Cyclists could be forced to abide by 20mph speed limits and face penalty points or fines under a shake-up of road laws.
Grant Shapps, the Transport Secretary, said he wanted to close a loophole that allowed cyclists to break speed limits and even overtake cars in low-speed zones that are spreading across Britain.
Department for Transport officials acknowledge that such a regime of sanctions would require cyclists to have number plates or some other form of identifiable marking for enforcement purposes.
But then also think of the control this will give the State. So, obviously, it’ll happen.
Just start issuing a few hefty fines to cyclists who consider it their God-given right to go through red lights.
Also can anyone over the age of, say, 10 please go back to cycling on the road rather than the pavement (the same goes for grown men riding kiddie scooters – don’t they realise how pathetic they look).
The reason for low speed limits is the kinetic energy of a car is enough to kill someone in a collision; at 20mph, the risk is reduced to less that 1%. A bike and cyclist combination weighs at most 20% of even a very light car and driver and hence has less than 20% of the KE. The sort cyclists capable of exceeding 20mph are likely to be at the lighter end of the spectrum, as are there bikes. Even at 30mph a heavy cyclist has less than half the KE of a very light car at 20mph. It’s a non-problem to which an expensive solution is being proposed.
Cyclsts should be forced to ride bicycles designed by Hengist Pod
“Conservative” – LOL
I thought these Net Zero tossers wanted more people on bikes (and out of their cars)? ’cause that’s not the way to achieve it.
At the root of this suggestion will be money. Despite cyclists tending to be wealthier than average they pay less to travel than all bar pedestrians. There’s a hole in the government coffers that needs filling!
Remember that when Granny Shapps says cyclists he’s thinking of the metropolitan elites who pass him on his way to Westminster, those who commute to work in London’s zone 1 on bikes worth several grand. Walk past any City firm and check out the entrance to the Loading Bay, even during lockdown you would see streams of affluent folk arriving / departing by bike. These are also the kinds of people who generally conform with the rules.
Don’t worry though, those less hidebound by such rules, tearing around on the pavements of suburban towns and generally being a nuisance will continue to be ignored by the police (as they currently are).
Given that the Department of Transport rubbished the idea less than a year ago this very much has the feel of a silly season story to it. And one put about by a minister who is likely to not be in his current job within a month at that.
There’s a primary school near me where loads of kids cycle to school(*) accompanied by their parents. So we’re going to have mandatory registration and insurance for 6 year olds? It all smacks of Francophone bureaucracy.
(*) It’s Cambridge.
Compulsory insurance, passing your road test, and annual MOT soon to follow.
“Step off the machine and remove your clips, sir. Are you the registered owner?”
Agree with Clarissa, silly season story, impractical to implement. It’s just red meat for the daily mail cyclist hatred squad.
Bikes don’t have calibrated speedometers so how are they supposed to know how fast they are going. Usual hate-cyclist proposal from Schapps – mans a c88t.
I cycle, am member of CTC so have insurance, scrupulously maintain my machine, light up like a Christmas tree and have two cars so pay more ‘road tax’ than most – so f**k off haters.
On an average commute which is 15km each way, mix of A roads, rural and urban I see at least 3 cars RLJ (no cyclists though), get 3-4 dangerous close passes and see so much illegal parking (wheels on pavements, DYL with hazards on) that if dealt with properly by fines would fund more whores, coke and booze than any man could consume.
@John
“Just start imprisoning drivers who consider it their God-given right to go through red lights.”
There fixed it for you.
If I’m waiting at a pelican crossing, the road lights turn red, and a cyclist is determined to not stop, I just step out in front of her anyway. They soon remember where the brakes are.
@TomJ. The leading edge of a bike (the wheel) is very narrow. Total KE may not be vast, but that much energy concentrated on a near knife edge can do serious damage. Maybe bikes should be encumbered with crumple zones and such to protect pedestrians?
General rules, techniques and advice for all drivers and riders (103 to 158)
Rule 153
Traffic-calming measures. On some roads there are features such as road humps, chicanes and narrowings which are intended to slow you down.
You should not overtake other moving road users while in these areas.
No need for any new overtaking rules Mr Shapps, it’s already covered.
Cycling around BiG City, you get a potentially lethal interaction with a motor vehicle due to the driver’s sheer indifference to cyclists every 20-30 km.
Anyone cycling at much more than 20 mph in a city is young, fit, and has a death wish.
A non-problem?
The court heard Mr Loka, 23, was travelling at about 15mph (24km/h) when he collided with Mr McCombie, who was on his way home from working as a hospital administrator.
Prosecutor Deanna Heer said the defendant had been “cycling with a degree of purpose” and had overtaken other cyclists in his approach to the pedestrian crossing where Mr McCombie was waiting.
Ms Heer said the lights had been “on red for over five seconds” but Mr Loka continued cycling and crashed into Mr McCombie.
She added: “As he lay on the road, bleeding and unconscious, the defendant – who had also fallen down – picked up his bike and cycled away, leaving others to call an ambulance for Mr McCombie.”
Mr McCombie suffered damage to his skull, fractures and bruising.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-56320121.amp
@TomJ
“The sort cyclists capable of exceeding 20mph are likely to be at the lighter end of the spectrum, as are there bikes”
I can knock that one on the head, no. Even the heavier ones can break the 40mph speed limit especially going down hill. And the desire to stop at the pedestrian crossing isnt much when they get there.
Yep, silly season. There’s nobody to enforce it anyway. Thanks to Saddo Khan I live in a town of over 100,000 people with no police presence. If they did exist they’d be looking at Twitter for wrongthink.
John,
When I was about 14 I was told to “get off the bloody pavement” by a couple of Bobbies in a two tone Morris Minor. They don’t give a toss these days.
What the authorities should do is measure the speed of cyclists by making them pass through a gate, made of a couple of tall poles firmly fixed into the road and with a moving sensor that raises and lowers according to the height of the cyclist. The timer is activated by the cyclist encountering piano wire drawn across the two sensors.
Did smug man children on their insanely over priced (I’ve bought cars for less – a lot less – than is paid for a lot of push bikes) toys think they would get away with it.
“Anyone cycling at much more than 20 mph in a city is young, fit, and has a death wish.”
Nope. The trick is go at speed of traffic so:
– you don’t have to be in – unbelievably dangerous* – cycle lanes
– only a handful of car drivers need, and are much more likely, to be aware of you (rather than passing lots if you’re going faster or – much much worse – having lots skim past far too close to you and from behind) and, because you’re not slowing them down, they’re less likely to mind you being there.
* too many reasons – needs its own entire post for this. Bike lanes are an absolute menace. Routinely ignored by both pedestrians and cars (invariably at the point where traffic narrows so infractions at worst possible point) so basically only gives a false sense of security at best. Also gravel/loose surface collects in bike line fairly quickly so it’s a worse surface for a cyclist that the main section of the road. Don’t get me started.
“the defendant – who had also fallen down – picked up his bike and cycled away, ”
Throw the book at him.
“would require cyclists to have number plates or some other form of identifiable marking ”
OOOHHHH!!!! Careful what you ask for. If it’s going to be enforced, then you’re going to make absolutely damn sure that theft is followed up. I’m not picking up the flak for the scrote who nicked my bike. Just watch what happens to crime statistics when this comes in….
We have an ancient, ruined brolly at home. I’m tempted to carry it around, for shoving through the spokes of twats who ride their bikes at me, especially on the pavement. (“Twats” is figurative – they were almost all males. Well, the sort of quasi-males who might be, say, computer programmers.)
And I speak as someone who cycled to work, and cycled for almost all short trips, for decades. The main risk to my life was that a bicycle-borne arsehole would force me out under the wheels of a bus or taxi. (For reasons I don’t understand taxi-drivers were the only class of car drivers locally who routinely behaved menacingly towards cyclists.)
Did smug man children on their insanely over priced (I’ve bought cars for less – a lot less – than is paid for a lot of push bikes) toys think they would get away with it.
Of course they did, and will. They’re even getting exclusive behind-the-scenes access to setting the road rules in their favour. You can laugh at the idea of the Lycra twats having to bolt a number plate sail to their carbon fibre marketing exercise, but it’ll never happen in reality.
meanwhile – https://www.mib.org.uk/media-centre/news/2020/february/police-seize-the-uk-s-2-millionth-uninsured-vehicle/
It’s something that probably needs something doing about.
When I were a kid cars & bikes shared the road with a fair bit of tolerance on both side. Motorists gave bikes a wide berth. Cyclists were generally law abiding. One rarely saw people riding at night without lights or riding on pavements unless they were tots. Most bikes had mirrors so one could see what was coming up from behind. I’d say the behaviour of so many, possibly even the majority of cyclists has alienated motorists. I’d say it started around the time the BMX’s became popular. So you had kids stunt riding on both roads & pavements with little concern or other people. I say kids, but some of the kids were in their 20s on bigger sized BMX’s. Most of them weren’t fitted with lights or reflectors, or if they were they’d been removed. Mirrors have almost disappeared. The safety of the cyclist in front is now solely the responsibility of the car behind. When did you last see a cyclist use a hand signal? Lights at night are now optional. The police do nothing about their absence. Ditto reflectors. I gather motorists are now required to give 4 ½m space when passing cyclists. But there is nothing about about how much clear space cyclists are supposed to give cars when passing. So avoiding the cyclist passing a car on the nearside at a distance of 3″ is entirely the driver’s responsibility. Or on the offside for that matter.
Don’t know what’s happening over there at the moment, but if you get the proliferation of electric scooters we have here, god help you. The riders of these things are even worse than cyclists. As far as they’re concerned, there are no rules. Full speed on pavements & pedestrian areas. Even in shops. One way streets the wrong way. Crossing roads on pedestrian crossings without bothering to slow down. Traffic lights apply to the road users but not them. And they’re almost impossible to see because you can’t see the scooter. Just someone appears to be standing still but travelling at 20mph.
This is the same Grant Shapps who has announced the phase-out of over-the-counter train ticket purchases, followed up a couple of weeks later by British Transport police revealing plans to track every passenger by card-purchase details.
Bicycles represent anonymity and freedom. It’s why Shapps hates them, and motorists are so envious.
anonymity & freedom from responsibility.
Ah yes. It is the responsibility of the state to register, track, test and trace its citizens in case they act irresponsibly. As long as citizens act responsibly, what do they have to worry about, eh?
Bicycles represent anonymity and freedom.
Lol, so long as you put your mobile in a tin foil hat. If they bring in cycling controls, it’ll be in places like (parts of) London – and phone apps / tracking will be how they’ll do it.
I have to say the marketing of bicycles has been fantastic. It used to be said that “you won’t see [profession] going to work on a bike”, but now you do. So many are being made content to be like Asian peasants pedalling their way around; the reduction of car ownership will be a breeze.
dearieme,
I saw an elderly gentleman do just that several months ago. The cyclist, a young lad, had zig-zagged around the lowered barriers on a level crossing, and straight on to the pavement where a fairly large group of people, including children, were walking.
“That’s dangerous”
“Fuck off”
This was followed by the man shoving his walking stick through the spokes of the back wheel.
I suppose this was an example of Newton’s third law of motion.
If you can track and identify me from a phone, then why do you need to licence and number-plate me then? You’ve just proved Mr Worstall’s point that it’s a waste of money.
. . . then why do you need to licence and number-plate me then? You’ve just proved Mr Worstall’s point that it’s a waste of money.
I said above that it’ll never happen. Nor should it.
Another example of new laws/regulations to be seen to be doing something when all that’s required is the willingness to enforce what’s already on the books. City of London plod used to occasionally set themselves up on Bishopsgate and stop cyclists going through pedestrian crossings on red. They were never short of business…
Penseivat
This was followed by the man shoving his walking stick through the spokes of the back wheel.
I suppose this was an example of Newton’s third law of motion.
A more visual demonstration would have been the front spokes…
It’s hard to see how number plates on bicycles would be a waste of money. One could equally well say speed cameras are a waste of money
What? They more than pay for themselves from the fines levied on speeding motorists?
Then one would presume there’s a great deal of money to be harvested from cyclists contravening all sorts of laws.
The objection is, of course, that cyclists don’t believe they should be subject to these laws.
Which is, in essence, the problem.
“The objection is, of course, that cyclists don’t believe they should be subject to these laws.”
Not really. It’s the fact that for some people, getting on a bike (currently) is not a lot different to say walking, ie, it’s free from any added bureaucracy or regulation. Imagine needing “a number plate” to go for a walk or a run (in case you were to jay walk or accidentally bash into someone).
The objection is, of course, that cyclists don’t believe they should be subject to these laws.
My objection is that vast layers of government shit will be activated for what are relatively small and local problems. London and other cities encouraged the infestation of themselves with both bikes and people who don’t respect laws. That’s as far as any controls need to go. A family going a for a bike ride in Shipton Bellinger should not be touched by any of this.
It’s the fact that for some people, getting on a bike (currently) is not a lot different to say walking, ie, it’s free from any added bureaucracy or regulation.
Well yeah, that is exactly the problem PF. They want other users of the roads to be subject to bureaucracy & regulation, but not them. But what’s the difference? They’re on the road. They’re interacting with other users of the road.
BTW more people are killed or injured by cows each year – should all cows be individually insured and have number plates?
Askin’ for a friend
PS – maybe Mr Wadsworth has a view
The vast majority of cars exceeding the speed limits are not involved in accidents. So why have speed cameras or car number plates.?
Cyclists could be forced to abide by 20mph speed limits . . .
Does anyone abide by those? My street (and surrounding ones) is a twenty limit, and I’ve never noticed anyone obey. I’ve followed police cars, buses, bin lorries, fire engines, ambulances and all manner of private vehicles; everyone does thirty when conditions permit.
“They’re on the road. They’re interacting with other users of the road.”
But so at times are pedestrians and runners. And in the greater scheme of things we’re mostly sort of relaxed with all of that (provided one isn’t unlucky enough to live in the fatherland). I happily jay walk all the time, very responsibly of course…
I can’t help thinking this is a non-problem, except perhaps for a small % of drivers who can’t stand any other road users, and the usual authoritarian politicos?
“So why have speed cameras”
Now you’re preaching to the converted…
Don’t livestock farmers generally have at least public liability insurance?
Now if you’re suggesting that cyclists must have at minimum 3rd-party insurance before riding on public roads, you might get some support.
All cows in the UK have unique ear tags in each ear.
You got to hand it to me, this dead cat has distracted the fucktards.
You’ll be back in the news cycle soon enough.
If Gov’t, MSM etc hadn’t eulogised cycling and made cyclists angels and a protected, priveliged sector above law we wouldn’t be here
Cheaper & quicker to revert to pre 2022 Highway Code, remove cycle lanes and enforce existing laws
Peter Hitchens attacks idiot Shapps