Ken wants bicycles to have number plates!

[editor]

Oh dear.

London, UK Mayor Ken Livingstone suggested on Thursday that cyclists should be forced to place license plates on their bicycles so that they can be ticketed by red light cameras and speed cameras.
"I think, I'm now persuaded, we should actually say that bikes and their owners should be registered," Livingstone told LBC Radio. "There should be a numberplate on the back so that the ones breaking the law, we can get them off the cameras. It's the only way you can do it."

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2289733,00.html

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

No, and I'm not sure where I stand on it either.

Needs more facts.

 

[DrRingDing]

The first step in taxing cyclists in the congestion zone.

Ken why do you have to be such a twat at times?

 

[strung out]

sounds like a top idea

 

[editor]

No, and I'm not sure where I stand on it either.

Needs more facts.

I just edited my post as I found an article with more detail - sorry!

I can't see how it can possibly work. How the fuck are you going to shove a great big number plate on a bike?

Where would it go on, say, a folding bike? And what if they're carrying lots of luggage?
And I can't see cyclists being chuffed at having to have their bikes slowed down.

 

[djbombscare]

Would that mean that a next possible step would be for them to have insurance ?

 

[Crispy]

*hand waggle*

I'd like to see the antisocial dangerous cyclists brought up on their behaviour. But I also don't want to see any barriers raised to entry to the world of cycling.

Also, plates on a bike? where do they go?

 

[gaijingirl]

Oh FFS! We haven't even succeeded properly with indicators.... how the hell are we going to have number plates large enough for anyone to see them anyway!

 

[lighterthief]

Not sure this is the way to do it - for physical/practical reasons already mentioned - but a way to stop cyclists jumping red lights would be welcomed by me.

A bit pointless with the speed cameras though, it's rare to see anyone cycling above 20mph let alone 30.

 

[Belushi]

Great idea, next time some twat tries to drive me off the pavement I can take his details.

 

[pootle]

Or alternatively make roads more cycle friendly (I'm thinking Holland is a prime example) so that people cycle in a more sensible manner.

IT's very British thinking to look at things as a the cause, rather than a symptom. If cyclists were better catered for, then I think there wouldn't be half as many problems.

 

[robotsimon]

This would be completely unworkable - I suspect Ken knows this and just said it as a sop to the "hard-pressed motorist" ((c) the Daily Mail).

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Not sure this is the way to do it - for physical/practical reasons already mentioned - but a way to stop cyclists jumping red lights would be welcomed by me.

A bit pointless with the speed cameras though, it's rare to see anyone cycling above 20mph let alone 30.

And speedos on all bikes?

I thought Ken wanted us to all get on our bikes, why would he want to make it more akward to get started.

''Hummm I've been thinking about cycling to work. Oh, I have to register and stick these things on. I'm also a bit worried about breaking the speed limit, is it different for bikes? Do I need a speedo? do I need to take a test? Maybe I won't bother getting that bike after all''

 

[lighterthief]

This would be completely unworkable - I suspect Ken knows this and just said it as a sop to the "hard-pressed motorist" ((c) the Daily Mail).

Indeed.

 

[jæd]

I just edited my post as I found an article with more detail - sorry!

I can't see how it can possibly work. How the fuck are you going to shove a great big number plate on a bike?

Where would it go on, say, a folding bike? And what if they're carrying lots of luggage?
And I can't see cyclists being chuffed at having to have their bikes slowed down.

Oh... How much drag does a motorbike style square numberplate generate...? Top idea... It will catch the cuntish cyclists who cycle the wrong-way down one way streets, jump traffick lights, and cycle down pavements.... You know, all the things that the majority of cyclists don't do, but a minority do...

 

[editor]

Oh... How much drag does a motorbike style square numberplate generate...?

Err, numberplates sit flush with the bodywork on a car and on the fairings of motorbikes.And, of course, they're driven by an engine, not human legs.


I'll think you'll find there's not an awful lot of flat surfaces available on a bike but do tell where you think these plates should go.

Here?

 

[Roadkill]

This would be completely unworkable - I suspect Ken knows this and just said it as a sop to the "hard-pressed motorist" ((c) the Daily Mail).

Let's hope so.

It's a stupid idea.

 

[djbombscare]

They could put them on sideways like the oldstyle motorbike ones that used to sit on the mudguards

 

[jæd]

Err, numberplates sit flush with the bodywork on a car and on the fairings of motorbikes.And, of course, they're driven by an engine, not human legs.

I'll think you'll find there's not an awful lot of flat surfaces available on a bike but do tell where you think these plates should go.

“There should be a numberplate on the back so that the ones breaking the law, we can get them off the cameras. It’s the only way you can do it.”

So.. Please explain how a motorbike style numberplate (ie, square), affixed beneeth the saddle and above the rear wheel is going to produce enough drag to significantly impact on the speed of a bike that does 15 mph at most...?

 

[Belushi]

I'll think you'll find there's not an awful lot of flat surfaces available on a bike but do tell where you think these plates should go.

On the front mudguard (also to be made compulsory) like on some vintage motorcycles

 

[jæd]

Um... I thought I had the word "square" in my post...?

 

[lighterthief]

You could conceivably fit one on a bike rack - mine has a flat plate which would take a number plate. Trouble is it would be tiny, and I've already stuck my rear light/reflector there anyway. Panniers might also get in the way. It's like this one:

 

[Belushi]

They could put them on sideways like the oldstyle motorbike ones that used to sit on the mudguards

Damn! beat me to it!

 

[Crispy]

15 mph at most...?

Pfft

 

[gaijingirl]

But two of my bikes, for example, are quite high spec road bikes - with no mudguards or anything else bolted on - specifically because they've been engineered to quite a high spec in order to be as light and as fast as possible.

So..
A. There's nowhere to put a numberplate on them
B. It would completely defeat the purpose of all that engineering to do so!

Gaijinboy uses one of these to do his commute on as he commutes over 20 miles a day and wants to do it on a decent bike. (Personally I still used racks, panniers etc but each to their own).

 

[editor]

You could conceivably fit one on a bike rack - mine has a flat plate which would take a number plate.

My bike hasn't got a bike rack, so that's a non starter!

Where on earth could a numberplate - large enough to be read - go on here?!

 

[editor]

....on the speed of a bike that does 15 mph at most...?

Oh dear. You're not really up on bikes are you?

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

I assume it would clip onto the rod under the seat just as you would a light.

 

[editor]

I assume it would clip onto the rod under the seat just as you would a light.

And if I'm carrying a big bag?

And what happens when I try and fold the bike up?

People would just nick 'em anyway.

 

[gaijingirl]

I assume it would clip onto the rod under the seat just as you would a light.

But then it would have to be easily removable... otherwise you wouldn't be able to put the seat post up and down - on any bike, not just foldies.

Then you'd have to take off your number plate or risk them getting nicked everytime you parked up. It's just completely impractical and would also defeat the purpose of any kind of good road bike!