, to see if we could ride safely on the roads.

Bikeability

lights imo should be a must for all cyclists(after a set time of day must be on)

Already a requirement for lights and reflectors for bicycles between sunset and sunrise

headphones should be banned on cyclists(just sensible imo)

also a bike test of some kind, especially for the city, this week(i work on the underground)

my thoughts are they should bring in some kinds of laws for cyclists ... in Helmets ... and no headphones.

Perhaps try writing to your MP.

 

[PaulSB]

@andy0001 each of the points you raise are matters of personal choice. I wouldn't do any of then, and I wear a helmet, but they can't be made illegal only for cyclists. We are already subject to the laws of the land.......just like everyone else.

Read @welsh dragon very good post. Sums it up very well.

 

[All uphill]

When i was a fair bit younger we had to do a bike proficiency test, to see if we could ride safely on the roads.
i am a firm believer that there should be something upon these lines brought back in, hear me out..
.
Road rules are changing to protect cyclists and other road users, not in cars or bigger vehicles, Electric vehicles and some of the bigger SUV's are machines that are silent and huge, posing a huge risk to cyclists,
my thoughts are they should bring in some kinds of laws for cyclists(i am one, i rarely drive) in Helmets, lights and no headphones.
i live in Watford, we have busy roads there, i cycle there and in London, the amount of people i see with huge headphones on is ridiculous, that and currently it's dark out at 5pm and people are riding through roadworks, on the wrong sides on main roads towards traffic with no lights on and headphones on.

lights imo should be a must for all cyclists(after a set time of day must be on) helmets i know divides the crowd(i'll leave that)

headphones should be banned on cyclists(just sensible imo)

also a bike test of some kind, especially for the city, this week(i work on the underground) i saw a woman who was drunk from a night out, riding a Santander bike across Baker st junction around 11pm when her lights were red, she didn't have a clue if the roads she were crossing were clear, she couldn't have done. how she made or even if she did make it home on one piece i don't know.

so, what say you?(puts on helmet and ducks into a trench)

What is the problem you are trying to solve?

Cyclist and pedestrian safety? As others have said better policing of car drivers would almost certainly be more productive and save more lives.

Reducing inconvenience to motorists and the need for them to be alert? Should they not be alert and a wee bit patient?

I don't approve of red light jumpers, or cycling on pavements any more than I do parking on pavements or exceeding speed limits, BTW.

 

[Arrowfoot]

When i was a fair bit younger we had to do a bike proficiency test, to see if we could ride safely on the roads.
i am a firm believer that there should be something upon these lines brought back in, hear me out..
.
Road rules are changing to protect cyclists and other road users, not in cars or bigger vehicles, Electric vehicles and some of the bigger SUV's are machines that are silent and huge, posing a huge risk to cyclists,
my thoughts are they should bring in some kinds of laws for cyclists(i am one, i rarely drive) in Helmets, lights and no headphones.
i live in Watford, we have busy roads there, i cycle there and in London, the amount of people i see with huge headphones on is ridiculous, that and currently it's dark out at 5pm and people are riding through roadworks, on the wrong sides on main roads towards traffic with no lights on and headphones on.

lights imo should be a must for all cyclists(after a set time of day must be on) helmets i know divides the crowd(i'll leave that)

headphones should be banned on cyclists(just sensible imo)

also a bike test of some kind, especially for the city, this week(i work on the underground) i saw a woman who was drunk from a night out, riding a Santander bike across Baker st junction around 11pm when her lights were red, she didn't have a clue if the roads she were crossing were clear, she couldn't have done. how she made or even if she did make it home on one piece i don't know.

so, what say you?(puts on helmet and ducks into a trench)

The highway codes also covers others items for cyclists.

Acknowledge that are errant cyclists that require enforcement but there are far more serious matters impacting cyclist safety with other vehicular traffic and road infrastructure that need to be in addressed.

The bike proficiency test is just one step away from a pedestrian proficiency test in terms of need and far far away from a driving test for motorised vehicles in terms of consequences and importance.

The Dutch do the test for 12 years school kids because the majority ride bikes in traffic at a very young age.

 

[tinywheels]

natural selection surely. If your dumb enough to ride drunk without lightning etc,then the consequences are of your own making.
I commute in Central London regularly, the amount of pedestrians walking in front of me whilst looking at phones, earphones on etc etc. Twats are everywhere, we live in an imperfect world.

 

[Jenkins]

When i was a fair bit younger we had to do a bike proficiency test, to see if we could ride safely on the roads.
i am a firm believer that there should be something upon these lines brought back in, hear me out..
.
Road rules are changing to protect cyclists and other road users, not in cars or bigger vehicles, Electric vehicles and some of the bigger SUV's are machines that are silent and huge, posing a huge risk to cyclists,
my thoughts are they should bring in some kinds of laws for cyclists(i am one, i rarely drive) in Helmets, lights and no headphones.
i live in Watford, we have busy roads there, i cycle there and in London, the amount of people i see with huge headphones on is ridiculous, that and currently it's dark out at 5pm and people are riding through roadworks, on the wrong sides on main roads towards traffic with no lights on and headphones on.

lights imo should be a must for all cyclists(after a set time of day must be on) helmets i know divides the crowd(i'll leave that)

headphones should be banned on cyclists(just sensible imo)

also a bike test of some kind, especially for the city, this week(i work on the underground) i saw a woman who was drunk from a night out, riding a Santander bike across Baker st junction around 11pm when her lights were red, she didn't have a clue if the roads she were crossing were clear, she couldn't have done. how she made or even if she did make it home on one piece i don't know.

so, what say you?(puts on helmet and ducks into a trench)

There's so much wrong with this post which will already have been covered...


You did not HAVE to do the cycling proficiency test.
Electric vehicles are far from silent.
Why ban headphopnes - because they impede hearing? Would you ban the hard of hearing/deaf from cycling or insist that all car stereos are removed?
There are already rules around regarding the use of lights on bicycles after dark.
Why a bike test for the city? What about those of us who don't even have a city in their county but do like to travel?
How did you know the woman on the Santander bike was drunk?
I'm not even going to go near making helmets compulsory. There's a whole separate forum for that which I avoid.

The only point I agree with is that SUVs and some electric vehicles are big.

 

[Juliansou]

I think cyclists should pay road tax as well.

 

[classic33]

I think cyclists should pay road tax as well.

You get the Road Tax forms*, get them accepted and I'll pay yours for the next two years.

They must clearly state "Road Tax", and be accepted by the DVLA as proof of payment.

 

[Smokin Joe]

I think cyclists should pay road tax as well.

And pedestrians. Those fancy crossings must cost a fortune.

 

[newfhouse]

I think cyclists should pay road tax as well.

Hi viz road tax.

 

[Time Waster]

I think cyclists should pay road tax as well.

Bingo! What do I win? A cycle helmet, poor quality cycle infra and a bunch of ppl calling for barriers to cycling because car drivers have to do it!

PS if I pay road tax, sit a proficiency test and get insurance can I kill road users more vulnerable than me and get away with it too? Not a serious question but I was thinking of a van or truck driver that made poor decisions related to his vehicle and driving which resulted in him killing a few club riders in Wales. I can't remember the details but if we're looking at motoring as an example of what's needed I think we need to look at whether these things work so well with them. I suspect not.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

@andy0001 You illegally rode an electric scooter on the road for a while. Why do you want additional rules for the road when you can’t stick to the existing ones yourself?

 

[KnittyNorah]

When i was a fair bit younger we had to do a bike proficiency test, to see if we could ride safely on the roads.
i am a firm believer that there should be something upon these lines brought back in, hear me out..
.
Road rules are changing to protect cyclists and other road users, not in cars or bigger vehicles, Electric vehicles and some of the bigger SUV's are machines that are silent and huge, posing a huge risk to cyclists,
my thoughts are they should bring in some kinds of laws for cyclists(i am one, i rarely drive) in Helmets, lights and no headphones.
i live in Watford, we have busy roads there, i cycle there and in London, the amount of people i see with huge headphones on is ridiculous, that and currently it's dark out at 5pm and people are riding through roadworks, on the wrong sides on main roads towards traffic with no lights on and headphones on.

lights imo should be a must for all cyclists(after a set time of day must be on) helmets i know divides the crowd(i'll leave that)

headphones should be banned on cyclists(just sensible imo)

also a bike test of some kind, especially for the city, this week(i work on the underground) i saw a woman who was drunk from a night out, riding a Santander bike across Baker st junction around 11pm when her lights were red, she didn't have a clue if the roads she were crossing were clear, she couldn't have done. how she made or even if she did make it home on one piece i don't know.

so, what say you?(puts on helmet and ducks into a trench)

\there is most definitely a whole bookful of laws - current laws, in current effect - about how cyclists should behave, both independently and towards fellow road users. The problem is not the laws, but the enforcement of those laws.
The same applies to the laws which serve - to greater or lesser effect - to regulate the behaviour of other road users.
The book which contains many, if not most, of both laws and codes of behaviour for road users of all types, albeit in abbreviated form, is easily accessible and is called The Highway Code.

Again, the problem is not the presence or absence of laws, but the enforcement - or lack thereof - of said laws.