Bloke getting written-up by traffic cop on Lewes Road, Brighton today...

[jackanada]

Do cyclists pay road tax?

No. Though cycling organisations campaigned for decent roads to be built when there were about 3 cars in the entire country.
cars pay tax for several reasons, the wear they cause to the road (a cycles is negligible), they pollute and they are inherently dangerous (though i wouldn't go as far as making them all drive behind a man with a red flag again)
You appear to suffer the fallacy that paying car tax entitles you to the road, when the majority of roads in the country were not designed with cars in mind, they are for all forms of transport.

 

[Weststander]

Do cyclists pay road tax?

Have a car myself, which is a polluter unlike other road users, and so I pay a lot of taxes, and quite right too. That doesn't entitle me to ignore the law and park in cycle lanes, and endanger others.

I have total respect to bike users and pedestrians. They aren't polluting or clogging city roads, and in incidents with inconsiderately driven or parked vehicles, will always come out second best against a 1.5 tonne missile.

 

[Acker79]

Road Tax hasn't existed for many years. Motorists pay vehicle excise duty. There has been no link between this and funding for roads since the 1930s.

This 'do cyclists pay road tax' nonsense it trotted out anytime these sorts of discussions come up.

 

[Chicken Runner61]

Yeah but did he check there wasn't anyone sitting in the back ?

 

[Garage_Doors]

I think cyclists should have to buy insurance in case they hit someone.

I would as sure as hell sue the arse any cyclist that cause any accident i was involved in if they were at fault.

 

[Acker79]

I believe also cyclist are not required to stop at red traffihttp://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_069837c lights.

Yes they are.

69

You MUST obey all traffic signs and traffic light signals.

[Laws RTA 1988 sect 36 & TSRGD reg 10(1)]

...

71

You MUST NOT cross the stop line when the traffic lights are red. Some junctions have an advanced stop line to enable you to wait and position yourself ahead of other traffic (see Rule 178).

[Laws RTA 1988 sect 36 & TSRGD regs 10 & 36(1)]

Rules for cyclists (59-82) : Directgov - Travel and transport

 

[Uncle Buck]

Ok bikes are green, but cyclists lack of contribution to the road network is an issue, especially when they seem to think they can do what they want on the road.

 

[Chicken Runner61]

In Basil Fawlty voice "This is exactly how Nazi germany started"

 

[ATFC Seagull]

Surely theres only a small amount of cyclists out there who aren't also paying road tax for a car?

 

[Chicken Runner61]

I would as sure as hell sue the arse any cyclist that cause any accident i was involved in if they were at fault.

How would you know they gave you the correct details?

 

[Chicken Runner61]

Surely theres only a small amount of cyclists out there who aren't also paying road tax for a car?

More likely "theres only a small amount of cyclists out there who are also paying road tax for a car"

 

[Uncle Buck]

I would as sure as hell sue the arse any cyclist that cause any accident i was involved in if they were at fault.

Especially as cyclists are the first to complain when they get run over.

 

[vegster]

In Basil Fawlty voice "This is exactly how Nazi germany started"

I didn't expect a Spanish Inquisition .......

 

[Acker79]

Ok bikes are green, but cyclists lack of contribution to the road network is an issue, especially when they seem to think they can do what they want on the road.

Surely theres only a small amount of cyclists out there who aren't also paying road tax for a car?

More likely "theres only a small amount of cyclists out there who are also paying road tax for a car"

Once again...

Road Tax hasn't existed for many years. Motorists pay vehicle excise duty. There has been no link between this and funding for roads since the 1930s.

This 'do cyclists pay road tax' nonsense it trotted out anytime these sorts of discussions come up.

 

[Uncle Buck]

Once again...

Does not get beyond the fact that cyclists are a danger to the road.

 

[Chicken Runner61]

Once again...

Yes but everybody calls it road tax....

 

[Mackenzie]

Fair play to cyclists, the eco road warriors......

 

[Weststander]

Especially as cyclists are the first to complain when they get run over.

As a car driver, I see shocking urban vehicle driving every day. The sort that could kill or hurt innocent others.
Pricks whizzing through Brighton's residential streets between 30 and 40 mph.

The stuff reeled out against cyclists pale into insignificance in comparson.

Both cyclists and motorcyclists have noted vehicle drivers in tedious jams often take exception to riders moving past, due to the green-eyed monster.

 

[jackanada]

I would as sure as hell sue the arse any cyclist that cause any accident i was involved in if they were at fault.

Fair chance that whoevers fault it was the cyclist would be severely injured or dead, while the car might need a bit of t-cut. Complain all you like about cyclists but they take the ultimate responsibility for their actions.

 

[Chicken Runner61]

Is there a law on how fast cyclists should travel in a cycle lane in a busy street of pedestrians?

Also if a pedestrian walks in the cycle lane who is to blame if a bike hits him?