Martin Underwood wrote:
- compulsory third-party insurance for all cyclists (to cover injury to
pedestrians and damage to cars who have to swerve to avoid them when the
cyclists go through red lights or whose cars they scrape as they overtake
illegally on the left coming up to a junction)

- mandatory registration plates at the front and back of all bikes, with the
front number plate parallel with the handlebars (rather than parallel with
the wheel as for motorbikes at present) so it can be read from in front

Brilliant idea. Now what about scooters (not the motorised kind)? And
skateboards? What about roller skaters? Perhaps anyone whos running
fast should have insurance and wear a license plate too? After all, if
some 20 stone bodybuilder is legging it down the street at 15mph and
runs into you you'll know about it far more than if you're hit by some
8
stone girl on a bike doing the same speed.

And lets not forget the pratical problem of inforcement. Lets assume
your
dumb idea comes to fruition and license plates are required. Will
children
require them? Does little 2 year old Tommy have to wait until dad gets
him insurance and plates so he can ride his little tricycle out the
front?
No? Oh , we'll wait until they're 14 or so? So one day they find they
can't
legally go out on their bike anymore because their parents can't
afford
the insurance. Think they'll care? Think plod will care given they have
their hands full as it it? And how do expect a policeman to catch a
cyclist with no plates? Chase him on foot? Well that won't work. Call
in the panda car? Great - until the cyclist heads off down an alley
or up some stairs away from the road. No wait , we can call in the
police chopper, yeah that'll do it.

Wake up mate.

B2003