AIBU to think cyclists should pay tax and insurance?

[Pumpernickel10]

I'm probably digging a big hole here but I really feel that cyclists should pay road tax and insurance. This is why...
My SIL had a smash yesterday in her car, caused several thousand pounds worth of damage and had whiplash, this happened cause a cyclist rode through a red light causing her to swerve and hit a tree. The cyclist just carried on riding not knowing the damage he had caused. SIL will now lose 12 years no claims cause of this fucking idiot cyclist. He's got no number plate as they don't have them so there no telling who he is. This just doesn't seem right.
AIBU?

But surely, isn't it one thing for your vehicle to be involved in an incident with an uninsured driver who can (usually) be traced and held to some sort of account, but quite another to be involved in an incident involving a cyclist (such as OP's SIL) who rides off into the sunset, with no recrimination whatsoever (and very likely sticking two proverbial, or otherwise, fingers up at you at the same time!?)

PUMPER.. I WASONE UNTIL RECENTLY....NO, NO, NO, NO TAX FOR TED OR MAX ON A BCYCLE.. I WILL DO A FASTING STRIKE.

YANBU to be annoyed on behalf of your friend, I hate people who jump red lights, but...

Road tax as the OP means no longer exists, our council tax pays for road maintenance locally and, as a cyclist, motorways are off limits anyway.

As it happens I have insurance as a cyclist and think it's foolish to cycle on road without it, it costs £30 a year and is included in my London Cycling Campaign membership.

I think more cyclists should get insurance but it's logistically impossible to enforce tax and insurance on cyclists. Perhaps the Swiss system of having to pay £10 a year for public liability insurance should be considered. You have a sticker on your bike to indicate you've paid and the bike is insured no matter who is riding it.

YABVU

We want to be encouraging people to cycle, not giving them disincentives.

The more people cycling, the safer and the less congested our roads.

Sorry for your SIL. What has happened to her is very unfair, and I can quite see why you all think a way of making the git who caused the situation pay for it is necessary.

But the world will be a better place if we don't do as you suggest. As you can see from this thread, there are a lot of poor motorists that think cyclists shouldn't even be on the road. We've a long way to go before cycling is as safe and pleasant as it should be.

I think people need every encouragement and incentives to get out of their cars and onto bikes.

I stopped on the road as I had a van overtaking and he was driving towards me - the car behind went into the back of me and she smashed up her car. The police took the number plate of the van overtaking but weren't interested and nor where her insurance - as the woman who crashed her car into mine was driving the car at fault.

If a car had jumped the red lights and the op's sister gave in the registration number - I doubt the police or insurance would be interested as it was the op's sister driving the car that crashed not anyone else in control of where she steered the car.

My house insurance covers me for public liability and I pay vehicle tax not road tax. Vehicle tax is based on emissions so I pay it for my car but not my bike.

I passed my driving test so I know and adhere to the highway code whether cycling or driving.

And being a cyclist makes me a better driver. Some drivers ought to try it; it's an eye opener.

Agree with Riven - we need more patience and respect on all sides.

I'm not anti cyclist either. This is not a cyclist bashing thread either. It's a thread about safe guarding motorists who have an accident with a cyclist.

Was on about cyclists yesterday, they're a pain in the arse going through red lights, swerving into traffic and slowing down huge queues.

Get them paying road tax and insurance and force them to have a license to ride on the roads. THE RED LIGHTS APPLY TO EVERYONE, DICKHEADS.

But your sister didn't have an accident with a cyclist, it was an accident caused by a cyclist. Could have been a small child, dog, cat running into the road. Equally a motorist could have jumped the light and driven off after your sister swerved to avoid. I'm not actually sure how insurance would treat that situation.

And to reiterate what others have said, the day they manage to ensure that all motorists are driving with insurance is the day I'd maybe consider asking cyclists to carry public liability insurance.

It's a cyclist bashing thread now! :o

slowing down hugh queues? so...we shouldn't be on teh road??

I see 5 or 6 cars going through lights as hey turn red, not stopping on pedestrian crossinfs, speeding etc daily. Insurance hasnt stopped any of this has it?

I know tyler but the fact he'd run a red light when he should not have, being a cyclist he should know the highway code etc not think he's beyond that.

Not without road tax, no!

On my way into city centre the other day for an apointment, dopey woman on a pushbike creeping down the MIDDLE of the fucking road completely oblivious to the massive queue she was creating behind her. Get to the side and let the traffic past stupid woman!! god it make me so angry!!!

It always ends up as a cyclist bashing thread.

I don't condone jumping red lights and can't imagine why folk do it TBH. But some posters should try riding a bike in a city and then maybe they'd have a bit more empathy. It's like Russian roulette most days.

a cyclist can get insurance, it can be a good idea, i had it when i commuted in london. but mainly the cyclists who do buy insurance are not the same cyclists who are behaving illegally and causing accident.

but no, i don't believe cyclists should need tax and insurance because it's impossible to draw the line. i have two mountain bikes, which are used 99.9% off road but occassionally i have to cross a road on a ride - so would i need road tax for that?
what about a child? what age do they have to pay? 18? 11? 7? 3? it's just not possible to draw the line really.

some cyclists are twats. some drivers are twats and some pedestrians are. yet for some reason only those of us on two wheels are held accountable by large sections of society for the behaviour of every single other person on two wheels.

Read up on road tax Lorenz. It's been explained and it's getting a bit boring now.

My point was, if a car had run a red light and your SIL had swerved to avoid it, would their actually be any consequence for the red light jumper. Assuming no red light camera and no witnesses I don't see how she could claim on his insurance anyway.

I can't be arsed to be honest, they should at least pay an equivalent and be forced to pass a test.

Lorenz, why shouldn't a cyclist be in the middle of the road? Maybe you should have planned a little more time for your journey?

Probably not Tyler

Because they're SLLLLOOOOWWWW!!! no time for faffers in a morning, they should move to the side of the road and let the traffic past.

She's probably in the middle of the road because she's had issues with equally dopey car drivers opening their doors and knocking her off.