2020 Olympics special offer!
Save 32% off annual memberships, plus we’ll add another 1% off for every Aussie gold medal!
As of Wednesday 4 August, you’ll save 46% off annual memberships!
Use the promo code aussiegold at checkout to save. Please note, the promo code is case-sensitive so you will need to enter the code exactly as it is listed above.
Sure would finally solve the scourge that is bikes causing at-fault damages to other vehicles. The courts are just completely jammed with civil cases of bike-on-car claims for property and injury damage.
Third party property insurance is not even mandatory for cars in Queensland.
Third party property insurance is not even mandatory for cars in Queensland.
But (at least in theory) we are able to use the license plate to track down a car that damages a car. Not so much for a anonymous cyclist.
The courts are just completely jammed with civil cases of bike-on-car claims for property and injury damage.
Bit hard to take them to court when you can't identify them.
What problem are we really trying to solve here though? The numbers of vehicles damaging other vehicles without identification by far outstrips the few bicycles that are somehow causing damage to a car, or injury to their occupants (not even sure how that would be possible).
I have not ever heard of a person on a bike who has not been able to be identified. Everyone has some form of ID on them and failure to present that or leave the scene of an accident is a crime, and breaking laws that already exist.
I understand what you are saying, but the low hanging fruit is not some dude peddling his treddley and causing mass damage to property and person across town.
EDIT: I currently pay six registrations across three cars, a boat and two trailers. So this isn't some salty rant about cost, for what it's worth. I also personally pay for bike insurance, for both injury and property.
Main one I can think of is lane splitting in traffic and them scratching the side of a car and peddling away.
I am sure that causes terrible injuries to the occupants.
Third party coverage. For any damage to another person’s property or injury caused to them
As for injuries, see my list of deaths caused by cyclists below to pedestrians.
As for injuries, see my list of deaths caused by cyclists below to pedestrians.
I hope those pedestrians had registration, if bike to pedestrian accidents is such an issue.
@henno: Out of counter arguments so your next move is to make jokes about pedestrians killed by cyclists. Stay classy.
@henno: cost to society for that versus other forms of road trauma and damage is negligible. Fix the main problems first before you get anywhere near the emotional rants about fringe issues. When we can stop drunk and drugged up lunatics weaving through traffic at 140 km/hr then we can start worrying about old mate bumping into your mirror at the lights.
@2ndeffort: I completely agree, which was the point of my comment there. You might have missed my obvious sarcasm but we are totally in agreement.
This isn't even necessarily useful in the case of at fault car accidents. When I was on a road scooter last year a car ran into my bike deliberately and did damage. I took photos and went to police who called her in and took her statement also. Proof was there that she deliberately damaged my property but her comprehensive insurance provider wouldn't proceed because she refused to provide them with the police report.
Yeah rego and licences have totally stopped car accidents. Noone drives unlicenced and unregistered and uninsured.
Hint: there are far more unregistered/unlicenced (and therefore uninsured) drivers out there every day, than there are cases of bicycles causing death/injury/damage in 10 years.
I can understand your frustrations with cyclists, but if you ever get in an accident with a cyclist whilst in a car, please keep in mind that a car is over 10x the weight of a cyclist. More often than not the cyclist will be severely injured whilst your car will have a scratch/dent.
No damage to a car is worth the life of a human being.
Difficult to implement and police but I agree with the sentiment.
I buy bike insurance each year just for this reason. I suspect I'm in a minority though
Not all bicycle insurance has liability insurance included. FYI
Agreed. I make sure that I’m covered for any personal injury I may cause to pedestrians or other cyclists.
Most important cover money can buy
@Fish and Grits: Thanks. Had no idea. Also looks like it covers liability for surfing, windsurfing, kayaking accidents.
Sure, and why not pedestrians too while we're at it.
I had a pedestrian abuse me recently on a bike path, exclaiming "How can I identify you without a registration plate!"
"The same way I identify you. Where is your registration plate?"
pedestrians shouldn't be on the bike path anyway. shared paths, however..
@tdw: Correct. He stepped onto the bike path without looking and I had to hit the skids. Everything was fine, but he went into rant mode
@henno: glad you were okay.
i absolutely hate people who don't look where they're going. even while browsing at the shops where something on the shelf has caught their eye but they're still pushing their trolley at full speed right into you.
@tdw: My favourite is when I ride during the day with my lights flashing = people complaining about flashing.
So I ride without lights…= people complaining about no lights
Pretty happy to just smash into people at full speed now and see which person physics chooses to survive
@Telios: i rang my bell to pass a senior pedestrian on a reasonably wide path. didn't seem like she heard the bell but i had to pass really slowly anyway because of debris. i said "hello" when i was right next to her and she responded with a cantankerous, mumbling whinge about being startled, sharing the path etc. ok, i'll just fire up my airzound next time
It's such a braindead argument. Even if you happened to be some kind of bike traitor who is in furious agreement that bikes should have rego, it's not like you make the laws (unless you are the Minister for Transport in your state).
Sure, and why not pedestrians too while we're at it.
Pedestrians generally aren't doing high speeds. Pedestrians also aren't made of metal that can damage others property.
Pedestrians generally aren't doing high speeds. Pedestrians also aren't made of metal that can damage others property.
You are presenting this argument ex nihilo. Pedestrians can (and do) cause willful damage to vehicles. With metal sometimes, too. How often? Rarely. Rarely enough for it not to be worth worrying about? Yep. The same goes for bikes.
If I ride a carbon bike, does that mean I am excempt?
Rarely. Yep. The same goes for bikes.
Deaths caused by cyclists in Australia from a quick Google
2017 X 2
2011
2013
2006
https://www.victoriawalks.org.au/news/1604
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-07-06/elderly-pedestrian-ki…
https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/cyclist-ridin…
Show me any cases of two Australian pedestrians walking into each other resulting in either' death?
@PainToad: Pedestrians take part in home invasions, break into cars, rob people, deal drugs, graffiti, the list goes on.
Almost every bike has this through contents insurance.
I wouldn't spare these guys any pennies. I am with Bicycle NSW as I am in NSW and they have a family membership (covers your kids accidental 3rd party damage)
This mob is Bicycling Victoria, dressed to sound like a "national" mob - they are a for profit mob, and do not disclose/not accountable for how they spend the money you give them.
They have their own agenda, their policies don't necessarily gel with the other cycling groups or anyone else.
IIRC they threatened an online blogger because he had a bike chain link logo (different shape and colour).
They used to give free socks to join up.
so i forgot to cancel my membership and went into my account to do so. nope, can't do that online, have to call or email them. cbf right now so i just put in the details of a prepaid mastercard with a few cents balance.
I was just trying to get my head around their "bike cashback" system, it seems a bit complex.. It seems you earn cash when you buy giftcards or shop at certain stores, similar to Cashrewards or such, but you can only spend the cash on Bike Network products, use it to pay next years membership or to pay for their organized rides…
The cashback on gift cards appear very similar to the discount you get from Cashrewards, auto-clubs, TGG, and such, but you cant actually get the cashback as real cash or real discounts…
Fine by me, I've been a member for some years. I ride multiple BN-organised events (eg Orange Challenge) with free beer, free jerseys each year, plus insurance etc… worth it to me.
The sailing gold just put it to 47% or $69/year.
Thanks Damion. I just extended our membership. Saved $77 with a 47% discount automatically applied.
Why doesn't the Bicycle Network support the 1-metre rule? … that bike riders keep 1 metre away from pedestrians when off-road on pathways to prevent accidents and injury ??? If it's good enough for bike riders wanting legal protection why not for innocent pedestrians ???
Should be mandatory for every bike.