Speed limits for bicycles
 

OK, I know this could potentially stir up a hornet's nest, but...

What I'm looking for is the law as it stands at the moment, rather than
what "should" be the case if only the laws didn't favour the scum of
the earth bikes/cars/lorries/buses/taxis/anything else (delete
according to personal preference).

So, to the question. Are cyclists *legally* obliged to stick to road
speed limits? (I know, in practice they are usually difficult to
exceed anyway).

The reason that I ask is that I was under the impression that push bike
riders are subject to ALL the laws of the road, but a correspondent
responding to my website
http://deaves47.users.btopenworld.com/bikes/highwaycode.htm suggests
that the speed limit laws apply only to motorised vehicles.

To me (a cyclist), it is common sense to stick to the prevailing
limits, but am interested to know what the law actually states.
Many thanks to all, and the compliments of the season.

PhilD

--

Speed limits for bicycles
 

"PhilD" wrote in message
oups.com...

Are cyclists *legally* obliged to stick to road speed limits?

Bicycles are neither legally obliged to have a speedometer nor obey speed
limits. There is however an offence of "cycling furiously".

--
John Rowland - Spamtrapped
Transport Plans for the London Area, updated 2001
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acro...69/tpftla.html
A man's vehicle is a symbol of his manhood.
That's why my vehicle's the Piccadilly Line -
It's the size of a county and it comes every two and a half minutes

Speed limits for bicycles
 

John Rowland wrote:
"PhilD" wrote in message
oups.com...

Are cyclists *legally* obliged to stick to road speed limits?

Bicycles are neither legally obliged to have a speedometer nor obey
speed
limits. There is however an offence of "cycling furiously".

Thanks John. Do you know of any source info to "prove" this? I don't
disbelieve you, but would be interested in exploring further.

I've come across the term "cycling furiously": it conjours up all sorts
of wonderful mental images!

PhilD

--

Speed limits for bicycles
 

John Rowland wrote:
"PhilD" wrote in message
oups.com...

Are cyclists *legally* obliged to stick to road speed limits?


Bicycles are neither legally obliged to have a speedometer nor obey speed
limits. There is however an offence of "cycling furiously".


There are certain exceptional circumstances where this is not the case,
the 20mph limit in Richmond Park, for example.

Speed limits for bicycles
 

"John Rowland" typed


"PhilD" wrote in message
oups.com...

Are cyclists *legally* obliged to stick to road speed limits?

Bicycles are neither legally obliged to have a speedometer nor obey speed
limits. There is however an offence of "cycling furiously".

There are, however, speed limits for bicycles in some Royal Park byelaws.
In particular, there's an enforceable speed limit in Richmond Park.

--
Helen D. Vecht:
Edgware.

Speed limits for bicycles
 

"John Rowland" wrote in message
...
"PhilD" wrote in message
oups.com...

Are cyclists *legally* obliged to stick to road speed limits?

Bicycles are neither legally obliged to have a speedometer nor obey speed
limits. There is however an offence of "cycling furiously".

This does beg the question of why they are exempt, but that was outside the
scope of the original question.

I think you really would have to be "cycling furiously" to break even a 30
mph limit. The fastest I've managed on the flat is about 22 mph and downhill
I chicken-out at about 30 mph - which feels like about 60 would do in a car!

Speed limits for bicycles
 

On Tue, 04 Jan 2005 13:47:10 +0000, chris harrison
wrote:

John Rowland wrote:
"PhilD" wrote in message
oups.com...

Are cyclists *legally* obliged to stick to road speed limits?


Bicycles are neither legally obliged to have a speedometer nor obey speed
limits. There is however an offence of "cycling furiously".


There are certain exceptional circumstances where this is not the case,
the 20mph limit in Richmond Park, for example.

Weren't cyclists being caught in a speedtrap set up on the prom at
some seaside town (Bournemouth?) as it had a new 20mph limit.

As has been said they weren't given fixed penalties but given
warnings....
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Speed limits for bicycles
 

Martin Underwood wrote:
I think you really would have to be "cycling furiously" to break even
a 30
mph limit. The fastest I've managed on the flat is about 22 mph and
downhill
I chicken-out at about 30 mph - which feels like about 60 would do in
a car!

Twice in my life I have reached 40 (just about). The first time I was
young and foolish and seeing how fast I could go down a quiet hill...
only it wasn't so quiet when a skip lorry pulled out and I hit it. The
second time was again on a steep hill (not the same one, much busier)
and my brakes stopped gripping properly. That was scary: roundabout at
the bottom! I was on a tandem with a child's tag-along trailer bike at
the back too. Needless to say, I have much improved brakes now.

The second time felt like about 90, and is NOT recommended!
PhilD

--

Speed limits for bicycles
 

"PhilD" wrote in message
oups.com...
OK, I know this could potentially stir up a hornet's nest, but...

What I'm looking for is the law as it stands at the moment, rather
than
what "should" be the case if only the laws didn't favour the scum
of
the earth bikes/cars/lorries/buses/taxis/anything else (delete
according to personal preference).

So, to the question. Are cyclists *legally* obliged to stick to
road
speed limits? (I know, in practice they are usually difficult to
exceed anyway).

Ralph Smyth, Coordinator of the City branch of the London Cycling
Campaign says that they do. he's a barrister.

There's an 8 mph speed limit for bikes on Hampstead Heath

I mest somedoy once who had received a speeding ticket for exceeding
the US 55 mph limit, going down some mountain in California. he was
most proud of it

My only claim to fame is that I have a licence from the state of New
Jersey to ride a bike on their freeways. It's good for life.

Jeremy Parker

Speed limits for bicycles
 

On 4 Jan 2005 03:24:53 -0800, "PhilD" wrote:

So, to the question. Are cyclists *legally* obliged to stick to road
speed limits? (I know, in practice they are usually difficult to
exceed anyway).

IANAL.

Speed limits apply to motor vehicles.

As others have pointed out, there is an offence (been around longer
than motor vehicles IIRC) of riding a bicycle furiously.

In modern times this appears to be applied objectively as breaking the
limit for motor vehicles.

So, the strict answer to your question is 'no', but in practice there
is....

A colleague of mine was stopped by a trainee policewoman for (in her
estimate) exceeding the speed limit in Whitehall. My colleague replied
that speed limits didn't apply to bicycles, which was true as
mentioned above. I won't quote her reply, but my colleague insisted he
was right. She then threatened him with being taken to the nick,
whereupon her experienced constable minder whispered loudly in her ear
"I wouldn't make a bigger fool of myself if I were you.....".