Licence plate numbers for bikes

[chris_w_65]

Track bike?

 

Actually my new baby, can't ride her till she is registered

[Witkop]

So it doesn't need to be done by license dep.. It could be part of your csa yearly license...

 

Secondly, it doesn't have to be a big ass truck lic plate.. It could be those small ones motorcycles sometimes have.. The size of my iphone 5.

 

Thirdly it doesnt have to be stuck up at races

 

And lastly even when in the bike.. It could be a sticker.. On the tube or the shock or even the seat post

and the majority of cyclists who commute?

[Lucky Luke.]

I agree with you somewhat LL, and as has been rehashed a million times mutual respect and courtesy is essential, not just when on the road or bike but for basic human interaction everyday, without it we are dead in the water as it were.

 

However there is more to the licensing issue as well, its not just about having a little disk somewhere its about accountability and taking responsibility for ones actions. As we all know 40 years ago licensing a bike was mandatory, and because of this requirement bikes were written into the road rules (ie) bikes are allowed to travel on roads. However over the years the licensing fell by the way side, but the rules were never changed. So in effect we have a loop hole in the system which is exploited by everyone, cyclists exploit the fact they have no accountability on the road legally so they jump lights, stop streets etc, the traffic police have no way of enforcing the law on a cyclist as they have no record of the vehicle (bike) so they dont bother, and the motorist sees the cyclist as someone who is not paying to use his vehicle on a public road, so he is antagonized by this fact and is not inclined to give lee way.

 

By changing the law (ie) Licensing cycles, we effectively eliminate all issues, the cyclist is now accountable as any other road user, the authorities have a mechanism to enforce the law on errant cyclists and the motorist knows that you as a cyclist has paid your dues to use the public road.

 

Its not acceptable to use the argument I pay a license for my car, the fact is, you are not driving your car when cycling, if we want to be treated as other road vehicle's then it stands to reason we need to be accountable as is any other vehicle on the road, and pay the due amount for use of that facility.

 

The problem in SA is we like to live a very loose sort of lifestyle, we dont like authority and people tracking us down to enforce the law, we like to live as we see fit and see any authority as a sort of nanny environment. However like here, we scream blue murder when rules are not obeyed, we demand first world standards like safe roads, safe houses, low crime, a different driver attitude, a different cyclist attitude, we point to first world countries and say look at that environment how nice it is, but we forget those citizens accept the accountability and responsibility of the regulations, they adhere to the rule of law and dont look for ways to evade it, so yeah, we want the nice safe lifestyle but we dont want the responsibility and accountability that go's with that.

 

Until that fundamental mindset changes, nothing else will either.

 

I take your point about accountability Grumps, but for me the issue comes down to SA driving above all else. And when I say that, I include the time I spend in my car. I feel less safe driving to the Eastern Cape to see my mom-in-law than I do going for a four hour ride on my bike. During which I do not feel safe either.. but maybe you can see what I'm getting at.

 

The biggest stress and source of premature death in this country is motorised transport. As soon as I have the same life expectancy as a road-user in a first world country, I will absolutely, when cycling, start thinking about stopping at every stop street and traffic light. Until then, and as long as SA drivers continue to murder my friends and family I will think about making it home alive.

 

One last thing - to all the thread-starters and furious cyclists hating on other cyclists because they jumped a light 'while I was track-standing' or wtf else. Please can we put a stop to this fantasy that cyclists are dying on the road because they are not well-liked enough. I'm never sure whether I should laugh or cry when I read this BS.

Edited January 9, 2013 by Lucky Luke.

[r0adrunner]

So would anyone who wants to ride a bicycle on the roads have to use a number plate? I don't see that happening

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I take your point about accountability Grumps, but for me the issue comes down to SA driving above all else. And when I say that, I include the time I spend in my car. I feel less safe driving to the Eastern Cape to see my mom-in-law than I do going for a four hour ride on my bike. During which I do not feel safe either.. but maybe you can see what I'm getting at.

 

The biggest stress and source of premature death in this country is motorised transport. As soon as I have the same life expectancy as a road-user in a first world country, I will absolutely, when cycling, start thinking about stopping at every stop street and traffic light. Until then I will think about making it home alive.

 

Indeed, with you. My thoughts are just that we are sort of looking at a chicken and an egg situation, we are saying I will do whats necessary to get home (and believe me I fully understand) and others are pointing and saying "look he broke the law".

 

My point is really that we cant wantonly disregard laws and then expect others to not break them either, I use the example of dog licenses, my mate in Miami has three dogs, all licensed, when you ask him if its policed he will tell you NO its not, no-one is going to bang on your door and ask to see your dog license, so then you ask well why buy them? ......and he will look at you blankly and say because its the law. He never stops for a minute to think otherwise, enforced or not, he obeys the law.

 

Were there no law to say you must license your dogs, well he wouldnt, but there is, so he does.

 

Now replace that scene here.!

 

We as SA citizens and I include myself, dont think like that, just read the posts, "its not going to be enforced so why bother" but that defeats the object, the object is to have a system of accountability and to adhere to that system, enforced or not.

 

.......Please dont misunderstand what I am saying, I am all for the "getting home safe scenario" I think we all practice it daily as well to some extent, but we cant continue as loose cannons and expect the changes we desire to just happen, and having a form of licensing to show accountability and responsibility to others on the road is a good step in the right direction I think.

[Antoo]

I imagine that there were more than just a few hubbers at Harry Gwala stadium, the other week, looking to make the cut, to get into the RTI....

I imagine that the forum has more 'wannabe cops, than cyclists.......

[GrumpyOldGuy]

and the majority of cyclists who commute?

 

....I dont understand.

 

Why are you concerned about them? Surely its about you doing the right thing first.?

 

Its easy to point at others and say "what about them" but they are not your concern, thats up to the authorities to enforce, its a defeatist attitude to say "well they dont do it so why should I" we will never get anywhere like that. Its been said a million times, Change begins with you.

[eddy]

 

 

But likewise eddy your chances of getting any kind of prosecution against an errant cyclist is also zero. It works both ways mate, you just cant have one side of the coin.

 

 

GOG, i may not have expressed myself fully as we are not on opposite sides of the argument.

 

I take your point on accountability, and agree with it fully. The point i was attempting to make is that having the ability to ID cyclists does not automatically create the ability to enforce the law against them, something the OP implied.

 

If it was as simple as that, we could get convictions agains motorists (or cyclists) that are in breach. You and i both make the point that it is impossible in practice.

 

How we ensure accountability is a separate matter and here I disagree with you that a license will in create it effectively. The irony is that if we were the kind of law abiding society that would take the responsibility of having a license to heart and act accordingly, we probably wouldn't need one to ensure we act in the public interest when we take to the road on a bike or in a car.

[Active Monkey]

and the majority of cyclists who commute?

 

Doubt they get hijacked or are the ones skipping traffic lights

[rudi-h]

A roadie?

 

nope, a cyclist

 

i ride all sorts of bikes in all sorts of places... part of my love for cycling is the freedom that comes with it. the whole thing of riding where you like, when you like and on whatever bike you like. as you enforce laws you also end up taking away the fun.

 

also, people as a group never behave as you would want them to. so this whole idealistic idea of "all cyclists" doing things in a certain way and to set an example "as a group" is never going to happen. its almost like thinking that everybody should agree on any topic in a Hub post...?

[big.mamma]

Was looking at more @&&&@ bag roadies skip a traffic light and it got me thinking..

 

We need to identify and shame and possibly fine these types of people?

 

But we have no way of identification. It should be law to have some sort of registration and mini license plate on a bicycle.

 

That kills 2 birds...

1 we can identify and fine people who break the law and

2 we can immediately spot a stolen bike or even match a owner to a license plate?

Do you reaaallly think it will stop people from this in never never land? THE LAND OF NO LAW ENFORCEMENT. Do not waste your time here ranting about these little petty issues.

[GrumpyOldGuy]

GOG, i may not have expressed myself fully as we are not on opposite sides of the argument.

 

I take your point on accountability, and agree with it fully. The point i was attempting to make is that having the ability to ID cyclists does not automatically create the ability to enforce the law against them, something the OP implied.

 

If it was as simple as that, we could get convictions agains motorists (or cyclists) that are in breach. You and i both make the point that it is impossible in practice.

 

How we ensure accountability is a separate matter and here I disagree with you that a license will in create it effectively. The irony is that if we were the kind of law abiding society that would take the responsibility of having a license to heart and act accordingly, we probably wouldn't need one to ensure we act in the public interest when we take to the road on a bike or in a car.

 

Yeah, sure, I agree.

 

The issue as I see it is really one of a starting point, accountability, here anyway, seldom happens without the threat of consequence, or in this case, prosecution for errant users, wielding the big stick in many cases does produce results.

[eddy]

 

 

 

The issue as I see it is really one of a starting point, accountability, here anyway, seldom happens without the threat of consequence, or in this case, prosecution for errant users, wielding the big stick in many cases does produce results.

 

In therin lies the problem for me.

 

It is not the size of the stick that matters, rather the certainty of it being applied. Practically, (and regrettably) it won't be applied consistently enough for the fear of consequence to be a deterrent.

 

But then again, my kids call me a cynical Grumpy Old Guy.......;-)

[TNT1]

, wielding the big stick in many cases does produce results.

 

Yip. People have to be the change in the world, without the threat. Until that, humans will be gone in about two hundred years.

[fabes]

 

and the majority of cyclists who commute?

why exactly are you worried about them. They the majority that are actually using the roads correctly

[EZRider]

The basic premise that more law-abiding cyclists will protect us from death on the road is fine, in a world where every single driver on the road is also a fellow cyclist who has decided to up their driving game as well.

 

But here is the reality : many cyclists were *** drivers before they were cyclists, and will remain so. No amount of lycra and carbon will change this. The evidence is right here on this thread - the stoopid, repeated ad-nauseum premise that we must put our round bike pegs in the square car hole, and hang number plates off them.

 

Death on SA roads is 99% down to driver negligence and drunken driving. Stopping your bike at every stop street will not put any kind of dent into this hard reality.

 

Rather learn to drive better, and encourage everybody you know to do the same. Keep your eyes open for drunk drivers, and report them immediately before they kill someone. This was my contribution to preserving all of your asses this festive season.

 

Exactly