Not everyone relishes going out on bikes in the kind of weather we've had recently. They may have had more turn up in the summer months. Or perhaps most cyclists just couldn't be bothered to go and make such a point?

As a part-time cyclist myself (mainly using canals and country paths), I would not object to paying some road tax and insurance to cover my use of the roads. Cyclists do cause, and are involved in road accidents that result in damage and injury. They get the benefit of the roads which are paid for largely by someone else.

I wonder if that would be too stinging to those people who advocate that motorists should pay more to accommodate bicycles, trams and buses?

PW, your suggestion that cyclists should pay road tax and insurance may, at first, sound reasonable, but under scrutiny, it doesn't stand up.

Firstly, mosts road are funded by local authorities, so cyclists will already be contributing to the cost of roads. Vehicle excise duty is collected by central government and the only roads funded directly by central government are major A roads and motorways, most of which cyclists cannot use. If your view is that roads should be paid for on a road space pricing basis, the much smaller size of a bicycle would make charging anything other than a nominal tax unjustifiable. If your view is that roads should be priced according to the amount of upkeep needed, then the minimal weight of a bicycle would also make any significant form of tax unjustifiable.

As for insurance, the reason that motorists are required to hold insurance is because a car has the potential to easily cause serious injury or death to third parties. A bicycle does not present anything like the same risk. The idea of compulsory insurance for cyclists is about as reasonable as compulsory insurance for pedestrians.

Some people bleat on about damage caused to cars by irresponsible cyclists, but anybody with any measure of intelligence would be aware that, just because a cyclist isn't required to hold insurance, doesn't mean that they cannot be held legally responsible for any damage they cause.

Hardy har har - what a failure! No-one cares!

Black Flag, for a start, cyclists do veer into the road for whatever reason, causing other vehicles to take evasive action. Can't that cause an accident? Don't people die or become seriously injured through such occurences? While their lack of insurance doesn't make them non-liable, they mainly don't have the wherewithall to pay for the resulting damage. I have also been knocked over by a cyclist, and you know it hurts! You can be seriously injured.

As for tax, they use the roads that motorists/hgv's buses etc have to use, so why get it for free? Also, there are some people advocating that road-users now also pay for buses and trams that they don't use. So, while we're at it, let's end the free ride for cyclists, and make them pay their way.

PW: "cyclists do veer into the road for whatever reason, causing other vehicles to take evasive action." A minority of cyclists may do, as a minority of motorists do. The crucial difference is that a cyclist is primarily endangering him or her self.

"Don't people die or become seriously injured through such occurences?" I'm not aware of any significant number of accidents where anybody other than the cyclist is seriously injured. If you post links to the incidents you are referring to, I will comment on them.

"I have also been knocked over by a cyclist, and you know it hurts!" But you are still alive and well to tell the tale. That is the crucial difference between a bike and a car.

"As for tax, they use the roads that motorists/hgv's buses etc have to use, so why get it for free?" Cyclists don't get the roads for free, as I explained earlier.

"Also, there are some people advocating that road-users now also pay for buses and trams that they don't use." I haven't advocated that, so that is irrelevant to the points I made.

"So, while we're at it, let's end the free ride for cyclists, and make them pay their way." They already do, as I explained earlier.

As a motorist I cannot see why other motorists are so anti-cycling. Don't they realise that the more people who cycle or use public transport the less clogged the roads will become.

I say treat cyclists well, and let buses out too and more people will use them.

The poor behaviour of some cyclists doesn't help their cause but I see far more bad driving each day from fellow motorists.

why have our council (on our behalf) spent so much on pro-bike paraphenalia for so few 'enthusiasts? Yet another big-mouthed minority with not a lot of real following

Hey Graeme, when did grown your hair?

It is worth noting that under the current tax rates, cyclists are effectively paying road tax at the same rate as motorists.