Even more cyclists now breaking the law

[DistingusedSocialCommentator]

Most drivers and pedestrians will be aware of this as many have seen or been victims of a cycle rider.

Watching Talktv this morning there was a lady who had lost her mother due to an e-scooter rider on the pavement. The show had a lawyer on talking about what I agree with, IE cyclists are very hard to identify if they get away from an accident.

E-scooters we all know are against the law unless provided for by your local council in central London. Several times over the years, me and the family have had close calls with them on pavements and parks as they zoom down, you cant hear them and they often dress in all black clothing.

Push bike riders are travelling faster and faster as many more have those battery packs on them

With the introduction of 20mph zones in vast areas of London, even more, push bike riders are now breaking the law, EG travelling well over 20mph in a 20mph and passing slower cars travelling at 20mph We are all aware how some push bike riders have ignored the rules for years, EG jump red lights, ignore pedestrians on crossings, cause accidents and walk of or rise off and now, much more able to break the speed limits off 20mph with almost 100% impunity and some that at red lights get o the pavement and cross a red light that way or some just ride on pavements

For the record, note, Its some cyclists not all but we have all seen them more so as going to work, or dropping off children at schools the speed of some of these riders

The Talktv debate also talked about those who kill people while riding a push bike/scooter, I think they said the maximum prison sentence was two years (I may be wrong) but the laws needed vast improvements.

This had been talked about a lot before but nothing happened.

AIBU proposes that all cyclists have number plates/easily identifiable markings, all have insurance, all have a bell and lights, and all wear a helmet and hi-vis jacket (This would in my judgment make many more riders more responsible for their actions and our roads/pavements safer for all)

The police need to be more proactive on e-scooter riders. However, as cyclists are almost impossible to identify, my proposal as above will aid the police and hopefully, modify the dangerous behaviours of those cyclists that are now regularly breaking the law, EG, travelling at more than the speed allowed, jumping red lights, putting pedestrians at risk on crossings and pavements.

Cross our fail.

Anyway. Meaning is clear.

1. e scooters aren’t cyclists

2), and this will really piss you off, the speed limit applies to motor vehicles, not pushbikes. On the road, I can easily go over 20 mph, and often do. It’s funny overtaking fuming motorists who think they own the road.

As explained above, pedestrians are not required to do any of this because they are not in charge of a vehicle.

Your reply is not as clever as you hoped.

As a pedestrian I hate pavement cyclists, but I doubt that too many drivers are "victims" of cyclists.

Whilst I agree with nearly all that, we need police to actually get out and enforce the laws we already have. Go back a few decades and literally all police would do basic "traffic" work, such as stopping cars going through red lights, without lights, driving dangerously, etc., but they ignore all that now and let the "traffic division" do it, of which there are very few. By the same token, a few decades ago, "normal" police would also stop cyclists without lights or riding on pavements etc - again, now they blatantly ignore them and just drive past!

Re black boxes, speed limiters, etc., most modern cars have inbuilt satnav which could do that job, i.e. automatically report speed limit infringements, even automatically report driving wrong way down one way streets, through pedestrianised areas, etc. We just need the political will to make it happen.

A big YES to regular retests for all drivers, and yes, more frequently for older drivers. But we also need better police action to target those who are driving without a licence at all - they get away with it at the moment unless they have an accident or stopped for very dangerous driving or way over the limit. Pointless imposing even more laws and burdens on the majority of law abiding motorists but continuing to let illegal drivers get away with it! Same with "communities" where sharing and swapping of driving licences is common place!

Why do police and PCSOs in city centres blatantly ignore all the justeat and deliveroo cyclists who weave through the pedestrianised areas and shopping centres??

Pointless anecdotes about the time something 'nearly happened' dont really add to the argument - the stats show its motorised vehicles that are the real danger. That's where we should be focusing our anger.

You missed 3) Cyclists can’t be charged with speeding offences. HOWEVER, if they are considered to be going too fast for the conditions, they could be charges with ‘wanton or furious cycling’ which is a criminal offence under section 35 of the Offences Against the Persons Act 1861 (as amended by the Criminal Justice Act 1948 s1(2))

Well done arnt you clever, bragging about trying to upset other road users. 🙄

Deliveroo riders are hardly what you'd call cyclists are they?

The ones i see often have modified electric motors fitted that mean they are on electric motorbikes.

I'm not defensive as you put it, i just would like fewer barriers to getting people out of their cars not erect more ones.

I can however see an argument for 3rd party insurance perhaps as an add on to a household or car policy, bit like Legal cover i.e optional.

Most serious cyclists will be members of British Cycling or similar so will have this in any case.

Ok you're right, that was an impossible utopian fantasy 😭
I agree with you about better public transport but I think it will take a lot before people will willingly give up their cars, because status and identity become tied up with car ownership (and no doubt other reasons that I've not thought of)

I hope that he'll send the footage into the police. Drivers like that should be stripped of their licence.

We do already.

The issue is whether piss poor cyclists should have some attention directed at them as well.

I’m not trying to upset anyone, on a bike that would endanger my life.

However, when I legally and safely overtake, and this makes drivers angry, it makes me laugh because those angry, fuming drivers are precisely the reason we need a 20 mph limit in built up areas.

Whatstgeuse, I'd say no, not really as they are small fry, compared to the massive problem we have with cars.

Hello

Valid comments. But please remember, regardless of fault when an accident happens and there is injury, serious injury or worse, a driver too suffers. Its best to avoid with more education for all that use our roads, IMHO

Right now I'm just trying to imagine what Audi / BMW drivers would be like as cyclists, if everyone started cycling more I think the problematic cycling behaviour could increase!

Ideally better public transport would alleviate this, but you do wonder what those people would do with all that impatient energy... walk really fast?

(Sorry to pick on those car brands, have just consistently seen the worst driving from them!)

Probably best addressed by a return to having more visible Police about and less reliance on 'cameras.

Would help all law abiding road users.

I'm an impatient cyclist. The main problem is lack of proper cycle lanes, motorists driving or parking in the cycle lanes, and pedestrians walking in them too.

If we had decent cycle infrastructure it would solve a lot of these problems.

I can agree with that.

The many cyclists I’ve seen at night locally without lights really should be dealt with by the police. They’re such a hazard.

And more beat police would help with the wankers who pull up in their cars on corners. These also seem to come with clouds of weed smoke. More opportunity for the arrest stats!

Would the drivers in question have the discipline required to get fit enough to beat other cyclists?

Yes, I agree.

If we thought E-scooters were dangerous, the cycles you mentioned, more and more of them on the roads and going super fast and well above the 20mph drivers are expected to do around London

IMO, the Tories and Labour lot dont't feel it will get them votes to get cycle riders more responsible and this just proves they are in it for themselves regardless of the total BS they spout and sadly millions fall for.

There are idiot drivers in every make of car, i guess BMW/Audi ones get more stick as these cars are usually more distinctive than other brands plus a bit of jealousy too?

Apparently "research" shows that Skoda drivers are more likely to swear at other road users than other drivers.

A classic case of "Short man syndrome" they really wanted a VW but couldn't afford one!!!

You need to stop calling those vehicles "cycles"; they are not. They are illegal mopeds, basically.

Why are you trying to lump everything into the same category? It just makes for a muddled nonsensical argument.

Haha. I own a Skoda. I am neither short nor a man. I am pretty sweary, though.

Could have afforded a VW. Wanted a Skoda.

No legal E bike can do in excess of 15mph (with its electric motor) & scooters are banned on public roads, so the bikes and scooters you are complaining about are already illegal.
So the problem is no enforcement.

Govts are against the measures you want because they are impractical and would drive even more people back into cars.

I can’t cycle home from the supermarket with six bags of shopping
@WhatsTheUseOfWorrying pannier racks are rated for 25kg (twice that on a longtail), trailers are rated for 40kg, bakfiets can carry a payload of 100kg. If you regularly shift heavy loads there are specialist trikes made to order - van bodies, flatbeds etc.

For that one time per decade where you have a very large item of furniture to transport, just hire a van or pay for delivery.