Myths about cycling, busted

List on p2 for reference and adding to:

1. Cyclist don't pay road tax
   
2. Riding a bike is dangerous
   
3. All cyclists jump red lights
   
4. Pavement cycling is dangerous and evil
   
5. Cyclists must use cycle lanes where they're safer
   
6. The best way to be safe is to wear a helmet
   
7. Cycle training is only for n00bs ;)
   
8. Cyclists should keep to the left out of the path of cars
   
9. It's OK for motorists to stop in a cyclist ASL
   
10. Cyclists should get registration plates, insurance and licences
    
11. Cyclists should be made to wear lycra and day glo jackets
    
12. Most bike accidents are the cyclists' fault
    
13. Badly ridden bicycles present the same threat as badly driven cars
    
14. Cyclists should be segregated from traffic
    
15. red light jumping on a bike is really dangerous
    
16. Speed limits apply to cyclists
    17 Cyclists should obey all rules that pertain to car drivers (e.g. one way streets)
    

One way streets safe for cyclists to go down which are wide enough and there are signs pointing out that cyclists can use it should be no problem, it is a constructive law, such as cycle path/footpath combinations.

I never said safety should never be compromised also, I said in more basic terms that safety should come before how fast it takes to get to a destination, you should not compromise that, e.g. if you are running late for work, taking a dangerous back-alley route as a one off shouldn't be considered. Always take the SAFER route (notice I did not use the word safe). Safety still comes first; it is better to be slightly late then to risk not turning up at all, a half-decent boss would understand that.

But I agree with your statement of safety always being a compromise.
Thanks for the links too :)

Useful link:

http://ipayroadtax.com/

I think the point is motorists pay heavily for access to the roads, whether they use them or not. Most drivers do pay something that we call "road tax". The fact it gets squandered elsewhere is beside the point. As is the fact some people pretend they have never heard the term. I have to pay it anyway.

Personally I think asking for special treatment is a mistake. I'd get rid of one-way roads wherever possible, rather than allowing cycles down them. Also the recommendation is that if you are cycling at more than 18mph you should not use cycle paths, so suggesting we should cycle on foot paths seems a bit extreme.

    List on p2 for reference and adding to:

1. Cyclist don't pay road tax
   
2. Riding a bike is dangerous
   
3. All cyclists jump red lights
   
4. Pavement cycling is dangerous and evil
   
5. Cyclists must use cycle lanes where they're safer
   
6. The best way to be safe is to wear a helmet
   
7. Cycle training is only for n00bs ;)
   
8. Cyclists should keep to the left out of the path of cars
   
9. It's OK for motorists to stop in a cyclist ASL
   
10. Cyclists should get registration plates, insurance and licences
    
11. Cyclists should be made to wear lycra and day glo jackets
    
12. Most bike accidents are the cyclists' fault
    
13. Badly ridden bicycles present the same threat as badly driven cars
    
14. Cyclists should be segregated from traffic
    
15. red light jumping on a bike is really dangerous
    
16. Speed limits apply to cyclists
    17 Cyclists should obey all rules that pertain to car drivers (e.g. one way streets)
    18 bikes should have a bell
    

Dangerous back alley route? Does not compute!

motorists pay heavily for access to the roads

I think you will find that motoring is in fact very heavily subsidised, they pay nothing like the costs incurred in keeping them on the road

Adroit
Bust the myth about bells please! I think bells are ace. How could people not want one, let alone need one?

Adroit
Bust the myth about bells please! I think bells are ace. How could people not want one, let alone need one?

I think bells need to fitted at point of sale only
and that is changing

1. Cyclist don't pay road tax
   
2. Riding a bike is dangerous
   
3. All cyclists jump red lights
   
4. Pavement cycling is dangerous and evil
   
5. Cyclists must use cycle lanes where they're safer
   
6. The best way to be safe is to wear a helmet
   
7. Cycle training is only for n00bs ;)
   
8. Cyclists should keep to the left out of the path of cars
   
9. It's OK for motorists to stop in a cyclist ASL
   
10. Cyclists should get registration plates, insurance and licences
    
11. Cyclists should be made to wear lycra and day glo jackets
    
12. Most bike accidents are the cyclists' fault
    
13. Badly ridden bicycles present the same threat as badly driven cars
    
14. Cyclists should be segregated from traffic
    
15. red light jumping on a bike is really dangerous
    
16. Speed limits apply to cyclists
    17 Cyclists should obey all rules that pertain to car drivers (e.g. one way streets)
    18 bikes should have a bell
    
17. you can be arrested for being drunk in charge of a bike
    

I freaking love my bell. But only because I'm too timid to shout at people who are in my way.

I love my bell, but I don't always use it, I like to say hello if I am on a shared path and need to pass someone
The reason I say bust the myth is that I was having a "discussion" a while back with a policeman who I had seen riding while carrying an a4 envelope in his right hand, (thus preventing his use of the front brake) riding on the pavement with the flow of traffic on a 3 lane one way road and who then went through a no entry sign. I guessed he was going to the police station so got ahead of him and had a chat about his riding. He was so pissed at me stopping him in his fury he told me I should have a bell.
I rang it for him.
Still laughing about it now. And got a nice letter from the Chief Inspector when I wrote in and complained.
Sorry for the thread derail.

Not true
only if riding dangerously as an outcome of drink not just for being over the limit

Not in highway code. Its a myth

My girlfriend bought me a stainless steel "honk honk" clown horn last christmas. I fit it to my bike out of politeness, and it did look nice tbh. It was loud enough to alert people of my presence, but when I did use it all I heard was laughter and mocking from everyone around.

I'm still tempted by an airzound

Different rule to motor vehicles but you can still get charged with being "drunk in charge of a pedal cycle".

[QUOTE=skydancer;2677378]Not in highway code. Its a myth

The Highway Code is a poor reference book, and not the law.

I'll take my guidance from statute on this one.

Section 30 of the Road Traffic Act 1988

30 Cycling when under influence of drink or drugs.

(1)A person who, when riding a cycle on a road or other public place, is unfit to ride through drink or drugs (that is to say, is under the influence of drink or a drug to such an extent as to be incapable of having proper control of the cycle) is guilty of an offence.

[/QUOTE]

and thus you can't be done for just pushing the cycle, as it says riding, and case law is clear that pushing a bike is not riding. However if you are scooting on a pedal, you are riding. And also, a breath test isn't needed, they need to show you were incapable of having proper control of the cycle, which could be higher or lower than the drink drive limit

[QUOTE=Tiswas;2677405]It's the 1872 Licensing Act (Section 12) that means that you can (technically) be done for pushing a bike when pissed.

Like I said - it's a technicality, and I doubt that it's been enforced for a long time, or that it will ever be enforced.

Licensing Act 1872
Later legislation defines "carriage" as including bicycles for the purpose of this Act.[/QUOT

Yeah but is it dangerous ?

[QUOTE=Tiswas;2677405]It's the 1872 Licensing Act (Section 12) that means that you can (technically) be done for pushing a bike when pissed.

Like I said - it's a technicality, and I doubt that it's been enforced for a long time, or that it will ever be enforced.

Licensing Act 1872
Later legislation defines "carriage" as including bicycles for the purpose of this Act.[/QUOT

Yeah but is it dangerous ?

The fine is only forty shillings anyway, so you probably don't need to worry too much about this one.

You might be hard put to find shillings now though...

I suspect however that its far more likely that the fine is in fact £30

1. Cyclist don't pay road tax
   
2. Riding a bike is dangerous
   
3. All cyclists jump red lights
   
4. Pavement cycling is dangerous and evil
   
5. Cyclists must use cycle lanes where they're safer
   
6. The best way to be safe is to wear a helmet
   
7. Cycle training is only for n00bs ;)
   
8. Cyclists should keep to the left out of the path of cars
   
9. It's OK for motorists to stop in a cyclist ASL
   
10. Cyclists should get registration plates, insurance and licences
    
11. Cyclists should be made to wear lycra and day glo jackets
    
12. Most bike accidents are the cyclists' fault
    
13. Badly ridden bicycles present the same threat as badly driven cars
    
14. Cyclists should be segregated from traffic
    
15. red light jumping on a bike is really dangerous
    
16. Speed limits apply to cyclists
    17 Cyclists should obey all rules that pertain to car drivers (e.g. one way streets)
    18 bikes should have a bell
    
17. you can be arrested for being drunk in charge of a bike
    
18. On a bike it's best to filter to the front of the queue at lights down the left
    

I think the point is motorists pay heavily for access to the roads, whether they use them or not. Most drivers do pay something that we call "road tax". The fact it gets squandered elsewhere is beside the point. As is the fact some people pretend they have never heard the term. I have to pay it anyway.

To describe it as squandered elsewhere is a bit disingenuous really. Is providing a free national health service squandering? or a emergency fire service, or a core of social services working to prevent child neglect and abuse? It's beside the point, there are a number of key and essential services that national and local government provide and the funding for this all comes from a central pot. Revenue from VED and fuel tax/duty all go into that central pot so you can't argue that the money that you pay on taxation and duty is spent on something you don't like. It is impossible to track that money through the system. It's lucky you can't because if you could, we as cyclists would be able to express far greater influence on road building and maintenance activities as well as the other costs of the road.
The link I posted upthread clearly shows how non-motorists are heavily subsidising motorists. You think that motorists pay heavily for access to the road but if that payment were to be considered to be equitable then it would probably need to be at least doubled or provision of services radically cut. There are credible arguments for both out there so it's probably a case of be careful what you wish for.

@skydancer, potentially quite a bit of work, but might be worth keeping the list in the original post up to date and referencing some of the better answers there so that this becomes a more accessible resource.

I love my bell, but I don't always use it, I like to say hello if I am on a shared path and need to pass someone
The reason I say bust the myth is that I was having a "discussion" a while back with a policeman who I had seen riding while carrying an a4 envelope in his right hand, (thus preventing his use of the front brake) riding on the pavement with the flow of traffic on a 3 lane one way road and who then went through a no entry sign. I guessed he was going to the police station so got ahead of him and had a chat about his riding. He was so pissed at me stopping him in his fury he told me I should have a bell.
I rang it for him.
Still laughing about it now. And got a nice letter from the Chief Inspector when I wrote in and complained.
Sorry for the thread derail.

You cheeky! Funny that the knob tried to criticise you cos you criticised him.

I have come to the conclusion it's best not to talk to anyone about their driving or riding or pedestrianification. You just end up in stupid confrontations. Live and let live, let he who is without sin... etc.

It was a few days after they had mounted a campaign on pavement cyclists at a point just after a shared pavement gave out to become peds only, ie right at some shops. A friend of mine and several other people got a £30 fpn.
They mostly successfully appealed because there was no end of cycle route sign.

Anyway, the list appears to have peaked at 20, which is probably enough, so now we need to work on the definitive answers for reference in the future, and how to make them a reference tool don't we ?