to be annoyed at motorists who say that cyclists don't pay road tax

[toweraboveyou]

There are a lot of motorists who insist that cyclists have no rights on the road as they don't pay any road tax. However, this is bollocks as road tax was abolished in 1937 and all road financing comes from general tax which means that cyclists, such as myself, pay as much towards the roads as anybody else and have just as much right to be on them safely.

Me not paying road tax when I'm out on my bike is just compensation for drivers trying to run me over at every corner.

And then getting pissed off with me because they've tried to mow me down.

Some new cars don't need road tax now either or old bangers classic cars.

Road tax was abolished in 1937? Really? Do you think people might be referring to vehicle tax?

i think the motorists who make reference to cyclists not paying any road tax is more to do with those ones who act as if they own the road

hth

On the Dvla site they refer to a car tax/road tax. The former is what people generally mean.

A van swerved twice to try to knock my DH off his bike today.

ipayroadtax.com/

Are you normally so pedantic?

YABU if you really are annoyed by people calling it road tax.

We have a lot of places where the road narrows (a speed control measure) at which only one car can get through at once. It's incredible how often a car tries to rush through them with me.

Yes they mean vehicle excise duty which is based on emissions so cyclists would be a nil charge even if they were eligible.

But don't forget some drivers think we should have insurance and pass a test/know the highway code. I have both of those too. Still doesn't stop some of the buggers trying to knock me off though.

I can't make head nor tail of that site on my iPhone.

Mary - It's not the fact they call it road tax that annoys me. It's the fact that these people think their tax pays for the roads and that cyclists have no right to use them if they don't pay it.

I've never met anyone like that. I met appauling drivers who are a menance to ALL road users and pedestrians.

i think the fact some cyclists think they are beyond the highway code pisses drivers off. for prime example cyclists jumping red lights and sailing through them, undertaking cars, riding three abreast on the road so no cars can pass. yes that pisses me off and i also think cyclists should have some form of insurance. this may sound stupid to some but when a cyclist clips your car or scratches your paint work who's insurance cops the bill? if a cyclist causes an accident on a public road if they don't have insurance how is this settled?
my ex partner used to cycle to and from work each day wearing hi vis jacket and lights on his bike. a lot don't making it almost impossible for cars to see them in bad road conditions.

Lots of us do have insurance, actually. And a fair few drivers don't.

No-one disputes that some cyclists behave badly. I hope no-one's going to dispute that some drivers behave badly either (I don't know why they bothered making using a phone while driving illegal: I see at least one person on the phone behind the wheel every day on my way to work). A cyclist taking risks is only likely to kill him or her self. A driver taking risks might easily kill several other people. Shouldn't we make more fuss about the drivers? But no, every time there's a thread about cycling someone comes and moans about some cyclists jumping red lights (which drivers also do, but where do you see the moaning about that?)

I think Ashata that there are many drivers too who think themselves above the highway code.

Many household insurance policies cover public liability. When my son damaged a car with his bike my insurance company covered it.

Oh, and in response to the original post, YANBU to get wound up about people thinking that they pay "road tax" and that somehow entitles them to overtake dangerously close while yelling at you.

The true position is that pedestrians, riders and cyclists can use the roads as of right. Everyone else needs a licence to use them.

There are good drivers and bad drivers.
There are good cyclists and bad cyclists.
HTH.

well if i jumped a red light id get a fine and 3 points on my license. so are we not allowed to say what some cyclists are doing wrong?
if i jumped a red light id be bludy stupid. if you are caught without insurance your car is taken and crushed and your are fined.
sorry i don't see the point in a question being asked and opinions being voiced to be told there wrong because car drivers do things wrong as well. there are laws put it place to punish drivers who break the law. i never said drivers didn't do anything wrong.

BTW i am also a horse rider so i know how dangerous drivers can.

The amount of cyclists jumping red lights ahead of me
Reall boils my piss.
I will chase them down when nessecary.

If there was bike tax I might not get so irate.

They also stink when they get sweaty on a hot day and that mixed with Lycra is the worst smell to e following on a nice summers day.

I a keen cyclist myself, but stick to bridleways only

Cyclists are a pain in the arse!
I have never seen one wait at lights, unless they absolutely cant get through then they might hop on the pavement instead.
Or riding in the middle of the road and then abusing you when you overtake too close.

If you're talking about what law applies, cyclists can also be fined for jumping red lights. Except at sets of lights where there are cameras, the chances of being caught are the same for drivers and cyclists. That is to say, in practice almost no-one ever gets fined. You seem to be confusing lack of enforcement (which applies to drivers and cyclists) with lack of actual law.

Belledame

I agree with ashata