Taxi drivers and motorists have welcomed a “long overdue” plan to crackdown on reckless cyclists. They claim it will increase road safety.
As part of a road-law overhaul, the government will be reviewing whether cyclists should get number plates or insurance.
Approval could result in cyclists being subject to licence penalty points and fines.
Officials also plan to introduce mandatory insurance so pedestrians who are seriously hurt by reckless drivers can get compensated.
One association of taxi drivers welcomed the initiative and demanded that cyclists be held accountable.
The proposals have received praises from people on social media. They are part of an overall crackdown against aggressive riders who would see the establishment of a new offense of death by dangerous riding.
It was said that they were able to get away with almost everything and never be held responsible for any damage caused.
They also said that it was “well overdue” It is particularly important to have number plates so that cyclists are held accountable.
London’s busy streets are negotiated by a cyclist. Britons praise a plan for rewriting road laws so that cyclists can have insurance
Steve McNamara (pictured), general secretary for the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association has welcomed these plans
Steve McNamara (General Secretary, Licensed Taxi Drivers Association) stated that cyclists should be held responsible for their actions.
He stated that these proposals were long overdue. Since years, taxi drivers have been asking for these measures for cyclists.
“Motorcyclists have been stigmatized and made the only target of increasing enforcement and restrictions for too long. However, data shows that dangerous and reckless cycling is responsible for more fatal accidents than motorists.
Watch any central London junction for a minute and you’ll notice cyclists speeding at dangerous speeds.
“The most recent Highway Code amendments, which gave cyclists higher priority, has further compounded these issues.
Ministers must be serious in improving road safety and promoting “active travel”. It is crucial that bicycle riders follow the rules of the road. They can also be held responsible for any violations.
On social media, there was an almost identical reaction. Many said it was necessary to stop dangerous cycling.
@RayMariead wrote: ‘About Time, they get away avec everything, never bear the cost of damage they do astride off and have no way to be identified.
@Guess_who002 commented: “I agree with Nick that cyclists are law because they don’t hold themselves accountable.” Make them accountable as all other licence holding road users are taught & things may change.’
@davidthegolfer stated: “Number plates, insurance, and an sociable attitude also.” Too many cyclists ruin their reputation.
@GPastabake joked: ‘It’s rare that news stories these days make me smile… but this one has brightened my whole day already… and it’s only 6am. Wholesomeness.’
@MrJonnyO added: ‘Well overdue… @MrJonnyO added: ‘Well overdue…
Nick Freeman (a solicitor who campaigned to have stricter rules for cyclists) has also welcomed the plans. He said that it would hold them responsible for unsafe riding.
Nick Freeman is an attorney who is well-known for his celebrity defenses in cases involving celebrities driving. He has spoken out to praise the plans
Yesterday, he spoke on The Jeremy Vine Show. He stated that while Grant Shapps moves were welcome, he needed to take it a step further. However, he believes that all road users need equal competition.
“I am afraid this includes some type of identification for cyclists.
The priority must be to improve road safety.
“They can bike, we have to build the infrastructure but roads must be safe for everyone.
He said that it is important for people to be held responsible for their actions.
He said, “My opinion is that people will take accountability if they are held accountable. They won’t have to go through red lights and they won’t be riding on the pavement.”
“Unfortunately, pedestrian injuries are on the rise.
‘Officially, cars inflict far more injuries and I understand that. However, what we really want is for everyone safe.
“All of us must accept the responsibility for our actions, not just those who are causing the greatest danger.
“So we have to collaborate and be inclusive, and everybody needs to accept some level of responsibility.
Jeremy Vine (host) was a cyclist who posted a mockup photo of a bike with a number plate and spikes.
A radical overhaul of road laws could force cyclists to get registration numbers, have insurance, and adhere to speed limits. (file photo).
Pedestrians hit by cars can make sizeable claims which are paid out by the motorist’s insurer. This isn’t possible for cyclists who are reckless, and the riders can’t be sued if their wealth is low.
This plan would form part of wider efforts to crack down on aggressive riders. It would also create a new offense of death from dangerous cycling. Grant Shapps, Transport Secretary for the Daily Mail announced the plans earlier this month.
A ‘archaic legal loop’ currently means that killer cyclists could be sentenced to a maximum two-year term, while motorists are subject to life imprisonment. A review of road laws could create more parity in the midst of increasing tension after changes to Highway Code.
In January the government announced changes that cyclists will have priority over motorists. Some streets even encourage them to cycle in the middle of traffic.
The Mail was informed by Mr Shapps that speed limits should be extended to cyclists. It’s great to ride a bike and I’m not against it. It’s not my intention to make cyclists break traffic laws. I believe they should be free.
Grant Shapps (pictured), called for tighter rules regarding cyclists. She stated that he saw no reason why cyclists shouldn’t break road laws, and should be allowed to do so.
The new Prime Minister may not make Mr Shapps Transport Secretary. However, he stated that his successor would be encouraged to push ahead with the review. This review will likely raise concerns about the limits on drink driving and whether there should be an age limit to prevent children from being subject to these strict rules.
The Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety reported last year that one out of 100 pedestrian deaths would have been due to a bicycle, compared to 65 cases where a driver caused the accident.
Reports on 470 road traffic accidents in 2019, in which pedestrians were killed, revealed that there had been 470. Five cyclists caused collisions, while 305 were caused by drivers of cars and 51 by drivers operating heavy vehicles. Seven cyclists were killed on the roads in 2011, compared to 721 car drivers.
Reckless riders must be stopped
Melissa Kite’s Commentary
Last time I rode my horse along the country lanes in Surrey, it was nearly impossible to come back. Thanks to a group of cyclists.
Just a few steps from my gate at the stable yard was a group of racing enthusiasts who rushed downhill to me. They spread their arms across the entire lane. Poor Darcy started to panic so I shouted, “No!
They kept coming. The bikes swirled around Darcy and suddenly she was spinning in circles – right into the path of a car behind me. To stop myself from falling, I held onto her neck and watched the expression on the driver’s faces. It was so close that I thought we were about to get on top of each other. Darcy still shakes her head when she hears that faint sound of a bike.
Anybody who is willing to saunter past a woman clutching onto the neck of a terrified animal on the road without insurance or license is not allowed to do so.
That’s why I’m delighted that, as the Mail reports today, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps is hinting changes might be in the offing – including speed limits and registration plates for these menaces of the road who have earned the nickname ‘Lycra louts’.
It’s long past time. This is a long overdue initiative.
Many cyclists follow the rules and simply want to move safely between A and B. A few dangerous cyclists can bring down the image of all of us.
Pictured: Melissa Kite
Many cyclists are known for running red lights, disregarding pedestrian crossings and weaving in and around lanes. As Mr Shapps points, it is not illegal to speed on a bicycle. Now, the political power of cyclists is so great that road users must bow before them.
In many cases this has been a problem for cyclists. They believe that they can do anything. Kim Briggs, a 44-year old mother of two, was killed when she was struck by a bicycle while crossing east London’s road. Charlie Alliston (18 years old) was riding illegally on a bicycle without front brakes. He shouted ‘Get the f*** out of my way’ before smashing into her.
Yet he was jailed for just 18 months because no law existed to charge him with the equivalent punishment of causing death by dangerous driving – indeed, he had to be convicted under Victorian legislation dating to the time of the horse and trap.
While I hate red tape and consider myself a natural libertarian, there must be a system that ensures equal access for all road users. My experience has shown that the rural area is in dire need of a system to ensure everyone uses the roads for racing. Weekend cycling clubs use the roads more often than ever. It’s more than just accidents that they create. Their anti-social behavior is the main problem. Many once peaceful areas have been destroyed by cyclists’ arrogant attitude and selfish aggression.
There is no reason motorists shouldn’t be careful around bicycles, and any incidents of car negligence are unacceptable. We rightly emphasize safe driving. But it is time that cyclists take on some of the responsibility.
Our cities are becoming more friendly to cyclists than drivers, pedestrians, and all other users.
Very often in the congested city streets, cyclists are the only people going more than 20mph – and sometimes without wearing a helmet or while listening to music on headphones. Boris Johnson was a passionate cyclist and called the behaviour “absolutely crazy” when he became London’s mayor following a series of fatalities in 2013. As long ago as 2012, a survey found 57 per cent of cyclists had jumped a red light – and things seem no better now. Police in Hackney in east London caught 18 cyclists who ran red lights within 90 minutes.
Riders have always believed that it is possible to do whatever they want. We need to do something.
Although Mr Shapps’s plans seem promising, it is important that politicians take a stronger stand against the cycling lobby. Stop kowtowing to organizations like Cycling UK which appear to be ruled by numbers.
Their motto is “Giving Us a Louder Vote”. Recently made changes to Highway Code that allow bicycles to be in the middle of the road have shown how noisy they can already be.
Bicycles have been given too much freedom. It is time to hold cyclists responsible.