To suggest cyclists need to be licensed

[savethebeesandthecees]

And also pay Road Tax and risk having their licence revoked for misuse.

I'm saying this as a pedestrian. Nearly hit again by a cyclist going through a red light. Others routinely mount the pavement to swerve red lights. I'm sick of it. If I film them as evidence, so what? What are the consequences?

Something needs to change.

Cars create havoc everywhere

Traffic has to queue behind lots of things. Buses, tractors, people towing caravans, slower drivers, learner drivers... If drivers can't deal with that safely and calmly then they should not be driving.

Buses, tractors and people towing caravans are not comparable to cyclists.

Tractors more often than not pull over. Buses and caravans aren't as slow as cyclists. They also don't mount the curb when the traffic doesn't suit them.

Yes, people should wait to pass safely but I don't think cyclists should ride in the middle of the road to essentially prevent this.

In what respect? Roads are literally for cars.

Nope. Nope.

Cars are the problem, not bikes.

We need to encourage as many people out of their noisy, dangerous and polluting cars as possible, not making it harder.

No, motorways are for motorised vehicles only, including cars.

Roads are for everyone. They were built for horses and carts and pedestrians. As the law stands currently, everyone has the right to walk, cycle, or ride on the road. But you may only drive by licence, which can be removed.

Roads are not for cars. They are for all road users.

You realise that roads were invented before cars?!
and many modern roads follow ancient routes, some of which were designed for other modes of transport (including people walking on foot)?

There are plenty of examples in Britain of places where the fact that the buildings and streets were constructed long before the arrival of motor cars causes obvious issues.

Cars don't just take up space when they're being driven; they also take up a lot of public space when they're parked.

Some of them should be sectioned😀

How do you feel about horses?
Would you slow down for them?

You are exactly the sort of person who would benefit from the training I mentioned earlier. Cyclists are taught and encouraged to ride in the centre of the appropriate lane (not "the middle of the road" where the central line is!) for very good reasons, incl visibility, clarity for other road users and everyone's safety. If you don't understand why that is, I suggest you find out (or stop driving).

See the thing is, a cyclist getting home safely is more important than you getting held up for a few minutes, so sorry/not sorry.

Catford - yes havoc - traffic jams, crashes, fatalities, polluting, parked cars lining our streets, speeding, tail gating etc. I am sick of cars dominating everything. You think it's OK to have cars everywhere because that's the norm, you'd prefer those cyclists to be in cars?

Yabu. Standard of driving in this country is woeful, especially how little space and respect car drivers give to cyclists. I say that as both a driver and cyclist.

Something needs to change

Dunno, perhaps stop reading the daily mail?

In fairness I think the last cycling hater thread was at least 3 days ago, so this one must be well overdue!

I totally agree with you OP, I too am a pedestrian and living in a town centre.When crossing roads and a cyclist is first at the lights, I always stop when lights are red. There are some cyclists who are careful and stop at red.lights but they are few and far between.

Hence the new legislation aimed at protecting the most vulnerable on the roads.

Pedestrians are tremendously vulnerable to a single idiot cyclist and I think it is best to be safe, than sorry.

But you should always stop and check the road is safe and all traffic has stopped before crossing. Two thirds of my commute is walking, sometimes crossing busy roads, and you never just step into the road without looking even if you have the green man.

As long as it's relevant, practical etc. My DD who has LD's can't pass her car theory test, she shouldn't be prevented from riding a bike. Cost should also be a consideration. The test/license should be subsidised under a green/health initiative. For those 16-25 it's going to be impossible to police.

I’m not saying to tax cyclists
I referenced that there is a category for cyclists, which charges for motorcycles and exempts pedal cycles

Back when I had a motorbikes before the emissions classes came in the tax disk I had was classified as ‘bicycle’ and the rate fell within the engine size.

No they aren't, except those specifically reserved for the use of motor vehicles (motorways and some A roads). Roads are for all users. Car, bikes, horses, pedestrians. Most of them were built with horses in mind.

Oh I dunno, I was stuck behind a car doing <20 in a national speed limit section of road where it was safe to do at least 50. Day later, same section of road, bike doing >20. I know which I prefers being stuck behind

Cars were made to go on roads!

Look, I hate being almost mown down by cyclists too, but how would this work? I got out a Santander bike to cycle around the park the other day and briefly went on the road - would I need a license to do that? How old would someone have to be to be allowed a license? Would teenagers not be allowed to ride their bikes around?

Not easy to identify them though is it. With a car, motorbike, lorry you can identify the vehicle by the licence plate and the owner then has to identify who was driving.

My commute to work is on foot and includes crossing 2 busy junctions along main routes into the city.

For every cyclist that jumps the lights/ rides on the pavement I see at least 5 cars jump the lights.

One wrong does not balance out another but on the basis there have been many major accidents caused by drivers at both these junctions (including my colleague being hospitalised by a driver jumping the lights), we need to deal with the real cause of danger on our roads first.

I just think it's a good way of making cycling vastly less attractive meaning noone cycles for leisure and commuters get back into polluting and vastly more dangerous cars or clog up public transport.

The Highway Code says a driver should leave at least 1.5m (5ft) when overtaking a cyclist at speeds up to 30 mph, and more space above that. In practice, that means on many roads it makes no difference to the driver whether they are at the side or in the centre of the lane, because the other lane will need to be clear to overtake safely and legally.