Myths about cycling, busted

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
    

It would be great to work out the costs associated with bike registration, licensing and maintenance per head. Folk don't like the idea of spending more money.

come on now leave lycra out of this now

1) The best article that I have so far come across on the economics of the road is in this blog post here. It very simply demonstrates that when you're using the road but not in a motor vehicle then you are subsidising motorists very heavily. On top of that, VED, like many taxes and governmental expenditures are neither linked nor contiguous on upon usage.

Fund the Bicycle Rider Registration Authority with an increase in "road tax". Then see if the micro-Clarksons are still keen on it.

1. Cyclists must use cycle lanes where they're safer
   
   

Then magically disappear when the lane ends at an inconvenient place. Only reappear when lane begins where ever that may be. And certainly not approach and maneuver at a junction as if a bicycle was a road vehicle

1) The best article that I have so far come across on the economics of the road is in this blog post here.

great link
How do we get links referred to in this thread to be listed. Is that linkback? never used it myself

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
    

Fund the Bicycle Rider Registration Authority with an increase in "road tax". Then see if the micro-Clarkson's are still keen on it.

Ace logic, love it.

1. Traffic lights are necessary
   
   

wrong thread?

It is ridiculous to suggest that cyclists should use cycle lanes. If they did they might scratch the cars parked there.

1. Traffic lights are necessary
   
   

wrong thread?

perhaps 15. RLJing on a bike is really dangerous

2) This is really going to depend on the subjective definition of danger and how that is measured. This will vary from person to person. In reality, the internal fears that someone promoting this viewpoint externalises as an opinion that cycling is dangerous are what need to be debunked. As a category itself the only real counter argument that I can see is that the comparator of KSI vs per mile travelled, whilst admittedly higher, is relatively close to that of other forms of transport. Thereafter simple mitigative actions radically increase the safety of cycling way beyond other activities on the road. Sorry, not a snappy answer there but this was always going to be a complicated subject.

One more quote for now:

"It is better to ask for forgiveness, than to ask for permission"

Just get out there and ride like a decent person. That will get more results than talk.

16 speed limits apply to cyclists
17 Cyclists should obey all rules that pertain to car drivers (e.g. one way streets)

please can we leave lycra out of this.
many people rely on its manufacture and use and discriminating against this most aesthetic fibre demeans the argument

2) This is really going to depend on the subjective definition of danger and how that is measured. This will vary from person to person. In reality, the internal fears that someone promoting this viewpoint externalises as an opinion that cycling is dangerous are what need to be debunked. As a category itself the only real counter argument that I can see is that the comparator of KSI vs per mile travelled, whilst admittedly higher, is relatively close to that of other forms of transport. Thereafter simple mitigative actions radically increase the safety of cycling way beyond other activities on the road. Sorry, not a snappy answer there but this was always going to be a complicated subject.

Just factor in health benefits of regular cycling and you have an answer

18 tweed makes good cycling clothing

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)
    

1. The cyclist should always look to see if the parked car door is about to be opened.
   

17 Cyclists should obey all rules that pertain to car drivers (e.g. one way streets)

"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."

I don't drive, but even I can tell how scary it would be to see a cyclist riding down a one way street whilst I am driving up it, there should be no reason to be cycling the wrong way on a one way street, likewise there isn't a reason for cars.

Safety > Time taken to get to destination, with no compromises.

I'm going to bring up red light jumping too, the chances of something going wrong whilst abiding by the red light law, are far lower than the chances of something going wrong whilst jumping one, hence why the law is around. Fair enough in some circumstances it is safer to jump a light, but if this was implemented into law, more people would jump lights, and there will be more casualties, thus making a riskier/more dangerous law.

What we are saying about motorists, is the same general category of complaints, as motorists are saying about us, fair enough a lot of the points are valid, and cyclists are disregarded quite a lot, but just because of this, it doesn't mean every problem on the road are car drivers and cyclists should be immune from specific traffic laws.

I don't want to sound like I am ranting, anyway, debate can be the greatest form of education, and is that not what forums are for? Fire away, prove my points wrong.

On the continent it is normal for one way streets for cars to be two way for cyclists, what I was getting at is that it should be normal (and lawful) here too. If motorists were expecting cyclists there would be no problem, and as almost all one way streets provide a more direct link for cyclists it would probably have a safety benefit.

There are other rules for drivers that could usefully be waived for cyclists, left turns at red lights, being banned from pedestrianised areas are two that spring to mind

If cyclists start using the cycle lanes, where the hell are the peds going to walk?

Useful link:

http://ipayroadtax.com/