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License cyclists
Before increasing the number of cyclists on London roads we should surely review the practical problems. It would be sensible for all cyclists to have to undertake training so they understand the rules of the road and don’t inadvertently create a problem for themselves or others. This can only increase cyclist safety. Furthermore, cyclists should be required to wear hi-viz with a licence number clearly displayed and also shown on the bike frame. I have lost count of the number of times a cyclist has whizzed through a red light just as I or someone else steps out to cross the road for example. We are all aware that people have been knocked down and seriously hurt but there is no way to identify the culprit who has simply pedalled off. If a car, we can note the number plate. It would also mean cyclists could financially contribute in the same way that car owners are expected to. Not to the same extent but cycle lanes need to be maintained too for example.
Suggested by gmg57
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Community Member 4 years agoThere's so many reasons why this is a bad idea that it's hard to know where to start/end.
The reason that motor vehicles need to be licensed, identified, and insured is that they pose a serious danger to other road users. In 2019, 27,820...
Show full commentThere's so many reasons why this is a bad idea that it's hard to know where to start/end.
The reason that motor vehicles need to be licensed, identified, and insured is that they pose a serious danger to other road users. In 2019, 27,820 people were killed or seriously injured by motor vehicles. And to be clear serious injuries are not bruises and scrapes which people recover from - they represent life-changing injuries including paralysis and amputations.
In contrast bicycles - and other non-motorised mobility devices such as rollerblades, skateboards etc - do not pose sufficient serious danger to other road users to justify the creation and maintenance of an identification and licensing scheme - this is why bicycle insurance is sometimes even provided free with house insurance - because there are so few claims against it.
There would also be a significant downside in (i) the administrative cost for the authorities (ii) the bureaucratic hurdle would mean some who would otherwise cycle would be discouraged.
Regarding the cliche of cyclists speeding through red lights. I posit - as a driver - that there is a much larger proportion of drivers who exceed the speed limit, than cyclists who cycle through red lights ... Speeding motor vehicles are a greater danger - and if there is resource to enforce, then it should be directed to the greatest risk.
Regarding the cliche of cyclists "financially contributing in the same way car owners". Again, as a driver, I believe I should financially pay more than cyclists to cover (i) the pollution my vehicle emits (ii) the noise pollution my vehicle emits (iii) the greater wear and tear my vehicle causes to roads (iv) the space my car takes when driving on the road (v) the space my car takes when parked on the side of the road (vi) the danger my car and other cars pose to other road users.
Show less of commentgmg57
Community Member 4 years agoJust to be clear. Injuries have and continue to be greater than bruises and scrapes. Bicycle insurance is probably provided at a small cost unidentified in the quote rather than truly free and no doubt influenced by the small number of...
Show full commentJust to be clear. Injuries have and continue to be greater than bruises and scrapes. Bicycle insurance is probably provided at a small cost unidentified in the quote rather than truly free and no doubt influenced by the small number of claims because there is no way of tracking down the culprits. Two wrongs do not make a right so pointless to say cyclists shouldn’t be held responsible for their behaviour because some car drivers speed. You neglected to use the full position on contribution ie not to the same extent. All in all I’ll stick with the sound rationale in my idea.
Show less of commentRobert Munster
Community Member 4 years agoIt is not true that motor vehicles pose a greater danger, at least in London. If you divide pedestrian injuries caused by motor vehicle by distance travelled in motor vehicles and do the same for cyclists you get an almost identical figure.
Show full commentIt is not true that motor vehicles pose a greater danger, at least in London. If you divide pedestrian injuries caused by motor vehicle by distance travelled in motor vehicles and do the same for cyclists you get an almost identical figure.
Show less of commentPaul Bowers
Community Member 4 years agoCouldn't agree more with your comment, personally i feel they should also be required to carry indemnity insurance as a bare minimum, and should be extended to all propelled modes of transport used on roads, e.g. electric scooters, road...
Show full commentCouldn't agree more with your comment, personally i feel they should also be required to carry indemnity insurance as a bare minimum, and should be extended to all propelled modes of transport used on roads, e.g. electric scooters, road legal mobility scooters.
Unfortunately cyclists are very opposed to this idea and give up a million reasons why this shouldn't happen then claim motorists jump red lights don't carry insurance etc. Whilst i agree there are illegal and uninsured drivers these are the minority as opposed to the majority.
I support one rule for all instead of one rule for some and none for others.
Show less of commentAnonymous - account deleted
Community Member 4 years agoWe need to encourage more people to commute and travel by bike and to do this we need to improve our road infrastructure and make it more cycling friendly. In london only 3% of journeys are made by bike. In some European cities this figure...
Show full commentWe need to encourage more people to commute and travel by bike and to do this we need to improve our road infrastructure and make it more cycling friendly. In london only 3% of journeys are made by bike. In some European cities this figure is 30%. Just think what that is doing for air quality, resident’s fitness and mental health. Money spent improving cycling infrastructure would be much better than creating a system of licensing and cameras on (every?!) pelican crossing. As for injuries, check the stats on the number of people killed by cars in the UK (or any major city) vs. the number killed by cyclists. A simple ‘don’t jump the lights’ campaign would I suspect do much to make this a social faux pas.
Show less of commentgmg57
Community Member 4 years agoPlease don’t conflate two different issues. I have purposefully not referred to the attractiveness or not of more cyclists on the roads but rather the practicalities to be considered of doing so. There are many many cycle lanes where I live...
Show full commentPlease don’t conflate two different issues. I have purposefully not referred to the attractiveness or not of more cyclists on the roads but rather the practicalities to be considered of doing so. There are many many cycle lanes where I live. Using a cycle lane doesn’t doesn’t remove the need to be aware of the rules of the road in any case and aware that it isn’t a free pass to jump lights. My idea is about safety of cyclists and the often forgotten pedestrians. Just because the stats for accidents involving cars are higher (no idea how that looks as a comparative percentage of users) doesn’t mean cyclists should not be responsible for their own road awareness too and awareness of pedestrians who actually should on every occasion be able to cross a road when the traffic light is red. It is a very rare event with car drivers. In my experience, and I do not believe I am alone, the same cannot be said of cyclists. I didn’t just refer to deaths in any case. It doesn’t need a don’t jump the lights campaign. I strongly suspect every cyclist already knows that is the case! My idea is not trying to demonise cyclists but they should be able to be held to account if necessary in the same way as car drivers. Cameras already exist for number plate recognition.
Show less of commentAndrew Bosi
Community Member 4 years agoMeasures to facilitate walking should go in first, including access on foot to public transport. Provision for cyclists should fit around that, not the other way round which has prompted the comment above.
Show full commentMeasures to facilitate walking should go in first, including access on foot to public transport. Provision for cyclists should fit around that, not the other way round which has prompted the comment above.
Show less of commentgmg57
Community Member 4 years agoNo. That wasn’t what prompted the suggestion although there is merit in that for new areas. In existing areas there is already access on foot to public transport - pavements. The suggestion had been prompted by the lack of consistency of...
Show full commentNo. That wasn’t what prompted the suggestion although there is merit in that for new areas. In existing areas there is already access on foot to public transport - pavements. The suggestion had been prompted by the lack of consistency of responsibility.
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