Learning to drive

[omaghjoe]

Except... pedestrians dont use the road and bus users pay for the privilege and take up less room than cyclists and are much more safe into the bargin.

Cyclists dont pay a bean....why?


BTW I lvoe it how your supposed to give cyclists 1.5m space but then theyre all bunched together in the photo

[omaghjoe]

They should be insured, if a cyclist causes damage to my car, who pays for it, my insurance?  They should also not be allowed on the road without some training just today two lycra chicks struggling to pedal on a country road all over the shop, veering in and out from edge to middle, the mind boggles!

So a 10-year old girl on a Barbie bike should pay tax, insurance, and have a number plate? Catch yourself on.

Should she be on the road?

[J70]

Both sets of road users ignore the rules and behave badly. Pedestrians too. However, the outcome of this rule breaking and poor behaviour is a hell of a lot more consequential to others when its a driver.
I came literally within inches of cleaning out a cyclist who flew through the red light in Queens a few weeks back. Had I hit him, he was dead and I was down an insurance claim and the psychological effects of having been involved in a fatal accident, even if I was in the right. Had that been a car that blew the light (which happens regularly), myself and my son would probably have been on the receiving end of a side-on collision and very seriously injured, at least, never mind what happened to the other party.
As a cyclist, I've been hit by cars twice, both times the driver's fault. One, they broke the light. Second, a woman doored me. Luckily just cuts and bruises and a slightly damaged bike both times.
Drivers need to lose the sense of entitlement too. The streets and roads don't just revolve around them.

[Eamonnca1]

Except... pedestrians dont use the road and bus users pay for the privilege and take up less room than cyclists and are much more safe into the bargin.

Buses damage the road surface and emit particulates, NOx and greenhouse gases. They're also a hazard to pedestrians on busy city streets. Surely you've heard the expression "what if you get hit by a bus?"

Cyclists dont pay a bean....why?

Cyclists contribute more than their fair share through the taxes they pay into the general fund. Direct taxes, sales taxes, etc..

BTW I lvoe it how your supposed to give cyclists 1.5m space but then theyre all bunched together in the photo

The 1.5 metre rule applies to motor vehicles passing cyclists. It has nothing to say about cyclists riding in groups or posing for a photograph.

[Eamonnca1]

They should be insured, if a cyclist causes damage to my car, who pays for it, my insurance?  They should also not be allowed on the road without some training just today two lycra chicks struggling to pedal on a country road all over the shop, veering in and out from edge to middle, the mind boggles!

So a 10-year old girl on a Barbie bike should pay tax, insurance, and have a number plate? Catch yourself on.

Should she be on the road?

Well if she were on the footpath you'd be griping about it, so yes, she should be on the road.

[omaghjoe]

Except... pedestrians dont use the road and bus users pay for the privilege and take up less room than cyclists and are much more safe into the bargin.

Buses damage the road surface and emit particulates, NOx and greenhouse gases. They're also a hazard to pedestrians on busy city streets. Surely you've heard the expression "what if you get hit by a bus?"

Practically all buses are at least gas in California and a good portion Electric but you still got to pay to go on. Bus travel has been shown to be the safest method of travel and they dont travel on footpaths so they are safer to pedestrians than the 2 wheeled demonic saviours of the world

And quit harping on about damage to a road surface, you are likely correct but its relevance is minuscule, the environment is the biggest factor in road surface wear.  If a road had no one on it, it would need repairs almost as quick as if it had cyclists or motorists.
IN fact now that i think about it if a road had no motor vehicles they wouldnt supress the weeds and would prob destroy the surface faster

Cyclists dont pay a bean....why?

Cyclists contribute more than their fair share through the taxes they pay into the general fund. Direct taxes, sales taxes, etc..

No they dont pay their fair share... they pay the same taxes as everyone else and a good portion in urban areas of California dont pay any tax whatsoever

BTW I lvoe it how your supposed to give cyclists 1.5m space but then theyre all bunched together in the photo

The 1.5 metre rule applies to motor vehicles passing cyclists. It has nothing to say about cyclists riding in groups or posing for a photograph.

The point was they take up less room on the road so you have to include the 1.5m as most cyclists are singular and need as much room as a car... except when they're trying to make points that they take up less room than cars

[Milltown Row2]

You never answered my question Eamon, I'll ask again, have you been home lately?

I was home last year. Why do you ask?

You take the bike or did you swim?

[omaghjoe]

They should be insured, if a cyclist causes damage to my car, who pays for it, my insurance?  They should also not be allowed on the road without some training just today two lycra chicks struggling to pedal on a country road all over the shop, veering in and out from edge to middle, the mind boggles!

So a 10-year old girl on a Barbie bike should pay tax, insurance, and have a number plate? Catch yourself on.

Should she be on the road?

Well if she were on the footpath you'd be griping about it, so yes, she should be on the road.

I never said she should not be on the footpath besides there is plently of places she could be in a park in her backyard, on a cycle path.

There is no way a 10 year girl should be on the road IMO, although not sure there is law agin it

The discussion is about road users so all of this is a bit of a red herring

[Eamonnca1]

In my day the roads were full of 10-year-olds riding around on bikes.

[Eamonnca1]

You take the bike or did you swim?

Flew. I'd love to have taken the bike but it just wasn't practical.

[imtommygunn]

I saw a kid who I would say was no more than 3 or 4 years old on the outer ring in Belfast - a 2 lane 50 mph road -  the other week. The parent was on the footpath on a bike waiting on him. I have never seen anything like it.

[Milltown Row2]

You take the bike or did you swim?

Flew. I'd love to have taken the bike but it just wasn't practical.

A non fuel type plane obviously. 

As the damage you did/partake with that flight back and fourth was damaging the environment more than that crap ya put on those other posts make you into a hypocrite

[t_mac]

They should be insured, if a cyclist causes damage to my car, who pays for it, my insurance?  They should also not be allowed on the road without some training just today two lycra chicks struggling to pedal on a country road all over the shop, veering in and out from edge to middle, the mind boggles!

So a 10-year old girl on a Barbie bike should pay tax, insurance, and have a number plate? Catch yourself on.

What is a ten year old doing cycling on the road on a Barbie bike? 

[t_mac]

You take the bike or did you swim?

Flew. I'd love to have taken the bike but it just wasn't practical.

Bet Lurgan was toasting the town when you left again.

[Eamonnca1]

A non fuel type plane obviously. 

As the damage you did/partake with that flight back and fourth was damaging the environment more than that crap ya put on those other posts make you into a hypocrite

I'm a hypocrite if I cross the Atlantic on something other than a human-powered plane? The Gossamer Albatross has a limited range. Where it's possible for me to replace fossil-fueled trips with the bike or something more sustainable I'm happy to do it. But then the environment isn't the main reason I cycle anyway. I mainly do it because I enjoy it.