Jim wrote in message
:

"Dave Arquati" wrote in message
...
Apparently, the Mayor is now in favour of bike user/vehicle
registration, and wants a private bill put through Parliament to
achieve this. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/5225346.stm

I definitely have mixed feelings about this. I disagree with the guy
from British Cycling who says a "tiny minority of cyclists" are
flouting road regulations - in my reasonably frequent cycling
experience, I reckon about half of cyclists go past me through red
lights, and as a pedestrian I come across people cycling on
non-shared-use pavements nearly every day.

Yes, it isn't a tiny minority. I'd even say it's a majority.

But I don't understand why everyone agrees that jumping lights is
such a terrible thing for cyclists. Is there not an argument to be
made that different rules do apply and *ought* to apply to cyclists,
simply because cyclists are making life or death decisions every
second they are on the road.

No, no and thrice no! I disagree in the strongest terms that different rules
should apply to cyclists. You seem to be saying that because cyclists are
more vulnerable if they make a mistake (and *maybe* are more vigilant
because of this) they should be exempt from obeying traffic lights. I'm an
advanced driver and therefore maybe am more vigilant - should I also be
exempt from obeying parts of the Highway Code?

A cyclist who jumps the lights and hits or is hit by a car who has a green
light doesn't even carry third-party insurance to cover the damage that he
causes to the car.