I don't know if any of you caught this on the news this morning:

[B]European laws are apparently being planned to make motorists responsible for all accidents involving cyclists - even when the rider is in the wrong.

The Observer says the measure will enrage drivers, whose premiums could increase by

 

Sounds like a ploy to reduce printing costs - just drop the section from the Highway Code that is aimed at cyclists, why stop there, there is a section for pedestrians too!

- Frisky

 

WTF!!!! How f*cking stupid is this!!??!!

I'm a keen cyclist and ride between about 15-30 miles a day and I think that I'm pretty responsible when I'm on the road. I just can't comprehend how these pratts in Europe can justify their actions of insisting that car drivers take full responsibility for ALL accidents involving bikes, even when its the bikes fault. As well as the obvious unjust of it all, you can just imagine the number of 'faked' accidents that 'fraudulant' cyclists will have every year to win insurance payouts.

How many bikes are checked regularly, serviced, have lights on, riders wearing high visability clothing etc - Very few!

Excuse my french, but this is complete bollocks!

 

Thanks James, that sums up my feelings quite succinctly

 

No worries Tif, I aim to please

 

Wish I'd thought of that phrase

 

Now if the cyclists was forced to have a licence and be covered by an insurance policy, in the same way as other road users must be.....also this could be extended to horse riders, skateboarders and kamikazi rollerskate pilots..........

 

I heard this on the radio too. I am so "up to here" with the lack of common sense that exists in all 'regulated' walks of life currently that it is beginning to be like water off a duck's back.

I thought life might be better in France but. last night, I was reading a book about living in France which informed me that French law dictates that all real property MUST be left to your children (in the event that you have no spouse) and that, the more complicated a Will was, the more the likliehood of it being declared void. Crazy. But then, of course, the French invented the EEC

Pete

 

According to Sky news, in the European countries where this system is already in use, compensation is paid out of a government run fund, not by individual motorists. Even so the flaws are laughable. Professional compensation seekers are probably out buying their bicycle clips already, practising how to flop onto a grass verge unhurt after nudging your car with their front wheel The ranks of the red light jumpers, wrong way up a one way street merchants and cycle along the pavement Charlies will grow rapidly, as the cyclist would never be at fault, tarring all the reponsible cyclists with the same brush.

In that light does anyone know what the legal situation currently is regarding a collision between a cyclist and a motorist where the cyclist is at fault e.g. where a cyclist comes shooting down the inside of a line of traffic as you're about to turn left, as nearly happened to me last week, good job I was wise to this manoeuvre and looked.

As they're not driving a car, may not be a car owner anyway, just what is the insurance situation

 

OMFG - is there no end to how much the government(s) hate motorists ? They need their heads examined.

While they're at it, why not make us responsible for floods, fires, cancer, disease and spontaneous combustion, too ? If any of these happen within 5 meters of a motorist, its his fault and he should pay.

Can't wait to emigrate ...