Changes to the highway code.

[Stu's Brews]

I never said cyclists. Steady on

Ok, so ignoring whether you were specifically referring to cyclists, you were still implying that anyone that does not pay 'road tax' (vehicle excise duty) shouldn't be allowed to use the roads. So that would mean cyclists, horse riders, pedestrians and electric vehicles were all banned from using the road.

 

[Justin Dean]

Ok, so ignoring whether you were specifically referring to cyclists, you were still implying that anyone that does not pay 'road tax' (vehicle excise duty) shouldn't be allowed to use the roads. So that would mean cyclists, horse riders, pedestrians and electric vehicles were all banned from using the road.

Wow. Bless you.

 

[Stu's Brews]

Wow. Bless you.

Ok, so if that wasn't what you meant then what did you mean when you said 'road users = road tax'?

 

[Bernie]

Road users = registration and road tax?

Are you the token Daily Mail reader?

 

[Suffolk Supper]

Cyclists will soon moan about “ pot holes”
And how dangerous it is for them but they do not contribute to the maintenance upkeep of the surface's

 

[Stu's Brews]

Cyclists will soon moan about “ pot holes”
And how dangerous it is for them but they do not contribute to the maintenance upkeep of the surface's

Assuming that cyclists pay their income and council tax then they do pay for road maintenance. It's a myth that 'road tax' (vehicle excise duty) is used to pay for road maintenance.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Where does Vehicle Tax go? - OSV
What does vehicle tax pay for?
Contrary to popular belief, road tax doesn’t actually pay for our roads. Our local and general tax pays for our roads, and the money we pay in road tax goes into the consolidation fund we mentioned above.

Once upon a time, road tax did pay for our roads. But, the motorcar boom of 1896-1936 happened and the money the government received in vehicle tax simply wasn’t enough to cover our sudden need for more roads and roads of better quality. So the authorities, both local and general, stepped in and started paying for it. And since then, our roads are funded by the government and not directly by what we pay in road tax.

You could point out that it all comes from the same consolidated fund, and you would be right. So technically some of our road tax money does pay for our roads, but it doesn’t directly pay for them. So, what does vehicle tax actually pay for?

Due to the way that the tax is divided up once it’s paid into the central government fund (where your Income Tax is also managed) it’s hard to say, exactly what your VED goes towards. However, we know that it is used to fund multiple ventures that everyone benefits from.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For the record, I pay income and council tax, as well as vehicle excise duty for my car, therefore I have every right to complain about pot holes whether I am a cyclist or not.

 

[Ale House Rock]

Slightly off topic but regards changes to the Highway Code, I passed a jogger on a dual carriageway yesterday, and I mean ON the dual carriageway, jogging. Should I have given way to him for a couple of miles until there was a pavement he could jog back onto?

 

[Bjorn Toulouse]

Drove the Mrs and her Blind mother into town yesterday. Cyclists jumping red lights 8, Cyclists stopping at red lights 0. Cyclists riding without any lights on there bike 4, ok they were in the minority. Deliverroo riders making dangerous manoeuvres without looking 6. And since I'm on a roll why is it when you are walking on a path or the park do cyclists think its ok to zoom up behind you and not ring there bell, or if they do its when they are right behind you?

And as for following rules when driving, no I have never jumped a red light. Yes I have gone through ambers. Yes I have broken the speed limit. I still don't see what that's got to do with a lot of cyclists that either don't know or don't care about the rules of the road? Cyclist should have to do a CBT and have plates on there bikes so they can be identified. Same as us scooter riders.

 

[samale]

Slightly off topic but regards changes to the Highway Code, I passed a jogger on a dual carriageway yesterday, and I mean ON the dual carriageway, jogging. Should I have given way to him for a couple of miles until there was a pavement he could jog back onto?

It's not against the law to walk, run or cycle on a dual carriageway ( in my limited knowledge). Probably not the best place to run but if there is no footpath then he's free to do so.

 

[Bernie]

Drove the Mrs and her Blind mother into town yesterday. Cyclists jumping red lights 8, Cyclists stopping at red lights 0. Cyclists riding without any lights on there bike 4, ok they were in the minority. Deliverroo riders making dangerous manoeuvres without looking 6. And since I'm on a roll why is it when you are walking on a path or the park do cyclists think its ok to zoom up behind you and not ring there bell, or if they do its when they are right behind you?

And as for following rules when driving, no I have never jumped a red light. Yes I have gone through ambers. Yes I have broken the speed limit. I still don't see what that's got to do with a lot of cyclists that either don't know or don't care about the rules of the road? Cyclist should have to do a CBT and have plates on there bikes so they can be identified. Same as us scooter riders.

THe Deliverroo rider who brought me my Chinese meal had plates on his bike.

 

[Stu's Brews]

Drove the Mrs and her Blind mother into town yesterday. Cyclists jumping red lights 8, Cyclists stopping at red lights 0. Cyclists riding without any lights on there bike 4, ok they were in the minority. Deliverroo riders making dangerous manoeuvres without looking 6. And since I'm on a roll why is it when you are walking on a path or the park do cyclists think its ok to zoom up behind you and not ring there bell, or if they do its when they are right behind you?

And as for following rules when driving, no I have never jumped a red light. Yes I have gone through ambers. Yes I have broken the speed limit. I still don't see what that's got to do with a lot of cyclists that either don't know or don't care about the rules of the road? Cyclist should have to do a CBT and have plates on there bikes so they can be identified. Same as us scooter riders.

I agree that cyclists shouldn't be doing the things you've observed, and it really frustrates me when they do, but we'll have to agree to disagree on your last point.

Making people do a test doesn't stop them from ignoring the rules and registration plates only help if the police have the resources to follow up with offenders following a report from the public, which they almost certainly don't. Under the current rules cyclists can be fined if they are caught breaking the highway code so registration isn't really needed. And like I mentioned before, how do you enforce this for children riding their bikes? Are we going to ban anyone under the age of 16 from riding a bicycle?

There is also the issue of such things reducing uptake in cycling, when in reality we should be encouraging people to cycle (or use any other form of active travel) in order to help tackle traffic congestion, reduce emissions and keep people fit.

 

[samale]

As a runner I will stick to mainly pathways. If I have to run on the road I will run facing the on coming traffic. This gives me a chance to check that they see me and a chance to bail out if they don't

 

[Justin Dean]

Are you the token Daily Mail reader?

No. I do not read the papers mate

 

[Chippy_Tea]

If you see a cyclist who intends to join the roundabout, the car driver should stop on the roundabout and give way to the cyclist joining.' Surely that cannot be safe

Have they removed the roundabout rule that you give way to the person on your right?

 

[Justin Dean]

Have they removed the roundabout rule that you give way to the person on your right?

Stop on a roubdabout.....god forbid cyclist should have to stop and give way. Wow

 

[Stu's Brews]

Have they removed the roundabout rule that you give way to the person on your right?

Stop on a roubdabout.....god forbid cyclist should have to stop and give way. Wow

To be clear, they have not removed the rule that says you have to give way to the right on a roundabout. Cyclists, as with any other vehicle on the roads, are still obliged to give way to any traffic coming from the right. There is no need for vehicles to stop on a roundabout to give way.

This is the new rule relating to giving priority to cyclists:

Summary of the consultation proposals on a review of The Highway Code
Rule H3: Rule for drivers and motorcyclists
You should not cut across cyclists going ahead when turning into or out of a junction or changing direction or lane, just as you would not turn across the path of another motor vehicle. This applies whether cyclists are using a cycle lane, a cycle track, or riding ahead on the road and you should give way to them.

Do not turn at a junction if to do so would cause the cyclist going straight ahead to stop or swerve, just as you would do with a motor vehicle.

You should stop and wait for a safe gap in the flow of cyclists if necessary. This includes when cyclists are:

• approaching, passing or moving off from a junction
• moving past or waiting alongside stationary or slow-moving traffic
• travelling around a roundabout

It specifically relates to situations where a vehicle overtakes a cyclist, and then immediately makes a turn (e.g. a left-turn into a junction) that cuts across the path of the cyclist.

 

[DavidDetroit]

Assuming that cyclists pay their income and council tax

Quick question: how likely is it that a cyclist doesn't also own a car? In the US there is no correlation.
thanks

 

[Bjorn Toulouse]

@samale that's following the highway code got taught that at primary school (OK it was walking on roads without pavements but same applies)

Driving the moho through Germany nearly wiped out a cyclist because of their roundabout rules. Got the fright of my life (ok not as much as the cyclist) googled german roundabout rules and cyclists have right of way IF a cycle path is joining the roundabout. You live and learn.

I spoke to a cop who witnessed a cyclist jumping a red light and asked him why he did nothing, he said no point they would just give him a false name. Thats why ID tags should be on bikes.

Don't get me wrong, I'm thinking about an e-bike now they can hit 56mph. Why have a 125? Oh and their wheels are a lot bigger than 10"! Try hit a pothole on a scoot.

As a council tax payer nothing gets my goat more than looking at miles of cycle tracks totally empty and having to over take cyclists on the road.

One last rant, in the MoHo when there is traffic behind me I pull over to let them past. Why do cycling clubs not do the same? Its just curtesy to other road users. Nothing worse than being stuck behind a line of bikes for miles on the Loch Lomond when you are trying to get to a job. Even caravans pull over.

 

[Bjorn Toulouse]

@ stu's brews

so no change? Why would you do any of those things?
I don't see that as giving priority to cyclists, that's just what you do.

 

[Justin Dean]

The electric scooters bombing along pavements gets me, they are a menace. Same as cyclists who zoom along using no bell form behind , when walking it is not much to expect a cyclist would slow down when going past or get off the pavement,. I know this is not all cyclists, just the people on bikes who do that,. And in the dark no lights that is plain dangerous. That is something that I see too often.