Shock warning! Should we ask for Registration?

Blew it

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 8, 2008
1,472
97
Swindon, Wiltshire
....so all that remains to be done, is to convince us that politicians can in fact be trusted. With the Treasury currently looking behind the sofa cushions for pocket change, can we really dismiss the 'thin-end-of-the-wedge' aspect of this proposal.
 

eddieo

Banned
Jul 7, 2008
5,070
6
....so all that remains to be done, is to convince us that politicians can in fact be trusted. With the Treasury currently looking behind the sofa cushions for pocket change, can we really dismiss the 'thin-end-of-the-wedge' aspect of this proposal.
probably not....But insurance is not getting cheaper, maybe this will help stabilise the market
 

funkylyn

Esteemed Pedelecer
Feb 22, 2011
3,172
27
South Shields, Tyne & Wear
I am working on the design of the ultimate bike thief deterrent .It is based on a suspension seat post , having an extra long extra strong spring .I do not want to give too much away as I have yet to patent it . Let us just say that the design includes a long spike , with three spring loaded barbs . Anyone trying to steal your bike will likely be caught red handed with the goods .He will not want to sell the bike on , as he will have become too "attached " to it .

I think I may have beaten you to it Neptune.....

Its called the ultimate " Four Poms " deterrent ......available from all good breeders......mind you, they cost far more than any of the bikes I've seen mentioned on this forum, so maybe I could use YOUR deterrent to then guard the Pom deterrent ?
Let me know when you have patented it :D:D

Lynda :)
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,196
30,602
....so all that remains to be done, is to convince us that politicians can in fact be trusted. With the Treasury currently looking behind the sofa cushions for pocket change, can we really dismiss the 'thin-end-of-the-wedge' aspect of this proposal.
I don't see a problem here. The moped tax of £16 sets a limit, and as someone observed, as zero emission vehicles they are normally not taxed at all.

Since insurance costs will fall as theft drastically reduces, those who insure could well be better off.
 
Last edited:

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,196
30,602
I am working on the design of the ultimate bike thief deterrent .It is based on a suspension seat post , having an extra long extra strong spring .I do not want to give too much away as I have yet to patent it . Let us just say that the design includes a long spike , with three spring loaded barbs . Anyone trying to steal your bike will likely be caught red handed with the goods .He will not want to sell the bike on , as he will have become too "attached " to it .
The Nazis got there first. Third Reich army bikes had quick-detach removable saddles to prevent thieving resistance scum from stealing the Fuerer's bikes. The seat stem stayed in place!
 

RoadieRoger

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 8, 2010
726
200
Flecc the Moped Tax is now £16 , which p***es me off when i see a lot of cars pay nothing .They should all pay something .
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,196
30,602
Flecc the Moped Tax is now £16 , which p***es me off when i see a lot of cars pay nothing .They should all pay something .
Thanks Roger, I've amended that. Agreed on cars, they should never pay less duty than two wheelers.
 

vectra

Pedelecer
Feb 5, 2011
213
5
I refer my learned friend to posts 34/36/37 to start.
FAQ's In the registration world.....?
I have just built an MTB using a Commencal frame with Kona forks and Mavic rims, what do I register this bike as.
I would like to convert my Corratec hybrid to electric,what is the procedure for re registration.
My Sunn bike has been registered, but there is no identification on the bike as to it's manufacturer, how do I prove the identification of the bike in the event of being checked by the Police.
Hmm. Vehicles have number plate recognition to assist with finding stolen, untaxed or uninsured vehicles. There are additional checks carried out at parking bays, every time you pass a tunnel or bridge pay barrier etc so there any number of ways to find errant vehicles.

Bikes? Would they carry recogniseable plates or ID in a way that can be checked. What about the scenario whereby the rider recognises a check up ahead. With a bike you can just turn around, join a footpath or any number of options. With a vehicle it's much more difficult. There is also an assumption being made that we have enough people on the beat to spend some time checking bikes....not a chance.

Finally, there is the matter of what level of payment might be made. I've found, over many many years of experience, that you should assume that anything a politician says is a lie until he or she proves otherwise. It follows that any tax proposed could end up anywhere.

As for the second world war there was an issue with bike registration because they were both a major source of transport for key workers and they could be used for transport by foreign agents working in the UK.

If we wanted to kill the cycle industry stone dead then registration may well be the way to go. It's a non-starter but when did any politician miss a trick that might enhance his career?
Regards
vectra
 
Last edited:

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,196
30,602
I'm proposing it only as an anti-theft measure Vectra, to deal with the majority of thefts for gain which have become a major problem.

The deterrent as I've posted repeatedly in the thread is the need for a registration document (log book) and the number plates to sell one. I've posted above a number of times why that deterrent will work.

I don't care where the tax ends up, it's VED, a duty which goes into the general exchequer fund, and is only intended to fund the proposal.
 

vectra

Pedelecer
Feb 5, 2011
213
5
I'm proposing it only as an anti-theft measure Vectra, to deal with the majority of thefts for gain which have become a major problem.

The deterrent as I've posted repeatedly in the thread is the need for a registration document (log book) and the number plates to sell one. I've posted above a number of times why that deterrent will work.

I don't care where the tax ends up, it's VED, a duty which goes into the general exchequer fund, and is only intended to fund the proposal.
Hi Flecc. I appreciate the need to deter theft however any proposal should be practical and enforceable. I can't believe that anyone selling a bike would bother with a registration document in the same way that most people never bothered with buying a dog licence, another unenforceable law.

I don't know the answer to the problem however I do recognise a pig in a poke!

Regards.
Vectra
 

funkylyn

Esteemed Pedelecer
Feb 22, 2011
3,172
27
South Shields, Tyne & Wear
Personally I am totally against any more interference in my daily life.....the idea of bikes having to be registered, taxed or whatever is a no go for me.
I prefer to be left unhindered by even more taxes, paperwork and legalities and be totally responsible for the safe keeping of my bike myself, even if it means keeping it within sight at all times.

I just HATE all these rules and regulations....more and more every day.....please dont start on our bikes too...where on earth is it all going to end.....

Lynda :)
 

eTim

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 19, 2009
607
2
Andover, Hants.
Flecc the Moped Tax is now £16 , which p***es me off when i see a lot of cars pay nothing .They should all pay something .
It annoys me that my car costs me zero tax and my motorbike costs £76! I should be reimbursed for my motorbike based on that logic.
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,196
30,602
I can't believe that anyone selling a bike would bother with a registration document in the same way that most people never bothered with buying a dog licence, another unenforceable law.
I don't understand that thinking, it's not about what the seller concerns himself with and nothing remotely like dog licencing.

It's about the buyer. Just as no-one will buy a car or moped without a logbook and number plates, hardly anyone would buy a bike without them. Over time that would become no-one would buy. It's largely self enforcing.
 

Geebee

Esteemed Pedelecer
Mar 26, 2010
1,256
227
Australia
Going off the reaction on car forum's down under, they will demand number plates large enough to be able to identify misbehaving cyclists, it gets raised regularly on the federal scene and get shot down based on being to expensive to implement and manage compared to possible income, plus the discouraging cycling as it is another added cost.
The British government may keep it only on E-bikes but I know ours would most likely not.

Now another issue is where do you put a number plate big enough to see? especially on road bikes and recumbent trikes? my trike is below knee height at its highest point.
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,196
30,602
Yet again I have to repeat myself GeeBee. It's about theft prevention not on road detection. As I've posted so many times, having to have a registration document and number plates prevents worthwhile sale, so prevents theft in that way. The number plate does not need to be huge or prominent, just fitted, since it's not about detection of mobile offences like speeding etc as it is with motor vehicles.

The key thing is the owner's registration document, without which the bike, just like a car or moped, is practically unsaleable.
 

funkylyn

Esteemed Pedelecer
Feb 22, 2011
3,172
27
South Shields, Tyne & Wear
OK OK......Who has had a bike stolen on this forum then ?
How many of us .....just as a matter of interest.....

Lynda :)
 

vectra

Pedelecer
Feb 5, 2011
213
5
I don't understand that thinking, it's not about what the seller concerns himself with and nothing remotely like dog licencing.

It's about the buyer. Just as no-one will buy a car or moped without a logbook and number plates, hardly anyone would buy a bike without them. Over time that would become no-one would buy. It's largely self enforcing.
Hi.
It would be wonderful if our society reflected your aims. Unfortunately there are huge numbers of people in our country for whom he lack of a registration number, document or plate would mean just one thing. The price of the sale article would be lower.
Regards
Vectra
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,196
30,602
Hi.
It would be wonderful if our society reflected your aims. Unfortunately there are huge numbers of people in our country for whom he lack of a registration number, document or plate would mean just one thing. The price of the sale article would be lower.
Regards
Vectra
Yes, that's exactly what I've posted earlier Vectra. Already the stolen bike value is very low, and this would drive it so much lower it wouldn't be worth the gain or the risk. At the moment many average Joes will buy a bike no questions asked since they know the risk is minimal. Most of them would no longer buy if the log book and plates were necessary, so selling would become very difficult in a much smaller market. That greatly reduced market would not sustain today's very high volume of stolen bikes.
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,196
30,602
OK OK......Who has had a bike stolen on this forum then ?
How many of us .....just as a matter of interest.....

Lynda :)
Many have Lynda. Some just from memory alone, member themutiny (Nick) has lost seven family bikes including his beloved eZee Torq 1 with a brand new battery. Member Nigel lost his Lafree to theft at Southampton. Member cwah has reported his anger and concern at the thefts he's suffered. There have been many others which I don't remember in detail.

As I posted earlier, just over 50,000 daily bike journeys are made in London, and the annual bike thefts are over 20,000 now. That is an immense problem, and that is only the reported thefts. Many don't bother to report them to the police knowing it's a waste of time, so the true total could be double.

Nationally it's similar.
.
 

fishingpaul

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 24, 2007
874
86
I doubt the government would be interested in this,the registration of motor bikes and cars all help to bring in extra revenue from fuel tax, road tax and speeding fines and parking fines plus tax revenue from the insurance companies,a change of ownership document is free,the goverment soon get the money back from car tax and motoring fines .where would the goverment make money from £10 electric bike registrations,and giving free change of ownership documents.