Bikes get number plates in Mayo

bob123456

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/cyclists-saddled-with-number-plates-2219654.html

UP to 1,000 bicycles are to be fitted with number plates. The scheme, which will be launched in Co Mayo today, is designed to increase awareness of road safety for cyclists.

Under law, only vehicles with combustion engines have to carry designated number plates.

But Noel Gibbons, road safety officer with Mayo County Council, said that the new scheme would bring cyclists into line with drivers of larger, more powerful road vehicles and was hoping it would give them a higher visibility.

...................

I feel safer already.

Bluefoam

I think its the wrong message to be sending to motorists, particularly during bike week. Allot of the message they are sending out is that cyclists need to look after their own safety, but aren't putting enough responsibility on the motorists

Poly

It will be NCT's next.

johnnyrotten

Bluefoam wrote: »

I think its the wrong message to be sending to motorists, particularly during bike week. Allot of the message they are sending out is that cyclists need to look after their own safety, but aren't putting enough responsibility on the motorists

Cyclists do need to look after their own safety, in particular with regards to observing traffic lights, stop signs etc. and also the use of mobile phones. Also there is a serious amount of 'drink cycling' too which needs to stop. I agree though that motorists need to more responsible around cyclists , particulary truck and bus drivers.

Cabaal

Pointless idea,
If anything it will only encourage motorists to continue the rant of "if your not paying road tax (motor tax) get off the road", putting license plates on a bike is pandering to this whole debate

johnnyrotten wrote: »

Cyclists do need to look after their own safety, in particular with regards to observing traffic lights, stop signs etc. and also the use of mobile phones. Also there is a serious amount of 'drink cycling' too which needs to stop. I agree though that motorists need to more responsible around cyclists , particulary truck and bus drivers.

Thats a very general statement about cyclists, its as pointless as me stating

Motorists do need to look after their own safety, in particular with regards to observing traffic lights, stop signs etc. and also the use of mobile phones. Also there is a serious amount of 'drink driving' too which needs to stop.

Day to day I see far more motorists breaking the law when it comes to how they act then cyclists, this applys when I cycle AND when I drive

danbohan

Poly wrote: »

It will be NCT's next.

hopefully , followed by hefty bike insurance and road tax , if your on the road pay for it !

'68 Fastback

That number plate would cover most peoples rear light!

CheGuedara

+1 on bluefoam and '68 Fastback's comments. It was probably well intended but I'm calling fail on the idea too

As for road tax.... I'm yet to find or hear of someone who pays that - danbohan help me out here where do you pay road tax? is it in the road tax office?

Morgan

danbohan wrote: »

hopefully , followed by hefty bike insurance and road tax , if your on the road pay for it !

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

'68 Fastback

Is it just held on with cable ties? Whats to stop anyone swapping plates? Plus the numbers are pretty small, surely drivers would have to be too close for comfort to read them. Total Fail.

Someone should put that jpeg of the monkey with his head in his hands up here!(I'm an I.T. retard so i'm not going to try!:o)

Morgan

'68 wrote:

Someone should put that jpeg of the monkey with his head in his hands up here!

Here you go...



Just read the linked article

"The number plates are made from a reflective material and will be hung under the bicycle saddle, increasing the chances of other road users seeing the cyclist. They can be customised or personalised to show the name of the cyclist, making them a great novelty gift for every child," Mr Gibbons added.

...pretty much sums it up.

niceonetom

At first I was like "Who is this Gibbons guy, and on what authority can he start compelling bike registration?" but then I read the link. I'm guessing these things are no more than novelty items with no legal status whatsoever and he's completely entitled to distribute them without any authority. An everyone else is entitled to casually bin them. Or use them. Whatever. Right?

Grand. Go mad, Noel. They're a bit more imaginative than doling out high-viz jackets...

Share the road. Hard to argue with that.

Mods: Can we have a "road tax" policy? Something like an automatic one-week ban for any drive-by one-off posters who drop by to drop such a hackneyed and ignorant clanger.

monument

'68 wrote:

That number plate would cover most peoples rear light!

Exactly, there should be a light there.

Doctor Bob

Morgan wrote: »

Just read the linked article

Quote:
"The number plates are made from a reflective material and will be hung under the bicycle saddle, increasing the chances of other road users seeing the cyclist. They can be customised or personalised to show the name of the cyclist, making them a great novelty gift for every child," Mr Gibbons added.

...pretty much sums it up.

Don't forget the RSA's ads last christmas which suggested that people would be delighted to receive a hi-viz jacket from Santy.

This whole idea is pants. But more worryingly, I suspect it's the thin end of the wedge. Anyone know any state agencies with their head offices in Mayo? :rolleyes:

Vélo

danbohan wrote: »

hopefully , followed by hefty bike insurance and road tax , if your on the road pay for it !

Will you pay road tax for walking on it?

Bluefoam

niceonetom wrote: »

I'm guessing these things are no more than novelty items with no legal status whatsoever and he's completely entitled to distribute them without any authority. An everyone else is entitled to casually bin them. Or use them. Whatever. Right?

The more important issue here is the message such a scheme sends to motorists. Bike week should be about promoting cycling as a legitimate use of the road - rather than re-enforcing stereotypes which are based on ignorance...

Bluefoam

Vélo wrote: »

Will you pay road tax for walking on it?

More to the point - Motorists should pay road tax!

As has been stated here on many many occasions. Road tax does not exist in this country!

Vélo

Bluefoam wrote: »

More to the point - Motorists should pay road tax!

As has been stated here on many many occasions. Road tax does not exist in this country!

I know that's why I had road tax in italic

AstraMonti

We need another euro rule here I think!

-K2-

Vélo wrote: »

Will you pay road tax for walking on it?

That's footpath tax and will require registration plates for pedestrians.

Vélo

ElectronEng wrote: »

That's footpath tax and will require registration plates for pedestrians.

There's plenty out there will need a "Wide Load" plate also;)

Bluefoam

Vélo wrote: »

There's plenty out there will need a "Wide Load" plate also;)

... and speaking of ignorant stereotypes

Vélo

Bluefoam wrote: »

... and speaking of ignorant stereotypes

ednwireland

not very aero. And on a bso

markpb

How is this scheme being operated? Is it voluntary registration, county county SI or has Mayo ceeded from Ireland?

monument

markpb wrote: »

How is this scheme being operated? Is it voluntary registration, county county SI or has Mayo ceeded from Ireland?

It's voluntary. There's no registration. It's just some strange thing a safety officer came up with.

petethedrummer

I think at birth every human should be given a helmet, a hi viz vest and a number plate to wear at all times.

CheGuedara

petethedrummer wrote: »

I think at birth every human should be given a helmet, a hi viz vest and a number plate to wear at all times.

The helmet and vest would be a fierce tight squeeze by the time the child gets cycling w/o stabilizers!

thebouldwhacker

danbohan wrote: »

hopefully , followed by hefty bike insurance and road tax , if your on the road pay for it !

In Ireland we don't pay road tax, thats in England and other countries which are not Ireland, we pay vehicle tax. Any fool who thinks the monies paid to the government through such taxes actually goes towards building/maintaining roads really needs to educate themselves on government social, public and budgetary policy .

Going on that argument pedestrians, horse riders, road bowers, wild animals and tourists should all be taxed when exercising there right to travel on right of ways.

"if your on the road pay for it"????? well if your gonna post think about it....

SubLuminal

Nah, these are silly, but I'll probably get one just for the novelty factor. I'm a sucker for stuff like that. Might make a good gift for friends overseas who are into cycling. A genuine "Irish bicycle licence plate". Sell them in TempleBar and charge €25 a pop. Cash money, ching ching. Where do I sign.

worded

Spotted a number plated bike at Dublin Airport. But that was for a laugh.

Now this Govt idea is a joke.

petethedrummer

CheGuedara wrote: »

The helmet and vest would be a fierce tight squeeze by the time the child gets cycling w/o stabilizers!

Dye everybody's skin luminous yellow. Metal plates in the head. Tattoo of number plate on forehead.

worded

petethedrummer wrote: »

Dye everybody's skin luminous yellow. Metal plates in the head. Tattoo of number plate on forehead.

and if it saves just one life it will be worth it................ la la la

Cabaal

niceonetom wrote: »

Mods: Can we have a "road tax" policy? Something like an automatic one-week ban for any drive-by one-off posters who drop by to drop such a hackneyed and ignorant clanger.

Not only does it show how idiotic the poster is by calling it road tax when its called called Motor Tax but its also just posted to get a reaction. It has no place in this forum imho

cdaly_

worded wrote: »

Spotted a number plated bike at Dublin Airport. But that was for a laugh.

Now this Govt idea is a joke.

Somebody cycles that back and forth between the M50 N3 and N4 exits to annoy the toll company...

SubLuminal

Not being funny but where do I actually sign up for one. I was serious about getting one as a novelty gift for a friend of mine. Its totally pointless but somehow "official" - like those places where you can buy an acre of land on the moon, or mars, or whatever.

tomasrojo

Counterproductive waste of time.

On the other hand, I wouldn't mind some scheme to encourage people to get their bike serviced at least once a year. Carrot-based rather than stick-based. Something nice when they do it. Perhaps a novelty licence plate.

BostonB

Mounting it sideways under the saddle could only be suggested by someone who has never cycled.

SubLuminal

The more people point out how stupid this idea is (although I totally agree), the more I want one, as it seems somehow even more full of ironic win...;):D

Junior

That lad in Mayo is a bit of a tool to be fair, I reckon he'd do anything gimmicky to promote Road Safety, regardless of the overall effect. As has been pointed out it only reinforces the point about tax/insurance/vrt etc that motorists pay and cyclists 'don't'