Good idea or not?

[anotheoldgit]

http://tinyurl.com/6fjoxb7

Do cyclists get off too easy?

Should they be forced by law to take out insurance, have a yearly safety check on their bikes, take a proficiency test and also wear crash hats?

Passing a council owned BMX park the other day, I was amazed at some of the stunts preformed by youngsters of various ages, but what did alarm me was the fact that out of all the kids, only one wore a crash hat, and none wore protective clothing, being a very warm day most had their shirts off.

[seadogg]

We all know that cyclists range from the ultra respectable on a valuable and well maintained machine to the yobbo who will ignore any legislation. I doubt if anything will be effective across the board.

[anotheoldgit]

joeluke

Mobility Scooters have to have insurance, they also have to display a Road Fund Licence also.

[AB Editor]

Hi AOG,

That is quite odd. Giving space to BMX's is always a good idea as they'll often be without brakes (so they can spin the handles around during tricks). I wouldn't worry about them too much though, they're usually being controlled by those who heal quickly!

Racers on the other hand are generally pretty tooled up and, to be honest with you I only ride standing up when moving off from the lights (i.e. sprinting) or climbing steep hills. This is the kind of thing I mean by racer: http://www.bassouk.com/ (I only say this because I find it odd for the bikes to be lumped with BMX's and thought there may be a chance of a misunderstanding),

Interesting you associate the "standing up" with dangerous though. I find I give more room to the couple heading to the pub on a sunny afternoon (their first bike ride of the year) on broken down "mountain bike" style bikes - they always seem the most dangerously unable!

All the best,

Spare Ed

[beso]

Helmets for cyclists have been compulsory in Australia for a very long time. There is plenty of evidence that they save lives.

[AB Editor]

Yep, there is, and common sense says wear on anyway. Interesting reading though.

[TheOtherHalf]

I dont think we cyclists should take out insurance. I already pay insurance on my car and being a driver myself I am always road safety concious. I cycle to work everyday and around town and its often the drivers at fault not the cyclist. Ive been cut up loads of times and had car doors suddenly open as Im passing them. I do wear a helmet if Im on a really busy fast road but my route to work is very quiet at the times I go or come home.
I think the tests they do at schools are necessary. There will always been some mad cyclists just as there will be car drivers. Mobility scooters are the worst. Think they can do 50mph on a pavement and everyone has to jump out of the way. We have a lot of them in our town as they all seem to retire here to the coast. And what about mums with prams and pushchairs. There are loads of ignorant ones that think only they have the right to use the pavement and go along in groups.

[Oneeyedvic]

AOG: ///Mobility Scooters have to have insurance, they also have to display a Road Fund Licence also.
///

You do not need insurance and you only need to display RFL on Class 3 Invalid Carraiges (8mph scooters) and even then it is free of charge.

But why bother with facts