Cylists without lights - disproportionately annoys me!!

adouglasmhor

To be quite honest in 40 years of cycling I have had hassle from motorists 3 times, maybe due to my knowing what works for cars and lorries as well as for bikes, I always let cars go past if safe to do so, I just pull in a it and wave them on; I thank motorists who give me a bit of consideration; I obey traffic lights and one way systems etc; I never wear lycra but that is for the benefit of the entire population not just other road users.

The 3 were, an alky in a hired van who turned left in front of me as I was crossing a junction, he tried to make out I was in the wrong I ended up putting an arm lock on him until he promised to behave.

A fat buffoon who pulled out of a side road and cut me and a mate off as we cycled to college.

Another fat buffoon or possibly even the same one who saw me riding along the gutter during a rush hour jam and deliberately pulled in to the kerb to stop me getting past. Unfortunately for him the cobbled area between the road and the pavement was wide enough for me to pass him on so he did not get his fun after all.

Every other motorist has been fine with me it not really them and us; even old flashy is mocking more than serious.

kalaika

Harry_Flashman wrote: »

But not everybody pays to use them - that's the point being made.

Common sense would seem to dictate that those who pay for a service should be entitled to rather better conditions than those who simply get it for free by default.

So as well as cyclists, do you expect people driving classic cars to move out of your way on the roads too, as they don't pay VED? What about disabled drivers? Ambulances? Fire engines? Are you a more worthy user of the roads than any of these just because you pay VED and they don't?

By extension, your logic would indicate that those that pay the most in VED have the most rights to use the roads. Which would mean all road users should move out of the way of the artic lorries paying £1,850 a year whether we like it or not...

esuhl

Blobby8 wrote: »

So how do you get your food, your bike, your clothes, you want to live in a cave or something ?

Well, I don't get them delivered by people driving private cars, for a start!!! :rotfl:

I never said we should ban all vehicles/pollution. It does not follow from the premise that a small amount of pollution is acceptable (so that we can maintain trade distribution networks) that we should allow unfettered, untaxed pollution.

What's the ratio of commercial vehicles delivering goods versus the number of private vehicles?

Harry_Flashman

kalaika wrote: »

So as well as cyclists, do you expect people driving classic cars to move out of your way on the roads too, as they don't pay VED? What about disabled drivers? Ambulances? Fire engines? Are you a more worthy user of the roads than any of these just because you pay VED and they don't?

By extension, your logic would indicate that those that pay the most in VED have the most rights to use the roads. Which would mean all road users should move out of the way of the artic lorries paying £1,850 a year whether we like it or not...

Ah, but you've conveniently forgotten to quote my other message which says : "I'm sure there will be a good reason for motorists to have been allowed not to pay Road Tax".

So to address your problems one by one :

Classic Cars (or even better, an old Landy ) - Anyone preserving our motoring heritage deserves all the help and support they can get.

Disabled Drivers - Pretty much ditto. They have plenty on their plates without loading extra cost on their (possibly) only bit of freedom.

Ambulances / Fire Engines - It'd be pretty silly to charge tax to government departments (not saying that the government don't do silly things of course :rotfl:).

Finally, I have to say that yes, I'd certainly move out of the way for an artic - it'd do for my motor what it would do for a cyclist :eek:

Blobby8_2

esuhl wrote: »

Well, I don't get them delivered by people driving private cars, for a start!!! :rotfl:

I never said we should ban all vehicles/pollution. It does not follow from the premise that a small amount of pollution is acceptable (so that we can maintain trade distribution networks) that we should allow unfettered, untaxed pollution.

What's the ratio of commercial vehicles delivering goods versus the number of private vehicles?

So you really believe all the people on the roads are pleasure drivers? The vast majority are travelling due to their employment.

parkmalco

adouglasmhor wrote: »

But unless you are psychic you have to assume that the cylist you see in the road is also a motor vehicle owner like me.

unless they have stabilisers:D

Pound

Harry_Flashman wrote: »

But not everybody pays to use them - that's the point being made.

Common sense would seem to dictate that those who pay for a service should be entitled to rather better conditions than those who simply get it for free by default.

So, you're saying that cyclist who also has a Jaguar X type 2.0 sitting at home in the garage (paying >£400 a year road tax) has more entitlement to the road than most other people who will be driving cars with lower tax bands?

Mids_Costcutter

Blobby8 wrote: »

I dont care what they call it, I have to pay tax to take my vehicles on the road,VED and all the other taxes paid by vehicle owners are not used to build and maintain roads otherwise we would have the best roads in the world.They are used to subsidise other areas.
Hence, all taxpayers do not pay for the road network.
Personally I dont want to share the road with anyone, horses should be in fields or on bridleways, and cylists should realize they are using a facility paid for by someone else and out of respect ride with deference to the people who foot the bill.

Maybe you shouldn't be on the road at all, if you're not prepared to share it? Mercifully under UK highway law all road users have equal priority.

You believe that motorists subsidise other areas of government spending through motoring taxation? It's simply not true.

Here is the evidence from the 2009 House of Commons Transport Committee Taxes and Charges on Road Users report:

http://www.publications.parliament.u...an/103/103.pdf

p.13 motoring taxation amounts to around £46 billion / year (including fuel duty, VED, VAT and business motoring taxes)

p.16 total external costs of road transport: £70 - 95 billion per year

All tax payers subsidise road transport.

Harry_Flashman

Pound wrote: »

So, you're saying that cyclist who also has a Jaguar X type 2.0 sitting at home in the garage (paying >£400 a year road tax) has more entitlement to the road than most other people who will be driving cars with lower tax bands?

Not while he's riding the bike that he hasn't paid to put on the road he doesn't no.

Pound

Harry_Flashman wrote: »

Not while he's riding the bike that he hasn't paid to put on the road he doesn't no.

So you must think that low emission cars that fall into the £0 bracket have less entitlement than everyone else then?