“Poll after poll has shown that the biggest reason for people not wanting to cycle is perceived danger. And anyone who has dared to ride a bike on unprotected roads will soon discover that a large part of this danger comes from pure illegality, not least the vast proportion of drivers who speed, especially on residential roads.
This neatly leads us to the other factor highlighted by the report, and its reaction to it: the howls of outrage if people politely suggest that people could perhaps be less of a danger to others when they drive.
Before the report’s launch, the only one of 10 recommendations highlighted in the media was the idea of removing the so-called tolerances in speeding offences, whereby you can currently go about 10% plus 2mph above a limit and not be penalised.”
The link to the parliamentary group report (.pdf file) is here.
I’ve found myself dragged into online conversations several times over the years regarding speed limits in Royal Parks, especially Richmond Park which is notorious for its rat running drivers.
Motorists always managed to work themselves up into a frenzy over “speeding” cyclists, no matter how many times it was pointed out to them that in the park the speed limit applies to motorised vehicles only. Cyclists could not possibly be speeding as there was no speed limit applicable to them on those privately managed roads.
That sounds silly. Why on earth is that duality in place?
I don’t know. Maybe because as a rider you cannot be expected to know your own speed without a speedometer, maybe.
Still, given that this is the rule and it’s well documented and publicised, it’s a bit boring to having to explain to yet another gammony armchair warrior on those forums. So I stopped going there.
Interesting. I’m pretty sure that those light-up speed-check signs pick up cyclists (they’ve picked up me :) ) but whatevs
They have been given out tickets to speeding cyclists for a while now, at least according to a friend who cycles a lot, so I think it applies equally but is just exceptionally harder to enforce. You need multiple police officers physically stopping and giving tickets.