Government advisers are pushing for changes in civil law that will make the most powerful vehicle involved in a collision automatically liable for insurance and compensation purposes, according to a report in the Times newspaper.
If such a law was passed, it would make motorists legally responsible for accidents involving cyclists or pedestrians, even if they are not at fault. Likewise, cyclists would automatically be at fault if they collided with a pedestrian.
The move is one of several ideas mooted as a way of getting people out of cars and onto bicycles or walking more.
Other proposals to promote the uptake of greener transport include the imposition of blanket 20mph zones on residential streets.
Supporters want such measures to be included in the government’s National Cycling Plan and Active Transport Strategy, due to be published soon.
Phillip Darnton, chief executive of Cycling England, an agency funded by the Department for Transport (DfT) to promote cycling, said four key policy changes were needed.
“I would like to see the legal onus placed on motorists when there are accidents; speed limits reduced to 20mph on suburban and residential roads; cycling taught to all schoolchildren; and cycling provision included in major planning applications,” said Darnton.
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Re: Motorists to get bike crash blame
As I appeared to start this furious debate which has had more viewings than the majority of posts put together in the last month, little while and further legal uproar most of it caused by the non Maserati owning spandex brigade and lets be quiet about this one folks Spandex wearing fraternities need a very wide berth, if any cyclist can say they have owned the following please step forth, a 1987 Maserati Spyder Zagato, 1989 Maserati Spyder Zagato automatic, 1979 Maserati Kylami 4.9 32v ss, and laterly the 430 4V , followed by the V12 JAGUAR as this is my current stable of cars, I feel I must end it at a point which is correct and timely, Danny whilst he has his good and sensible arguments as to why the cyclist should rule and govern the world, the fact of the matter is that if he paid his road tax duty and his insurance and behaved in a normal fashion Autocar / and true and undiluted petrolheards to a core would listen to his mumblings. But alas he has chosen unwisely, to follow the unrepent closet communists that all cyclists really are but dont have the balls to follow through.
Re: Motorists to get bike crash blame
Do it. It feels great. Dents in doors and removal of nearside door mirrors gets it out your system too. What's the point of having no numberplate, a smogmask, darkglasses, and a helmet if you're not going to take advantage of you anonymity from time to time.
Re: Motorists to get bike crash blame
Exactly. they should be on the road, not the footpath.
The first bit - problems to cars, for being too slow. Sorry, tough. Would you rather them on the footpaths, out of the cars' way or on the road, where they ought to be? 'pedestrians, who they menace' - they shouldn't be on the footpaths or coming across pedestrians generally. Go on the road and and get off and wheel the bike on pedestrianised areas near shops etc. This used to be the norm when I was growing up.
If Plod would get out of his Bimmer fast response, gun-toting ant-terrorist flashmobile once in a while and return back to his original role - of some 30 years ago - plodding the beat on foot/bike and enforcing Law AND Order, i.e. instruct, warn then penalise cyclists, above the age of primary school level, it's unlawful to ride on the footpath, we might get some sense back into affairs. I doubt today the average pc PC knows the law relating to bikes on footpaths, certainly less well than the weeks he/she spends in the classroom on his/her Diversity indoctrination course.
As we're all telling our war-wound stories relating to this subject here, I have had the pleasure of being hit-and-runned by an unidentified motorist, left unconscious for an indefinite time, scars 10 years later to prove it; Plod never caught the perp. Like 'tannedbaldhead' been spat at several times, once by some mummy's boy out in his mummy/daddy's 4x4 who was probably high as a kite; been deliberately taken out/nearly taken out by sideswiping psychos who appeared to take offence to an individual accelerating to 30mph on a pushbike, or some such other deep-rooted inadequacy psychosis, and last but not least confronted by a van driver who first tried to deliberately swipe/run me over and then reversed back, got out and punched me. If it wasn't for the conscious thought in my head that I was planning to emigrate soon and could do without a police record of any kind I would have lamped the bastard back. As it was, the cops were called, witness statements taken, registration given, etc., with zip result. Registration untraceable.
For the record, since I was nine or so I have always ridden in the road, and although I admit to being scared by what's gone before some times, even though I'm 6' 2" and fairly fit, I will not the let the bastards and the psychos intimidate off the road. I'm not bone-headed either. As soon as the ducks are in a row with work it's hasta la vista to UK and its many loony-tunes. Life's just too short to spend it reasoning with a gene-pool that's got a surfeit of certifiable morons.