I think there will shortly be a significant backlash against cyclists,
from *all* sections of the community. I present three examples for
consideration.

Example 1

A month or so ago I needed a courier firm to deliver a package from my
office in Islington to a location about 5 miles away.

I called our usual courier company (large, reasonably well-known) and
was given a price for a motorbike. Wanting to encourage bicycles for a
non-urgent delivery, I asked if a bicycle would be cheaper. "No" was
the response - it will be more expensive (about 15%).

When I enquired why that was, I was told (quite seriously) that
bicycles were actually faster than motorbikes across the centre of
town now, since "they don't have to stop at red lights and can ride
anywhere" and so my supplier was now marketing bicycles as the premium
service for fast deliveries...

Example 2

Whilst walking near Old Street a while ago I was almost run off the
pavement by some patrolling Police cyclists riding along the pavement
(not in any form of cycle lane). They proceeded despite the protests
of a number of pedestrians, and only rode off the pavement in order to
then ride the wrong way up a one-way street, passing a no entry sign,
again with no cycle lane (contraflow or otherwise) in place. Not even
a police vehicle under blue lights in an emergency can legally proceed
up a one-way street!

Example 3

Last week I had to drive (in a car) across London. I made a note of
all cyclists I saw with red traffic lights against them, and their
behaviour. Of 182 I encountered on my (fairly long and, as you'll
gather, dull) drive, only 8 stopped at a red light against them - less
than 5%.


Personally I think the only solution is compulsory registration of
bicycles, with clearly-displayed plates, or perhaps compulsory
registration of the riders (plate on the back of a mandatory
reflective jacket, perhaps). This isn't trivial law-breaking - this is
anarchy in which business, the police, and the general public are
wholesale ignoring the law of the land, and frequently endangering the
lives of pedestrians (yes, lives - cyclist hitting pedestrian can and
does result in death). Who wants to join my petition?

Best wishes, Silas

Silas Denyer wrote:
Personally I think the only solution is compulsory registration of
bicycles, with clearly-displayed plates

Cars have those and it doesn't stop their drivers jumping red lights or
driving on the pavement.

(yes, lives - cyclist hitting pedestrian can and
does result in death).

How many pedestrians die annually from being hit by cyclists? How many
die from being hit by cars?

Who wants to join my petition?

**** off.

d.

davek wrote:
Silas Denyer wrote:

Personally I think the only solution is compulsory registration of
bicycles, with clearly-displayed plates


Cars have those and it doesn't stop their drivers jumping red lights or
driving on the pavement.

Well, cars don't jump red lights with anything like the frequency that
bikes do in London, so perhaps it does.

Pete

ningi wrote:

Well, cars don't jump red lights with anything like the frequency that
bikes do in London, so perhaps it does.


Only because the first driver who stops for the red light blocks all
those behind him, who would if they could, from jumping the light. Even
then and with very few traffic lights equipped with cameras, ~10,000
motorists a months are being caught in London by red light cameras.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3723726.stm


Tony

Tony Raven wrote:
ningi wrote:


Well, cars don't jump red lights with anything like the frequency that
bikes do in London, so perhaps it does.


Only because the first driver who stops for the red light blocks all
those behind him, who would if they could, from jumping the light. Even
then and with very few traffic lights equipped with cameras, ~10,000
motorists a months are being caught in London by red light cameras.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3723726.stm


Tony

Well, my experience of cycling from Waterloo to Bank several times a
week is that at least 75% of cyclists go straight through red lights.
If the same numbers applied to cars, then 75% of the time, a car
arriving at a red light should jump it. This isn't even remotely the
case. I can't actually remember when I last saw a car jump a red,
whereas I find it a rarity when I see a cyclist, other than me, who
stopped for one.

Pete

Ningi wrote:


Well, my experience of cycling from Waterloo to Bank several times a
week is that at least 75% of cyclists go straight through red lights. If
the same numbers applied to cars, then 75% of the time, a car arriving
at a red light should jump it. This isn't even remotely the case. I
can't actually remember when I last saw a car jump a red, whereas I find
it a rarity when I see a cyclist, other than me, who stopped for one.


That would accord with my experience with cars. Lights go red, three
cars carry on, fourth car stops, rest have to stop behind it. With
cyclists and the same percentage you would see 10 cyclists approach, 3
cross on red, fourth stops, next three cycle past stopped cyclist to
cross on red etc. So with a 75% disobedience rate for both you would
see three out of all the cars approaching the red light carry on but 75%
of all cyclists.

Tony

In article , Ningi wrote:

Well, my experience of cycling from Waterloo to Bank several times a
week is that at least 75% of cyclists go straight through red lights.
If the same numbers applied to cars, then 75% of the time, a car
arriving at a red light should jump it. This isn't even remotely the
case.

It's about 50% here in Cambridge I estimate. And a bit less for cyclists.

On Sat, 16 Oct 2004 13:50:25 GMT, ningi
wrote:
davek wrote:
Silas Denyer wrote:

Personally I think the only solution is compulsory registration of
bicycles, with clearly-displayed plates


Cars have those and it doesn't stop their drivers jumping red lights or
driving on the pavement.

Well, cars don't jump red lights with anything like the frequency that
bikes do in London, so perhaps it does.

you obviously haven't been to South London recently
Pete


--
Martin Smith

Martin Smith wrote:

On Sat, 16 Oct 2004 13:50:25 GMT, ningi
wrote:

davek wrote:

Silas Denyer wrote:


Personally I think the only solution is compulsory registration of
bicycles, with clearly-displayed plates


Cars have those and it doesn't stop their drivers jumping red lights or
driving on the pavement.

Well, cars don't jump red lights with anything like the frequency that
bikes do in London, so perhaps it does.


you obviously haven't been to South London recently

Apart from living there

Well, SW London.

Pete


Pete

davek ) gurgled happily, sounding much like they
were saying :

How many pedestrians die annually from being hit by cyclists? How many
die from being hit by cars?

How wide is a car? How wide is a bicycle? How easy are they for a
pedestrian to avoid, relatively?