Grant Shapps wants a speed limit for cyclists

soundwave

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 23, 2015
16,996
6,536
all new electric cars have computers wifi and gps same as ebikes with smart displays so they can and will use this to limit speeds everywhere it is only a matter of time now it is all about control and profit as no corporation gives a **** about your safety.

even my kiox display is now tracking my ride data with no phone at all since i updated the software but if you think about it this is the only way to stamp out dongles altogether.
 
  • Agree
  • Like
Reactions: guerney and POLLY

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,260
30,648
all new electric cars have computers wifi and gps same as ebikes with smart displays so they can and will use this to limit speeds everywhere it is only a matter of time now it is all about control and profit as no corporation gives a **** about your safety.

even my kiox display is now tracking my ride data with no phone at all since i updated the software but if you think about it this is the only way to stamp out dongles altogether.
This is old news in a sense, since in 2018 manually-set ISA systems became a requirement as part of the five-star Euro NCAP rating.

So my 2018 new car already had the system installed. Since no car maker wants a new model to fail to get the five star rating, it's likely that almost every car model introduced since January 2018 is pre-equipped with it.
.
 

soundwave

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 23, 2015
16,996
6,536


soon you wont have any choice at all as this is where it is all going why do you think there sticking up all these 5g masts for car automation and control.
 
  • Like
Reactions: guerney

richtea99

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 8, 2020
441
285
Look in the Highway code that lists the speed limits by type of 'Vehicle', no mention of cycles.

Try a Google search on 'UK do speed limits apply to cycles'

Interesting links, agreed - thanks!
However, I'd argue it's not clear cut in your favour. Here's the clash of rules:

Rule 69 (specifically for cyclists):
You MUST obey all traffic signs and traffic light signals.

Rule 124 (general rule backed up by a table):
You MUST NOT exceed the maximum speed limits for the road and for your vehicle (see the speed limits table).
The table only lists powered vehicles, not cycles, horses, etc.

If I zip past a 20mph sign at 25mph, which one takes precedence?
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,260
30,648
Interesting links, agreed - thanks!
However, I'd argue it's not clear cut in your favour. Here's the clash of rules:

Rule 69 (specifically for cyclists):
You MUST obey all traffic signs and traffic light signals.

Rule 124 (general rule backed up by a table):
You MUST NOT exceed the maximum speed limits for the road and for your vehicle (see the speed limits table).
The table only lists powered vehicles, not cycles, horses, etc.

If I zip past a 20mph sign at 25mph, which one takes precedence?
Rule 124. Bicycles are not subject to the road speed limits specified in Road Traffic Acts.

Once again for the stubborn, the Highway Code is not law.
.
 

Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
20,980
8,565
61
West Sx RH
  • Agree
  • :D
Reactions: guerney and flecc

StuartsProjects

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 9, 2021
1,797
1,014
First post in the thread;

"How perverse is it that at the moment there is no speed limit for cyclists? "

It would appear that on this at least, and maybe only this, Mr Shapps is correct.

One might agree or disagree that the lack of a "speed limit for cyclists" is peverse.

My own view is that even if a cycle speed limit was applied, the net affect would be close to zero.
 
Last edited:
  • Agree
Reactions: guerney and flecc

guerney

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 7, 2021
11,531
3,277
If this had happened to me, evidence of dangerous driving would very likely have been captured by my helmet camera.

It's unknown how this event unfolded.

"A 34-year-old man attended a police station yesterday evening and was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving."

 
Last edited:

richtea99

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 8, 2020
441
285
Rule 124. Bicycles are not subject to the road speed limits specified in Road Traffic Acts.

Once again for the stubborn, the Highway Code is not law.
.
I'm not stubborn, flecc - just pedantic. Or pedallic. Or something. ;)

Agreed the Highway Code is not law - but as we both know, any rule with 'MUST' or 'MUST NOT' is backed up by a referenced law. Both rules 69 and 124 have 'MUST' / 'MUST NOT' in them.
Which of the referenced laws takes precedent isn't obvious to me.
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,260
30,648
Which of the referenced laws takes precedent isn't obvious to me.
Exactly, deliberately obscure and typical our governance.

There's no precedence involved when Rule 69 is so obviously wrong with respect to speed limit signs and bicycles, therefore NOT backed up by law in this respect.

Rule 124 is, and prosecution of drivers is generally for "without due care and attention". For cyclists it seems to be whatever quaint old law they can drag up from the past.
.
 

aardvark5

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jan 25, 2014
267
85
66
ST3 Blurton
If this had happened to me, evidence of dangerous driving would very likely have been captured by my helmet camera.

It's unknown how this event unfolded.

"A 34-year-old man attended a police station yesterday evening and was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving."

Earlier this year because the road is so dangerous I mount onto the pavement and use the crossings.
I was on Green and a motorist drove straight up to me on Red and started to slowly push on me, he then got out of the car screaming I shouldn't be pushing my bike across the crossings.
A bloke got out of an HGV and pulled him away and I just got on with my day.

So here is the area, I mount the pavement and the chances of me ever seeing a pedestrian on it is rare so he can't argue I'm a danger to pedestrians and especially since I got off the bike

 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,260
30,648
Earlier this year because the road is so dangerous I mount onto the pavement and use the crossings.
I was on Green and a motorist drove straight up to me on Red and started to slowly push on me, he then got out of the car screaming I shouldn't be pushing my bike across the crossings.
What you did was completely legal. When you are off the bike and walking alongside, the bicycle becomes luggage, as ruled by Waller L J in the Court of Appeal, (Crank v Brooks [1980] RTR 441).
.
 

guerney

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 7, 2021
11,531
3,277
I was on Green and a motorist drove straight up to me on Red and started to slowly push on me, he then got out of the car screaming I shouldn't be pushing my bike across the crossings.
A bloke got out of an HGV and pulled him away and I just got on with my day.
Regular mental health checks of drivers would significantly reduce traffic congestion. So would regular eyesight tests.
 

Bonzo Banana

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 29, 2019
807
465
Not so, there are other precedents of speed limits where speedometers are not required to be fitted, including for bicycles in some instances.

The principles behind regulations are bendable and the Civil Service and Parliament happily bend them when convenient. I've just given such an example in my previous post.
.
That seems an unreasonable law to me and very hard to police if you prosecute a cyclist for riding at 34mph in a 30mph zone and the cyclist had no way of knowing the speed. Also bicycles are all over the place in speed they don't keep such a consistent speed as cars or motorbikes. So would it be peak speed or average speed over a set distance. It would just seem like another regulation for the police to ignore who have much bigger fish to fry. When laws become unreasonable and unfair I just feel that does huge damage to the authorities reputation with the general public. The police and highway authorities just end up being the enemy of the people. Again with collapsing resources due to a huge national debt and with international banks likely to starve the UK of anymore borrowing in future years the UK is going to be facing much greater poverty than we have known for decades. It's going to be about setting realistic priorities as important services like the police and NHS are scaled back in order for the government not to default on its debt payments.
 

guerney

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 7, 2021
11,531
3,277
They'll make hay while Fitch & Poor shines on them
 

StuartsProjects

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 9, 2021
1,797
1,014
When laws become unreasonable and unfair I just feel that does huge damage to the authorities reputation with the general public.
If there is a 20mph limit for cyclists then they should stick to it.

If the cyclist is not confident to tell when they are cycling at 25-30mph in a 20mph zone, then they should get a speedo fitted, simple.

And a speed limit is is just that, a limit. No averaging, no distances, just a limit.
 
  • Like
Reactions: aardvark5

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,260
30,648
That use to be before epac's became commercially viable and the 2 stroke motors turned push bike into 30ph mopeds.
Not so Neal, the first commercial electric assist motors arrived from 1922 on, with first Heinzmann followed by Philips and others, needing number plates and registration. In the 1930s they were very popular in parts of mainland Europe though a rarity here then.

The limitations of lead acid batteries and DKW showing that a tiny petrol motor could do the assist job killed off the electric ones post war. They less than successfully reappeared in the early 1970s and the first electric assist law was passed here with severe restrictions, 12 mph maximum assist speed and 200 watts strict actual limit, enabling no registration.
.
 

I893469365902345609348566

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 20, 2021
543
132
Motorists are the bigger threat! This car passed too close imho, but was slow enough for my awful camera to catch the plate perhaps. Looks like it might be "CLO 2 TOY" or "CL0 2 TOY"?

I may switch to recording at 120 frames per second in future, to increase my chances of clear night time number plate images

 
Last edited:

aardvark5

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jan 25, 2014
267
85
66
ST3 Blurton
This car passed too close imho
This is where we differ, I wouldn't have a problem with that.
The car was nowhere near within the lines and you were within your lines.
If I had a cam I'd have about 10 like that every day, the ones that worry me are when they hit my mirror.
I had a cam about 7 years ago, every evening I'd take footage off it and upload to You Tube and Facebook, after a month it broke and I found I wasn't having as many incidents so I had my money back.