Bicycle licence - why not?

[osprey]

Something that has been obviously lurking in the back of my mind for ages has only just surfaced - why is it not compulsory for those riding bicycles on the road to have licences or insurance of some kind? They are just as likely to be involved in accidents as any other form of transport and yet are not liable, or are they?

[Ethel]

Cyclists are liable for damage they cause to third parties, whether that be personal injury or property damage.

Many cyclists do have third party insurance - sometimes included in their household insurance (honestly!), others with a separate insurance along with insurance against theft.

Pedestrians also cause accidents and damage - only today I had to swerve across the road when a young woman, hidden behind a lorry, pushed a pushchair right in front of me. If something had been coming the other way, I would probably have hit it. Thankfully I was doing around 20 mph.

Maybe the time has come for ALL of us to have third party insurance, to protect us from compensation claims.

[spaced]

I took a bike proficiency test at school in the 80's and passed so there!

[osprey]

spaced - well done, congratulations. Now if only everyone who rides a bicycle on the road was as qualified as you are then there wouldn't be as many problems. Unfortunately, this is not the case.