Myths about cycling, busted

not

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

but

18 The rules of the road we have now are good for all users

.. or something like that - ie. it's better to obey the rules but some of the rules are counter-safety and counter-convenient. No cyclist should become an outlaw because they are trying to stay safe.

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.

This is quite interesting- what are the figures on car ownership?

I'd have thought that the average family have a car, so would all count as motorists.

What percentage of people in the UK don't belong to a family unit that has a car?

@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.

Yes was planning to give people a little longer before editing the 1st post with the myths and the arguments against. There may be more myths people come up with.

1. If you are riding in a manner that might inconvenience a motorist, it is fair and reasonable for them to try and make you pay for it with your life.
   

Someone might want to contact this company. It's all about road tax.
http://www.roadtaxprices.co.uk/

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
    
    

A lot of these are contrived to fit your agenda. However, #20 is probably the one which really hits the nail on the head, as does #8 because they clearly need explaining to many people who ride bikes and many people who drive motorised vehicles.
One only has to take a rush hour journey to see the same old dangerous routine played out.

A lot of these are contrived to fit your agenda.

True, which I'll state here:
My agenda is promoting sustainable means of getting about especially cycling
and to reduce danger at the source of danger ie drivers

Hey what happened to the post about farting while pedaling? I too find that impossible. 21?

Also 19 (drunk while riding) is no myth and should be amended in the final list.

I challenge you to do one (in another thread) leaving all of your prejudices out.

Originally Posted by skydancer

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
    21. Cyclists are smug
    

I thought the list might be more use with brief reason why each item is not true. Here is my attempt but i have skipped some which i dont agree on/ dont know the legality / couldnt think of a quick response

1. Cyclist don't pay road tax ----- Road Tax doesnt 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 licences ---- No (cost and lost health benifit 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 dont 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.
    

Brilliant work Dan. When I get a chance to I can add to this and stick in the original post

feel free to improve my responses

1. Cyclist don't pay road tax ----- Road Tax doesnt exist roads paid for by all kinds of general taxation - see also http://kimharding.net/blog/?p=470 (shows how cyclists/non-car owners hugely subsidise car ownership) also, VED for bikes would be £0 anyhow.
   
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 licences ---- No (cost and lost health benifit 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 dont 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.
    
    
    

Added to point 1, think it might need tidyng though.

To an extent, I don't mind the idea of paying VED as a cyclist, as my VED would be 0, as my bikes CO2 output is 0. Maybe car owners would like me flashing my VED disk at them from inside my wallet...

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

Try £500 for drunken cycling....

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.

19. flashing bike lights are not legal ---- that used to be the case until 21st October 2005, at which point the law changed to allow them.

20. wearing a helmet is a good idea ---- ooh, controversial!

21. It's difficult to find a place to park your bike in central London

(I've found 23 is a surprisingly common reason given when people are explaining why they don't cycle)

1. Speed limits apply to cyclists ---- they don't but there are offences such as cycling furiously etc
   
2. you can be arrested for being drunk in charge of a bike ----
   
   
   

Are these true? I've been pulled over for speeding.

16.Speed limits don't apply to vehicles that do not require a speedometer, apart from in some parks (Like richmond park) where they do apply

1. See up thread
   

True, which I'll state here:
My agenda is promoting sustainable means of getting about especially cycling
and to reduce danger at the source of danger ie drivers

By telling them they're stupid and misinformed and should listen to you?

OK, so a lot of them are stupid and misinformed, but they won't take kindly to being told so.

Ad if (2) cycling isn't dangerous then why do you need to make such a fuss over reducing the source of danger? Is there danger or not? Of course there is, it's more dangerous to ride to work in London than to do a tour of duty in Afghanistan apparently?
It's like saying its "not dangerous" to be a soldier because actually the only danger is from other people when they shoot at you and put mines in your path.

Simply riding a bike along isn't dangerous, true. But I can't see how these double standards will help your cause, it seems like just the kind of thing that attempts to segregate people who drive from those that cycle. "it's your fault" "No it's YOUR fault" etc. till someone gets a wet fish out.

[QUOTE=MrDrem;2677544]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

Try £500 for drunken cycling....[/QUOTE]

Is that not the maximum if you contest it, and it goes before a judge? The £30 would be the maximum if accepted on the street.

Quite happy ro be corrected.

Simply riding a bike along isn't dangerous, true.

That one isn't true, is it? A proportion of police-recorded casualties and a big proportion of hospital A&E cyclist admissions are cycle-only. There's a lot of falling off going on.
(Assuming danger translates into injuries, I know that's very limited)

^People who don't know the dangers of leaning.

If you compare injury per mile travelled walking is more risky than cycling, cycling is slightly more risky than sitting on a bus

1. Riding a bike is dangerous
   If we take the meaning of "dangerous" in the context of activities as an activity which has a probable negative outcome, then it follows that a "very dangerous" activity must have a definitly negative outcome.
   Therefore, living is a very dangerous activity, as it always ends in death, which is pretty negative.

2. Cyclists must use cycle lanes where they're safer.
   I seem to remember reading somewhere that the DfT advises cyclists to limit their speed on cyclepaths and in cycle lanes to 18mph, and if they wish to go faster then use the main carriageway.

1. Cyclists must use cycle lanes where they're safer.
   I seem to remember reading somewhere that the DfT advises cyclists to limit their speed on cyclepaths and in cycle lanes to 18mph, and if they wish to go faster then use the main carriageway.[/QUOTE]
   
   
   

advice from the Department of Transport in its proposed Code of Conduct for Cyclists is, “As a general rule, if you want to cycle quickly, say in excess of 18 mph/30 kph, then you should be riding on the road.”

but this is actually nowhere to be found on the Dept of Transport website.