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news
Scotland Tonight debate (Scotland Tonight)"It seems cycling is a typical backup story for slow news days": Cyclists react after media reignites cycling licence 'debate'
Groundhog Day (noun): A situation in which a series of unwelcome or tedious events appear to be recurring in exactly the same way.
Sorry, no idea how that got there. Anyway, they've been talking about cycling on the telly again this past week, and it seems certain sections of the UK print and broadcast media must have missed the government's pre-Christmas message that there are "no plans" to introduce legislation to require cyclists to wear identification and have a licence to use the roads.
Scotland Tonight, last week, aired a debate segment asking whether cycling should be regulated? While Channel 4's Steph's Packed Lunch (yes, the daytime show that once managed to attract literally not one single viewer) ran a Twitter poll asking: 'Should cycling on main roads be banned until you have a licence?'
> Cycling licence 'debate' reignited by Channel 4 show and Scotland Tonight
This broadcast coverage was followed up by print articles in the The Press and Journal and regional news website CambridgeshireLive. In recent times we have seen the BBC's Countryfile, ITV, radio shows and most of (if not all) major UK newspapers set their sights on cycling as a topic for debate, call-ins and opinion pieces.
So what is it about cycling that means it keeps being dragged up by the nation's media for discussion? Here are some of your thoughts on the cycle licence 'debate' and the wider media coverage of all things bikes...
Your thoughts
A few of you picked up on motoring journalist Alan Douglas' comment that cyclists are (apparently) "the only unregulated group of road users"...
Yanuf Yatar commented: "I think it's crazy that all these pedestrians can just walk about unlicenced."
IanMSpencer added: "While we are at it, isn't it shocking that pedestrians are also allowed outdoors without formal licence and training, Mr Douglas? Indeed, when there is no footpath, they have the right to walk in the road and motorists are treated like second-class citizens and obliged to give them room when the walkers could easily jump in the hawthorn out the way.
"Worse, these pedestrians know the law and sneakily take advantage of it at things like pedestrian crossings. So, to follow his line of argument, nobody is allowed out of their front door until they've got a licence."
IanMK said: "Wait until poor old Alan hears about pedestrians, horse riders, wheelchair users."
Smoggysteve commented: "There is not a single western developed democracy which insists on cycling licences, insurance or a test to ride on their roads. So why so we allow the anti-cycling brigade continue to push for such nonsense?"
EM69 reckons they've got the answer: "The perfect topic to increase the ratings of a show dead on it's feet...well done Channel 4."
While Will Rogers reckons: "It seems cycling is a typical backup story for a slow news day."
Lastly, OnYerBike said: "It does always amaze me how many falsehoods can be delivered in such a short space of time." Before proceeding to deliver a mic drop moment...
"1) Most cyclists (this source says 80 per cent, but it's a decade old) hold driving licences.
2) As Diana says, not everyone is going to follow the rules, but it's rarely due to ignorance. Let's face it: no-one is unsure what the big red light means.
3) Cyclists can be prosecuted for road traffic offences. Prosecutions aren't especially common, but it does happen (see e.g. this article). In theory, you can even be disqualified from driving due to offences committed on a bicycle (source).
4) Having a licence is no guarantee that you will follow the law, or be punished if you fail to do so. See e.g. 80 per cent of drivers speeding; countless other examples of law breaking by drivers.
5) Plenty of other road users (e.g. pedestrians) are not required to have licences or insurance.
6) Cyclists can be held liable for damage they cause. Many cyclists will have third-party liability insurance through their home insurance policies, or specific cycling policies. Even without insurance, you can persue the cyclist personally for costs. Most cyclists could afford to cover the cost of repairing a scratch.
7) Being a legal requirement is no guarantee that drivers will actually have insurance. It is estimated that 1 million drivers do not have insurance.
8) Even if they have insurance, there is no guarantee that a driver will stop. Plenty of people (myself included) have experiences of cars being damaged whilst parked (presumably by other motor vehicles) and no details left."
So what do you think? Why are certain sections of the media so fascinated by cycling 'debates'? Let us know in the comments...
Dan is the road.cc news editor and joined in 2020 having previously written about nearly every other sport under the sun for the Express, and the weird and wonderful world of non-league football for The Non-League Paper. Dan has been at road.cc for four years and mainly writes news and tech articles as well as the occasional feature. He has hopefully kept you entertained on the live blog too.
Never fast enough to take things on the bike too seriously, when he's not working you'll find him exploring the south of England by two wheels at a leisurely weekend pace, or enjoying his favourite Scottish roads when visiting family. Sometimes he'll even load up the bags and ride up the whole way, he's a bit strange like that.
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The Vienna Convention on Road Traffic specifically rules out licences for cyclists visiting another country : "No Contracting Party shall require the drivers of cycles in international traffic to hold a driving permit." So even if Scotland or the UK were stupid enough to bring in licences for cyclists, it wouldn't apply to foreign residents like me 🙂.
It does make you question the intellectual abilities of the journalists who launch debates about licences for cyclists. A reasonably logical person would first define the problem that needs to be solved and then look for a solution. What problem are they trying to solve with cycling licences? Has there been a wave of law-breaking cyclists killing hundreds of car users or destroying thousands of motor vehicles? Now that would give even these dumb journalists something to write about if it were true.
The Vienna Convention on Road Traffic specifically rules out licences for cyclists
Are you sure the crooked loathsome lying fat b****** and his thickster 'Wider Still And Wider...' cabal of Mail readers hasn't taken us out of all these conventions, Vienna or not?
Ratified by the UK : https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetailsIII.aspx?chapter=11&mtdsg_no=XI...
A normal road is a public right of way that non-motorised citizens may use by right.
Motorists use those roads under licence; they may be prosecuted and that licence taken away if they fail to comply with the standards required. If they are unhappy with the burden of those standards, they still retain their right to use the roads as a non-motorised citizen.
Equally, cyclists are liable to prosecution if they fail to meet the standards expected of them.
Apologies for 'non-motorised citizen', but it seems to fit!
"Even if they have insurance, there is no guarantee that a driver will stop. Plenty of people (myself included) have experiences of cars being damaged whilst parked (presumably by other motor vehicles) and no details left.""
I managed to record one on the way to work. I reported it to the police and found the owner after work and gave him my contact details. Seemed like the right thing to do and it didn't really inconvenience me.
https://youtu.be/qAe_dDvcpmo
Yep, because if a driver damages a parked vehicle they know that they will have to pay their excess and potentially affect their no claims bonus in such a case. So rather than bear that cost they run away and leave their victim to bear the costs.... They attempt to justify it by saying "well the other person will be insured" so why should I bother
Alternative for Steph's Packed Lunch (perhaps the stupidest name for a TV show ever):
Should driving on any roads be banned until the world is out of danger from the catastrophe of global warming, obesity in this country is no longer worse than pretty much everywhere in Europe and the NHS can cope with the issues caused by general unhealthininess?
That should do it.
Polution levels can get pretty high on the high street where I live. I would suggest H&S should demand that all pollutent generating vehicles should be stopped until the level returns to an acceptable / non harmful level.
No. You left out the 67 people a day killed or seriously injured on our roads. Lets ban driving until that gets to zero...
That's true. Sadly.
"Why are certain sections of the media so fascinated by cycling 'debates'?"
Outgroup bashing.
I think they like to see the gammons veins pulsing out of their collective fat necks
Bigots aren't allowed to be outwardly racist, homophobic or sexist these days. So they have to find a group to target.
Can't they just go and join one of the U.S. politically influenced churches? They seem to be covering those bases and they're tax exempt!
Simply because it is a subject that generates very polarised views.
Helped no end, by the fact that a lot that a lot of these views are based on skewed perspectives and incorrect understandings... people feel passionately right, when they are objectively wrong. Perfect.
This causes large audience engagement, which means clicks / sales, which keeps the lights on / shareholders happy.
Basically, it is a subject that helps the papers sell, nothing more, nothing less, to hell with the consequences.
Pretty much agree with this. Cycling of late has become a very contentious activity in recent years. I don't think I've experienced such antipathy on the roads or in conversations be it in person or phone ins/discussion threads as I have of late.
The media has a lot to answer for with their stirring.
It's likely the car manufacturers getting worried about their inevitable decline and they are able to influence most media companies as they do a LOT of advertising.
Pretty sure if car manufacturers were faced with extinction (I doubt they would be) we'd soon find the other 90-something % of the population on bikes made by Nissan, Honda, Daewoo ... because the bike industry is like an aperitif crisp at the motor manufacturer's buffet.
They've got a serious problem with low profit margins and very expensive factories so if they can't keep selling lots of vehicles, they can't afford to run their factories.
Don't be so sure.
Once driverless taxis are a thing car ownership will plummet.
The mass market manufacturers who don't have skin in the driverless game will find themselves in serious trouble.
"Mr. President, I'm not saying we won't get our hair mussed. I do say, no more than ten to twenty million fired, tops! Depending on the breaks."
Probably you're right, it would be a major ecosystem change. Some would go under, some would evolve to chase different markets. I'd bet that a few will remain around selling things on wheels though! Even if it includes this sort of thing:
https://electrek.co/2021/09/06/bmw-unveils-high-speed-electric-bicycle-w...
https://electricbikereview.com/ford/supercruiser/
https://electrek.co/2021/04/26/honda-announces-four-electric-motorcycles...
https://electricbikeaction.com/the-amazing-nissan-e-bike-concept/
Also still not convinced about the notion that driverless taxis will cause reduction in car ownership. We already have taxis, and people living in urban areas where it's not especially convenient to keep a car.
I could see it working the other way e.g. if car ownership was made much more onerous AND there was a cheaper / better (how though?) alternative to taxis 1.0 (well - 2.0 after hansom cabs) then that might push people that way.
It's beyond stirring. It's inciting hatred. Why the police don't take action is a mystery...oh wait...
The Department for Media Culture and Sport would not accept the main stream media conspiring to or actually damaging the rights of protected groups so why aren't vulnerable road users protected too....
Your member of parliament, county councillors, police and crime commissioner, borough councillors, and parish councillors all need to know that's not acceptable.
"people feel passionately right, when they are objectively wrong". My new favourite phrase, thank you.