Another ill informed idiot starts a petition

[TrevA]

The petition is also being touted on Facebook too.

I'm not sure where all this cyclist hatred comes from. People pay a lot of money to buy and use their cars and become frustrated by hold ups, but it's hardly ever cyclists who are holding them up.

Using a car in the middle of rush hour is not logical. Yesterday, I had a meeting in Birmingham and went by train from Nottingham. I decided to drive in to the station rather than cycle. What a mistake that was! It's 8 miles. I left at 7.15 to catch the 8.10 train and I only just got to the station in time. If I cycle, I can do the journey in 35 minutes and that time is unaffected by the amount of traffic. So if I'd used my bike I'd have been at the station at 7.50am, with enough time to lock up, get changed and grab a coffee and still catch the train.

There are people who endure this traffic nightmare every day because they can't see an alternative. It no wonder they get frustrated and look for someone to blame, but why blame cyclists? It's the other drivers who are holding them up.

[Ruadh495]

I wonder what would happen if this were put to a referendum?

Good thing our democracy doesn't work that way...

Doesn't it?

[MikeF]

Could the petitioner have been stopped by WMP for passing a cyclist too close, I wonder? The last part of the petition is for cycle lanes.

[pga]

There is a nastiness in the air in this land of ours. When it is not directed at foreigners and the like it has become perfectly acceptable to slag off cyclists. Of course this is encouraged by the media who must have objects of hate.This is the same media that never covers massive tax evasion by the rich but is happy to target welfare to the poor.

The roads we have today were developed by cyclists, not motorists. Alas most motorists are unaware of British history.

[reohn2]

There is a nastiness in the air in this land of ours. When it is not directed at foreigners and the like it has become perfectly acceptable to slag off cyclists. Of course this is encouraged by the media who must have objects of hate.This is the same media that never covers massive tax evasion by the rich but is happy to target welfare to the poor.

I agree and it's a growing trend,whipping boy is a term that springs readily to mind.
It seems some can't be happy unless they're bullying someone.

[tykeboy2003]

The roads we have today were developed by cyclists, not motorists.

Horses probably had quite a hand (hoof) in it as well.....

[Postboxer]

I don't understand, why use change.org? Using the government's e-petitions site would mean it would get debated at 100,000 signatures, change.org may, ironically, not cause a change.

We could just start our own petition, how about, 'Declare war on the motorist'?

[Postboxer]

Think maybe this sums it up.

[PH]

Bread and Circuses. Someone to throw to the lions, people are angry and they’re given something to rant about, saves anyone thinking too much about what’s actually wrong.
Change.org is an easy way, a few clicks and your spleen is vented. That’s not to say there aren’t some great petitions on there, I’ve just voted that the North of England join Scotland, which not surprisingly has far more support than this one.

[Ruadh495]

I don't understand, why use change.org? Using the government's e-petitions site would mean it would get debated at 100,000 signatures, change.org may, ironically, not cause a change.

We could just start our own petition, how about, 'Declare war on the motorist'?

20mph national speed limit? Then motorists have to make a case for higher limits on suitable roads, rather than the rest of us having to make a case for limits below 60.

All cars to be painted dayglow orange? They already have seat belts so maybe we won't make them wear h*lm*ts.

[Ruadh495]

Bread and Circuses. Someone to throw to the lions, people are angry and they’re given something to rant about, saves anyone thinking too much about what’s actually wrong.
Change.org is an easy way, a few clicks and your spleen is vented. That’s not to say there aren’t some great petitions on there, I’ve just voted that the North of England join Scotland, which not surprisingly has far more support than this one.

Anything for English Independence? Actually that could be a neat solution to our current problem. If England and Wales were to become independent from the UK they would be outside the EU, while the remaining UK (Scotland and Northern Ireland) wouldn't have to trigger Art. 50.

[fastpedaller]

All cars to be painted dayglow orange?

No it wouldn't work because it would be more difficult to differentiate the cars (ie the eye would see one orange mass). A bit like bikes and pedestrians being lost in all the lights when every car on the road has Daytime Running Lights! ROSPA opposed DRL's for good reason, but EU ruled us - maybe time for a change?

[Ruadh495]

All cars to be painted dayglow orange?

No it wouldn't work because it would be more difficult to differentiate the cars (ie the eye would see one orange mass). A bit like bikes and pedestrians being lost in all the lights when every car on the road has Daytime Running Lights! ROSPA opposed DRL's for good reason, but EU ruled us - maybe time for a change?

My main thought was to make motoring less attractive, rather than safer. If there were just one make, one model, one colour, would motorists be more inclined to see the car as an appliance to be used rather than an extension of personality to be protected at all costs?

Safety wise there would be winners and losers, as usual. In rural areas the problem is distinguishing between "car present" and "no car present" so it would help, (as do DRLs (IMO)) in more urban settings it is necessary to distinguish the car that coming your way from the others so it wouldn't (nor do DRLS).

[fastpedaller]

All cars to be painted dayglow orange?

No it wouldn't work because it would be more difficult to differentiate the cars (ie the eye would see one orange mass). A bit like bikes and pedestrians being lost in all the lights when every car on the road has Daytime Running Lights! ROSPA opposed DRL's for good reason, but EU ruled us - maybe time for a change?

My main thought was to make motoring less attractive, rather than safer. If there were just one make, one model, one colour, would motorists be more inclined to see the car as an appliance to be used rather than an extension of personality to be protected at all costs?

Safety wise there would be winners and losers, as usual. In rural areas the problem is distinguishing between "car present" and "no car present" so it would help, (as do DRLs (IMO)) in more urban settings it is necessary to distinguish the car that coming your way from the others so it wouldn't (nor do DRLS).

Ah - I got the wrong end of the stick and thought the dayglow orange was for visibility. If drivers were forced to have the same car would we get 'personalisation' of various stripes, spots or whatever? could be interesting. I agree with your observations on DRL's but question if we are encouraging the SMIDSY folk who just can't be bothered to look PROPERLY.

[ANTONISH]

I stand to be corrected but I believe the number of uninsured drivers on the road exceeds the total number of cyclists.