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Rogue cyclists set to face on-the-spot fines MOD WARNING in first post

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Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,099 ✭✭✭morana


    High-viz is only one aspect of safety. My argument does not hinge on that specific criteria alone, just as yours doesn't about specifically not wearing a seat belt alone. it is about road safety in general.

    just get the motorists to pay more carbon tax for separate cycling infrastructure with no red lights etc. etc.!


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 25,241 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    But I never suggested it was entirely to blame, Im saying it is very likely a sizeable factor, which let's be honest, it is.

    Actually my understanding is that increases in cyclists numbers reduce accidents caused due to interaction with other road users (regardless of whose fault it is) by both numbers and percentages of cyclists.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,833 ✭✭✭✭tomasrojo


    So when there is an increase in cycling and pedestrian deaths, the national conversation moves around to "how can we get cyclists and pedestrians to wear more hiviz", not how can we make motorists obey speed limits. When a cycling death comes before a judge, the judge generally accepts the claim that the motorist couldn't have seen the cyclist, even if the cyclist is wearing hiviz. Judges are reluctant to take licences of repeat offenders if that offender claims (as they all do) that it would affect their livelihood. If a driver claims that they couldn't see a cyclist because the sun was in their eyes, that is also acceptable, even though you shouldn't be driving when you're blinded.

    Cyclists not wearing hiviz are not breaking any laws. There is no need to catch and punish them. It is also very unlikely that mandatory hiviz is going to be brought in just after the expansion of the dublinbike share scheme and analagous implementations in other cities. Successive governments are quite keen to keep a very successful and useful scheme going. Reducing it to Australian levels of use is not something they'd contemplate.


  • Registered Users Posts: 159 ✭✭Buchaill_Mor


    Hi-viz only works if drivers are looking for you. Studies show that drivers have difficulty seeing cyclists, particularly if they are not expecting to see them. Drivers tend to look for other cars, not bikes, and high-viz makes no discernable difference to this. You can look up the studies yourself, they are available on line.
    As far as I can see, the problem here is that politicians and an organization that has some consideration of cyclists, but is mainly focused on motorised traffic (RSA) and the law enforcement agencies have decided to fine cyclists that do not adhere to the rules of the road. I have no problem with that. The other problem is that they may also in the future, decide that hi-viz is the answer as it would be too expensive, inconvenient, and take too long to implement proper infrastructure, so the quick cheap, half assed, not really investigated solution is the way to go.
    Instead of venting all the rage and hot air with no effect or outcome on boards, why not set up a lobby group, or join an existing one? They may not represent all your ideas, but we all got to start somewhere, and a strong lobby group is needed.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,946 ✭✭✭MayoAreMagic


    CramCycle wrote: »
    Actually my understanding is that increases in cyclists numbers reduce accidents caused due to interaction with other road users (regardless of whose fault it is) by both numbers and percentages of cyclists.

    So how do you explain the increase in accidents on the road coinciding with the increase of cyclists? To be honest, I don't agree with the above at all, and that is from experience of being on the road. Cars overtake cyclists when they shouldn't, cyclists weave in and out of traffic and jump lights when they shouldn't, you cant sit there and try to claim that that is a safer environment, it simply isn't.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,807 ✭✭✭✭Orion


    Jawgap wrote: »
    Yes, Gotham CC wear black.......

    ......or they could've been from Grim Reaper CC looking to harvest the souls of the unworthy.....

    .....or they could've been two guys just out for a spin.

    This was me heading out last Sunday. Who would sell irresponsible black gear like this? :pac:

    333876.PNG


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,945 ✭✭✭Grandpa Hassan


    There will never be fines handed out for not wearing high viz, or not wearing helmets. Not when there is a Dublin bike scheme in operation. Completely unworkable.

    Neither will there ever be licensing / taxing of cyclists (been tried, and failed, in other cities).

    All the legislation to deal with antisocial cyclists is already there. There are on the spot fines for breaking lights. You can be pulled over for cycling dangerously. And not having lights.

    There is nothing in legislation that needs to change. All that is needed is for the Gardai to be on the street and take action. As a relatively sensible cyclist, I'd be in favour of this.

    I would also favour on the spot fines (plus points) for drivers that run the red. Multiple cars go through the red at the top of Dawson street, for example, every time it changes (the worst are the taxis that come from the rank, and regularly just drive through the green man). I've never seen any of these guys get pulled over


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,946 ✭✭✭MayoAreMagic


    tomasrojo wrote: »
    So when there is an increase in cycling and pedestrian deaths, the national conversation moves around to "how can we get cyclists and pedestrians to wear more hiviz", not how can we make motorists obey speed limits.

    But they are making efforts to get motorists driving safer. They introduced penalty points, speed vans, etc. Why not try to improve performance on the side of the cyclists too? Surely enforcement on both sides is better than on just one? Of course they should wear clothes that make them more visible. How can that be a bad idea? This excuse of 'drivers don't look where they are going anyway' is just nonsense. It is like a drunk driver saying he doesn't have to get punished because another lad has no insurance. One doesn't excuse another. And before you say it, I know it isn't a law, Im talking about if it was brought in.

    tomasrojo wrote: »
    Cyclists not wearing hiviz are not breaking any laws. There is no need to catch and punish them. It is also very unlikely that mandatory hiviz is going to be brought in just after the expansion of the dublinbike share scheme and analagous implementations in other cities. Successive governments are quite keen to keep a very successful and useful scheme going. Reducing it to Australian levels of use is not something they'd contemplate.

    The article states otherwise.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,283 ✭✭✭Deedsie


    Pinch Flat wrote: »
    Have you ever cycled regularly? Please share your experiences, positive or otherwise.

    For me cycling is an overwhelmingly positive experience. The down sides of the odd negative interaction do not in anyway out weigh the positives.

    I am cycling all my life. I have a road bike for about 6 years. Commute 20 km Monday to Friday and get the odd long spin in at the weekend. Trickier since moving to Dublin.

    Irrelevant though, my point was that cyclists need to accept responsibility and to condemn bad practice by some people in the cycling community. Stop the constant deflection and whataboutery


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,297 ✭✭✭✭Jawgap


    Seriously, the number Copenhagers cycling while dressed in black, no hi viz, no helmets etc is unreal. I surprised Denmark has not ceased to exist!!

    http://www.copenhagencyclechic.com/

    Ding....dong......:D

    6303770945_0ab2f39e79_z.jpg


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,833 ✭✭✭✭tomasrojo


    But they are making efforts to get motorists driving safer. They introduced penalty points, speed vans, etc.

    And they sportingly tell everyone where the vans are, so they know they can speed everywhere else with minimal chance of punishment, and they let people off penalty points all the time.

    The article states otherwise.
    The article is probably wrong. Journalists make mistakes, RSA representatives go on solo runs.

    In fact, I'm reasonably sure the RSA presented something in the past (mandatory bike helmets for children) as a fait accompli to the press before approaching Varadkar, who told them he wasn't doing it.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,456 ✭✭✭Icepick


    tunney wrote: »
    I saw three cars and two vans run red lights at speed. Four drivers on mobile phones. But hey - lets obsess about the 100kg of bike and rider moving at 20kph.
    This. First tackle problems with much more dangerous road users.

    ..some cyclists deserver it though


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,946 ✭✭✭MayoAreMagic


    tomasrojo wrote: »
    And they sportingly tell everyone where the vans are, so they know they can speed everywhere else with minimal chance of punishment, and they let people off penalty points all the time.

    And if they do that much with cyclists it would be a big step forward.

    tomasrojo wrote: »
    The article is probably wrong. Journalists make mistakes, RSA representatives go on solo runs.


    Or maybe it is right and the above is 100% your opinion...


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,833 ✭✭✭✭tomasrojo


    So when the Indo said that An Post were going to make their employees on bikes comply with the law and wear helmets, that means I should ignore what's actually in the statutes and accept there is a helmet law? The Minister for Transport will decide this, if it ever reaches his desk. I'm quite certain he isn't the source for this newspaper report.


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 25,241 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    But I never suggested it was entirely to blame, Im saying it is very likely a sizeable factor, which let's be honest, it is.
    But its not, most long term cyclist and study groups have concluded that there is safety in numbers. The more cyclists on the road, the more a motorist will expect to see one while on the road. Personally (anecdote time) I have found that my perception of safety has increased over the last few years.
    So how do you explain the increase in accidents on the road coinciding with the increase of cyclists? To be honest, I don't agree with the above at all, and that is from experience of being on the road. Cars overtake cyclists when they shouldn't, cyclists weave in and out of traffic and jump lights when they shouldn't, you cant sit there and try to claim that that is a safer environment, it simply isn't.
    But its not coinciding, massive increases the last few years and last year saw the only increase. At least the preceding years had a pattern, for all you or I know for the moment is that it is a statistical blip. Looking at some of these deaths, hi vis would have done nothing, from the poor girl outside of the field of view of a left turning lorry to the father who had a car run through a blind junction. The only times I have come close to an accident in recent times is when a motorist who has seen me decides that they either don't care or they want to teach me a lesson to catch the traffic jam 25metres up the road.
    All the legislation to deal with antisocial cyclists is already there. There are on the spot fines for breaking lights. You can be pulled over for cycling dangerously. And not having lights.

    There is nothing in legislation that needs to change. All that is needed is for the Gardai to be on the street and take action. As a relatively sensible cyclist, I'd be in favour of this.

    I would also favour on the spot fines (plus points) for drivers that run the red. Multiple cars go through the red at the top of Dawson street, for example, every time it changes (the worst are the taxis that come from the rank, and regularly just drive through the green man). I've never seen any of these guys get pulled over
    Unfortunately while these acts on bikes are illegal there are no instruments as of yet in law to give an FPN to a cyclist, thankfully this will be enshrined in law soon though. At the minute its a day in court which is likely why Gardai turn a blind eye unless the cyclist was being utterly wreckless. There are on the spot fines for motorists for running reds already, it just seems not to be heavily enforced, most likely as Gardai can't be everywhere at once.
    This excuse of 'drivers don't look where they are going anyway' is just nonsense.
    Have you read any of the links in regards this statement, look over at the last page of the hi vis thread for more info.
    Deedsie wrote: »
    Irrelevant though, my point was that cyclists need to accept responsibility and to condemn bad practice by some people in the cycling community. Stop the constant deflection and whataboutery
    And again, at least on this site, most of us do, it grinds my gears TBH but I haven't seen any regular cyclists on this thread condoning bad cyclist behaviour, in fact all have been calling for tighter enforcement of existing laws.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,769 ✭✭✭Pinch Flat


    Deedsie wrote: »
    I am cycling all my life. I have a road bike for about 6 years. Commute 20 km Monday to Friday and get the odd long spin in at the weekend. Trickier since moving to Dublin.

    Irrelevant though, my point was that cyclists need to accept responsibility and to condemn bad practice by some people in the cycling community. Stop the constant deflection and whataboutery

    I'd come at it a different way. Cyclists breaking lights are all branded together - so the action of a few brands a whole group of road users.

    So do a straw pole of say a few people and ask them the first thing they imagine about cyclists - invariably it's btealing red lights or cycling on footpaths. Ask the same question of motorists and the answer will be different. Cyclists are packaged up and unfairly branded as the nemesis on the roads, where it is those on 4 wheels that are a far bigger problem - road deaths, injuries, delays, increase in co2 and pollution.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,946 ✭✭✭MayoAreMagic


    Deedsie wrote: »
    I am cycling all my life. I have a road bike for about 6 years. Commute 20 km Monday to Friday and get the odd long spin in at the weekend. Trickier since moving to Dublin.

    Irrelevant though, my point was that cyclists need to accept responsibility and to condemn bad practice by some people in the cycling community. Stop the constant deflection and whataboutery

    Exactly right. This pack mentality is a big part of the problem. There are bad drivers, there are bad cyclists - let's punish both, its not a competition...


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,833 ✭✭✭✭tomasrojo


    Exactly right. This pack mentality is a big part of the problem. There are bad drivers, there are bad cyclists - let's punish both, its not a competition...
    You keep implying that the people disagreeing with you are opposed to cyclists being penalised for breaking the law. They're not saying that. Mostly people who frequent here are in favour of FPNs. They're, as far as I can tell, opposed to new regulations that are counterproductive, such as the probably never-to-materialise hiviz requirement.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,194 ✭✭✭Fian


    tomasrojo wrote: »
    So when the Indo said that An Post were going to make their employees on bikes comply with the law and wear helmets, that means I should ignore what's actually in the statutes and accept there is a helmet law? The Minister for Transport will decide this, if it ever reaches his desk. I'm quite certain he isn't the source for this newspaper report.

    I think it is probably just badly parsed, the journalist probably intended to convey that An post would require employees to:

    (a) Comply with the law, and
    (b) Also to wear helmets.

    Just didn't structure the sentence clearly enough.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,946 ✭✭✭MayoAreMagic


    CramCycle wrote: »
    Have you read any of the links in regards this statement, look over at the last page of the hi vis thread for more info.

    But those are bad drivers who in turn are breaking the law. Nobody is saying these people are in any ways in the right or shouldn't be punished also... But I can tell you now, plenty drivers would take heed of someone in a high viz vest. how can you suggest higher visibility isn't a positive, would you suggest drivers turn off their lights too?


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,946 ✭✭✭MayoAreMagic


    tomasrojo wrote: »
    You keep implying that the people disagreeing with you are opposed to cyclists being penalised for breaking the law. They're not saying that. Mostly people who frequent here are in favour of FPNs. They're, as far as I can tell, opposed to new regulations that are counterproductive, such as the probably never-to-materialise hiviz requirement.

    What is counter-productive about better visibility? What is that taking away from a guy who is less visible?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,099 ✭✭✭morana


    We are back to the hardcore motorists v the cyclist/motorist again!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 851 ✭✭✭TonyStark


    dante2015 wrote: »
    when i am driving i see a cyclist taking up half the road (they are not that big seriously),

    its about time they were fined as 80% of them are Dangerous

    Truth is if you run a red light you have a low chance of being caught whether in a car or a bike. The introduction of a fixed point notice is merely a soundbyte if its not followed up by enforcement.

    Better roads would mean cyclists don't have to ride as defensively. Secondly if you gave us enough room to begin with and decided to wait before overtaking us with an oncoming vehicle. You might find that we might trust you not to kill us. Sadly motorists haven't earned that trust.

    12 people dead last year not all of them ran red lights or cycled on a footpath.I'm not saying they were blameless but its a chilling indictment of what is quite rubbish behavior on the public highway from EVERYONE.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,946 ✭✭✭MayoAreMagic


    In fairness tony, what have cyclists done to win the trust of the motorists? Im not saying you are wrong, but it is a two way street and that point seems to be lost on a high number of people. How about less of the victim stuff as a startpoint? Plenty cyclists carry out daft manouvers in traffic putting themselves and others in danger and they should know better, just like driverwls. We have to be pragmatic and proactive about it, not always looking to be hard done by


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,946 ✭✭✭MayoAreMagic


    In fairness tony, what have cyclists done to win the trust of the motorists? Im not saying you are wrong, but it is a two way street and that point seems to be lost on a high number of people. How about less of the victim stuff as a startpoint? Plenty cyclists carry out daft manouvers in traffic putting themselves and others in danger and they should know better, just like driverwls. We have to be pragmatic and proactive about it, not always looking to be hard done by


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,297 ✭✭✭✭Jawgap


    In fairness tony, what have cyclists done to win the trust of the motorists? Im not saying you are wrong, but it is a two way street and that point seems to be lost on a high number of people. How about less of the victim stuff as a startpoint? Plenty cyclists carry out daft manouvers in traffic putting themselves and others in danger and they should know better, just like driverwls. We have to be pragmatic and proactive about it, not always looking to be hard done by

    What?

    Most cyclists are motorists - and I'm not sure any road user group is required to "win the trust" of any other group!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,833 ✭✭✭✭tomasrojo


    What is counter-productive about better visibility? What is that taking away from a guy who is less visible?
    It's counterproductive to make it illegal not to wear hiviz. It would reduce the number of cyclists, stymie the bikeshare schemes and there is no real-world evidenc that it would reduce KSIs. In fact, I can't think of any jurisidiction that has tried it, though France has a requirement for rural roads at night.

    It's counterproductive to harp on about hiviz to the practical exlcusion of all other measures to address KSIs. It also frequently elides into victim blaming.

    It's counterproductive to harp on about hiviz and never to mention the excellent lights that are now visible. Indeed, there are many cyclists wearing free RSA hivz jackets and using free RSA lights who are much less conspicuous than our friends Venom and Zorro from earlier in the thread would be using top-of the-range LED lights.


  • Moderators, Politics Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,269 Mod ✭✭✭✭Chips Lovell


    I'd like to remind people to read the charter, if they already haven't. In particular this section:
    8. Negativity
    There are lots of places on the internet where you can have a rant about cyclists. This isn't one of them. This is a place for people with an interest in cycling to discuss cycling. If you treat it as a venue for holding all cyclists to account for perceived or actual misbehaviour by some, you can expect to find your access swiftly removed. In short, we are not your punching bag. If you really do want do want an answer to your gripe, do a search. The usual topics, such as cycle lanes, cycling two abreast etc. have been discussed, ad nauseam, many, many times before

    A few recent posts are failing to heed this rule.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,301 ✭✭✭Snickers Man


    Cyclists, like cars, are required to have lights.

    High viz clothing is a poor alternative to adequate lights.

    I respectfully disagree as a motorist. (I am also a fairly frequent cyclist and pedestrian too)


    If bicycles had lights that were the same size and power rating of cars then yes, there would be no need for high viz clothing. But sadly, they don't. And the problem for motorists is that given the amount of vehicular lighting on city streets today, the illumination of a cyclist is frequently drowned out (if that is the right term) by the lighting around them. Far from lighting cyclists up, light from other vehicles just seems to swallow them into the darkness.

    I am sure there is a physical explanation for all this, but all I am saying IN MY EXPERIENCE is that in busy city centre traffic in the dark, I frequently find it very difficult to see cyclists unless they are wearing reflective strips. I have gone so far as to have my own eyes checked to see if I have a problem with "night blindness". I don't.

    Why do so many cyclists not take this simple feedback on board? It's not nanny state interference. It's a simple effortless recommendation that could enhance road safety for careful cyclists. A high-viz device need not be a bulky unattractive overcoat that one might not want to wear while going on the pull. (Although apparently arriving at a social gathering streaming of sweat having pedalled like crazy through every red light on the way is perfectly alluring, if you believe some here)

    It could be a simple fold up overall that would fit over another jacket and which could be rolled up into a pocket or handbag.

    Facetious comments like "Why don't pedestrians wear high viz" are utterly impertinent. For a start, they walk on pavements while bicycles for the most part share the road with cars. And secondly, in rural regions where there are no pavements it is indeed common practice for pedestrians, at least the sensible ones, to wear reflective clothing and/or carry a torch.

    I am not anti-cyclist. I am one myself. But I hate bad cyclists, just like I despise careless drivers and heedless pedestrians.

    No to compulsory helmets; yes to compulsory hi-viz.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,833 ✭✭✭✭tomasrojo


    Fian wrote: »
    I think it is probably just badly parsed, the journalist probably intended to convey that An post would require employees to:

    (a) Comply with the law, and
    (b) Also to wear helmets.

    Just didn't structure the sentence clearly enough.
    Good point, but the article was about only about making them wear helmets. If I come across it, I'll post a link. (My memory may have failed me, so I'll keep your explanation in mind.)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,297 ✭✭✭✭Jawgap


    I respectfully disagree as a motorist. (I am also a fairly frequent cyclist and pedestrian too)


    If bicycles had lights that were the same size and power rating of cars then yes, there would be no need for high viz clothing. .....

    I'm exempted from any potential requirement to wear hi-viz then???

    My Exposure Six Pack pumps out a retina scorching 2000 lumens - about the same as a 35W HID!

    I've been stopped by the Guards (one Garda) and asked about it.......


  • Moderators, Politics Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,269 Mod ✭✭✭✭Chips Lovell


    Why do so many cyclists not take this simple feedback on board?

    Perhaps because it doesn't tally with our own experiences as motorists. Nor does it tally with research.

    What do I find easy to see while driving? Cyclists with decent lights and reflectors. What do I find hard to see? Cyclists with no lights or inadequate lights.

    A yellow vest makes shag all difference. So I'm bemused that the RSA focusses so much energy on them without asking for something more effective like better enforcement of bike lighting regulations and calling for a minimum bicycle lighting standard.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,301 ✭✭✭Snickers Man


    Jawgap wrote: »
    Seriously, the number Copenhagers cycling while dressed in black, no hi viz, no helmets etc is unreal. I surprised Denmark has not ceased to exist!!

    http://www.copenhagencyclechic.com/

    Ding....dong......:D

    6303770945_0ab2f39e79_z.jpg

    Er. You can see that this is daylight, right? Or were you looking at something else?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,766 ✭✭✭Bongalongherb


    If cyclists are using the roads, they should be paying road-tax. But that will be coming in soon I hope. Pay like the rest of us road users.

    Cyclists might be more considerate and respect the rules of the road if they had to pay this tax.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,301 ✭✭✭Snickers Man


    Perhaps because it doesn't tally with our own experiences as motorists. Nor does it tally with research.

    Go on then. Link.
    What do I find easy to see while driving? Cyclists with decent lights and reflectors. What do I find hard to see? Cyclists with no lights or inadequate lights.

    "inadequate" covers a multitude.
    A yellow vest makes shag all difference.

    A reflective vest makes a hell of a lot of difference. In MY experience and observation. And no, I don't work for RSA or any other hi viz manufacturer.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,503 ✭✭✭Macy0161


    Exactly right. This pack mentality is a big part of the problem. There are bad drivers, there are bad cyclists - let's punish both, its not a competition...
    You can find loads of threads on here in which cyclists are calling for fixed penalty notices. There probably won't be new offences in this despite how the anti cyclist TD's and media are presenting it - just a different and more appropriate way of dealing with them.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,503 ✭✭✭Macy0161


    If cyclists are using the roads, they should be paying road-tax. But that will be coming in soon I hope. Pay like the rest of us road users.

    Cyclists might be more considerate and respect the rules of the road if they had to pay this tax.
    Would this be on top of, or instead of, what I already pay for three motorised vehicles I already pay motor tax on?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,766 ✭✭✭Bongalongherb


    Macy0161 wrote: »
    Would this be on top of, or instead of, what I already pay for three motorised vehicles I already pay motor tax on?

    No, if you are already paying road-tax for a vehicle then that covers you for cycling.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 535 ✭✭✭Chloris


    Two incidents I've had in the last week with cyclists:

    One rounding a corner on the wrong side of the road at night with no light, only one reflector. He nearly crashed into my car.

    I walked out my front gate with my special needs brother and had to grab him out of the way of a cyclist zooming down the footpath.

    It should be common sense to be visible, keep yourself out of danger and look out for pedestrians. I'm not sure why we'd need fines for those things, you should just do them if you have any self preservation or decency.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,109 ✭✭✭Skrynesaver


    If cyclists are using the roads, they should be paying road-tax. But that will be coming in soon I hope. Pay like the rest of us road users.

    Cyclists might be more considerate and respect the rules of the road if they had to pay this tax.

    Perhaps you should put the bong down and read the thread...

    There is no such thing as road tax.

    The vast majority of the cyclists on this thread are in favour of the introduction of fixed penalty notices.

    Paying motor tax doesn't seem to have any effect on getting some motorists to obey speed limits, traffic lights and the licensing system seems not to be able to get some motorists to display any lane dicipline.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,109 ✭✭✭Skrynesaver


    Chloris wrote: »
    Two incidents I've had in the last week with cyclists:

    One rounding a corner on the wrong side of the road at night with no light, only one reflector. He nearly crashed into my car.

    I walked out my front gate with my special needs brother and had to grab him out of the way of a cyclist zooming down the footpath.

    It should be common sense to be visible, keep yourself out of danger and look out for pedestrians. I'm not sure why we'd need fines for those things, you should just do them if you have any self preservation or decency.

    We have fines/penalties/snactions available to the justice system for all sorts of behaviour that is obnoxious, it'd be nice if there weren't any disrespectful muppets, but there are and teaching them through penalties is the way we try to modify their behaviour.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,766 ✭✭✭Bongalongherb


    Chloris wrote: »
    Two incidents I've had in the last week with cyclists:

    One rounding a corner on the wrong side of the road at night with no light, only one reflector. He nearly crashed into my car.

    I walked out my front gate with my special needs brother and had to grab him out of the way of a cyclist zooming down the footpath.

    It should be common sense to be visible, keep yourself out of danger and look out for pedestrians. I'm not sure why we'd need fines for those things, you should just do them if you have any self preservation or decency.


    But this is why there are fines, because some folk don't have self preservation or any decency.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,219 ✭✭✭pablo128


    If cyclists are using the roads, they should be paying road-tax. But that will be coming in soon I hope. Pay like the rest of us road users.

    Cyclists might be more considerate and respect the rules of the road if they had to pay this tax.

    It's Motor tax, bud. Anything with a motor. ;)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,766 ✭✭✭Bongalongherb


    pablo128 wrote: »
    It's Motor tax, bud. Anything with a motor. ;)

    Ok ok. Cyclists should be forced to do the theory test, how's that ?. I think this would be the number one best idea as it would definitely sort out most problems regarding bad cyclists.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,945 ✭✭✭Grandpa Hassan


    To everyone who's suggesting compulsory high viz, tests for cyslists etc.....how would you deal with tourists on Dublin bikes. Or kids cycling with their parents in the park? Where are the lines drawn? It is things like that which make legislation unworkable, since, unlike cars, there are no restrictions on who is allowed to ride a bike, or where (except pavements of course!)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,266 ✭✭✭07Lapierre


    Ok ok. Cyclists should be forced to do the theory test, how's that ?. I think this would be the number one best idea as it would definitely sort out most problems regarding bad cyclists.

    I think a better idea would be anyone learning to drive must learn to cycle FIRST and cycle on the road for a few weeks. This would make people better "Road users".


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,219 ✭✭✭pablo128


    Ok ok. Cyclists should be forced to do the theory test, how's that ?. I think this would be the number one best idea as it would definitely sort out most problems regarding bad cyclists.

    I'm intolerant of bad cyclists as much as you are, but that won't happen. Sure how would you test a 6 year old child? Or a young teenager cycling to school?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,297 ✭✭✭✭Jawgap


    Ok ok. Cyclists should be forced to do the theory test, how's that ?. I think this would be the number one best idea as it would definitely sort out most problems regarding bad cyclists.

    My four year old nephew can't reach the screen - would that mean he can't ride his bike......


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,766 ✭✭✭Bongalongherb


    pablo128 wrote: »
    I'm intolerant of bad cyclists as much as you are, but that won't happen. Sure how would you test a 6 year old child? Or a young teenager cycling to school?

    It would be difficult indeed, but there's always some way of sorting it out.

    Don't get me wrong, I have respect for cyclists as I was an avid cyclist myself in the past, But every day I see cyclists dangerously coming onto the road, something needs to be done about it before more die on the roads.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 684 ✭✭✭DeJa VooDoo


    Eamonnator wrote: »
    Fines on Spot for cyclists

    From Today's Irish Indo.
    Finian will be pleased

    http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/rogue-cyclists-set-to-face-onthespot-fines-30884855.html

    Not before time.


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