> Yes of course cars kill more people than cyclists but for every 1 bad car driver there are 100 bad cyclists. This is from observation. With increasing number of cyclists there needs to be regulation, insurance and some way of identification.Part of the problem is that people don't consider speeding by motor vehicles as "bad behaviour".Given the stats in the original thread there can't be 1 "bad" car driver for every 100 "bad" cyclists, otherwise in a road full of 100 cars (where 87% of them will speed) there must be 8700 cyclists flouting the law. I don't see car drivers outnumbered in that way on the roads.It comes down to perception. If you stand at a junction and watch the behaviour of road users you will likely see many more cyclist transgressions than car transgressions, this is because cyclists can easily get past each other so the few that do stop at the red lights do not prevent the many that choose to ignore the red lights. One law abiding car driver prevents those behind them from breaking that particular law although there will still be the odd car driver that will jump a red light, it's not just a thing that cyclists do.(Go stand and watch the behaviour of drivers at the lights at the end of Chartfield Avenue and Putney Hill and tell me no car drivers jump red lights.Or go stand at the junction of Gwendolen Avenue and Upper Richmond Road when the no right turn onto URR rule is in force [7am to 7pm Mon-Fri] and tell me no-one ignores this rule, it's predominantly car drivers but there are a fair number of cyclists who ignore.)However, in moving traffic, it is much more likely for the motor vehicles to be the transgressors. Bicycles rarely get above 20mph (and even so, speed limits only apply to motor vehicles*) but, as the stats show, the vast majority of car drivers will break the speed limit.Also, from my anecdotal evidence of cycling through London traffic I'd say roughly 1 in 10 car drivers is using a mobile phone illegally in some way (either texting, holding them to make calls, reading the news/twitter/facebook/etc or even watching films/TV). This is, by far, the greater threat to my safety and the safety of pedestrians and all other road users.But, hey, don't let me distract everyone from blaming everything (including the 87% of car drivers that don't observe speed limits) on cyclists.> With increasing number of cyclists there needs to be regulation, insurance and some way of identification.This often comes up. Every country that has tried it has rescinded it because it doesn't work. It puts people off cycling (as they can't simply grab their bike and go out on the road) and ends up adding to the burden on the healthcare system. It also doesn't do anything to discourage the people who don't care about breaking the law. You only have to look at the figures for motor vehicles where regulation/licensing, insurance and identification are legally required.What is needed is more enforcement of the existing laws, but decreased Police funding (let alone austerity) has cut it to the bone. Road user (cars and cyclists) behaviour is considerably better for a short while after the Police have run their Operation Safeway campaign and had Police standing at prominent junctions but soon reverts to normal when they realise the Police aren't there any more and they can continue to get away with things.* Richmond Park and the other Royal Parks have their own special laws where it may apply (see threads passim).
Alex Greenbank ● 2691d