There have been calls for a change in the law that will affect cyclists who use the roads.
Tom Dervin, from Manchester, has reportedly written to the Police and Crime Commissioner of Greater Manchester, Tony Lloyd, asking for cyclists to have their own insurance policy if they want to use the roads.
This demand was sparked off by an accident his wife was involved in, when a cyclist knocked her over while she was walking in Manchester City Centre and left her unconscious in the road, pedalling away while bystanders called an ambulance.
She had to undergo surgery to fix a broken elbow, leaving her with a metal implant.
Mr Dervin told the Manchester Evening News that, “It’s disgusting. The cyclist picked himself up, saw the damage inflicted, leaped on his bike and rode off. No consideration, no morality and no way of tracing him.
“He should have waited, made sure she was okay and called the emergency services… There seems to be no proper laws in place which require him to do that.”
People are divided on the way cyclists use the roads. On the one hand, it is great for incorporating exercise into everyday life and is better for the environment, but there are many complaints about cyclists putting themselves and others in danger and not protecting themselves with helmets.
Forcing cyclists to have insurance in order to use the road will give them more responsibility and accountability when riding through the streets.
On the other hand though, it is argued that cycle insurance would be highly impractical, would put people off cycling altogether, and there would be no way to insure children, who would then be unable to ride their bikes.