If bikes were licensed, where would the plate go, and how big?
 

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

Adrian wrote in message
.1.4...
Helen Deborah Vecht ) gurgled happily,
sounding much like they were saying :

Also, how would you stop plates rattling off?

Pop-rivets? Nuts'n'bolts? Regular maintenance?

I have to mount a motorbike style plate on one of my bicycles, just
because it happens to have a hairdryer 50cc 0.7bhp engine sellotaped
to the top of the front wheel.

Why bother. Cover it with a bag when you're not using it and who will
know?

Because when it *is* in use, it's fairly bloody obvious that it's
motorised. Which means MOT, insurance, helmet, registration, driving
licence.

For a bicycle.

It *is* possible.

If bikes were licensed, where would the plate go, and how big?
 

Adrian typed

For a bicycle.

It *is* possible.

In theory.

--
Helen D. Vecht:
Edgware.

If bikes were licensed, where would the plate go, and how big?
 

Helen Deborah Vecht ) gurgled happily, sounding
much like they were saying :

For a bicycle.

It *is* possible.

In theory.

It is *eminently* possible. At least two european countries - one with a
FAR higher cycling population than ours - manage.

Here in the UK, I have to take a bicycle, fitted with a full size number
plate on the rear mudguard, for an MOT every year, just because there's an
engine (albeit only 0.7bhp) sat on top of the front wheel.

One of these :-
http://www.geocities.com/ResearchTri.../7787/1700.gif

It's flat out at 15mph, so slower than my mountain bike, and does about
200mpg.

The MOT costs £17.50 and the tax disc would be £15 a year if it were newer,
but is free due to the age of the bike - but the tax disc still needs to be
obtained and displayed.

If bikes were licensed, where would the plate go, and how big?
 

On Sun, 17 Oct 2004 01:44:50 +0100, Usenet
wrote:


That's the question, what's your answer?

At university we were supposed to paint ID numbers onto our bikes, and
as you might imagine, the mudguards and random bits of frame were most
popular. Mine ran down vertically on the tube below the seat.

Supplementary to this:
Would you want the plate(s) lit at night? How does one do this (creative
use of EL-wire, perhaps)?
Should all age-groups be licensed?

The obvious question must be why bother in the first place?

--
Arthur Figgis Surrey, UK

If bikes were licensed, where would the plate go, and how big?
 

"Dr Ivan D. Reid" wrote in message .. .
On 19 Oct 2004 04:10:35 -0700, Boltar
wrote in :

D)
If bikes are licensed what do the riders get from it? Nothing probably, so in
other words its yet another tax. This time on people who are trying to do their
bit for the enviroment. Talk about the government shooting its enviroment
policies in the foot.

If it were to work as in Switzerland, third-party insurance. The
annual fee is paid to Migros, etc., for a dated sticker to place on the bike.
You also have a recorded serial number to recover the bike if stolen (they
_do_ get stolen, even in Switzerland).

If someone is one of those suckers who's paid a few grand for a bike then
I guess insurance might be a good idea , but if like me you're bike is worth
150 quid at most it hardly seems worth it. As for 3rd party, well when was
the last time a bicycle seriously hurt someone (other than the rider)? And
even if they did , to be blunt , the rider could easily pedal off before plod
turns up and with no license plate would be virtually untracable.

B2003

If bikes were licensed, where would the plate go, and how big?
 

Adrian wrote in message .1.4...
It's flat out at 15mph, so slower than my mountain bike, and does about
200mpg.

Why not dump the petrol engine if thats that feeble and install an electric
motor which would have the same performance (albeit with reduced range)? That
way no tax & insurance required.

B2003

If bikes were licensed, where would the plate go, and how big?
 

On Sun, 17 Oct 2004 01:44:50 +0100, Usenet
said:

That's the question, what's your answer?

Same rules as for motorised bicycles.

Supplementary to this:
Would you want the plate(s) lit at night?

Same rules as for motorised bicycles.

How does one do this?

With a light.

Should all age-groups be licensed?

Yes. With the parents being resposible for the stupidity of their
small children.

--
David Cantrell | http://www.cantrell.org.uk/david

If bikes were licensed, where would the plate go, and how big?
 

In message , David Cantrell
writes
On Sun, 17 Oct 2004 01:44:50 +0100, Usenet
said:

That's the question, what's your answer?
Same rules as for motorised bicycles.

So - and I'm only going with this because I'm thinking about the
practicalities - all bikes should have mudguards, racks, or some kind of
frame to attach the plate to?

Supplementary to this:
Would you want the plate(s) lit at night?
Same rules as for motorised bicycles.
How does one do this?
With a light.

Ah, thanks. Not as helpful a remark as it could have been - what do you
think of the EL-wire idea?

Should all age-groups be licensed?
Yes. With the parents being resposible for the stupidity of their
small children.

You're not a parent, are you? No, neither am I, but I can see a flaw in
you're thinking there.

--
Martin @ Strawberry Hill

If bikes were licensed, where would the plate go, and how big?
 

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

It's flat out at 15mph, so slower than my mountain bike, and does
about 200mpg.

Why not dump the petrol engine if thats that feeble and install an
electric motor which would have the same performance (albeit with
reduced range)? That way no tax & insurance required.

If I wanted to do that, I'd buy a half-decent bicycle. No, wait, I've got
one as well.

I think you may have missed the point of it. It's frivolously
hardlymobile...

If bikes were licensed, where would the plate go, and how big?
 

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

So - and I'm only going with this because I'm thinking about the
practicalities - all bikes should have mudguards, racks, or some kind of
frame to attach the plate to?

Is there anything wrong with the saddle post? Or a bracket off one of the
rear frame members?

Would you want the plate(s) lit at night?
How does one do this?

With a light.

Ah, thanks. Not as helpful a remark as it could have been - what do you
think of the EL-wire idea?

There's got to be a red rear light, right?

So why not have a small white-light cutout in that?

Should all age-groups be licensed?

Yes. With the parents being resposible for the stupidity of their
small children.

You're not a parent, are you? No, neither am I, but I can see a flaw in
you're thinking there.

You're right. Parents seem to refuse to accept responsibility for their
little turds these days in everything else, why should cycling be any
different?