Myths about cycling, busted

There is a lot of crap and ignorant stuff spouted about riding a bike and being a bike rider. Drivers and media people use these myths to attack. It's good to have the ammunition to deal with these inane comments and I hope this thread will help. (Perhaps this thread will collate information for a myth-busting website or sticky thread.)

Here are a few myths to start with. Feel free to help bust them.

1. Cyclist don't pay road tax ----- Road Tax doesn't exist roads paid for by all kinds of general taxation
   
2. Riding a bike is dangerous ---- Everything carries a risk, accidents per cyclist km are very low
   
3. All cyclists jump red lights ---- Some cyclists are just as annoyed as you about RLJing
   
4. Pavement cycling is dangerous and evil ---- it might not be but it is illegal
   
5. Cyclists must use cycle lanes where they're safer ---- Recent CTC campaign stopped this becoming law
   
6. The best way to be safe is to wear a helmet ---- lots of preventative steps you can take also see 2
   
7. Cycle training is only for n00bs ;) ---- Actually can be enlightening, i'm sure someone has some stats on this too
   
8. Cyclists should keep to the left out of the path of cars ----- no, take the primary position.
   
9. It's OK for motorists to stop in a cyclist ASL -----
   
10. Cyclists should get registration plates, insurance and licenses ---- No (cost and lost health benefit outweigh gain)
    
11. Cyclists should be made to wear lycra and day glo jackets ---- drivers should look where they are going
    
12. Most bike accidents are the cyclists' fault ----
    
13. Badly ridden bicycles present the same threat as badly driven cars ---- Force = mass x acceleration
    
14. Cyclists should be segregated from traffic ----
    
15. red light jumping on a bike is really dangerous ----
    
16. Speed limits apply to cyclists ---- they don't but there are offences such as cycling furiously etc
    17 Cyclists should obey all rules that pertain to car drivers (e.g. one way streets) ----
    18 bikes should have a bell ---- only need a audible alert and most of us can shout
    
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 ---- filtering can be dangerous / legally overtaking is done on the right in most situations.
    

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. Anything Ed Scoble says is useful, correct,experience-proven information
   

Leave Ed scoble critique in the relevant thread.

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
   

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
   

1. Cyclist don't pay road tax and neither do car drivers.
   Both pay a vehicle tax based on grammes of CO2 emitted by the vehicle per km travelled and as a bicycle emits none the tax is nil the same as for an electric car.
   
   

We all pay for the upkeep of our roads through council tax anyway so just calm your fucking tits down.

A BMW 1 series, really? If you can't afford a 3 why would you fuck around with one of them?
It's embarrassing; your friends all laugh behind your back and you know you should have got a Golf for the same money.

I think adoubletap just receded into his own mind in that last paragraph

More info about 1. the road tax myth here http://www.ipayroadtax.com
And Fiat remove that expression from their ads as well as promoting sharing thebroad
http://www.bikebiz.com/index.php/news/read/fiat-enlists-olympic-cyclists-to-front-a-share-the-road-campaign/012524

In response to number 2;
If I was cycling on the road and a car sped up behind me and hit me, then that is a danger, it also cannot be helped with any amount of cycling skills as the responsibility is with the driver. Therefore riding a bicycle CAN BE dangerous.

In response to number 2;
If I was cycling on the road and a car sped up behind me and hit me, then that is a danger, it also cannot be helped with any amount of cycling skills as the responsibility is with the driver. Therefore riding a bicycle CAN BE dangerous.

Surely what that tells us is that driving a car is dangerous?

Derailed in 8! Who had ticket number 8? Yay!

Surely what that tells us is that driving a car is dangerous?

I dont know how you came to that conclusion.

That is an anecdote . Walkers crossing the road get hit too so walking is dangerous?
how about comparing the modes like how incidents occur per mile travelled by differnt modes?

1. 'road tax' or Vehicle Excise Duty pays for the DVLA registration of motor vehicles, not the roads. Roads, lighting and all things associated with highways are paid for by general taxation. The DVLA plays no part in the infrastructure of highways.
   

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. It's impossible to fart whilst pedaling
    

Walking is dangerous, most things in life are dangerous, if dangers can occur whilst performing a certain action, it is deemed dangerous.

About 9. -- it is acceptable and legal, under certain circumstances, and for motorcycles in any. No?

That is an anecdote . Walkers crossing the road get hit too so walking is dangerous?
how about comparing the modes like how incidents occur per mile travelled by differnt modes?

So what you are saying is, pedestrians should have licence, reg plate and insurance too? Gotcha

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
    

I dont know how you came to that conclusion.

It's the car that is causing the danger. That scenario is only dangerous because of the car. Take the car out of the equation the danger evaporates.

1. Cyclist don't pay road tax and neither do car drivers.
   Both pay a vehicle tax based on grammes of CO2 emitted by the vehicle per km travelled and as a bicycle emits none the tax is nil the same as for an electric car.
   
   

We all pay for the upkeep of our roads through council tax anyway so just calm your fucking tits down.

A BMW 1 series, really? If you can't afford a 3 why would you fuck around with one of them?
It's embarrassing; your friends all laugh behind your back and you know you should have got a Golf for the same money.

Repped, liking the refreshed adoubletap.

About 9. -- it is acceptable and legal, under certain circumstances, and for motorcycles in any. No?

Yes if the lights change while they are on one. Motorcyclists do use them all the time which sort of makes sense. Stopping them is almost unenforcablenans not a major issue as they are generally respectful of cyclists priority in them

1. Cycling on the pavement is only acceptable if you are pre-pubescent, after that point you are a cunt and/or paedo.
   

"We must try to put ourselves inside their skin and look at us through their eyes, just to understand the thoughts that lie behind their decisions and their actions."

"Rationality will not save us"

Robert McNamara

"We must try to put ourselves inside their skin and look at us through their eyes, just to understand the thoughts that lie behind their decisions and their actions."

"Rationality will not save us"

Robert McNamara

That's good.
So drivers should get on a bike before getting a driver's license, to help them understand why we do what we do, and figure out what they need to do to not hurt/annoy us?

That's good.
So drivers should get on a bike before getting a driver's license, to help them understand why we do what we do, and figure out what they need to do to not hurt/annoy us?

THAT is something I would campaign for.