There have been a number of road accidents involving bicycles in my area recently in which 3 people were killed,i don't entirely blame the bike riders but i do feel they are to blame alot of the time,why are they given their own lanes and traffic lights yet they do not pay road tax,insurance or have a license plate.
maybe they would cycle alot more safely if these actions were taken.
2007-07-11 03:21:30 · 18 answers · asked by Bird 2 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Safety
No. Where pratical, they should use the pavement. Simple as that. They are a menace to road users.
I just cannot, for the life of me understand why they are encouraged to use the road. It surely can't be in the name of safety because if a pushbike hits a pedestrian, sure, it'll hurt, but it's a lot worse when a car hits a pushbike isn't it?
They have no protection against injury in an accident, no insurance so I have to foot the bill if I have an accident trying to avoid one, and they wobble all over the road whenever you get a gust of wind or the slipstream from a lorry.
And if we must have cyclists on the road, then they should take a written test to demonstrate that they have at least some idea about what a red light means, wear a crash helmet like everyone else on a two-wheeler, have insurance...oh...and they can pay some road tax too to fund some of the cycle lanes they'll demand.
2007-07-11 04:13:00 · answer #1 · answered by gam3fr3aks 3 · 5⤊ 1⤋
I ride my bike to and from work 3 1/2 miles one way. 2 or so miles of those 3 1/2 is a two lane road that is basically a highway with cars driving well over the 55MPH speed limit. When I ride, I ride about three feet to the right of the fog line. I am almost on the edge of the road. The only time I go within a foot to the right of the fog line is when there is roadkill, an obstruction, or a sheer drop off. When I am biking through town with stop signs, I do blow through the stop signs... When no one is coming! When there is someone coming, I will slow to a stop and continue after they have passed. Yes, this has caused me some delays (including being late to work), but it's safer. I also wear a helmet now after I was HIT by a car last summer while biking ON THE SIDEWALK. I was biking on the sidewalk and a lady in this HUGE Jeep (I think it was a Jeep at least), floored it while coming out of a Tim Horton's (fast food place) parking lot. So, I ride on the sidewalk at times but mostly in the road now. However, if I'm on an insanely busy or narrow street, I will bike on the sidewalk.
On the other hand, I am also a new driver on the road. I am still on a permit at age 19. I am hoping to have my license by the end of this month. While out driving with my mom, there was a biker up ahead who was biking on the fog line. Traffic was coming in the left lane, so I could not get over very far. I got very ticked off at this guy. Also, another time while out with my grandma, a biker ran a red light on a side street (I had the green. Luckily I was able to stop in time).
Bikers aren't supposed to be on the sidewalk because sidewalks are just that: Walks. Not bikes. A bike is considering a non-motorized vehicle, not a pedestrian. Also, biking in the road is faster and better for you and your bike since you are not constantly being jarred around by the bumps in the sidewalk. Now if sidewalks were completely smooth, I'd SO ride on them all the time!
Haha, so, I've rambled way too much. But all in all, I believe that bikers should be allowed on the road, as long as they obey the same rules cars must. Cars run stop signs and it's just as bad as when bikers do. So, we must all learn to share the road.
On a last note, biking in the city is scary
2007-07-11 14:30:47 · answer #2 · answered by J 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
As with all sections of society there are good and bad, and it is the dangerous and irresponsible cyclists that should be tackled. I was hit in the stomach by the handle bars when a cyclist failed to pay due care and attention, while I was crossing the road at a Zebra crossing. Instead of apologising he proceeded to argue with me, it wasn't until a big burly man challenged him that he backed down.
It is right that they have cycle lanes, particuarly on busy and potentially dangerous stretches of roads, they have the right to feel safe as well, but the police should take the problem of dangerous cyclist seriously, I was fortunate that I an fit and healthy, if I had been an elderly person or a child, the result could have been far worse.
As with all users of the road there is a responsiblity to drive, or cycle safely, and where they fail to do so they should be held accountable.
2007-07-11 03:38:58 · answer #3 · answered by enlightened goddess 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yeah, and we should tax, license and insure pedestrians too - they use pavements don't they? They have crossing lights and zebra and pelican crossings, and when they cross the road they walk on the tarmac too!
I agree that cyclists can be annoying, but they have just as much right as an automobile to use the roads. Like everyone else in the country they already pay other taxes such as income tax and VAT, some of which goes towards the upkeep of the roads.
Imposing taxes on environmentally responsible forms of transport is not the way we should be going. The flipside of this argument is why should non-motorists have to suffer the effects of pollution and congestion caused by motorists?
Cycle lanes exist because they reduce accidents. Yet you bemoan the existence of both cycle lanes and accidents in your question!
Maybe if the police were more willing to pull up cyclists who disobey the rules of the road, and if those irresponsible cyclists behaved better then the roads would be safer. At the same time motorists should be more careful around cyclists and show them some consideration - it can be pretty damned scary on a bike with traffic zooming past and cutting you up.
2007-07-11 03:51:18 · answer #4 · answered by Kaiser_Bill 2 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Well, in light of all the environmental issues at the moment this is a very "hot potato" what with campaigners wanting us to use more environmentally friendly transport. I can see both sides of the argument: I have cycled in the past but now use a car. I don`t bear any particular grudge against cyclists with regard to the non payment of road tax, cycles don`t exactly erode roads, and as for cyclists being killed, shooting red lights etc etc, well there are plenty of cars that do that as well. Obviously, because of the lack of protection it is in a cyclists best interest to ride defensively and not aggressively. I`m not sure that taxing them or license plating them would make any difference, after all, as I`ve already mentioned, it doesn`t stop car drivers.
2007-07-11 03:34:34 · answer #5 · answered by Charlie 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Good question. My husband is a long distance bike rider so I'm really aware of other bikers on the road.
Most bikers are courteous riders but there are some who ride side-by-side, or in the middle of the road. These are very unsafe practices.
What we need are cycle lanes. I've lived in towns that are crossed with these smaller roads and runners, walkers, bikers, moms with strollers all use them. They cost $ but don't use gas so they make sense!
2007-07-11 03:31:31 · answer #6 · answered by katydid 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I am fine with them if they follow the rules of the road like they are supposed to. What 98% of the bike riders due here is when cars are stopped at a red light, they pass them in the gutter and then it takes another 10 minutes and 12 miles to get back around them. If they followed the rules, fewer people would hate them.
2007-07-11 03:29:45 · answer #7 · answered by Ron Porkmore 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Nothing wrong with bikes and bikers if only they would wear high-visability jackets or vests. We get a lot of them here in the Highlands on their cycling holidays, and it would be so much easier if only we could actually see them!
I agree that they should carry insurance though and obey traffic rules, for example, I often see cyclists going over red lights, riding on the pavements etc. They would be the first to bleat if we did that in our cars!
2007-07-11 20:20:30 · answer #8 · answered by Ladyfromdrum 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I got 2 broken ribs because of some tw*t riding on the pavement, then the bast*rd done a runner, not even a "sorry mate", more police action, enforce the law, they think the law doesn't apply to them because the police do nothing, road tax and insurance would be a good idea.
2007-07-11 03:42:22 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
It's obviously normal, I was in a car accident 3 years ago and the next few weeks I had trouble sleeping, however if your worried about that much go see a doctor or a psycharitrist. Sorry about spelling.
2016-05-19 07:46:52 · answer #10 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋