#bloodycyclists

“I knocked a cyclist off his bike. I have right of way, he doesn’t even pay road tax. #bloodycyclists”

If you only read one thing on the internet today, I urge you to read this entry on the site I PAY ROAD TAX.COM. The site aims to spread the message that road tax was abolished in 1937, nowadays you pay vehicle excise duty - the actual road use isn't taxed. Vehicle excise duty is based on how much CO2 is emitted, so all that complaining from motorists that cyclist should pay 'road tax' if they want to use the roads is nothing but pure BS. Cyclists, horseriders and pedestrians have just as much right to use the road as any motorised vehicle and it's about time that drivers accept that.

It angers me a that my life should be put in danger by misinformed and dangerous motorists just because I chose to commute via a very environmental friendly and healthy way. It angers me that you hear parents say they don't want their kids to cycle to school as it's not safe. But most of all it saddens me. It saddens me to think that people don't have enough consideration for a fellow human being to stop and think that that cyclist is someone's child/spouse/friend/etc, and not just a 'bloody cyclist'.

Today I tweeted to say I was a proud #bloodycyclist, after excellent bikeblogger Danny Williams started a campaing to reclaim the hastag #bloodycyclists, the very hastag that the tweeter/sorry excuse for a human being used when she was bragging about knocking a cyclist from his bike. If I'd been angry and sad before I felt very happy and hopeful reading the tweets from all us #bloodycyclists! A little while ago I gave my old bike to my friend Zoe and last Sunday she texted me to say she'd cycled to her parents and that it is 'a beautiful way to go about town'. I'm proud to say that I have introduced another #bloodycyclist to the joys of cycling!