that the idea of registration for cyclists is silly, unworkable and unenforceable

[KihoBebiluPute]

This idea was featured on Radio 4 on monday morning and is also in the telegraph - Nick Freeman (the motorists loophole lawyer) is trying to drum up support for a scheme to force cyclists to register and display a number plate type thing.

I get that there are plenty of selfish and sometimes dangerous cyclists out there, but the numbers of deaths and injuries caused by dangerous cycling is a minuscule fraction of the numbers caused by careless driving and the whole idea seems totally unrealistic to me.

(1) For number plates to work as a reasonably reliable registration method for cars, the manufacture of number plates has to be quite tightly controlled - criminals do clone plates but it's not easy for an ordinary member of the public to get a plate without proof of ownership, and plates are fixed to the correct car and generally stay put. Any kind of wearable registration plate for cyclists would necessarily be something portable and would therefore be so easy to lose or nick that it would be functionally useless as a means of identification because there couldn't be any means to verifiably ensure that each plate was only ever carried by the correctly registered individual associated with that number plate.

(2) cyclists don't come into the world as fully formed MAMILs - and the sight of a 6 year old wobbling along the pavement next to a parent is quite normal. There's no sharp divide between a kid just learning and a fully independent cyclist, no test to pass or license to grant. There's just a gradual build up of skills and road-sense and a gradual reduction in parental supervision. so there's no rational way to define when someone should start being registered (presumably no one thinks it should apply to kids who are just learning)

(3) its frankly stupid to put up any kind of additional barrier to make it more complicated to make a trip by bike rather than getting in the car. It's currently just about a reasonable balance for me for a lot of journeys - a tiny bit of extra hassle to find my helmet and D-lock, but the benefit of not having to find or pay for parking balances that enough that some fraction of the car-miles I might otherwise make, generating traffic congestion and pollution, gets turned into the green alternative of cycling. Upset this balance by making it a legal requirement to wear and carry this proposed registration plate and the net effect will be to drive up car traffic at a time when we should be doing everything we can to achieve the opposite.

I totally agree. What would it achieve?

I think the bloke promoting the idea is cross because he wants (when driving his car) to be able to do things like skipping red lights etc which he sees cyclists "getting away with" but knows he can't campaign for that so is instead trying to think of ways that cyclists can be caught and punished for traffic infractions in the same way that car drivers are.

But cyclists who break the law and injure pedestrians should have to face the consequences.

All the problems you list can be discussed and sorted out. I expect similar arguments were made when car registration first came in.

He’s just yet another anti cyclist twat. We need to promote getting people out of their cars, not put more barriers in the way.

Agreed cyclist should go through red lights and need to obey the Highway Code but a reg plate is not going to do prevent bad cyclists

Cyclists need to start respecting pedestrians and the Highway Code. if the way to do that is by registering and issuing number plates, then I'm all for it.

I really hope that's a typo in your post EnjoingtheSilence.

I think it's a good idea. You need it more as more people cycle

I would say definitely licence plates on bikes.

Why not - ?

There are loads of speed cyclists round here - they are happy to be offensive to drivers whom they feel did not give them enough space or whatever. They'd be bit less keen if they were identifiable.

If there were a many cyclists as motorists the bike injuries to the public could very possibly be comparable. It wouldn't be a 'miniscule fraction'.

Sorry, EnjoyingTheSilence that is, Typos happen.

The police can't police the streets as it is. Cars driving around with no tax, no mot, no insurance, cloned plates, kids on e-scooters everywhere. How can they then be expected to police cyclists too?

I’ve been to countries that have number plates attached to bikes. They don’t have people stealing them off of the bikes just like you don’t really see people stealing number plates off cars which you just need to unscrew.
I think antisocial cycling causes issues just like antisocial driving does. I’ve nearly been hit on zebra crossings by both cars and cycles. I’ve also been unable to cross at a pelican crossing due to bikes jumping the lights. I think we do need to do something about antisocial road users be they bikes or cars but I’m minded to agree with you that having a registration scheme wouldn’t equal policing.

Im not an 'anti cyclist twat' but I agree that the minority should be held accountable for dangerous road use when they're cycling like a bellend. I also think they should pay road tax.

I agree that cyclists over driving age should have a a registration plate and insurance or make registration plates free for children.
I remember seeing a young lad get mowed down by an adult riding a bike on the pavement. The cyclist didn't even stop to see if he was OK, it took another man to physically stop him and bring him back to apologise.
I walk everywhere or use public transport, so many cyclists use pavements not intended for them and ride carelessly putting me at risk. If being held to account if they are careless puts some off cycling, surely those are the sort of people who probably shouldn't be on a bike.

YANBU - it is a ridiculous idea for a number of reasons (including those you have mentioned)

I think they should. In my area, there's a mass increase of lads on bikes, usually with balaclavas on (!!!), who happily ride intimidatingly in front of cars in their big groups. And not to mention their dangerous behaviours.

If they could be identified by a number plate, they could be reported the same way a car driver would be for dangerous driving.

I think no one should be allowed to take a driving test until they have completed at least 1000 miles on a bike so they know what it feels like to be exposed to drivers who pass way to close , drive into the cycle box at traffic lights and pedestrians who step out without looking

Having been seriously hurt by a cyclist (broken bone) whilst walking on a pedestrian path (cycle path seperate) and Having watched the cyclist speed off with no consequences whilst giving me abuse for not getting out of his way quickly enough 🤨🤬 I am all for licensing cyclists and making them legally responsible for their actions which will require that they are identifiable

@Letsallscreamatthesistene

Im not an 'anti cyclist twat' but I agree that the minority should be held accountable for dangerous road use when they're cycling like a bellend. I also think they should pay road tax.

I too am not an 'anti cyclist twat' but see my fair share of terrible cycling (same as terrible driving) and it seems weird they aren't accountable.

I agree with you it's likely to be unworkable.

But my goodness, wouldn't it be lovely if cameras could catch bike number plates and there be a chance of penalties for those jumping the lights (so you can't cross safely on the green man) or for cycling on pavements forcing pedestrians to swerve or be hit.

It's not just deaths, it's consequences for those who can't share nicely

There are loads of speed cyclists round here - they are happy to be offensive to drivers whom they feel did not give them enough space or whatever. They'd be bit less keen if they were identifiable
Because drivers who are already aggressive and deliberately drive in a way to intimate other road users are known to be the reasonable type. They'd not throw a strop after being called out on their aggressive and unsafe driving

I also think they should pay road tax
It's not road tax. Motorised vehicle drivers pay vehicle tax on their vehicle, and cars with low emissions pay none. Are you saying you think pedal bikes should pay more vehicle excuse duty than a car?

Something needs to be done in order to identify cyclists as they can run someone over, cause an accident, damage a car, assault someone etc then refuse to give their details and just take off.
I dont know what the answer is but they need to be identifiable.

Why not - ?

Cost and hassle compared to value.

How many bicycle deaths and serious injuries are there each year? Now imagine how many car deaths if cars were unregistered.

If you've ever been to a country where cycling is the norm and outside of their capital city
I'm thinking small towns in Belgium that kind of thing. Youll find there are less of these problems with cyclists jumping red lights or not waiting at cross roads for pedestrians, it seems to work a lot better. People are more casual cyclists, towing their kids in bike boxes or older women tootlind around on ancient bikes, not mamils.
I think there's a kind of feedback loop in the UK where because it's quite hostile to cycle, the people that cycle are naturally a bit more aggressive or the type that will just not care.. about anything.
Registering bikes will mean it'll just be not serious cyclists that do it. People trying to get a second hand bike for the odd trip out might not bother. And it's that gradual build up that one op mentioned that gets people out. If you've not done it before, why would bother filling all the stuff out to do something so seemingly dangerous ?
Why aren't these people looking at tried and tested city planning that's worked and what's happened in these countries? Countries with higher child happiness and health levels? So fustrating.

I was intimidated by a cyclist on a pavement recently. He rode aggressively, and was rude.

How can I report him if there's no reg plate to help identify him? With a vehicle I can. Why should cyclists have an easy ride, as it were?

I suspect we have more hills and more rain then the countries where it is more popular....... and fewer cycling routes.

They are on the road. They are part of the traffic. They can be part of collisions. They need to be identifiable.