Page 6 | Cyclists who act like they own the road should pay towards it

JudgeJ · 10/08/2023 12:38

Beamur · 10/08/2023 11:01

Car tax is just a source of income for the Treasury. A tax if you like on the luxury of car ownership.
It hasn't paid for road maintenance in a very long time.
Anyone who thinks they have a greater right to the road because they have a car are somewhat mistaken.

True, because we all know that the lycra-mafia own the road, don't they?

Daffodilsandbagels · 10/08/2023 12:43

ProudToBeANorthener · 10/08/2023 10:53

Riding in gangs of ten or twenty on narrow (think Yorkshire Dales) roads is not only ill -mannered but downright dangerous. They should pay not least for the lost revenue of people trying to go about their business.
I assume that they are the same
people who when driving a car push in, hoot loudly and generally behave ignorantly then as well ☹️

The idea that cyclists should pay for the “lost revenue of people trying to go about their business” is honestly one of the most bonkers things I’ve ever read on this site. Get a grip!

theyareonlynoodlesmichael · 10/08/2023 12:46

Frabbits · 10/08/2023 12:34

You can walk down the street and stab someone. What's to stop them without registration plates?

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Fucking hell that's a leap, are your ankles ok?

BlackberrySky · 10/08/2023 12:46

onefinemess · 10/08/2023 11:30

OP, you won't get any sense on here. I agree with you, in fact I would go further and say that bicycles and pedestrians should be banned from public roads. There are footpaths for pedestrians and cycle tracks for bicycles. Where there are neither, then there should only be cars.

You don't need to cycle, it's just a massive EGO TRIP. If you can cycle somewhere, you can just as easily take a bus or taxi, the same doesnt apply for cars. Cycling isn't a legitimate form of transport in the UK and shouldn't be seen as one. There is absolutely 💯 no reason for anybody to cycle on a road

You wouldn't buy a boat if you had nowhere to sail it, same logic should apply to bicycles. If you don't have a bike path to ride on, then you shouldn't buy a bicycle.

They are so dangerous, holding up traffic and none of them obey any rules. They should be banned immediately.

Yesterday I say a woman riding a bicycle with one of those stupid little trailers attached. Inside was a toddler. How fucking stupid and irresponsible was she to put a child in that position. She was quite happily cycling down the inside of an HGV approaching a set of lights. And then she just sat there, with her toddler literally inches from the double axle and exhaust. What kind of moronic stupidity was that. Completely clueless and oblivious to the danger.

Yeah, bicycles need to be banned from the roads ASAP.

What utter twattery. That is all.

gogomoto · 10/08/2023 12:49

I must admit I was seething yesterday, 2 people riding side by side on a road (a national speed limit road) too narrow to overtake if they are side by side, they were gently going at 5mph!

My car hate going so slowly, it increases emissions a lot running in first gear (plus gobbles the fuel of course) but myself and a dozen or so others followed them the three miles between the village and the town including on the road marked not suitable for bikes and and arrow to the bike route!

Just hoping they haven't taken up daily cycling at 1.45pm

Personally I can cope with cyclists as long as they are aware of others eg take the cycle routing if offered, it's there for a reason, go to single file if you have traffic behind you than cannot pass if you are two abreast (narrow country lanes), wear bright clothes with reflective strips in dull, dusky or dark conditions especially and if you are wanting a leisurely cycle ride (as opposed to cycle commuters) be mindful that not everyone has unlimited time so travel outside of peak hours and pull over to let traffic pass periodically on roads that aren't possible to pass you. If we are aware of each other there will be less resentment

Longtimelurkerfinallyposts · 10/08/2023 12:51

Want to live somewhere with fewer bikes/ pedestrians, and more cars/ pollution? Move to LA @dreamingofsun and @onefinemess
and leave our road infrastructure for those who can share it nicely with other road users.

chocolateisavegetable · 10/08/2023 12:51

From 2025, electric cars will no longer be exempt from road tax, so perhaps they will also start charging cyclists then

Frabbits · 10/08/2023 12:52

theyareonlynoodlesmichael · 10/08/2023 12:46

Fucking hell that's a leap, are your ankles ok?

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I'm sorry, is this point too subtle for you?

People on bikes can cause accidents, break the law etc and there is absolutely no way to catch them without registration plates.

People not on bikes can also cause accidents, break the law etc and there is absolutely no way to catch them without registration plates.

But you only think cyclists should be registered. Why?

BlackberrySky · 10/08/2023 12:52

They should pay not least for the lost revenue of people trying to go about their business.

What twaddle. Does that also apply to tractors, caravans, and Sunday drivers? 😁

Frabbits · 10/08/2023 12:52

chocolateisavegetable · 10/08/2023 12:51

From 2025, electric cars will no longer be exempt from road tax, so perhaps they will also start charging cyclists then

It's never, ever going to happen, because it would be fucking stupid.

enchantedsquirrelwood · 10/08/2023 12:53

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?

I drive a hybrid car which I have just taxed for free. It's not very big, but it still takes up significantly more road space than a bike.

What do you say to that, OP?

PS I also ride a bike.

theyareonlynoodlesmichael · 10/08/2023 12:54

Frabbits · 10/08/2023 12:52

I'm sorry, is this point too subtle for you?

People on bikes can cause accidents, break the law etc and there is absolutely no way to catch them without registration plates.

People not on bikes can also cause accidents, break the law etc and there is absolutely no way to catch them without registration plates.

But you only think cyclists should be registered. Why?

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Why should cars be registered?

chocolateisavegetable · 10/08/2023 12:55

Frabbits · 10/08/2023 12:52

It's never, ever going to happen, because it would be fucking stupid.

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Are you suggesting that the government never do stupid things?

LolaSmiles · 10/08/2023 12:58

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

Only read as far as this comment and I predict the next few pages will have:

people moaning about road tax
but what about the ones who run red lights
people complaining they have to do an appropriate overtake instead of squeezing past
a few people complaining that cyclists don't ride in the gutter to facilitate their dangerously close overtakes
cyclists shouldn't be on the road because they're too slow
cyclists should be on cycle paths, even if the cycle paths aren't safe and drop the cyclists off at awkward crossings or means they're unable to join the road at a safe place again
cyclists shouldn't be on cycle paths because some people want to walk their dogs / have a walk / they're too fast for shared use paths
something predictable about speeding around like the Tour de France
some body shaming comments about men who wear lycra (aka appropriate clothing for the activity)

Do I win without reading the thread?

StrawberryPi · 10/08/2023 13:14

@LolaSmiles pretty much spot on!!

Whataretheodds · 10/08/2023 13:15

Longtimelurkerfinallyposts · 10/08/2023 12:51

Want to live somewhere with fewer bikes/ pedestrians, and more cars/ pollution? Move to LA @dreamingofsun and @onefinemess
and leave our road infrastructure for those who can share it nicely with other road users.

@onefinemess

There are footpaths for pedestrians and cycle tracks for bicycles. Where there are neither, then there should only be cars

What nonsense. Do you care about anyone's lungs?

Lemonyfuckit · 10/08/2023 13:21

dreamingofsun · 10/08/2023 10:34

Timefortea- no i wouldnt have overtaken a car on the same stretch, but the car wouldnt have been going so slowly and holding so much traffic up for such a long distance

'About a mile' is not a long distance. And the point is if it's not safe to overtake a car it's not safe to overtake a cyclist. If you are that impatient you're a danger and shouldn't be on the roads.

Original poster

dreamingofsun · 10/08/2023 13:25

lemon - agreed. But i wouldnt expect a car with a compatant driver to go at a max of speed of 18mph, holding up the rest of the traffic.

OP posts:

Brumbies · 10/08/2023 13:26

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!

Then start riding in a sensible and considerate manner!

Original poster

dreamingofsun · 10/08/2023 13:27

Enchanted - my guess is that at the moment hybrid cars are only being allowed on the road tax free to encourage people to buy them. at some point there is going to have to be a different funding model.

OP posts:

Miajk · 10/08/2023 13:29

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?

More people should cycle and less people should be lazy fucks. We should absolutely encourage more eco friendly ways of transportation.

It's ridiculous how lazy people are about car journeys. I would guess most could be walked, cycled, or public transport could be used.

ichundich · 10/08/2023 13:30

The problem is not the cyclists but a UK government that prioritises motorists and doesn't invest in a safe and viable cycling infrastructure. It's the reason you only see mamils rather than 'normal' cyclists here. Go to the Netherlands or Germany where there are safe cycling routes so people actually cycle to get to places rather than just scrub miles and their own ego.

lljkk · 10/08/2023 13:31

So... I own a car but barely drive it. Like 5k miles /year. That's so low because I walk & cycle places instead. Does paying car-tax mean I get to cycle like I own the road?

Or am I only allowed to be an arse while sitting at the steering wheel? Does driving a car you paid car tax for then confer special "you get to drive and park like a twat" privileges?

I've read it all on MN now, I truly have.

ps: most cyclists live in a household with a car they regularly ride in / drive.

pps: I grew up in a place where bicycles had to be registered. I don't remember that making any of us cyclists nicer people. Most people ignored the rule, anyway.

Original poster

dreamingofsun · 10/08/2023 13:37

miajk - do you live in a town? Clearly you dont live where we do as there is very little public transport and we are miles from any decent facilities. Unfortunately i dont have the time, or fitness levels to cycle 30 miles.

OP posts:

TenderDandelions · 10/08/2023 13:37

dreamingofsun · 10/08/2023 10:31

Actually Bingbang has a point. It was the inconsiderate cycling that really narked me. Holding up about ten or so cars for about a mile because they insisted on cycling two abreast so no-one felt safe to overtake.

When you overtake a bike you're supposed to give the same amount of room as if you were overtaking a car. i.e. on the other side of the road.

Therefore, it shouldn't matter if you're overtaking one bike or 3.

Also, cycling 2 abreast is the recommended way of cycling. By doing so, someone overtaking is actually on the wrong side of the road for a shorter amount of time than overtaking a convoy of bikes.

I do, however, agree that some cyclists take the absolute piss. I was nearly knocked over by one in Central London recently as I crossed a pedestrian crossing on the green man. I shouted "red lights apply to you too" and he stuck his finger up at me!