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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Cyclists who act like they own the road should pay towards it

744 replies

dreamingofsun · 10/08/2023 10:18

So cyclists get priority on the roads, and are happy to ride two abreast so they hold all the car traffic up. Shouldnt they at least pay towards the upkeep of the road?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
18
Bingbangbongbash · 10/08/2023 10:20

Road upkeep comes from general and local taxes, so they already do.

HTH

Original poster
dreamingofsun · 10/08/2023 10:21

So what does the £180 ish i give a year go on Bingbang?

OP posts:
PuttingDownRoots · 10/08/2023 10:22

Riding two abreast makes it easier to overtake as its a shorter distance. You need to leave as much space as a car anyway

AriadnesWeb · 10/08/2023 10:23

Emissions tax - you pay based on the emissions your car produces. Less emissions, less tax. No emissions (i.e. bikes and fully electric vehicles), no tax

StrawberryPi · 10/08/2023 10:24

Road tax is based off emissions. Low-emissions cars don't pay road tax, nor do cyclists because they don't release harmful pollutants. Road upkeep is paid for my council tax. HTH.

TimeForTeaAndG · 10/08/2023 10:24

Oh yaaaaay, cyclist on the road bingo time!!!

StrawberryPi · 10/08/2023 10:24

*by. Need an edit button!!

cocoloco117 · 10/08/2023 10:24

dreamingofsun · 10/08/2023 10:21

So what does the £180 ish i give a year go on Bingbang?

Here’s a hint, what is the name of the tax you’re paying? Here’s another hint, it’s not “road” tax.

Gettinagoldtoof · 10/08/2023 10:25

StrawberryPi · 10/08/2023 10:24

Road tax is based off emissions. Low-emissions cars don't pay road tax, nor do cyclists because they don't release harmful pollutants. Road upkeep is paid for my council tax. HTH.

This is a really helpful way of looking at it, thank you

Danikm151 · 10/08/2023 10:25

Cyclists can’t win- can’t ride on the pavement and apparently can’t ride on roads either.
until proper cycle lane infrastructure is present everywhere you have to deal with it.

Road tax is based on emissions not the upkeep of roads. Council tax pays for that apparently- not in Brum though- we’re playing the how many pot holes can we make game

Bingbangbongbash · 10/08/2023 10:25

Also goes into the general tax pot for use on everything the government funds.

All this information is very easily found online.

Are you actually angry about tax?

Or was it that 2 people ahead of you delayed you by 30 seconds?

That seems a little petty, if I’m honest.

massivesalads · 10/08/2023 10:26

Car tax doesn't directly pay for road/traffic costs. All taxes are essentially put into a pot and pay for everything.
Cyclists aren't contributing to road pollution like cars so I fully support cyclists!

SalviaDivinorum · 10/08/2023 10:26

PuttingDownRoots · 10/08/2023 10:22

Riding two abreast makes it easier to overtake as its a shorter distance. You need to leave as much space as a car anyway

Nonsense.

It makes it all but impossible to give them the required 6ft clearance on many roads so they end up causing massive hold ups around here.

They should be taxed and insured like motorised vehicles.

Hillarious · 10/08/2023 10:26

I do! I pay tax, Council tax and also tax my car. On my cycle ride to work I like to avoid cycling along the edge of the road because of the uneven surface. Sometimes that slows down motorists, but I really don't want to fall off my bike and be squished.

Gettinagoldtoof · 10/08/2023 10:26

I really love slowing cars down when I’m on my bike. I feel safe as I know they’ve seen me and I hugely appreciate them doing so. I also think it should be unattractive to drive especially where I live in a very built up urban area.

Forgoodnesssakewhatnow · 10/08/2023 10:27

🙄

If people didn’t drive like knobs, cyclists wouldn’t need to be so pushy in taking their place in the road to keep themselves safe.

rand0mstuff · 10/08/2023 10:27

So what does the £180 ish i give a year go on Bingbang?

it's emission based. E-cars e.g. don't pay it either.

Apart from that, most cyclists are also motorists and probably pay their 'bingbang'.

PS: You post is incredible stupid!

Brumbies · 10/08/2023 10:27

MMIL

middle aged men in Lycra, think they're competing in the TDF riding recklessly on our already overcrowded roads. Ignoring basic Highway Code.

Bloody nuisance the lot of them.

MXVIT · 10/08/2023 10:28

I don't know about tax because its technically an admissions tax but what they should be bloody law bound to have is INSURANCE

Gettinagoldtoof · 10/08/2023 10:29

SalviaDivinorum · 10/08/2023 10:26

Nonsense.

It makes it all but impossible to give them the required 6ft clearance on many roads so they end up causing massive hold ups around here.

They should be taxed and insured like motorised vehicles.

Show quote history

As a cyclist I’m happy to pay an amount that demonstrates the risk I pose to other road users. Given so few accidents where cyclists kill or maim people I imagine it would be somewhat lower than car insurance…?

Bingbangbongbash · 10/08/2023 10:29

SalviaDivinorum · 10/08/2023 10:26

Nonsense.

It makes it all but impossible to give them the required 6ft clearance on many roads so they end up causing massive hold ups around here.

They should be taxed and insured like motorised vehicles.

Show quote history

Tax would be nil as it’s based on emissions (hint: bikes don’t produce any) and insurance would be negligible as the only legally mandated is third party. As bikes are less risky than cars, it might end up a few quid. The only risk of cyclists not having insurance is to themselves - they can be sued for any damages to your vehicle anyway. HTH

rand0mstuff · 10/08/2023 10:29

middle aged men in Lycra, think they're competing in the TDF riding recklessly on our already overcrowded roads. Ignoring basic Highway Code.

agree re overcrowded roads. The less cars (and the more cyclists), the better!

Forgoodnesssakewhatnow · 10/08/2023 10:30

The Highway Code says cyclists should be given the room of a small car - often interpreted as ‘acting like they own the road’.

What some drivers would prefer to see is then riding in the gutter where the grids, leaves and general crap pose a risk to them.

I can’t get my head round why some motorists drive so close and aggressively to people on bikes. The imbalance of safety and power is enormous. You could bloody kill them!

Gettinagoldtoof · 10/08/2023 10:30

rand0mstuff · 10/08/2023 10:29

middle aged men in Lycra, think they're competing in the TDF riding recklessly on our already overcrowded roads. Ignoring basic Highway Code.

agree re overcrowded roads. The less cars (and the more cyclists), the better!

Isn’t it mad people could argue against cycling for the reason of overcrowding?! Bonkers

TimeForTeaAndG · 10/08/2023 10:30

SalviaDivinorum · 10/08/2023 10:26

Nonsense.

It makes it all but impossible to give them the required 6ft clearance on many roads so they end up causing massive hold ups around here.

They should be taxed and insured like motorised vehicles.

Show quote history

It's 4ft, 1.5m, to overtake at speeds up to 30mph.

Move to the other lane, as you would when overtaking any other vehicle, and safely overtake.