Kate Hoey calls for bikes to be registered and cyclists to pay "road tax"

Oh my...where to begin?
I have already publicly stated that this woman is an embarrassment to the human race, so I wont bother repeating that.

I think there should be mandatory registration of bikes, but not to have a rego plate for easy identification, but for anti theft measures... im pretty sure I have harped on about that before, so no need to cover this again.

I actually wonder what planet this woman actually lives on, what will happen if mandatory insurance is forced on cyclist? the price will sky rocket, it will become un affordable, and just another market for the money grubbing insurance companies to abuse, have a look at the comparative price of car insurance in places where it is not mandatory. Im going back quite a few years ago now, but when I live in Aust, and before 3rd party insurance was compulsory in Victoria, you could get insured for less than $100, but in Queensland or maybe NSW (i think) the same type of insurance was compulsory and $400, apart from that, what about the kids, or the people that ride because they jsut cant afford any other type of transport

The "towards the end" part is just basic journalistic balancing that really needs to stop, this woman has written scathing comments about cyclist in a national newspaper and has clearly shown nothing but malice and hatred to cyclist.

This women is getting a 11% pay rise as well... I give up.

The worst thing for me is

"“If it means more people cycling, great, especially if it makes it easier for me on the road."

This women should be removed from her safe seat and placed in Richmond, North Yorks to stand next election.

There's no such tax as 'Road Tax', it's vehicle Excise Duty. And she's an MP...WTF!

OMG responding to this lady would be like shooting fish in a barrel. Trouble is, if you try and argue with an idiot they will always drag you down to their level. And then win because of their lifelong experience.

Hellfire. How do these people remain in office?!

Absolutely beyond stupidity.

She clearly knows nothing about riding a bike nor her constituents who do so. This woman is the embodiment of our failing democracy.

Well...the UK's anyway. Sigh!

Sigh: with morons like this in charge, is it any wonder the country is f**ked.
In my line of work, you need to be classed as 'competent' to perform your role. By that, it is meant that you are knowledgeable, experienced and understand the work you are doing. I doubt many MP's would pass this test if it was rolled out to them, Kate Hoey being a prime example of those who would fail.

So vehicle band would be a band A up to 100 g/km, and that costs £0.00

I do have insurance, and do believe for our own protection we should have insurance

But ye again an MP shows they have no idea about cycling

“At the moment if someone does knock down an old lady and ride off no one can trace that person.”

That applies to any pedestrian/pedestrian conflict too. Tell you what, why not chip everyone at birth or barcode their foreheads so they can be traced through CCTV or RFID enabled lampposts? When our politicians are prepared to talk about such levels of control of the minutiae of our live then we're sleepwalking into a police state. Grrrrr

"...Walker pointed out to Hoey that speeding or driving through red lights – as she herself did – was common among motorists, and that the potential consequences were much more serious than in the case of a bicycle.

She countered his argument, saying: “But that is a sort of cop out, isn' it? It's like me saying, I'm only driving this little old Mini, why can't just slip through a light as well if there's nothing coming?” ..."

Clearly she's completely stupid.

"Why should I pay a hundred and whatever pounds for my little Mini and they don't"

Wow. Those Minis really aren't very fuel efficient are they. I pay £20 a year for my relatively big car with a more sensible engine choice and likewise would be very happy to pay something proportional to emissions for each bike. Creating at least 50% more emissions for something barely 2/3 the size suggests this is more a statement vehicle.

“By the way I do know that VED is based on size etc of car but the principle is that surely everyone using the road should be licenced and insured.”

No. The principle is that everyone that is a significant threat to other road users should be licenced and insured.

I also have insurance and will gladly pay "road tax" as soon as I get a fair share of the road, and not nearly knocked off every morning by Highway Maintenance tipper trucks! Oh and the potholes repaired, i.e. the day after hell freezes over in this country

This level of stupidity should not be allowed in a position of influence.

Fundamental misunderstanding of the purpose of VED, how roads are financed and accident levels is on a par with the typical 6 fingered knuckle dragger.

Tool.

It does make you wonder where this will end; will owners of zero VED cars be somehow persecuted because they do not pay any duty? Hoey is beneath contempt on this issue.

Cos compulsory registration, licencing, and insurance really works so well for tackling illegal behavior from drivers doesn't it?

what's the crap about cyclists not tackling other cyclists about? When was the last time you saw people in cars tackle other drivers?

Utter utter nonsense from someone who should either know better, or at least know when to STFU

Sigh...
I'm ashamed to say she comes from Northern Ireland. Please don't send her back...
Also, this deluded eejit was once the Minister for Sport!!!
With that sort of forward thinking it's time she was retired.

I have cycling insurance. In fact three times via my Home contents policy, CTC and British Cycling.

However a large proportion of car drivers don't have insurance.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23482547

I already pay VED for my car and my bicycles all fall within the zero rated band.

Hoey is an idiot.

Any MP that says cyclists should pay 'Road Tax' shouldn't be an MP.

Next!

people like Peter walker should not humiliate themselves by talking to specimens like this person - unless it is simply to reveal them as the **********s they are.
I think we need to be more forceful on these issues as follows:

1. "Tax". It's not good enough to explain what VED is - we have to explain that the financial cost of motoring to the user is far too low , needs to increase - certainly with regard to the cost of cycling to the user. If you can't increase fuel - the cost of motoring has declined while everything else like housing, food etc. has gone up -t hen you can start paying cyclists.

2. Number plates. As one commenter has pointed out - that doesn't stop motorists from getting away with it.

Finally, a word to the segregationists - note how specimens like Hoey like segregation because they can get us out of what they think of as "their way".

What a moron.
how much Co2 does a bike produce? - close to 0 if you take the lifespan v manufacturer, shipping, repairs etc. based on the government arse of a vehicle license regs (not road tax you deranged bint) that would put a bike under 99 Co2 making it exempt.

It would be fairer to get rid of banding by Co2 (which is complete rubbish as its an artificial figure produced under controlled tests) and place the tax on petrol. the more you use, the more you pay, which for a cyclist is ..... 0 but at least we can clobber the people driving around in their silly 4x4's.

Just another MP out of touch with the real world.

I wish that one of the cycling bodies spent some serious money advertising the fact that there is no such thing as *ROAD TAX* that a tax disc is actually a VED disc and it is for emissions. They could then point that big 4x4 parked outside the school pay higher VED due to the fact they are poisoning the very children the parents bought the cars to protect? And equally point out that low emission cars, electric cars and cyclist don't pay VED because they are clean and not contributing to air pollution. Further more they could advertise the fact that money for road building and repair (as poor as it is) is collected from both local taxation and by general tax and that money from VED does not go into highway infrastructure directly.
Maybe if every motorist realised this, including the not so honourably Hoey then sharing the roads would be far less contentious ?

Actually, these comments are revealing of commonly held prejudices which are actually dangerous they are not just another MP out of touch with the real world.

I am just thinking about how to campaign on this.

Maybe write to the Labour Transport and Road Safety shadow Ministers asking them to set Hoey straight on (a) Tax - preferably showing how cost-benefit analyses show that the costs of motoring to society and the environment far outweigh the taxes that motorists pay compared to cyclists and (b) the importance of number plates.

Also, Hoey has been part of the Save Herne Hill campaign (cyclists are Ok if not on the road) and make it clear to the organisers of SHH that she is opposed to people on bikes the moment they get out of the Herne Hill grounds. they should cut off all contact with her.

This conversation with UKIP candidate Peter Burkinshaw could pretty much be cut and pasted in for Kate Hoey. Sadly.

Be my guest.

http://www.vulpine.cc/Blog/commuting/preaching-to-the-unconvertable

Quote:

“I would love to see cycling separated, because I think it would help everybody,” she explained. “If it means more people cycling, great, especially if it makes it easier for me on the road. You're never going to get it everywhere, but it's going to have to happen because there's so many more people cycling.”

Everyone ready to get into the bike ghetto? Make sure you're wearing your identifying marks of high-vis motley and special headgear too.

“If it means more people cycling, great, especially if it makes it easier for me on the road."

So its all about self interest. Thats really surprising coming from an MP!

Just a reminder what Brian Paddick said about Hoey: http://youtu.be/sqXyMjQduVg