Get on yer bike....

[NewClaret]

Build safe cycleways and people will flock to them, cycle superhighways have shown this.

So many children getting out on their bikes with family during the lock down and will be forced back inside once cars are back in numbers (Already are by the look of things).

Totally agree.

I’ve been riding a lot more since lockdown and have found some decent parts of “route 6” to ride around locally that I didn’t know existed. At some points the route just seems to end with no signage, etc. And it’s almost impossible to go anywhere without riding long stretches on the roads to get to/between parts of the cycle route.

Would be delighted if cycling network was massively extended in the UK. I would personally cancel HS2 in favour of giving a massively extended cycle network the investment it needs.

[claretnproud]

My neighbour cycles now and again on a drop handle road bike. He sort of mocked me using an electric bike so I put him straight.
I have been a cyclist on a regular bike all my life but developed asthma and was put on steroids. The steroids worked a treat so was able to carry on as normal with cycling'' however after a while I was taken off steroids and now cycling up steep hills is out of the question. The 4 levels of assistance on the motor mean I can cycle to my maximum and have that assurance on the very steep hills to go into sport/turbo (highest 2 assistance levels) to stop me having an attack of asthma.
Also'plenty of people have bad joints which also can be helped by the motor if less pressure on knees might help you.
So yesterday I went round Pendle.....my old route of Nelson to sabden....clitheroe...waddington....grindleton...chatburn....downham....barley....roughlee....barrowford....nelson...27 miles in 1 hour and 50....that route involving serious climbs from sabden over side of pendle and chatburn over the other side of pendle....only used eco/tour (the 2 lowest levels of assistance.....when I got back in that heat I was awash with sweat and my neighbour was in his garden.....he asked about how much a bike like mine was and after talking to me about e biking he now sees the benefits.
basically e biking can be much much harder than normal cycling if you ride without the motor assistance but the choice is entirely yours.....I have had my e bike 2 years now and discovered dozens of different bike rides because of it.
Remember that e biking will be available to the vast majority of society and not just those lucky enough to be young enough'fit enough and healthy enough to ride a conventional bike.
so thats the e biking myth destroyed.

I would imagine that the cycle paths will be largely London/City based but most of us tax payers will be picking up the bill......but maybe if this pandemic had happened with far more people e biking or cycling to work (not spreading the virus on train/bus/tube) then it wouldnt have been quite as bad as it was' especially considering that regular exercise like running/walking/cycling boosts the immune system significantly.

[turfytopper]

They should make helmets and Bells compulsory by law.. That will upset a few on here.

Plus a license number and insurance for road use.

Cue...hysteria

[Jamesy]

Bells are fitted to all new bicycles prior to them leaving the shop. However, lots of cyclists see them as uncool and discard them as soon as they get the bicycle home. Bells are great for letting people know you are approaching and many people thank you for alerting them. An exception to this is where you ring the bell to a group of youths in front of you who then can get aggressive as they see this as an affront to their knuckle scraper manhood.

[tim_noone]

Plus a license number and insurance for road use.

Cue...hysteria

I doubt it...I'm a driver and a cyclist. It's the non cycling drivers that keep bleating "we pay road tax" now they really do shout the loudest! For the record I'd pay that bit extra on ins. And tax.

[tim_noone]

Bells are fitted to all new bicycles prior to them leaving the shop. However, lots of cyclists see them as uncool and discard them as soon as they get the bicycle home. Bells are great for letting people know you are approaching and many people thank you for alerting them. An exception to this is where you ring the bell to a group of youths in front of you who then can get aggressive as they see this as an affront to their knuckle scraper manhood.

No...I once rang mine on the canal towpath and a woman got very Arsey.

[claretnproud]

Plus a license number and insurance for road use.

Cue...hysteria

As a cyclist I agree that cyclists should be insured etc. I already pay road tax though so wouldnt want to pay twice.
it is a big can of worms though as anyone who walks/drives or cycles the streets can cause an accident so should pedestrians also need to be insured ??

[claretnproud]

The bells fitted to new bikes are shoite. I got a kiddies bell on mine and ring until I get a reaction from someone who is walking same way as me on towpath of canal. You do still get a reaction though from someone listening to music on headphones as you go past. This person often walks down middle of towpath giving anyone passing no room. The words brain and dead spring to mind' especially as it is a national cycle way.

[Jamesy]

No...I once rang mine on the canal towpath and a woman got very Arsey.

Yes some people do get @rsey when we ring our bells, however it is better that than them stepping in the way or shouting after us saying we made them jump or frightened them, especially on canal towpaths. One big hazard to cyclists is the Dr Dre Beats Brigade, who are oblivious to everyone and everything around them.

[Jamesy]

I have just echoed what claretnproud has said!

[aggi]

Plus a license number and insurance for road use.

Cue...hysteria

Well the main problem with that is that it would cost the government loads of money to administer and enforce and is full of logistical difficulties.

[tim_noone]

The bells fitted to new bikes are shoite. I got a kiddies bell on mine and ring until I get a reaction from someone who is walking same way as me on towpath of canal. You do still get a reaction though from someone listening to music on headphones as you go past. This person often walks down middle of towpath giving anyone passing no room. The words brain and dead spring to mind' especially as it is a national cycle way.

Yes the middle of the road...always chirpy cheep..cheep at the cyclists.

[turfytopper]

I doubt it...I'm a driver and a cyclist. It's the non cycling drivers that keep bleating "we pay road tax" now they really do shout the loudest! For the record I'd pay that bit extra on ins. And tax.

I never put forward a road tax. But it's crazy that they can use the road without 3rd party insurance.
Maybe that could be included on a car insurance policy.

[CombatClaret]

The more obstacles you put in place of cycling eg: compulsory helmets, insurance, licences etc.
The more people will die du not cycling.

The overwhelming body evidence is that the health benefits of cycling vastly outweigh the health risks.

[claretnproud]

The more obstacles you put in place of cycling eg: compulsory helmets, insurance, licences etc.
The more people will die due not not cycling.

The overwhelming body evidence is that the health benefits of cycling vastly outweigh the health risks.

Anyone who can even vaguely think out of the box for a moment should realise that cycling promotes
weight loss/fitness
releases endorphines for good mental health
its a pretty green travel option
will help you avoid many illnesses and conditions

cycling should be actively encouraged throughout society as every bum on a saddle takes an arse off the road

[tim_noone]

I never put forward a road tax. But it's crazy that they can use the road without 3rd party insurance.
Maybe that could be included on a car insurance policy.

Yea that's the point I was trying to make. Not a problem with it....maybe as it's all being discussed at government level the ins. Could be on the agenda possibly.

[aggi]

I never put forward a road tax. But it's crazy that they can use the road without 3rd party insurance.
Maybe that could be included on a car insurance policy.

Why crazy?

What kind of losses are incurred due to cyclists? Is it more or less than losses incurred due to pedestrians? What kind of cost would be invovled in enforcing this?

[CombatClaret]

I'm happy to pay road tax on bikes, road tax being Vehicle Excise Duty and the VED being based on the vehicle's emissions...

[dougcollins]

Will only work if there's a lot less traffic on the roads and it's done properly, rather than a half arsed token gesture. Look at the way it's done in places like Holland and Denmark.

Ah, those really flat places, like a mirror image of Lancs & Yorks.

[dsr]

Yes some people do get @rsey when we ring our bells, however it is better that than them stepping in the way or shouting after us saying we made them jump or frightened them, especially on canal towpaths. One big hazard to cyclists is the Dr Dre Beats Brigade, who are oblivious to everyone and everything around them.

And an equally big hazard is the deaf. It must be a right pain to a cyclist who rings his little bell in the full expectation that the pedestrian will accept him as king of the road, only for said pedestrian to not hear and to step into the way forcing the cyclist to run her over and perhaps damage his bike. I speak from experience (of a near miss, fortunately, not an accident.)

I agree that a lot of motorists are unfriendly and arrogant towards bikes when the bikes are on the road. Sadly, it is also true that a lot of cyclists are unfriendly and arrogant to pedestrians when the bikes are on the footpath.

I did once go round the corner of a footpath by a river and a little lad (10? 12?) came on a bike, too fast, the other way and veered left to avoid hitting me - if it hadn't been for a very fortunate hole in the river bank he would have been in. Reckless, but willing to take responsibility for his own fault!

[claretnproud]

And an equally big hazard is the deaf. It must be a right pain to a cyclist who rings his little bell in the full expectation that the pedestrian will accept him as king of the road, only for said pedestrian to not hear and to step into the way forcing the cyclist to run her over and perhaps damage his bike. I speak from experience (of a near miss, fortunately, not an accident.)

I agree that a lot of motorists are unfriendly and arrogant towards bikes when the bikes are on the road. Sadly, it is also true that a lot of cyclists are unfriendly and arrogant to pedestrians when the bikes are on the footpath.

I did once go round the corner of a footpath by a river and a little lad (10? 12?) came on a bike, too fast, the other way and veered left to avoid hitting me - if it hadn't been for a very fortunate hole in the river bank he would have been in. Reckless, but willing to take responsibility for his own fault!

I agree that not all cyclists are perfect....same as not all drivers or pedestrian are either. I dont assume that the driver of a car is an idiot though just because a minority are. Equally people shouldnt assume all cyclists are selfish idiots although some clearly can be.

[TheFamilyCat]

First council announce their plans for wasting this money:

https://www.transportxtra.com/publicati ... 22Va-KrJ4o

[aggi]

Pilots don't seem to be keen on this
https://www.balpa.org/Media-Centre/Pres ... walking-an

I suppose flying to work is an alternative plan...

[Jel]

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[claretnproud]

personally I would like to see cycles/e bikes heavily subsidised by the government rather than cycle ways initially. If the subsidies are a success and the cycling scheme has been successful in taking some traffic off the roads we may not need just so many cycle paths and so not wasting the tax payers money.
As said before, the health benefits of cycling are huge and the cycling scheme long term would more than pay for itself and not just a waste of money.

[Bosscat]

No...I once rang mine on the canal towpath and a woman got very Arsey.

Was it Kim Kardashian or perhaps Nikki Minaj... now theres an Arsey woman ...

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