Not trying to start a fight but WHY?? At the moment they have a ‘right’ to be on the road as there is little or no altenative.
However, pedestrians don’t have a ‘right’ to be on the road. Pavements, crossings, bridges etc. are provided for them to use so they don’t have to mix with the vehicles. Why shouldn’t it be the same for cyclists?? I don’t walk straight down the middle of the road on Oxford St. during the shopping madness just because I want to overtake the hoards of people getting in my way!
If you are provided with a separate, SAFE and convenient route reserved just for you, then why should you be allowed to mix with other traffic just because you want to get where you’re going a bit quicker? Unfortunately it’s this kind of thinking that makes a lot of road users hate some cyclists.
Roads are there for all vehicles (and pedestrians). Allowing motorbikes in bike lanes doesn’t remove their right to filter down the outside of traffic and providing cycle lanes doesn’t remove cyclists right to use the road.
Why should I have to ride everywhere in a bike lane full of kids at 7mph just to avoid occasionally inconveniencing a motorist? If I’m cycling at 20mph then I’m going faster than most cars on the road anyway so there’s no reason I shouldn’t be riding down the road.
If the bike lane was empty or suitably wide to allow me to pass fellow cyclists then of course I would use it - I don’t have any particular fetish for being crushed by texting BMW drivers.
It’s a moot point anyway because the UK will never manage to construct a decent network of cycle lanes so we’re all stuck with running into each other out on the roads.
Afaik, its not illegal to enter a cycle lane unless bordered by a solid white line. Highway code says you shouldn’t but not mustn’t. Id be tempted to give those plant pots a nudge, if I was in my lorry and needed the space
And does the council have the money to tend to these plants? What happens when they get over grown, start hindering the cycle path and road and even less visible in the dark? Or worse, get some brambles growing in them and giving cyclists with skinny tyres no end of punctures!
If cyclists are filtering faster than traffic speed then I don’t see the problem.
I do believe that there should be some compulsory training for cyclists to go on the road however I don’t know how it can be enforced. I have seen some without a clue. Phone to their ear, on pavements as well as roads, cycling the wrong way. Crazy stuff.
I see motorbikes getting so frustrated with good cyclists filtering but if they check they are actually going faster than normal just to make a point
Every new bike sold must be done with a membership to British Cycling, don’t join - don’t get the bike.
That way they get a membership number and they need to produce it like a driving licence in the event of an accident etc.
This would keep the “you don’t pay road tax and no insurance” brigade happy even if they don’t pay vehicle excise duty part.
Not sure how the second hand market would work though - maybe some one could help with that bit.
Lane separation is a great idea for ALL road users but I have a bit of an issue with one of the comments from monkimark - pedestrians use the road at their risk. Why provide pelican and zebra crossings if they don’t use them!!! MPO is if a pedestrian is within short walking distance to a crossing they should use it otherwise they are a fair target, not that I would actually run em over but I’d give em a hell of a fright.
I think there’s a major problem trying to start any kind of bike registration or vehicle excise duty system - the cost would be astronomical, it would be incredibly complex to set up and administer and it would be impossible to police, especially since cyclists range from 4 year olds in the park to lycra clad carbon fibre road warriors and full suspension mudpluggers.
The best way to deal with it as far as I can see is to get coppers out there enforcing the rules of the road - red light jumping cyclists and texting drivers alike it’s crazy, but it just might work.
Not sure i understand your point. Are you saying that if there’s a cycle lane and I’m not using it then I’m fair game for running over?
