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Old 01-06-14, 02:34 AM   #1
hongman
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Default Pedal bikes on the road

Now before I start let me say that I'm not one of these people that think I have more right to the road, or anything like that. I'm actually of a neutral opinion on this matter.

However I do not understand why pedal bikes do not require some kind of tax and insurance?

Tax, becuase they use the road, only fair.

Insurance because if in the event a rider causes an accident, the other party has nothing to claim against, but if a car knocks a rider off, different story?

Or have I missed something?

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Old 01-06-14, 05:59 AM   #2
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Default Re: Pedal bikes on the road

Insurance good idea... tax no there is cars on the road that are exempt but thats IMO

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Old 01-06-14, 06:03 AM   #3
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Default Re: Pedal bikes on the road

It's not road tax, it's an emmisson tax, based on how much you vehicle pumps out. Pushbikes don't pump out pollution, so don't pay Vehicle Excise Duty, it's not a road tax.

Can't remember why insurance isn't required, but as cycling is promoted as being healthy to do, forcing cyclists to pay insurance would put people off riding bikes and back into their cars, with the net effect of increasing pollution, traffic gridlock, and more and more overweight and unhealthy people.

Where do you start with insurance, with the kids? This country has an obesity timebomb waiting to go off and the NHS is going to have it's work cut out dealing with it.
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Old 01-06-14, 07:19 AM   #4
PyroUK
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Default Pedal bikes on the road

Some cyclists do have insurance but only as a side benefit. Considering how much some bikes cost, you can get theft insurance specifically for it which also has the added benefit of 3rd party cover, in case you hit someone etc.

Taxing them doesn't make sense, aside from it being VED and not road tax, cycles don't have much of an impact on the actual roads themselves. The wear and tear is all on the bike.

Yes drivers may get annoyed by them but that is their fault.

Having commuted from my place to work on a push bike, car and motorbike I can see the issues from both sides.

My only gripe as a road user to cyclists is the people who can't plan ahead (although this applies to cars and motorbikes too). Or who take up too much space.

If you are approaching lights or a roundabout, get in to a suitable gear so that if you have to stop, you don't spend 5 mins trying to move off in the wrong gear and going round like a snail causing undue delays and putting the self and others at risk.

If you are riding down the road and need 1 metre between you and the kerb for safety, you shouldn't be on a bicycle. A foot should do it.
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Old 01-06-14, 08:27 AM   #5
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Default Re: Pedal bikes on the road

Every competitive cyclist, in order to race, has to join British Cycling and gets third party insurance as standard.
I joined just because for £11 a year or whatever it is, insurance is pretty handy.

A lot of house insurance policies will include some element of 'public liability' and has been known to work for cycling accidents (although only on occasion).

The number of accidents caused by cyclists that require insurance are just too low compared to the amount of people it would deter. You've got the other problem of enforcement. With cars it's relatively easy, you have a database that the police can check - but how would you do it with bikes?

I can understand where you're coming from, and in my opinion, for serious cyclists third party insurance should be taken out.

However, out of 'my group' that cycle, in the last 3 years we've probably covered over 30,000 miles and I've not known anybody to have had/caused an accident that has affected anybody else.
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Old 01-06-14, 09:02 AM   #6
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Default Re: Pedal bikes on the road

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Originally Posted by PyroUK View Post
If you are riding down the road and need 1 metre between you and the kerb for safety, you shouldn't be on a bicycle. A foot should do it.
Surely you need more than a foot to get out past all the grates, potholes, dead badgers etc? I think 1 metre is acceptable whereas 1 foot is pushing it.
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Old 01-06-14, 11:08 AM   #7
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Default Re: Pedal bikes on the road

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Originally Posted by tactcom7 View Post
Surely you need more than a foot to get out past all the grates, potholes, dead badgers etc? I think 1 metre is acceptable whereas 1 foot is pushing it.
One of those things that just depends on the circumstances.

Where I used to cycle commute there was a short but sharp hill at the end of my ride home. If I pushed myself I'd get up it about 18-19mph, but given I was taking it easy on my commute it was more likely 10-13mph.

I'd quite often hop up onto the pavement if I could see it was clear (as there are no places for people to get out onto the pavement from the side of the hill).

It's just one of those things that really needs to be left up to common sense in the situation, and trusting that the cyclist is doing what they feel they need to do to be safe.

I will quite often sit in the middle of a road to try to stop cars overtaking me if I know I'm at a good pace and it's not particularly safe as many people have this notion that a pedal cycle cannot go faster than 12mph. When they're alongside you entering the corner and THEN they realise you're actually going 20-25mph is never good.
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Old 01-06-14, 11:49 AM   #8
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Default Pedal bikes on the road

Quote:
Originally Posted by tactcom7 View Post
Surely you need more than a foot to get out past all the grates, potholes, dead badgers etc? I think 1 metre is acceptable whereas 1 foot is pushing it.

Popping out for the odd obstacle is fair enough but not constantly.

Although it depends on the circumstances.
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Old 01-06-14, 02:40 PM   #9
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Default Re: Pedal bikes on the road

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Popping out for the odd obstacle is fair enough but not constantly.
Sorry, but that is absolute bullsh1t

Better and safer for all concerned if the cyclist steers a stead and consistent path rather than weaving in and out unpredictably.

The 1m gap is for safety - sudden opening of car doors, grids, gratings, rubbish in the gutters etc. It's for safety.

The VED issue has already been put to bed; it is an emissions tax. Hasn't been "road tax" since the 1920s.
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Old 01-06-14, 02:59 PM   #10
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Default Re: Pedal bikes on the road

I did add the caveat of "although it depends on the circumstances".

Also to be fair, my comments were based on personal experience of riding mountain bikes, one fairly robust and beefy full sus and one lightweight nimble but sturdy hardtail, both of which could handle themselves on rough terrain easily, so perhaps i did not care too much about the odd man hole or pothole etc. I would ride as fast as i could at the time and be roughly a foot away from the kerb. If you are one a road racer or maybe on of those new fangled hybrid commuter thingys which are less forgiving of an uneven road surface then i grant you, it will likely be a different story.

Also given that over my way the cycle lanes on the roads are a metre wide (at absolute best, generally just bigger than bars) and you generally ride in the middle which ok is 1.5 feet, but still. What i am talking about is the people who ride OUTSIDE the farkin cycle lanes that are there for them therefore being a metre+ away from the kerb (i probably could have made that bit clearer originally).

It is also probably worth noting that i do not live in a "city" as such, not like London etc where you are virtually always riding alongside parked cars etc, that situation is less than common. Here its more likely to be Kerb +/- cycle lane with the odd parked car so you do "pop out" to go past it.
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