RE: Motorists To Take Blame For Cycle Crashes

[Unf]

I thought for a second I was on the Daily Mash website when I read that headline.

[JumpinJack]

Shirley this will just lead to a lot of hit and runs! Maybe they should think about making people pass something similar to a CBT before they can ride a bike on the road...

[derestrictor]

Don't forget the natural segue from this 'logic' to that which automatically places the (higher) burden of proof upon the driver of the more powerful car in any incidents, period.

For example, I am swiped by some barely animate isotope in a Llatntra LXi whilst quietly annexing along in something with balls - I am the guilty party because of non-subscription to automotive, slack jawed faggotry.

It's about as far from cricket as one could conceive.

[LOGiK]

Any legal system that has a presumption of guilt in any scenario is a failing legal system. Take note of speeding offences....

[beefcake42]

This is about as likley to happen as one of those animal rights (*the veggie mentals*)groups banning meat.

I imagine the Lord of Cycling, or whatever his title is, would also like everyone wearing lycra and stupid shoes... this will also not happen.

Although if it did go through it would be worth getting those spinning blade things on your wheels... if you are going to do the time, it's worth at least having a go at the crime.

[Staffy1984]

Alicatt1 said:

Here in Belgium it is the drivers that are responsible in accidents with cyclists, so much so that they think that they are invurnable and will cross the road without looking. I've had it happen to me on many occasions while driving, you see them in thier "tour de france" cycle outfits, heads down and just watching their wheels go round then suddenly they veer off the cycle path and cross the main road right in fron of an on-coming car.
Recently a 50 year old man, member of the local cycling club got killed in such a manner. Just because the law says the car driver is resposible does not remove the need for the cyclists to take due care and attention.

What happened to the driver in this situation?

It sounds like it was the cyclists fault, but how was this resolved, did the motorist get the blame?

It's fair to say that this isn't going to come into effect in the UK, insurance and tax for cyclists is a good idea though, cos until they can be held accountable for their reckless actions in the same way a motorist can they're gonna be a target........50 points for a cyclist, 100 for a tandem......that's right isn't it?

[Teppic]

Glad to see that the main PistonHeads page has FINALLY caught up with this news after it was posted in SP&L over a week ago

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Then, as now, everyone seemed to miss this bit at the end of the article:

Article with Alarmist Headline said:

Hopefully, however, the proposals are little more than hot air. In fact a spokesman for the DfT, in a moment of uncharacteristic common sense, said: "This is something that gets raised by pressure groups from time to time. Cycling England has proposed it, but it is not something that is being considered by ministers."

[CooperD]

This sort of thing is more likely to further alienate car drivers and cyclists. No government would push this through, even cycle friendly Cameron is unlikely to support this.

[Walton]

If in fact the government itself says "it is not something that is being considered by ministers.", how on earth is this story news rather than just an article to get us PH's stired up a bit?

[Derek Smith]

I've just phoned the press office of Cycling for England and the truth is rather different to the headline and feature article.

What CfE want to promote is 'harmony on the roads' between all users and encouragement to 'share' the space.

The liability issue is not a proposal and never has been. It came up in a conversation between Dunton and the Times journo, the latter one assumes looking for a headline rather than information. It is not official, nor unofficial, policy of CfE.

[cho]

i think the real problem is why idiot departments like this are funded by taxpayers money when it is clear they are just incompetant

[Rickrjt]

It’ll be demolition derby time. Any cyclist who wants a new bike, and a bit compensation for ‘whiplash’ or a cut knee, will just crash in to the first unsuspecting, probably stationary, car they see. All those who’ve got their eye on a shiny new 2010 model will be wide eyed looking for victims.

Standards on the roads will drop. Even drivers who hate cyclists wouldn’t dare cause an accident or make contact with a cyclist because the consequences are so dire. Their beef is that they don’t get all the room they need and they end up breaking every rule in the highway code.

[bobmcgod]

So the most powerful vehicle is always to blame. Excellent. I'm going to make a living by just crashing into other cars a sueing them.

[vetteheadracer]

Heard this on Radio 5 Live last week (good to see PH is up to date!!)

Ministers are not considering it, so it's a non-story.

If however they were, I assume that all cyclists would also start paying road tax and paying for insurance?

[NismoGT]

vetteheadracer said:

Heard this on Radio 5 Live last week (good to see PH is up to date!!)

Ministers are not considering it, so it's a non-story.

If however they were, I assume that all cyclists would also start paying road tax and paying for insurance?

But they would launch an up-roar over that aswell. I don't hate cyclists , but reading non-sense like this , is edging me that way.

Here in Telford , cyclists have had £M's spent on lanes that run parallel to walking paths. And 90% of the time , i have seen them use the road. tts!

[fluffyducky]

Staffy1984 said:

... they're gonna be a target........50 points for a cyclist, 100 for a tandem......that's right isn't it?

Ha!

My last and first bike v car incident resulted in my hitting a Ford KA at 30MPH with no time to hit the anchors. I put my knee through the passenger side window and dented the window frame with my thigh. The poor girl thought she'd been hit by one of the range rovers she shot between.

What do I get... 10000 points?!

For my next trick I'll take on something bigger.

[lockup]

NismoGT said:

Here in Telford , cyclists have had £M's spent on lanes that run parallel to walking paths. And 90% of the time , i have seen them use the road. tts!

If they're anything like most cycle lanes elsewhere you have to give way at side roads which, if you're the engine, makes them rather unappealing. What's your problem, is your use of the road more important than that of the cyclists?

[Bladedancer]

Interesting.
Someone that doesn't need a licence (and was not proven capable of handling a vehicle, using the road or having any knowlegde about highway code) should have more rights than someone that has a licence and was tested and certified as "roadworthy".
Have we crossed onto the other side of the mirror already?

[andyps]

I am sure there was a petition on the Number 10 site about this but can't find it at the moment. If there isn't a petition there should be, this proposal goes completely against the principle of innocent until proven guilty and as such opens up far too many possibilities for fraud if nothing else.

[carscribes]

Bladedancer said:

Interesting.
Someone that doesn't need a licence (and was not proven capable of handling a vehicle, using the road or having any knowlegde about highway code) should have more rights than someone that has a licence and was tested and certified as "roadworthy".
Have we crossed onto the other side of the mirror already?

In my experience as a bicycle rider (as well as a car driver), the fact that the person behind the wheel may have a licence doesn't necessarily qualify him or her to be out on the road - from a cyclist's perspective, the standard of driving in this country is utterly abysmal, with many drivers prepared to risk knocking you off and perhaps seriously injuring or killing you, rather than pressing that strange middle pedal which will slow them down; the instruction in the Highway Code (now that you mention that august journal) about giving other road users adequate and safe space, is mostly ignored.
As already detailed earlier, the whole premise behind this story is based on false information, as no one has actually suggested that cyclists should have anarchic rights to lord it over motorists. However, what is good is the amount of debate this has provoked; hopefully it might encourage some drivers to give cyclists - the majority of which aren't as ill-behaved on the roads as popular myth suggests - a little more consideration.