Heh only just caught this thread (I generally avoid Speakers Corner
) but I thought I would throw my 2p in.
As someone who spent a few years commuting in central London on a motorbike I'm hated (and hate) by all sides! It does seem to be much worse in the City and where there are few Cyclists that are OK I see 100's of f**king idiots every single day who think they are above all forms of road rules... They bitch and moan about not having some rights but then never stop for a red light? They moan that cars are getting close so then do the same to predestrians (its one thing to cycle on the pavement in a town but central london you have to be joking).
Why do majority of cyclists I pass everyday believe they have the right to follow some rules but ignore others and then blame everyone else?! but on the flip side I completely understand that cycle lanes are dangerous due to the crap in the gutters, bus lanes are terrifying and both cars and motorbikes on the road will quite happily ignore their existance.
About the road tax for bikes issue... True they don't really use much ware but surely it costs money to supply them with cycle lanes? If they offered more of them, kept them managed and maintained (free of glass basically) would you be willing to pay a tax, there will be plenty of people who think its their given right with no reasoning
