"If you want to ride in the middle of the road pay road tax!"

You've spent all your money on aero tax.

That's a crap idea think how many people that would put off or price out of the Market.

What about insisting pedestrians have insurance?

I get third party insurance as part of my membership of British Cycling. The CTC do the same, so not all cyclists are uninsured.

The point remains that it would cost so much to implement that it's a non-starter, especially when the next government is going to have to make major cuts in public spending.

I like that answer, Oliver. The roommate I was trying to show there's no road tax did bring up a valid point about cyclists not being required to carry insurance to use the roads. I think it would be very helpful to us and also to motorists who get hit by cyclists when it's the cyclist's fault.

Is an uninsured motorist (road user) policy required for motorists in this country?

join the lcc then. £32 a year, £5million third party insurance.

The tax disc holder would mess up the clean lines of my bike :)

(jokes)

That's a crap idea think how many people that would put off or price out of the Market.

What about insisting pedestrians have insurance?

Eh? It's not a terrible idea, it's required in Florida to have it attached to your car insurance and it means that when you are hit by an uninsured motorist you aren't screwed! I thought about the pedestrians thing, too. I dunno, it doesn't seem like a bad idea, but it would have to be easy to get and not expensive. But what would the benefits be to people in the UK? Don't know, as you can sue motorists and you can get any injuries sorted out on the NHS. I guess maybe for instances like Dammit where he has tooth damage but the NHS won't pay for it. However, I dont remember the specifics of his injuries (whose fault it was).

Disabled driver pay £0 road tax so they should get off the road and don't get me started on electric cars....

I don't even pay public transport in my life, I should just stay at home shouldn't I?

(following your argument, not against).

"You're not my Dad"

That made me chortle.

"Do one Clarkson you pube-head"

i've given the reply. Do you know me? I actually have 2 vehicles on the road and pay more road tax than you. Now fuck you and fuck off.

Eh? It's not a terrible idea, it's required in Florida to have it attached to your car insurance and it means that when you are hit by an uninsured motorist you aren't screwed! I thought about the pedestrians thing, too. I dunno, it doesn't seem like a bad idea, but it would have to be easy to get and not expensive. But what would the benefits be to people in the UK? Don't know, as you can sue motorists and you can get any injuries sorted out on the NHS. I guess maybe for instances like Dammit where he has tooth damage but the NHS won't pay for it. However, I dont remember the specifics of his injuries (whose fault it was).

for real?

Is an uninsured motorist (road user) policy required for motorists in this country?

The Motor Insurance Bureau is funded by levy on motor insurers and pays compensation to the victims of accidents caused by uninsured **or untraced **motorists. Motorists who buy motor insurance, accordingly, pay for motorists who do not.

http://www.mib.org.uk/Home/en/default.htm

"You're right I don't pay road tax.. I don't pay any tax as I'm an illegal immigrant funded by al qaeda to carry out attacks on cars and trucks across Great Britain."

ban him now........bloody lack of capitalisation

The Motor Insurance Bureau is funded by levy on motor insurers and pays compensation to the victims of accidents caused by uninsured **or untraced **motorists. Motorists who buy motor insurance, accordingly, pay for motorists who do not.

http://www.mib.org.uk/Home/en/default.htm

try claiming, more for injury than damage to goods.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_excise_duty

'Road tax' is just a confused generic term that stems from ancient history, when the 'Road Fund' was hypothecated to pay for roads. For some reason, the 'road' component has stuck. It's incredibly difficult to dislodge an urban myth once it's taken hold in English. If you have to explain it on the street, just simply say something like: 'There are several reasons why you have to pay tax on your vehicle but I don't have to pay tax on mine. There is no tax on roads.'

Jenne - I presume the argument is with Graeme? :-) Oliver is right - there is no such thing as Road Tax. The site you linked to 'Parkers' is primarily a forum for trading motor vehicles - which kind of exp[alins their inaccuracy.

Surprisingly Wikipedia gives a very good breakdown of the history of vehicle[B][/B] excise duty, which Oliver linked to.

You raise an interesting point on insurance. I also think cyclists should have to be insured, however I also think there should be a large tax break for not owning a motor vehicle to offset this.

for real?

I see that my stream of conscious response seems to link pedestrians with insurance being required not being a bad idea. That is not what I had intended to mean. What I mean is, I'm not convinced that people shouldn't have to have insurance to ride a bike on major roads. But should it be attached to the act of riding a bicycle or just some sort of health and damage insurance? I have rethought my earlier position and decided that it should just be something that car drivers are required to have, not bicyclists.

"Sorry if I missed something."

Jenne - I presume the argument is with Graeme? :-) Oliver is right - there is no such thing as Road Tax. The site you linked to 'Parkers' is primarily a forum for trading motor vehicles - which kind of exp[alins their inaccuracy.

Surprisingly Wikipedia gives a very good breakdown of the history of vehicle excise duty, which Oliver linked to.

You raise an interesting point on insurance. I also think cyclists should have to be insured, however I also think there should be a large tax break for not owning a motor vehicle to offset this.

Haha! Yeah, but really he's the most civilized arguer! he just sort of keeps saying, Yes, it is. Yes, I do. Yes, I do. Yes, I do. No raised voice there!

I have been reading blog posts and articles and stuff and there are arguments against compulsory licensing but I don't think that insurance is the same thing. yes, I think that cyclists should be highly compensated for doing something that's only better for the whole world.

I also am not convinced that separate, but not compulsory, bicycle lanes shouldn't be used, like in Holland (lack of space cannot be an acceptable reason for this not happening here), but that is a) another argument, and b) asking for a Schick-style beat down, so I won't go there.

The Motor Insurance Bureau is funded by levy on motor insurers and pays compensation to the victims of accidents caused by uninsured **or untraced **motorists. Motorists who buy motor insurance, accordingly, pay for motorists who do not.

http://www.mib.org.uk/Home/en/default.htm

It's annoying that people who do the right thing have to pay for people who don't, but...that's people.

And thank you for the info.

I bet insurance companies in the States would charge an arm and a leg to cover "thrill seeking" bicyclists. Extreme sports holiday insurance is more expensive than regular holiday insurance.

The last time this happened I said "Go Fuck Yourself!" and the driver replied "What? Are you from New York or something?" and I said "Yeah, and proud of it, So Fock You!" in my best Brooklyn accent.

The way i deal with most driver encounters is the sarcastic thumbs up, a little less aggressive but i cant help but think they get the wrong message sometimes.

Ive never been served the tax comment, but it would be good to have a dummy tax disk mounted on your bike to point at when it comes along.

I like that answer, Oliver. The roommate I was trying to show there's no road tax did bring up a valid point about cyclists not being required to carry insurance to use the roads. I think it would be very helpful to us and also to motorists who get hit by cyclists when it's the cyclist's fault.

Is an uninsured motorist (road user) policy required for motorists in this country?

As cyclists hardly ever harm anyone (scaring people a lot, mind you), and pedestrians harm even fewer, the introduction of 'stricter liability' should lead to clearer ideas about insurance.

All major cycling organisations in this country--the LCC, CTC, and BC--offer free third-party insurance as part of the membership. [advertising]As a long-standing LCC member, I'm obviously heavily biased, but I think every cyclist in London should at least be a member of the LCC (I'm a member of both LCC and CTC). Membership of all of these organisations is a bloody good deal and saves you money, and you're supporting our campaigning, giving us a greater political voice.[/advertising]

The way i deal with most driver encounters is the sarcastic thumbs up, a little less aggressive but i cant help but think they get the wrong message sometimes.

Ive never been served the tax comment, but it would be good to have a dummy tax disk mounted on your bike to point at when it comes along.

Spoke card. or polo Disc.

Spoke card. or polo Disc.

Win.