You pay tax when you buy a bike already don't you via VAT Even children's bikes have VAT on them There is no excuse really not to be able to implement anything as we pay for it already indirectly and directly
If I could cycle to work I would. Its free, healthy and always nice to be in the fresh air (unless its lashing or snowing) Any problem comes in the countryside rather than towns. But on a powered bike are they really a problem?! Have patience poeple, and feel the love *treehug*
We have 20mph school safe areas and a few side roads I have no issue with at all . In a busy town centre no problem. But not everywhere. I am just speaking from what I have found in my town . the " specialy built " cycling routes are off road they run by the road but have a broad strip of land separating them from the road. The route is no longer either. special underpasses so lovely and safe. Kids are briliant and use them. Adults 90% refuse! why? I'm sorry but petitioning Parliament and stuff for adequate safety yet when it's provided refuse to use it and also rant about rights to use the road. It's infuriating that alot of money has been spent in my town oh including special cycle pods at stations , even a bus so you can rack your bike in and get a lift into town centre with your bike I guess if you feel vunerable. It was all provided and nobody used it!!! still riding 2 a breast on the road . then I get stupid people I know laughing about it slowing traffic and how funny it is and how they do it on purpose? one who hit my Dads car then had the nerve to try and take him to court as his £600 push bike was damaged !!!!! never mind the fact his car was. His nerves were and stress of court ( cyclist lost and was told to sling his hook) That's what gets me angry. when things are done they are not used and then you get another argument about my right to use the road. You can't have it both ways. infuriates me I pay road tax and they can't even fill in potholes! No child should have to pay a tax on a bike . id like to see proper training brought in at schools Not all children get Cycling Profiency .
If someone is hit by a car at 40 mph they are 90% likely to be killed. If someone is hit by a car at 30 mph they are 50% likely to be killed. If someone is hit by a car at 20 mph they are 10% likely to be killed. Off the interweb - pretty much said the same when I did my 'road awareness' thingy - which is why the police are after catching people going over the slower speed limits rather than over the higher ones - once you'r over a certain speed then the difference between surviving is not affected so much
20mph through suburban housing conurbations defo. Blind, stupid, hungover, late, people van driving trollops, delivering kids at speed... Flogged!
If spandex Sunday morning monkeys are anything to go by over here, they are a road hazard. i really hate em.
No I agree with 20mph in heavy populated area and driving high speed in a 30 I don't thinks smart. But I do feel strongly about some kind of insurance .. I'd hate to hit anyone.. But I don't like the militant attitude I've been told... Really clever holding up traffic on purpose and finding it amusing even funnier with your 2 year old on a flimsy cycle seat on the back . Please use cycle paths .. Please don't jar people off on purpose by riding having a chat and giggle two abreast on the main road .. Chuckling at the mile tail back your causing in rush hour.. I had a cyclist riding the wrong way up a road the other day nearly cause me to have an accident . If you use the road even if your a push bike you adhere to the rules we do on bikes.. Do not ignore Red lights Do not ride on the road then pavement then road.. Do not just cut people cut pull out or wobble everywhere . We have enough with cars !! Oh going through a village last week My way was green .. Straight through a red light a pack of cying club out on a Sunday jolly I have to stop suddenly even though actually it's my right of way and my green light! If I'd been going faster I'd have played skittles with them as nowhere to go due to the pack! Bye bye Ducati. How would you feel if that happened .. Running red lights and destroying your bike and you.. And then oh sorry as they have no insurance . It's not your fault . If cyclists want respect and kindness they have to stop the above. We have to on the road so should they. Out of interest wonder if you can get done for speeding on a push bike
If a cyclist causes an accident which results in a loss then they are responsible for that loss even if they are not insured. You can always persue a claim through the courts. No you can't get done for speeding on a push bike on a public road as speed limits only apply to motorised vehicles. There is an offence called 'riding furiously'.
Most cyclists are covered under the personal liability clause of their home insurance, I had a collision with one who crossed the road and took me out off my old GSX400 many years ago. Took him through the civil courts and got the bike, leathers, injuries, lid, etc all paid for out of his home insurance (not sure if it was buildings or contents). so they are, mostly, insured. And yes 20mph in built up areas is a good idea (but then as a parent of school age kids, I have a vested interest). And surely the encouragement of getting fat lazy cage warriors out of their cage and into a vulnerable situation should heighten their awareness of others, and help with things frm pollution to congestion to general health.
Trouble is if they hike up the price of things to get motorists out of their cars or tactics ... Bet you us bikers get hit for something Give us bikers use of all bus lanes and non slip manhole covers and places to park .. We are greener as well. Fix pot holes .. Fix roads properly not the half hearted bollox they have been doing here and on the A12! Six year olds in a sandpit do a better job honestly.. Also the new thing is to put up all road work stuff and go on holiday for 3 weeks! It's there for weeks!! No one working just snarling up the road They shut my road for " pArties" For the day the council come round shut my road then open it in the evening. Last time they forgot to open it again.. 3 days later still shut off ... In the end we got so fed up we all took it all down despite ringing them and dumped it in a pile at the side of the road . Rant over ... On public transport today!! Now I know why nobody uses it .. Dire
20 mph limits may or may not encourage cycling, but they are a pain in the arse. If they became blanket instead of 30s, you really wouldn't be moving anywhere. In London it would be a farce. Yes, yes, the slower you go the more the people you hit are likely to survive. But by that token, you just end up stationary so as to give them a 100% chance of survival. Or you start applying the same logic to 40 limits, country roads, main roads, dual carriageways, motorways. It might be wiser to focus on how the accidents happen in the first place. Question: if you see people driving talking on mobiles on a daily basis (which you do), how come they don't implement unmarked car patrols to catch them instead of focusing exclusively on people breaking the speed limit?
Yep, sure can. Cops have often stopped time trials through a 30mph zone as this speed can be exceeded on a racing bike.
Surely, if the government really wants to fund cycling and 'get behind it' in terms of safety and infrastructure they could do it very easily. Make helmets compulsory and place a very nominal tax on the price of every new helmet sold. You help promote safety whilst generating income to support the new policy
Two fiscal principles in conflict there, I think. When safety equipment is made compulsory, it is reduced to zero-rated for VAT purposes.
You make a good point about mission creep. Many rural 60 mph zones are being reduced to 50 mph for no good reason. I do however think that there are some areas where a 20 mph limit would be beneficial.
Then just change the VAT rules for all safety equipment. All it will take is a few parliamentary votes and then Robert's your father's brother. Maybe i'm just seeing it as black and white, rather than umpteen shades of grey
And we complain about anti-motorcyclist sentiment...harder tests, higher taxes, tougher speeding controls...oh the irony
That is precisely what I think every time there is a huge anti-cycling whinge on here. We beef about being a picked on minority, all tarred with some anti-social brush, and what do we do? Leap to put all cyclists in the same bucket and give them a good tarring and feathering too. Get 'em off the roads! Mandate safety equipment! Tax them! Insure them! Make them pass tests. Give us some cycling LEGISLATION for God's sake! Still, why stop there? We can move on to roller bladers, skateboarders and then... well, why not?... pedestrians! The bastards! Legislation is good! We want laws! Taxes! Fines! Policing! Rebel rebel? Ho! Welcome to the reactionary face of modern motorcycling.
Can't see it workin in Birmingham. Take your life in your hands on two or four wheels around here. Frequently get whiffs of Skunk from passing cars when out and about these days. I cycle loads on and off road, see lots of "militant cyclists" prats with no road sense. Agree "test 'em!" So go for 20mph, but fix a few other things as well. Are Ducatis any more tricky at 20 than 30?!
