RESEARCH BY INSURER Budget Direct this month has shown that a significant majority of motorists want cyclists to pay registration fees if they are to ride on the road.

Surveying 1251 customers, the research showed that almost half of the respondents would like to see cyclist registration fees introduced, with the funds to go towards infrastructure to better accommodate cars and bicycles.

Four out of five motorists believe that more bicycle paths would create a better environment for cyclists and motorists alike, while half of the respondents admitted to having a limited understanding of the laws that apply to cyclists.

Ms Ward said that despite improved Government involvement, more could be done to help motorists and cyclists get along.

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• reply ” like !

  says,
  2 years ago

  How many drivers surveyed were also cyclists?
  
  If not 100%, you can consider these polls 100% biased and irrelevant.
  
  
  
  
• reply ” like !

  

  Fairgo4all says,
  2 years ago

  2 likes

  Cyclist should have mandatory Third Party Insurance at least. They travel a speeds sufficient to do serious injury to pedestrians or other cyclists and at the moment there is basically no recourse of action if you where injured by a cyclist or your property is damaged by one. They also should have some form of identification clearly displayed like number plates on cars and motorcycles to make them identifiable when breaking the rules ie: running red lights when it suits them, they are after all a vehicle and if they choose to use the road they should be made obey all the road rules. If lane splitting is illegal for motorcycles, why not bicycles?
• reply ” like !

  

  Shifter says,
  2 years ago

  How ridiculous, you just want to make life even more complex for people, even more restrictions and legislation, more cost to do a simple thing like ride a push bike. Go back to bed people, you're better off not even getting up in the morning, the world is too dangerous for you.
  
  How do you suppose they would police this when they don't even book people for not wearing a helmet?
• reply ” like !

  

  Kieran says,
  2 years ago

  2 likes

  I don't know about the rest of the states, but in QLD, our road rules stress that cyclists and motorists are equal road users, and therefore have equal rights and responsibilities. Fine by me... until I see them running red lights and ducking and weaving through traffic as it suits them. Are motorists allowed to do that? No, ergo, neither are cyclists. Put a registration plate on them and fine them for running red lights/etc.
  
  Furthermore, ALL other road users have to pay for the privilege of using the roads, so why not cyclists too?
• reply ” like !

  

  Godspeed says,
  2 years ago

  1 like

  It's good that there is awareness of the issue, but many motorcyclists already flout the law anyway; and for these blokes that's one of the primary reasons why they bought one in the first place; to get themselves ahead.
  
  You already see a lot of bikers going through tolls / speed cameras with their right hand over the rear lic. plate; as if cyclists are going to clearly display a number plate on their bike?
  
  I'm a diehard motorist and car enthusiast and I also love the occasional road-cycle and MTB trek but the only solution I see are dedicated cycleways, made possible by overhauled public transport (that people actually want to use as opposed to purely *having* to use it) thus freeing up the road for cycleway infrastructure.
  
  As it stands, building better roads is great but because the pub. transport sucks, people are still flocking to the motorways in record numbers, while the registration of motorbikes and purchase of cycles increases simultaneously.
• reply ” like !

  Robert Silveri says,
  2 years ago

  We should be encouraging more people to ride bikes for a whole host of reasons, fitness, environment, congestion, etc, etc. This kind of ridiculous suggestion will do the opposite and has the potential to increase the amount of heavier traffic. People are whinging that they break the law, hey have a good look at yourselves motorists, are you so law abiding?
  
  Govts need to invest more in alternateive forms of transport and provide the infrsastructure to accomodate. I looked into cycling to work in Sydney but was unable to find a safe route via cycleways to make the 25km journey. I can tell you that in Sydney traffic, going across town distance of 25km during peak hour can easily take an hour or more. This distance could be comfortably covered in the same time on a bike with all the advantages as above.
  
  But do I really want to share the road with the average motorist.....no way. Build the cycleways and the problem is solved.
• reply ” like !

  

  Wheelnut says,
  2 years ago

  2 likes

  Joe; surveys are often biased or manuipulated in order to achieve a predetermined outcome or support a particular arguement
  It all depends on the way the questions are worded; how they are asked; when and where they are asked; how the respondents interpret the questions and how their answers are interpreted etc
  
  Having said that - By law any vehicle that uses the roads must have some form of identification such as a number plate.. cars have them trucks have them buses have them even some forklifts bobcats etc have them.
  
  Therefore; if the " two wheeled kamikazes" want to ride their bikes on the road they should also have to display a number plate; if not on the bike then the rider should have to wear a special reflective jacket with their number on the back. That way other road users will be able to identify which cyclist hit their car; took off their wing mirror; or knocked over an elderly pedestrian as they shot through the pedestrian crossing
  
  I don't know why cyclists are exempt because if they want to use the roads they should also have to abide by the same laws as the motorists
  
  
• reply ” like !

  

  Daan says,
  2 years ago

  1 like

  Im a motorbike rider and pay the same amount of rego and more for insurance for my bike as I do on my car. My motorbike is better for the environment and uses much less fuel than a car would.
  I recently got fined for splitting lanes and after reading some of the 400 pages of victorian road rules I was suprised that push bikes have more rights than I so as a motorbike rider.
  Absolute minimum number plates, tac and third part insurance for push bikes.
• reply ” like !

  says,
  2 years ago

  I'm a commuting cyclist. I use bike paths where possible.I am a member of bicycle queensland. This provides my third party insurance.
  
  Not all my car registration goes towards roads, why should I pay rego on my bike when the same thing will happen?
  
  Bikes cause no damage to the road, unlike 4wds, trucks and cars. Why should we pay? If we do, will we be respected more by other road users? I think not.
  
  Until that happens, nothing will change.
• reply ” like !

  

  MotoWebbi says,
  2 years ago

  @ Godspeed.
  
  You have NEVER seen a motorcyclist obscuring their number plate with either hand, let alone their right one. (Here's a hint for you...the right hand is the throttle hand). In fact, I would go so far as to say that it's impossible to reach the number plate with either hand from the normal riding position.
  
• reply ” like !

  

  Wheelnut says,
  2 years ago

  2 likes

  If you are on your bike and you get hit by a car you have a way of identifying the car that hit you by way of its number plate... therefore you as a cyclist should have a similar means of identification for the times when you make contact with a car or pedestrian.... and when I say you I don't mean you personally but cyclists in general.
  
  Even if the plates [or jackets] cost $50 it could go towards new line markings or signs etc
  
  As for respect - that's something you have to earn.. I'd say most motorists would probably respect cyclists as soon as they started to respect other road users not to mention the road rules.
  Unfortunaltely its the poor behaviour and ignorant/arrogant attitudes as shown by half-wit cycle couriers [who think they are Lance Armstrong] that give other cyclists a bad name
• reply ” like !

  

  Godspeed says,
  2 years ago

  1 like

  Thanks MotoWebbi.
  
  I have definitely followed two bikers through the M4 toll Eway and they stuck all the way over to one side of the lane as if to avoid the camera. I also seem to remember following a biker through a speed camera section when he covered up the rear plate - thinking back now it seems like a pretty acrobatic thing to do. Maybe it was one of these , I can't remember exactly.
  
  My point is that there seems to be a disproportionate number of bikers who don't follow the road rules per number of actual bikers on the road, versus car users.
  
  Whatever, we're talking about cyclists here and I have also nearly had my mirrors clipped by cyclists too. Luckily no actual collisions have happened yet.
• reply ” like !

  

  Godspeed says,
  2 years ago

  "one of these - w w w . t r y d e a l. c o m ."
• reply ” like !

  

  dickster says,
  2 years ago

  1 like

  I choose to cycle to work each day even though I have a car in the garage. I pay as much registration and insurance as anyone else so don't have an ounce of guilt using the roads when riding to work. Driving my car on the same road every day would cause a lot more damage and wear n tear.
  
  In fact because I don't do a lot of km's in my car it costs me far more per km in registration & insurance to drive my car than someone who drives every day. By the way I stop at red lights and stick as far to the left as I can as I know how frustrating it can be when a group of cyclists show no regard for general traffic. Unfortunately, I get tarred with the same brush as the minority of cyclist who cause these problems.
  
  All i am asking for is that you leave your aggression for the people who actually cause the issues and don't generalize and assume all cyclists are the same.
  
  Cheers
  Dickster
• reply ” like !

  

  Luke Skywalker says,
  2 years ago

  1 like

  Good to see some fair discussion on here. Here's my 10 cents worth.
  
  I'm both a cyclist and a car driver. Like Dickster says, it's wrong to generalise about both cyclists and drivers. I ride with a club, and we have rules about sticking to the laws of the road. People who run red lights on our club rides are fined and we generally promote law abiding and safe cycling. At the same time, I often see cyclists running red lights, especially when it's a green for pedestrians. I quite often will say something to cyclists that I see doing that.
  
  When it comes to drivers, the majority do give us respect on the road. However, you would not believe the amount of crap we have to put up with. We get verbal abuse daily, have things thrown at us (including bottles), or get deliberately knocked down. The latter happened to me 2 years ago. I was in a cycle lane and a truck crossed into it, taking out me and another rider. Luckily someone managed to stop him and he was charged. You've really got to wonder why someone would want to potentially kill another person - because he's riding a bike? Crazy but it's true.
  
  I doubt registration would work (I don't think any country in the world has it either). Other countries where there are lots of cyclists have good education and respect between cyclists and drivers, something which is missing here.
• reply ” like !

  

  DM says,
  2 years ago

  The misinformation here is extroadinary.
  
  Registration does not pay for raods. It pays for the cost of registration administration. General revenue (ie, tax) pays for our roads. So if you pay tax, you pay for your use of the roads.
  
  To put a registration plate on you bike, does that mean that every 3 year old with training wheels will have to do the same? Do you really think you will be able to read a rego plate that will be that small to fit on a bike? Wheelsnut: Making people wear a mandatory jacket is rediculous statement. Would you wear one in the car or walking... just in case I need to identify you?
  
  Cyclists are required to follow road dules the same as everyone else. If they break the laws and a policeman sees them, they are chaged the same as a motorist. As with other motorists, unless a police catches someone breaking the law, you cant do anything.
  
  
  
  • reply ” like !

    Matthew Werner says,
    2 years ago

    Registration may pay for registration admin but that is somewhere around $33.
    Whats the $300+ I get slugged with at the same time?
• reply ” like !

  

  Godspeed says,
  2 years ago

  "Other countries where there are lots of cyclists have good education and respect between cyclists and drivers, something which is missing here. "
  
  You're right Luke. But we should probably model our cycleways / roadways on a city like Amsterdam, Netherlands, as opposed to say, Vietnam!
• reply ” like !

  

  Wheelnut says,
  2 years ago

  1 like

  What form of identification do you suggest then? because we need some way of identifying cyclists particularly the kamikaze couriers.. and If you want to or have to use the roads you should have some form of identification
  
  Its not that ridiculous - Afterall the Law states that when you ride a bike you have to wear a helmet.. doesn't it? Therefore the law could easily be amended to include a jacket with an ID or Rego number on it
  
  One of those light weight high visibility jackets with the reflective strips would be good as it would also make it easier for drivers/motorists to see you at night
  
  
  
  
  
  
• reply ” like !

  

  Wheelnut says,
  2 years ago

  1 like

  In a way Motorists have every right to hate Cyclists.. Because they ride along the roads on their bikes then when they approach a red light they hop up onto the footpath and pretend that they are a pedestrian as they continue to ride through the intersection on the pedestrian crossing - which is dangerous not to mention illegal.
  
  Cyclists can't have it both ways.- because imagine what would happen if someone in a Car bus or truck did that.?
  
  Until your actions and behaviour improves on the roads [in general] motorists will continue to hate/despise you
  
  As for being hit knocked over or cut off by motorists.. it wouldn't happen as much if you abided by the road rules and didn't shoot along at breakneck speed because the faster you go the longer it takes for you to stop and the less reaction time you have - so in away thre would be a number of instances where the cyclist caused the accident
• reply ” like !

  

  fat joe says,
  2 years ago

  Wheelnut, of course all car and truck drivers never disobey the road rules, and of course someone on a 10kg pushbike is just as dangerous as someone piloting 1.5 tonnes or more of metal...and your comment about behaviour goes both ways; just yesterday in the Manly Daily (local paper for Sydney's Northern Beaches) a letter writer claimed that "It is the cyclist’s responsibility to observe and give passage to faster vehicles approaching from their rear." With ridiculous attitudes such as this being commonplace, it is no wonder many cyclists are quite hostile towards motorists.
  
  Could all those calling for bicycles to be identifiable answer me these questions - which, if any, other countries have such schemes in place, and also who will this apply to, i.e. does a 3 year old with training wheels have to be identifiable?
  
  Just remember, cyclists have a lot more at stake in this debate than car drivers. A pushbike poses absolutely no risk to someone in a car, beyond maybe slowing them down for 30 seconds (if that), whereas cyclists can be and are easily killed or seriously injured by cars and trucks. Ultimately cycling works in everybody's interests in that it reduces congestion, reduces the demand for and therefore cost of fuel, reduces the incidence of obesity etc. therefore reducing the burden of and cost of the health system. The introduction of compulsory helmet laws (which very few other countries have) reduced the number of cyclists by about 30%, this law will do the same.
• reply ” like !

  

  Wheelnut says,
  2 years ago

  I Know Car and Truck drivers break the road rules yet the fact they have a number plate makes it easier to identify which car they were driving and the right person is penalised/charged...you can't do that with cyclists.
  
  No other country has a Cyclist Identification System - but here's a thought; what's wrong with Australia being the first in the world to do something for once.. instead of copying someone?
  As for who will it apply to - well it should apply to any vehicle that [regularly] uses the roads.... such as Kamikaze Couriers
  
  Kamikaze Coruiers [Lance Armstrong Wannabes] are the worst offenders as thet hop up onto the footpath to ride their bike across the pedestrian crossing in order to avoid stopping at the traffic lights....an 18 wheeler is unable to to that and neither should cyclists YOU CAN'T HAVE IT BOTHWAYS.
  
  
• reply ” like !

  

  Wheelnut says,
  2 years ago

  "Cyclists pose absolutely no risk to Motorists" that may be but they can [and often do] do considerable damage to peoples cars as they fly past at break neck speeds and bump into doors smash windows rip off wing mirrors etc.
  .Not to mention taking out a pedestrian or knocking over a little old lady.
  
  Its true Cyclists can be severely injured or killed in an accident with a Car or truck; but everyday you've got as much chance of being killed or injured every time you walk out the front door - haven't you?
  
  
  
  
• reply ” like !

  

  Ronald says,
  2 years ago

  Cycists pose a substantial risk to the wellbeing of car and truck drivers. Killing or maiming a cyclist will generally be an accident and it may not be life threatening to the car or truck driver, but you can guarantee their lives and those of their immediate family will never be the same again.
  
  Cyclists do pose a risk to pedestrians. Just today as I walked around the Botanical Gardens in Melbourne, I stepped aside to let two lycra clad, obviously very serious, cyclists pass me ON THE FOOTPATH.
  
  Then there was the elderley man who was recently killed crossing the road by a whole posse of very serious Melbourne cyclists who deemed it a little below themselves to have to obey a stop light at a pedestrian crossing. These same cyclists take over Beach Rd most weekends and run their own little tour de melbourne. They may feel they are waving the flag for cycling but normal people know them for what they are, and they do real cyclists no favours.
  
  The fact that cyclists continually flaunt the law is the issue. Other road users are no different in that regard BUT they can be identified.
  
  There should be a way of identifying and enforcing the law for bike riders as well.
• reply ” like !

  

  Wheelnut says,
  2 years ago

  1 like

  Cyclists are virtually 2 wheeled hoons - and just like hoons its a case of the minority ruining it for the majority.
  
  However if they don't want to have number plates [in order to be identified]... then why not let motorists and pedestrians carry paint-ball guns to shoot them with - as they fly through an intersection etc? if anything it will help relieve a bit of road rage
  
  
• reply ” like !

  

  fat joe says,
  2 years ago

  I don't know where you are but in Sydney the major bike courier company has their riders wear ID numbers on the back of their jerseys, and you can complain to the company if you see them flouting the rules. Not sure what difference it would make, but then again, if you report a number plate to the police, 95% of the time nothing will happen.
  
  And yes, like most groups of people, there is an idiot element to cyclists, but could you actually provide me with the number of pedestrians killed/injured by cyclists? Whilst every death or injury is a tragedy, I would suspect that the number isn't very high, especially compared to the number of people killed by idiot motorists.
  
  And Ronald, it probably will be an accident if a car or truck driver kills a cyclist, as I don't think anyone goes out in their car with the intention of killing someone, but it still doesn't change the fact the general attitude of Australian motorists towards cyclists is terrible. 2 mates and myself were out riding yesterday, and someone travelling in the opposite direction slowed down so he could yell out 'FAGGOTS' at us. None of us are, but that someone could be so hostile to 3 people he has never met is somewhat concerning.
  
  And however difficult a crash is for the car driver's family, how difficult do you think it is for the cyclist's family? Keep in mind the most common cause of fatality for cyclists is being hit from the side or behind by a motorist, which would in most cases be the fault of the motorist.
  
  All in all, I would just ask that whenever you see a bunch of cyclists, take a deep breath, count to 10 and in most cases you will be past them. And don't accelerate hard to pass us and then turn left in front of us. And if you see a stupid bike courier, get their jersey number and report them to the company.
• reply ” like !

  

  Wheelnut says,
  2 years ago

  Yesterday in WA a woman in her car beeped her horn at a cyclist to let him know he was overtaking him as she was about to turn left.. she thought it was the right thing to do.
  
  At the next intersection as she waited at the lights; the cyclist rode up behind her on the drivers side and punched her in the face resulting in a bruise to her face and a possible fractured cheek/jawbone..
  
  
  
• reply ” like !

  

  Wheelnut says,
  2 years ago

  Yes - I've seen some couriers with ID numbers on their back.... yet in most cases the ID numbers are in such a small font that its hard for motorists to read - particularly when by the time you notice that they have just knocked off your wing mirror they are 2 blocks further down the road so you can't record the ID number [or the Company they work for]
• reply ” like !

  says,
  2 years ago

  I am both a motorist, CDL operator, and a bicyclist. As DM and Jason pointed out, our registration fees contribute $0 towards our public infrastructure (at least in the USA), tax's do that in which everyone pays. Imposing more registration, insurance, etc. would only further hinder our already worsened economy, environment, health, and only feed the ones at the top. By bicycle should we have an incident resulting in negligent harm or damage, we are covered by home owners, or renters insurance, no riders needed. We all pay for the roads regardless, and we are all financially accountable regardless.
  I believe the authors quote says it best "education and understanding of the road rules" that would account for a lot. Are you really aware of where your fees and tax's go? Check it out sometime, it's kinda scary.
• reply ” like !

  

  fat joe says,
  2 years ago

  Wheelnut, no doubt the cyclist was out of line and should be charged with assault, but that is nothing to do with him being a cyclist. And before you say 'if he had a number plate he could be identified', remember that if you take that argument to its logical conclusion, everyone should walk around with ID plates on their back. Besides, if someone were to hop out of their car and come at me in a threatening manner, I would be worrying about grabbing the nearest solid object at hand to defend myself, not getting their plate number.
  
  I think something most motorists don't realise (and it is down to education) is that at speeds of much above 25km/h, you often can't hear cars behind you, especially if there is any wind. Without knowing the specifics of the incident, quite often you get honked for no apparent reason other than some motorist frustrated that you are costing them a whole 20 seconds of their life when they can't pass. It is often startling and dangerous; horns are for emergency use, and having a cyclist in front of you is not an emergency.
  
  And what exactly happened? If she was turning left and the cyclist was overtaking, what was the problem? Or was he under taking? Or did she speed in front of him and then chop him off?
  
  Just to add, the road rage things go both ways too:
  http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/01/cyclist-sentenced.html (driver in LA given 5 years prison for cutting in front of riders and slamming on his brakes)
  http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/road-rage-scare-for-cyclists/2006/02/22/1140284094573.html (driver tried to take out a group a couple of years ago in sydney)
  http://www.theage.com.au/national/magdas-anticyclist-rant-sparks-chain-reaction-20091001-gcyf.html?autostart=1 (Magda Szubanski advocating opening your car doors on cyclists)
  
• reply ” like !

  

  fat joe says,
  2 years ago

  This story is probably more relevant...
  
  http://www.theage.com.au/national/pair-charged-over-port-melbourne-bike-path-bashings-20100113-m57t.html
• reply ” like !

  

  Ferridaya says,
  2 years ago

  1 like

  As a preface, let's all simply accept that every subset of the human race has to suffer a proportion of bigoted, hot-headed and ego-centric folks, who think that the world and everything in it was constructed solely for their own convenience. Cyclists and drivers are but 2 of such subsets, so obviously there are going to be some of those selfish woodentops in each of the 2 groups. Ok, now that's settled, we can discount all those pointless and unhelpful remarks along the lines of "I see cyclists every day who run red lights and don't obey traffic laws" or "I'm ticked off by jerks in cars who cut me off and change lanes without signalling". Yes. Agreed. We all do. Every day. As a driver. As a cyclist. Whichever. But using evidence gathered about a minority as ammunition against the correctly-behaved group is crass, and does nothing to make the situation better for cyclist or motorist.
  
  To address a different point: I am now 61, and have been both driver and cyclist since the age of 17. A quick subtraction will tell you that I have ridden bikes for 44 years. In that time, I have met and ridden with many hundreds of riders. In all those years I have known of ONE (I'll repeat - ONE) who was not also a driver and car owner; many of them are/were owners of multiple vehicles. And I am not unique in that experience. So let's also nail the arguments: a) that cyclists don't pay for the maintenance of the roadways; and b) that all cyclists need to pass a test to understand how to conduct themselves on the streets.
  
  In fact, point a) needs to be seen in the light that much of the revenue needed for the upkeep of the roadways does not come from vehicle-related revenue anyway, but rather from local taxation, which is paid by everyone, cyclist, driver or neither.
  
  Perhaps it would not be a good moment to suggest that I, as a driver/cyclist who pays the same revenue for his car as everyone else, but actually spends >9000 miles per year on his bike cf.
• reply ” like !

  says,
  2 years ago

  I live on St.Kilda Rd and see cyclists knocked over daily.
  There is a big potential ring-road for ccyclistity s from the parks in Fitzroy to Albert Park.
  It just takes discussion between relevant Parks and Councils.
  Perhaps motorists could help pay for overpasses so cyclists can go on their way without worrying about cars and visa versa.
  With their helmets on and bad winds blowing from the bay, and being focussed more at pedestrian level due to new high rises, cyclists are rating badly as it is hard to hear cars coming, and they have nowheer to park so keep making u-tuns.
  The section between Fawkner Park and Albert Park is pure highway and highrise; havoc city for cars and cyclists to collide, and nowhere to park.