i don’t really want to start the debate, you can sign if you think this is the right thing and ignore otherwise
Its is a complete waste of time. Drivers have driving licenses and look at the way they drive. Having a license does not make you a good cyclist or driver and never will.
Well, they drive better than an average london cyclist cycles in my opinion. And hopwfully it would make them take some responcibilityfor their actions
Germany has a better system, traffic laws are built around “Transport” and not “Motorised Vehicles” therefore jump a red light on a bicycle in Germany and you will get 3 points on your driving licence. Obviously not all cyclists have driving licences, but the vast majority do.
Overall cycling is a very positive thing in our fat unhealthy society, the benefits greatly outweigh the negatives by a million miles, so I would not like to see any new rules that may discourage cycling. I appreciate the petition is for London, but I would just see that as the beginning of a slippery slope.
Bluey Circles:
Germany has a better system, traffic laws are built around “Transport” and not “Motorised Vehicles” therefore jump a red light on a bicycle in Germany and you will get 3 points on your driving licence. Obviously not all cyclists have driving licences, but the vast majority do.Overall cycling is a very positive thing in our fat unhealthy society, the benefits greatly outweigh the negatives by a million miles, so I would not like to see any new rules that may discourage cycling. I appreciate the petition is for London, but I would just see that as the beginning of a slippery slope.
Thats an excellent idea
Lonewolf Yorks:
Bluey Circles:
Germany has a better system, traffic laws are built around “Transport” and not “Motorised Vehicles” therefore jump a red light on a bicycle in Germany and you will get 3 points on your driving licence. Obviously not all cyclists have driving licences, but the vast majority do.Overall cycling is a very positive thing in our fat unhealthy society, the benefits greatly outweigh the negatives by a million miles, so I would not like to see any new rules that may discourage cycling. I appreciate the petition is for London, but I would just see that as the beginning of a slippery slope.
Thats an excellent idea
So cyclists without a driving licence can jump them with impunity■■?
Pass on that
Evil8Beezle:
Lonewolf Yorks:
Bluey Circles:
Germany has a better system, traffic laws are built around “Transport” and not “Motorised Vehicles” therefore jump a red light on a bicycle in Germany and you will get 3 points on your driving licence. Obviously not all cyclists have driving licences, but the vast majority do.Overall cycling is a very positive thing in our fat unhealthy society, the benefits greatly outweigh the negatives by a million miles, so I would not like to see any new rules that may discourage cycling. I appreciate the petition is for London, but I would just see that as the beginning of a slippery slope.
Thats an excellent idea
So cyclists without a driving licence can jump them with impunity■■?
It would be interesting to know what percentage of cyclists did not have driving licences, I would think very few. And if all those who did have licences started to behave themselves would the rest feel more obliged to follow suit?
Introducing a bicycle specific licence is never going to happen, there would be too much opposition and even if it was pushed through it would take decades to introduce and then undoubtedly prove unworkable and unenforceable. On the other hand extending the responsibilities of your driving licences to include what you do on a bicycle should be relatively straight forward. If you don’t do it in your car then you shouldn’t be doing it on a bike, no red light jumping, no riding without lights, no riding after drinking. I anticipate the argument that even if they loose their driving licence they could still continue to cycle; but again how many people are going to allow themselves to fall that far?
I’m afraid that anything that penalises cyclists in London is doomed to failure, Boris Johnson appears to be determined to blame lorries for everything and completely ignore the appalling riding by some London cyclists.
Possibly registration plates on bikes may be a better option, perhaps some sort of detachable foldable identification plate so cyclists who do stupid and dangerous things can be identified.
Bluey Circles:
Evil8Beezle:
Lonewolf Yorks:
Bluey Circles:
Germany has a better system, traffic laws are built around “Transport” and not “Motorised Vehicles” therefore jump a red light on a bicycle in Germany and you will get 3 points on your driving licence. Obviously not all cyclists have driving licences, but the vast majority do.Overall cycling is a very positive thing in our fat unhealthy society, the benefits greatly outweigh the negatives by a million miles, so I would not like to see any new rules that may discourage cycling. I appreciate the petition is for London, but I would just see that as the beginning of a slippery slope.
Thats an excellent idea
So cyclists without a driving licence can jump them with impunity■■?
It would be interesting to know what percentage of cyclists did not have driving licences, I would think very few. And if all those who did have licences started to behave themselves would the rest feel more obliged to follow suit?
Introducing a bicycle specific licence is never going to happen, there would be too much opposition and even if it was pushed through it would take decades to introduce and then undoubtedly prove unworkable and unenforceable. On the other hand extending the responsibilities of your driving licences to include what you do on a bicycle should be relatively straight forward. If you don’t do it in your car then you shouldn’t be doing it on a bike, no red light jumping, no riding without lights, no riding after drinking. I anticipate the argument that even if they loose their driving licence they could still continue to cycle; but again how many people are going to allow themselves to fall that far?
It would be an interesting experiment to see if applying points on a driving licence for cycling offences did make a difference, but I think it would be the thin end of a wedge… I for one would NOT agree that riding under the influence on a bicycle should be relevant to your driving licence!!! - I don’t give a monkies if I get slatted for saying this, but i ride my bike home from my mates all the time while under the influence. And the reason i do it, is because I’ll NEVER EVER drink and drive!!! Besides, who exactly am I likely to kill on a bicycle other than myself? It’s not like I’m in control of a large lump of metal that will plow over people if i lose control… In fact the most likely outcome is that I end up in a ditch, as I ride on the pavement if there are no pedestrians about.
Now if the law was changed, and being drunk on a bike counted as DD on your car licence, what exactly would be people incentive not to use the car■■?
P.S. I also used to Roller Blade home from the pub! 
(Should that also go on my driving licence?)
Does anyone know if there’s a hauliers petition, so ‘London spec’ trucks must also be fitted with pepper spray dispensers on the nearside, that only operate if the left hand indicator is in action? Most cyclists come to grief when they end up on the nearside, so anything that enhances safety is good for me.
It would be a 2 tier legal system if you were to treat a driving licence holder differently from a non licence holder for the same offence.Sadly it wont work.In my younger days I often cycled home from the pub.The bike fitted fine in the Morris Traveller,a few girls thought they would get a lift home,fat chance the joke was on them,ha ha 
Evil8Beezle:
It would be an interesting experiment to see if applying points on a driving licence for cycling offences did make a difference, but I think it would be the thin end of a wedge… I for one would NOT agree that riding under the influence on a bicycle should be relevant to your driving licence!!! - I don’t give a monkies if I get slatted for saying this, but i ride my bike home from my mates all the time while under the influence. And the reason i do it, is because I’ll NEVER EVER drink and drive!!! Besides, who exactly am I likely to kill on a bicycle other than myself? It’s not like I’m in control of a large lump of metal that will plow over people if i lose control… In fact the most likely outcome is that I end up in a ditch, as I ride on the pavement if there are no pedestrians about.Now if the law was changed, and being drunk on a bike counted as DD on your car licence, what exactly would be people incentive not to use the car■■?
You might want to read this item (scroll down for the relevant bit).
http://www.bikehub.co.uk/featured-articles/cycling-and-the-law/
Find me the petition to ban lorrys from London I’ll be the first to sign it anything to make sure I don’t have to go near that dump of a place.
I think all city cyclists should wear a hi-viz tabbard by law with a reference number stencilled on it.
Oh good, taxi has arrived…
Bluey Circles:
Evil8Beezle:
Lonewolf Yorks:
Bluey Circles:
Germany has a better system, traffic laws are built around “Transport” and not “Motorised Vehicles” therefore jump a red light on a bicycle in Germany and you will get 3 points on your driving licence. Obviously not all cyclists have driving licences, but the vast majority do.Overall cycling is a very positive thing in our fat unhealthy society, the benefits greatly outweigh the negatives by a million miles, so I would not like to see any new rules that may discourage cycling. I appreciate the petition is for London, but I would just see that as the beginning of a slippery slope.
Thats an excellent idea
So cyclists without a driving licence can jump them with impunity■■?
It would be interesting to know what percentage of cyclists did not have driving licences, I would think very few. And if all those who did have licences started to behave themselves would the rest feel more obliged to follow suit?
Introducing a bicycle specific licence is never going to happen, there would be too much opposition and even if it was pushed through it would take decades to introduce and then undoubtedly prove unworkable and unenforceable. On the other hand extending the responsibilities of your driving licences to include what you do on a bicycle should be relatively straight forward. If you don’t do it in your car then you shouldn’t be doing it on a bike, no red light jumping, no riding without lights, no riding after drinking. I anticipate the argument that even if they loose their driving licence they could still continue to cycle; but again how many people are going to allow themselves to fall that far?
I suggested they get some kind of awareness training,and then tax, insurance,and a registration plate attached to their bike registered with DVLA,one reason is they cannot keep going around damaging vehicles and getting away with it by cycling off into the distance knowing full well that most times you cannot give chase
Evil8Beezle:
It would be an interesting experiment to see if applying points on a driving licence for cycling offences did make a difference, but I think it would be the thin end of a wedge… I for one would NOT agree that riding under the influence on a bicycle should be relevant to your driving licence!!! - I don’t give a monkies if I get slatted for saying this, but i ride my bike home from my mates all the time while under the influence. And the reason i do it, is because I’ll NEVER EVER drink and drive!!! Besides, who exactly am I likely to kill on a bicycle other than myself? It’s not like I’m in control of a large lump of metal that will plow over people if i lose control… In fact the most likely outcome is that I end up in a ditch, as I ride on the pavement if there are no pedestrians about.Now if the law was changed, and being drunk on a bike counted as DD on your car licence, what exactly would be people incentive not to use the car■■?
P.S. I also used to Roller Blade home from the pub!
you would prob end up riding under the wheels of a wagon, and the current cyclist are invincible law the wagon driver would be thrown away in jail and be the one that suffers.
Lets get a few things in perspective…
I will ride a bike when I know I’m over the limit. But I did not say I would ride a bike when I was plastered!!!
Yes I know it’s illegal to ride while intoxicated, but EVERYONE does things that are not 100% legal - FACT!!!
Being a total bellend who is completely irresponsible without a thought for anyone else is not me…
I ride my bike LATE AT NIGHT after half a dozen cans though a quiet estate, and then along the pavement of a bigger road (still weight limited to 7.5t) that has no houses, driveways or turnoff on it, as the houses in the estate back on to it.
I wear Hi-Viz, and by bike has reflectors AND LIGHTS!!!
When I need to cross the road I stop, when a car comes near me I stop or get well out of its way.
But please go ahead, tar me with the brush of being the stereotypical idiot cyclist!
Even though I’ve made no mention of riding in an uncontrolled manner… 
IF i got hit by a truck, my first thought (if I had any) would be, what the hell is he doing in here, as the WHOLE area is weight limited!
As for cars, i’ll just grin at them as I fly over the bonnet!
ANYWAY - The point i was TRYING to make was that if bike penalties were put on your driving licence, what would be the incentive not to take the car? As in my eyes, riding while intoxicated and driving while intoxicated, are 2 very different things…
Of all the daftest ideas I’ve seen this is up there with the worst. At what age do they propose to force people to have a push bike licence from, five years or seven or what? Or does the author of this ill thought through petition expect all kids under the age of 17 to be banned from having a bike. Who will be expected to pay for the tests, the parents no doubt. Then of course this leads to enforced insurance for all cycles which will mean them having to have number plates. Who will police cycle licenses? What will be the consequences of not having a licence? Who will pay for the additional bureaucracy because the fee for the licence wont cover it? Its just madness.
Evil8Beezle:
ANYWAY - The point i was TRYING to make was that if bike penalties were put on your driving licence, what would be the incentive not to take the car? As in my eyes, riding while intoxicated and driving while intoxicated, are 2 very different things…
You could always walk or get a taxi ~I do that quite regular because I like my licence. Like you I also have a bike and have used it in similar circumstances but unfortunately the law is the law!!! It really is not worth the risk and I have altered my habits.