Today programme and reg. numbers for us.

[mjr]

As remarked up-thread by revo.. the assertion by someone called Nick Freeman that (e-scooter riders and cyclists) “they’re causing thousands and thousands of injuries to pedestrians.” is, I think, both wild, invented and alarmist and went unchallenged - I have written to the Today progrmme to complain and I encourage others to do likewise. Their email address (predictably) is: today@bbc.co.uk

It is undoubtedly true: if applied to all of recorded time. However, it is also relatively tiny and a fraction of the injuries and especially severe injuries and fatalities caused by motorists, so it is grossly misleading.

[simonineaston]

No idea! Sounds likely, tho'... self-publicist who has no compunction about making exaggerated claims if they'll be to his benefit. What annoyed me is that the assertion is ambiguous, wild, irresponsible and a classic mud-slinging exercise. And he got away with it. There'll be a ton of Volvo-driving car addicts thinking, "I heard it on R4's Today prog - must be true..."

[axel_knutt]

I know this is unlikely to happen, probably because of the cost involved. So it's unlikely we will be "numbered up" anytime soon.

It's already been tried and abandoned in Northern Ireland.

The owner of that bike was one of only two registered E-Bikes in the whole of NI.

[Jdsk]

It's already been tried and abandoned in Northern Ireland.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bike_registry
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_bicycle_registers

... but neither of those is what I was looking for. There have been other schemes of compulsory registration, but I can't find them... anyone?

Jonathan

[Mike Sales]

Here is an Independent article of the subject, from 2017 when there was a similar campaign.

Calls for cyclists to use number plates slammed by cycling and motoring groups

Several cities around the world have trialled bike plates – with limited success

Toronto introduced a bylaw in 1935 requiring residents who owned and used bicycles on the city’s highways to buy a license for their bikes. It was a complicated system involving copious amounts of paperwork, visits to police stations and bike inspections and was repealed in 1957.

Switzerland’s system of bike registration was only disbanded in 2012. Prior to that date, a self-adhesive Velo-Vignette sticker was compulsory and covered cyclists with third liability insurance.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/h ... 07631.html

[Jdsk]

Thanks for those.

Jonathan

[Pebble]

I wonder what has sparked off this recent interest, there was another similar programme very early sunday morning on LBC, it was just one annti cyclst rant after another covering the usual ground of Road Tax, Killing pedestrians, damaging cars, Insurance and Registration Plates. I do find it a little disturbing how much some other road users hate us.

As to reg plates, seems the fashion in these parts amongst those who like to drive fast is to not display a front plate (may be its optional now) and then of course there is the motor bikers with their postage stamp size plates.

[merseymouth]

Morning all, Well, so having a plate on a cycle will be helpful?
Not in my experience!
My plate didn't seem to register with drivers leading to better behaviour on their part. MM

[Bonefishblues]

No idea! Sounds likely, tho'... self-publicist who has no compunction about making exaggerated claims if they'll be to his benefit. What annoyed me is that the assertion is ambiguous, wild, irresponsible and a classic mud-slinging exercise. And he got away with it. There'll be a ton of Volvo-driving car addicts thinking, "I heard it on R4's Today prog - must be true..."

We have 3 Volvos, and by miles travelled, I suppose I have to be labelled an addict.

I don't believe everything I hear on R4 'Today', nor, I suspect, do most R4 listeners, who, based on nothing more than a wild guess, apply rather more critical thinking than the average.

Just saying

[djnotts]

I don't think reg plates are a starter. A combined hi-viz "safety" vest and ID a different matter and would almost certainly receive huge majority support. Vote winners are all that matter.....

[thirdcrank]

Having given up on the various Radio 4 news programmes some years ago, I didn't listen to this one and I won't be making the effort to listen to it online, always assuming it's available. Did Nick Freeman have anything to say about the legal issues involved - in his lingo the potential loopholes - or was it just to give the anti-cyclist POV of his typical clientele?

[simonineaston]

As far as I know, the issue of registration has been firmly given the thumbs down by all sorts of agencies inc the established motoring organisations, over & over again. This morning's segment on R4 is likely to be the work of a well-known self-aggrandising puffed-up egomaniac (although I may be jumping to a rushed conclusion here... ) judging from his website, which characterises him thus: "Without doubt Nick Freeman is the most famous solicitor practising in the country today." !
With claims like that splashed across his homepage, it's perhaps not surprising that he commonly floats other ridiculous and exaggerated notions, wherever & whenever he can in the hopes of becoming a) even more famous (haha) and b) even fatter in the bank-account department.

[Bonefishblues]

I doubt the public could name another solicitor tbh

Why do his clients hate cyclists TC?

[thirdcrank]

I doubt the public could name another solicitor tbh :D

Why do his clients hate cyclists TC?

I'm saying that his typical client would be in favour of this: that's purely my use of stereotypes - and I suspect his, or he'd not have bothered with the programme. I cannot imagine you believe that his fame / notoriety is anything to do with his legal expertise? He doesn't make any such claim himself. He's been a skilled self-publicist who's also had a couple of strokes of luck.

[Bonefishblues]

I doubt the public could name another solicitor tbh

Why do his clients hate cyclists TC?

I'm saying that his typical client would be in favour of this: that's purely my use of stereotypes - and I suspect his, or he'd not have bothered with the programme. I cannot imagine you believe that his fame / notoriety is anything to do with his legal expertise? He doesn't make any such claim himself. He's been a skilled self-publicist who's also had a couple of strokes of luck.

...and who does, to be fair, study the law very carefully, whatever our personal views of him and his style.

He's on a programme with a point of view that he may or may not hold - I suspect that my bolded section is closest to the truth, and may also have little to do with his clients' views.