West Midlands MEP calls for cyclist registration, compulsory high-vis & helmets

Daft politician statements, brilliant.

Serious face, Question: does she agree we need compulsory big puffy foam car bonnets?

No problem. I'll wear a helmet and hi-vis provided that the following also is enforced:-

1. All pedestrians also wear helmets and hi-vis as they would get more benefit from cycling helmets than cyclists.
2. All TfL buses to be taken off the roads as they are a proven hazard to life and limb.
3. All car occupants to wear helmets [Yes they do exist see www.copenhaganize.com] as the most common injury to car occupants in crashes are head injuries.
4. All children under the age of 10 to be fitted with reins held by a responsible adult at all times that they are out by public roads.
5. All cars to be painted in vibrant dayglo colours and limited to 20mph.
6. All cars to be fitted with prominent health warnings in the style of cigarette packets.

You don't think I've gone too far do you?

Please feel free to add to this list.

I think it's a great idea. While we're at it, let's make pedestrians get licensed to walk on pavements and licensed separately to cross roads. Let's impose a double licensing regime on dog walkers. Or people with prams. Just off to join UKIP now.

Another load of crap from those who think they know best. I once worked in a local authority road safety unit where the philosophy was to keep cyclists off the roads and thus reduce accidents, rather than deal with the problem - the motor vehicle. 1.3 million are killed by motor vehicles every year throughout the world and millions more injured. Millions more are affected by asthma and other respiratory diseases. Urban squalor thrives with more space being given to park cars than to green open spaces. Yet we devote massive efforts to fight terrorism - a fight difficult to win given the West's current foreign policies. However, it would be possible to save more lives by giving more attention to promoting worldwide safe cycling and walking. Heavens only knows what stupidity is leading China, India and other developing countries to get rid of bikes and embrace the car.

Sadly, much of the problem in the UK is caused by the attitudes of motorists and the media towards cyclists. They should be welcoming cyclists. After all, they use less road space. Ironically,it was the early cyclists who invented pneumatic tyres, as well as aeroplanes and motor vehicles,
and pushed for the metalled road surfaces we have today.

Happy + safe cycling to all.

Well what can we say! A great picture dont she look happy? Not! And the hi-viz jacket doesnt do much in bright days proven. Hey and whats this it looks like a 3 door ford fiesta psassing extremly closely to her, maybe the hi-viz enabled the driver to get even closer putting her at risk. Hi-viz is great at night. As regards having an identifying mark I assume thats great in full view stamped on the back of the jacket. Oh alot of thought went into that most people carry their kit in a rucsac humm that will work NOT. Also cars have identifying marks number plates etc but it dont stop them from carving cyclists up and failing to signal their intentions. I drive and ride and we seem to miss out it doesnt matter what we drive ride fly sail etc it boils down to the idiot behind the controls.

Well, I've got the helmet and the hi viz. I'll just put a "reg number" on the back and see if it makes any difference either on the road or cycle path.
Who is this person? Lowers my faith in our politicians even further. http://road.cc/sites/all/modules/smileys/packs/Yahoo!/doh.gif

Being cynical, I see it like this:

Anti-cycling lobby carefully select gullible individual.
The seed of thought is sown.
Gullible individual issues bonkers statement.
Cyclists do the usual chatter on forums.
The silliest reactionary pieces get targeted on the twittersphere.
The opinions of motorists, about cyclists, remain firmly anti.
Those whose assets are dependent on drivers continuing to drive are protected.

But if we avoid rising to the bait, we might be able to push through change a little faster.

What a daft proposition from this Part, Part-Time, Part-Timer.

Accountable to what?

If so, get rid of all cars on the road first.

In the words of the recently not so dearly departed Margaret Thatcher, "No, No, No."

Good way to kill off cycle gear manufacturers and shops. Why sell expensive kit when all you can wear is one colour, sounds more like Chairman Mao than and MEP.

another idiot ...

Needs to learn how to put a helmet on properly - looks nicely set up to garrotte her if it hits the deck before her face but mounted high that is lees likely to happen...

You'd have thought someone fitting so many niche groups, be it the far right or gender differences would be more supportive of minority groups like cyclists. Maybe it's a sign we are now the mainstream.

Fingers crossed his/her funny shaped head implodes under the stress or thinking up more shite to spout.

I am a keen cyclist for pleasure and for commuting. I have often despaired at the arrogant behaviour and bad practice of many of my fellow bikers that put themselves and others in danger and only confirm the anti-bike prejudice of other road users. Cycle organisations and authorities should be more pro-active in engendering good cycling skills. Motorists show the same traits, but lets be on the good side - two wromgs don't make a right.

We need to accept that, although bikes may become better accommodated, for the foreseeable future we share the road space. Cyclists need to get the rest of the public on their side to get support for better cycling facilities. It is common sense to wear high viz and helmet and to have a bell and lights - these should not be seen as an imposition. Registration of bikes and a modest levy could also defuse the argument that cyclists make no contribution to road funding and would make cyclists' demands more credible.

She's not quite as bonkers as the UKIP councillor who claimed homosexuality is the cause of Britain's recent spate of bad weather. But she isn't utterly rational.

In Franz Kafka's The Trial, he refers to his bicycle licence as an example of necessary ID and it is rejected for being so utterly trivial. I doubt she'd see the irony.

I think it'd be better if it were compulsory for politicians to have average intelligence at the very least.

Hmm, I note another post by someone saying cyclists should pay to use the roads, and by someone who has made precisely two posts. No where have I heard that before?

As a follow up - I don't necessarily agree with how the MEP wants to implement his policy. But my message is that cyclists have to play the PR game to get support. And lets not forget that many cyclists are also drivers so have a foot in both camps - I believe many do not actively campaign for cycling because of this.

We also need "JUDEN" tattooed on our foreheads I suppose?

Maybe it's people cycling on pavements we have to blame for the recent bad weather

What about mobility scooters?
Roller skates?
Scooters?
Skateboards?
Space hoppers?
Dugs?
Horses ?
Those big ball things that go on water?

Motor Vehicles have a Reggie for one reason.....taxation.

If they can't work out a way to tax it, it won't happen.

I'd rather she campaigned on well-fitting helmets.

Predictable tosh from the UKIP raving loonie party.

More pissed off at the regular letters in Cycling Weekly banging on about helmets and hi viz.

"The mother of idiots is always pregnant", as a Hungarian friend says.