Cycling Myths

It is a legal requirement to...
Have a bell fitted
Not in the UK (except Nothern Ireland, apparently)


Have working, certified lights fitted
This one is true, but only after dark. The legality of LED or flashing lights in particular is something of a grey area, and as such they are best used in conjunction with steady incandescent bulbs.

Give way to motor vehicles OR Keep tight against the kerb when cycling on the road
No, although they might like to make you think that. The Highway Code requests, however, that you not disrupt faster-moving traffic unnecessarily, but the general rule on this one is "safety first".

Use cycle lanes or paths where provided
Untrue - cyclists have a legal right to use whichever part of the road they wish. The term "mandatory cycle lane" only means that motorists aren't allowed in, not that cyclists aren't allowed out.

Cycle on the pavement
No idea where this one came from - it's actually illegal to cycle on the pavement unless specifically indicated otherwise.

It is safer to...Cycle on the pavement
The pavement tends to be full of pedestrians. Pedestrians can move fairly randomly in any direction, and as such can be very hard to avoid. Cycling on the pavement also requires you to cross far more junctions - and this is where most accidents tend to happen.

Cycle close to the kerb
If motorists see you squeezing into the kerb, they tend to join in by squeezing past you - and they don't always slow down to do this, or judge correctly. Conversely, and perhaps non-intuitively, I've found that motorists tend to give you as much clearance when passing you as you give the kerb - so if you want to be passed at 3 feet, stay 3 feet from the edge. However, this observed rule tails off somewhat after about 4-5 feet.

Forget it all and stay home in an armchair
Cycling will generally increase your fitness and health. A sedentary lifestyle has many health risks. As such, cycling is one of the very few supposedly "dangerous" activities that actually increases your expected lifespan.

Cyclists don't...Pay for the roads
Roads are paid for by the Treasury, and cyclists, like anyone else, all pay tax. In fact, the VAT on most bikes alone will more than pay for the damage done to the road during that bike's lifetime.

Pay Road Tax
There's no such thing as "Road Tax". This is an inaccurate colloquial term for "Vehicle Excise Duty" - which is paid on a specific piece of heavy machinery to licence it to be used on the public highway.

Have a right to use the road, as they don't pay VED
Generally, anything that you have to pay for isn't a right, but something done under licence. Cyclists, pedestrians, and horse riders all have a basic legal right to use the road (excluding motorways). Motorists are permitted to use these roads under specific restrictions so long as both they and their vehicles are appropriately licensed.

Have to keep their vehicles in working order
There are more restrictions on cycles than are commonly realised. They must, for example, have two independent and working braking systems, a certain range of reflectors, and lights after dark. It is a measure of the elegant simplicity of the bike compared to the car, that these checks can be done at the roadside without requiring a complex MOT.

Pay Fuel Tax
Yes we do, there's VAT on Mars bars too, you know.

Pay Fossil Fuel Tax
Well no, that's because we don't use fossil fuels. Non-smokers don't pay cigarette tax either, but no-one seems to think this odd.

When using cycle "facilities"...Bikes can negotiate curves of any radius
While bikes can generally negotiate any tight curve that a car can at a higher speed, this capability is not infinite. In particualar, bikes can't turn at right angles without effectively stopping, and tandems or bikes with trailers need extra room. Appropriate design radii are set out in the relevant design guides.

Cyclists are happy to get on and off their bikes at frequent intervals
Once moving, a cyclist's greatest asset is their momentum, and they are loath to give this up without good reason. Having to stop and dismount is much like expecting a motorist to get out and push.

It has been calculated that an average stop-and-dismount equates to adding an extra 100 yards to a cyclist's journey.

Cyclists always value segregation from motorists more than speed and convenience
Saying "cyclists always" is something of a non-starter; the versatility of the bike is such that there is a wide range of types of cyclist. While there are undoubtedly some who prefer to stay away from the perceived danger of the motor vehicle, there are many who would far prefer to use their right to the road to get to their destination quickly and conveiently.

Bikes can get through any gap that a person can
Not often true, and even less so when trikes, child trailers, or tandems are considered.

MiscCyclists aren't legally required to pass a test or be insured
Once more, true. Driving is, of course, a highly complex task involving control of heavy machinery with a high capacity to damage, injure, or kill. Cycling is a far simpler task - after all, a child can do it - which exposes other road users to levels of risk in the same range as that of a pedestrian or horse rider. As such it is hardly suprising that one is far more tightly controlled than the other.

That said, it should of course be noted that many cyclists have taken some form of training and/or insurance - many cyclists will have passed the driving test, taken voluntary advanced training, and/or have insurance through their membership of cycling campaigns or clubs.

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