Reply to: When is a motorcycle a bicycle and a motorcycle not a bicycle?

[original PM]

Yes, I use them & you really need your wits about you

You normally end up undertaking a load of stationary traffic. There are also lots of adjoining roads off to the left & what has happened several times now is that one of the cars in the queue that I'm undertaking lets a car through from the opposite stream of traffic who is wanting to turn right.

I never see any of this until right at the last moment when he's cutting across my path. Probably even more dangerous on a pushbike - at least my m/c has decent brakes.

Saw this happen in Liverpool luckily the motorbikist was okay

but from where I was sat it was really difficult to say who was at fault

Car was being let out and was checking for other vehicles - however motorbike was moving at approx. 25 miles per hour so almost as soon as the car had put their nose out to have a look the biker was on them and over the bonnet -- for me the motorcyclist should not have been doing 25 when rest of traffic was stationary - maybe 10 mph would have avoided the accident.

[DaveB]

Firstly, learn to spell before you have the unmitigated audacity to make disparaging remarks about my assertions.

Secondly, the taxation class of a motorcycle is a bicycle. If you dispute this, I've got an old tax disc from my Puch Maxi that clearly states this & I more than willing to upload a scan to Dropbox and provide a link here.

I can correct my spelling, you are always going to be a

[BrilloPad]

I am sure Les Dennis told that joke once. But I forgot the punchline.

[Gumbo Robot]

In Bristol, one may ride a motorbike in bus lanes. In Brighton one generally may not, with some exceptions, AFAIK it's permitted in two places only.

Yes, I use them & you really need your wits about you

You normally end up undertaking a load of stationary traffic. There are also lots of adjoining roads off to the left & what has happened several times now is that one of the cars in the queue that I'm undertaking lets a car through from the opposite stream of traffic who is wanting to turn right.

I never see any of this until right at the last moment when he's cutting across my path. Probably even more dangerous on a pushbike - at least my m/c has decent brakes.

[MrMarkyMark]

FTFY

A Puch Maxi is not a motorcycle it's a moped. Short for motor assisted pedal cycle, usually ridden by dodgy old men who like to hang around the school gates, with Phil Collins, blasting away, on the Walkman.

[MicrosoftBob]

When it's a fish ?

[Lightwave]

Firstly, learn to spell before you have the unmitigated audacity to make disparaging remarks about my assertions.

Secondly, the taxation class of a motorcycle is a bicycle. If you dispute this, I've got an old tax disc from my Puch Maxi that clearly states this & I more than willing to upload a scan to Dropbox and provide a link here.

A Puch Maxi is not a motorcycle it's a moped. Short for motor assisted pedal cycle....

[Lightwave]

That first sentance is Complete Bollocks.

DVLA don't define vehicle types, the Department for Transport do that.

A motocycle is defined as a "powered two wheel motor vehicle."

This is not the same as a Bicycle which is defined as "a two-wheeled vehicle that is propelled solely by the muscular energy of the person on that vehicle by means of pedals and has not been constructed or adapted for propulsion by mechanical power; "

DVLA require a you to be licensed to ride a motorcycle, you do not need a licence to ride a bicycle.

I don't know who defines it but my motorbikes always used to have 'bicycle' on the tax disc.
I think it's on the V5 too.
It's the taxation class, which is different from the license class etc etc.
AIUI, some battery-assisted pushbikes are legally pushbikes, but others are legally motorbikes?
And some people are getting in trouble for upping the speed limiters or wattage or something, so your assisted bicycle is no longer legal to ride on bridleways etc.

In Bristol, one may ride a motorbike in bus lanes. In Brighton one generally may not, with some exceptions, AFAIK it's permitted in two places only.

[vwdan]

Firstly, learn to spell before you have the unmitigated audacity to make disparaging remarks about my assertions.

Secondly, the taxation class of a motorcycle is a bicycle. If you dispute this, I've got an old tax disc from my Puch Maxi that clearly states this & I more than willing to upload a scan to Dropbox and provide a link here.

Yeah, but if you looked on V5, just above Taxation Class you would see "Body Type: Motorcycle" and then you get down to Fuel, Cylinder Capacity and so on which makes it all very clear that the vehicle is mechanically propelled.

Plus, there's already some obvious disparity in the fact that I have to pay to tax my "Bicycle" where as the pedal powered bunch don't.

[Troll]

This is not the same as a Bicycle which is defined as "a two-wheeled vehicle that is propelled solely by the muscular energy of the person on that vehicle by means of pedals and has not been constructed or adapted for propulsion by mechanical power and usually ridden by an utter knob with scant consideration for pedestrians or other road users ".

FTFY

[vwdan]

That first sentance is Complete Bollocks.

DVLA don't define vehicle types, the Department for Transport do that.

A motocycle is defined as a "powered two wheel motor vehicle."

This is not the same as a Bicycle which is defined as "a two-wheeled vehicle that is propelled solely by the muscular energy of the person on that vehicle by means of pedals and has not been constructed or adapted for propulsion by mechanical power; "

DVLA require a you to be licensed to ride a motorcycle, you do not need a licence to ride a bicycle.

When people say that (normally either tongue in cheek or cos they read you could avoid a fine) they're normally referring to the "Taxation Class" which does, indeed, state "Bicycle". But yes, all very silly because, as you state, it's all pretty well defined in law.

[Martin Scroatman]

That first sentance is Complete Bollocks.

DVLA don't define vehicle types, the Department for Transport do that.

A motocycle is defined as a "powered two wheel motor vehicle."

This is not the same as a Bicycle which is defined as "a two-wheeled vehicle that is propelled solely by the muscular energy of the person on that vehicle by means of pedals and has not been constructed or adapted for propulsion by mechanical power; "

DVLA require a you to be licensed to ride a motorcycle, you do not need a licence to ride a bicycle.

Firstly, learn to spell before you have the unmitigated audacity to make disparaging remarks about my assertions.

Secondly, the taxation class of a motorcycle is a bicycle. If you dispute this, I've got an old tax disc from my Puch Maxi that clearly states this & I more than willing to upload a scan to Dropbox and provide a link here.

[DaveB]

You see, a motorcycle is classed as a bicycle by DVLA.

Does this then give them the right to be in my bicycle lane on the way to work? These lanes are clearly marked as being for the use of bicycles only but it doesn't seem to stop motorcyclists from using them

That first sentance is Complete Bollocks.

DVLA don't define vehicle types, the Department for Transport do that.

A motocycle is defined as a "powered two wheel motor vehicle."

This is not the same as a Bicycle which is defined as "a two-wheeled vehicle that is propelled solely by the muscular energy of the person on that vehicle by means of pedals and has not been constructed or adapted for propulsion by mechanical power; "

DVLA require a you to be licensed to ride a motorcycle, you do not need a licence to ride a bicycle.

[vwdan]

It doesn't, no - there was a YouTube video where a motorcyclist deliberately went out to see if this would work, but it didn't!

That said, more and more cycle lanes are being opened up to motorcyclists anyway.

[MrMarkyMark]

You see, a motorcycle is classed as a bicycle by DVLA. Does this then give them the right to be in my bicycle lane on the way to work? These lanes are clearly marked as being for the use of bicycles only but it doesn't seem to stop motorcyclists from using them

Just get on the pavements like all the others.

Its so 90's to cycle on the road