Restrictions on cyclists now being discussed at Ministerial level.

[potsy]

Are the speedometers fitted in the factory or do we have to have them put on ourselves?
Ridiculous none story, never would of happened if Boris was still in charge

 

[nickyboy]

There was some other thread a while back about cyclists exceeding the speed limit. There is a 20mph maximum zone near to me with traffic calming. It is 20mph because there is a primary school in the zone. The zone is on a hill and cyclists can easily exceed the speed limit. If you look at the Strava data (admittedly this is a subset of all cyclists), most exceed the speed limit. Practically all of these will have a gps device which displays speed

My position was that (a) doing more than 20mph past a primary school on a bike isn't sensible (b) all road users should be subject to broadly the same basic regulations re speed, intoxication etc

 

[matticus]

My position was that (a) doing more than 20mph past a primary school on a bike isn't sensible (b) all road users should be subject to broadly the same basic regulations re speed, intoxication etc

HGV drivers same regs as pedestrians?

Horses same as motorcycles?

Hovercrafts and eels? :P

 

[Solocle]

There was some other thread a while back about cyclists exceeding the speed limit. There is a 20mph maximum zone near to me with traffic calming. It is 20mph because there is a primary school in the zone. The zone is on a hill and cyclists can easily exceed the speed limit. If you look at the Strava data (admittedly this is a subset of all cyclists), most exceed the speed limit. Practically all of these will have a gps device which displays speed

My position was that (a) doing more than 20mph past a primary school on a bike isn't sensible (b) all road users should be subject to broadly the same basic regulations re speed, intoxication etc

The law is that it is unlawful to drive a motor vehicle above the speed limit. Nothing to do with speedometer or lack thereof.

It remains incumbent on all road users to do a safe speed for the conditions. School, so what? It's the school holidays.

Speed limits themselves are a very blunt measure when applied as a safety tool. On a dry empty motorway in an evening, 100 mph+ would be perfectly safe. The same stretch of road at rush hour, with freezing fog, the maximum safe speed might be 30 mph... apart from all the idiots still doing 70. I once was caught out by a sudden deluge while in the outside lane of the M25. It was so inclement, I couldn't actually guarantee that it was safe to change lanes. Stopping in the distance I could see to be clear? I kept the lights of the car ahead just within view, which was a reasonable stopping distance, but had they ploughed into a stationary lorry, I might have been in trouble. I just deemed it safer than trying to manoeuvre across 3 lanes of traffic without being able to see particularly well. Or slowing down in the outside lane of a motorway.

 

[Profpointy]

There was some other thread a while back about cyclists exceeding the speed limit. There is a 20mph maximum zone near to me with traffic calming. It is 20mph because there is a primary school in the zone. The zone is on a hill and cyclists can easily exceed the speed limit. If you look at the Strava data (admittedly this is a subset of all cyclists), most exceed the speed limit. Practically all of these will have a gps device which displays speed

My position was that (a) doing more than 20mph past a primary school on a bike isn't sensible (b) all road users should be subject to broadly the same basic regulations re speed, intoxication etc

Surely the severity / strictness of regulations should reflect the risk of harm to others shouldn't it? I'd expect the rules for owning hamsters to be minimal, but I'd not object to some kind of rules for owning Siberian tigers. Likewise the alcohol limits for airline pilots are extremely strict, zero essentially, for car driving it's set at so many mg per whatever, for cycling you have to be actually drunk, but as a pedestrian being drunk is OK, providing you are not disorderly as well. This seems pretty reasonable to me,

And whilst 20mph is a fair enough limit around schools or whatver, unless it's downhill it takes someone pretty fit to exceed that for any distance cycling. I'm regularly overtaken doing 30mph on my 1000cc motorbike, so fussing about cyclists exceeding 20mph is clearly a distraction. More worryingly whipping up cyclist hatred gets people killed as a minority of motorists already drive at cyclists. Whilst I don't really want to do a Godwin, it has to be said picking on an "out" group, be that cyclists, or transexuals, moslems or whatever is straight out of the Fascist play book.

 

[Paulus]

They stopped using them because of the injuries they were causing in collisions.

About 1978 if my old memory serves me right.

 

[rogerzilla]

It's just a bit of red meat for the gammonati.

 

[cougie uk]

Absolute gibberish.

Unless he's fitting all bikes with speedometers how would they know they are exceeding the limit.

This Government will do anything to avoid us talking about the real issues.

 

[kingrollo]

It's news cycle control nothing more. Inflation at 20% noooo let's talk about cyclists instead.

Rattle the keys.

Or he is trying get in the good books of Liz Truss. !

 

[TheDoctor]

He'll be out of the cabinet come what may, I suspect.

 

[Alex321]

There is also a legally mandated leeway on speeding offences of a couple of miles per hour in recognition if the fact that speedometers may vary. Which means you’d be looking at 22 or 23mph before you could get fined - which is really hauling it.

There is no legally mandated leeway, and no need for it based on speedometer variance, as speedometers are not allowed to read low at all - Construction & use regulations require that they read between true speed and (true speed + 10% + 2.4mph) - the 2.4mph is a conversion of the 4Kph that the EU required. Most speedos are set at the factory to read around 4-5% high, so that if it does vary over the life of the vehicle, it still shouldn't ever read low.

There is guidance that you will not usually be prosecuted if within 10%+2 of the speed limit, and speed cameras are usually set to at least that level (even average speed cameras). But legally, you can be done for any measurable amount over the limit.

 

[Vantage]

It has happened in the past.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.st...fter-he-is-clocked-at-38mph-a3102191.html?amp

 

[Deleted member 1258]

About 1978 if my old memory serves me right.

Around there somewhere, I brought my MZ about 1976 and I'm sure it came without a front number plate.

 

[Alex321]

There was some other thread a while back about cyclists exceeding the speed limit. There is a 20mph maximum zone near to me with traffic calming. It is 20mph because there is a primary school in the zone. The zone is on a hill and cyclists can easily exceed the speed limit. If you look at the Strava data (admittedly this is a subset of all cyclists), most exceed the speed limit. Practically all of these will have a gps device which displays speed

My position was that (a) doing more than 20mph past a primary school on a bike isn't sensible (b) all road users should be subject to broadly the same basic regulations re speed, intoxication etc

But all road users aren't the same in terms of risk.

A car is about 6 feet wide, a bike including handlebars is 3. So that much narrower an area which can hit a pedestrian. The bike (including rider) also weighs less than 1/10th of a car, so the momentum if it does hit somebody is so much less. And it is more maneuverable and so has a better chance of dodging a pedestrian who has stepped out without looking at all.

I still wouldn't be doing 20+ past a school at the start or end of the school day though.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

So will I need 9 different number plates and insurance for each bike or would it be the person the number plate and insurance applied to if it ever actually comes to pass. Shame I'm regularly still seeing motorists driving around with mobiles clutched to their heads and feck all done about it!

Ohhhh 9 individual everything, no fleet policies or "trade plates" to stick on anything.