A group of cyclists breaking the speed limit have brought attention to the fact that speed limit laws do not apply to cyclists in the UK. Take a look for yourself:
The group were spotted by police officers, after a speedometer showed them travelling at 37-39 mph in a 30 zone.
In the clip that has gone viral on Twitter, you can see the bikers speeding down windy, country roads, and pedestrians are about.
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Although the police can't do much about the situation, they did have a few words for the cyclists and posted a statement online.
Devon and Cornwall Roads Policing Team said in their tweet, said: “Cyclists, please be mindful of your speeds and just how this will affect you in the event of a collision.
“This group today on Dartmoor observed travelling at near 40mph on a 30mph restricted road.
“All stopped and offered appropriate words of advice.”
But this incident has raised a debate about whether speeding laws should apply to cyclists, like every other moving entity on the road.
However, due to a bike not being a ‘vehicle’, under the highway code, a bike cannot be fined for speeding.
Despite that, there are some laws in the UK which apply to cyclists, because they can still be dangerous.
The Road and Traffic Act Section 28 1988, sets out that an offence has been committed by the rider if 'the way they ride falls far below what could be expected of a competent and careful cyclist'.
The video has attracted millions of views, and comments have been split about whether speed limits should apply to everyone.
One user said: “Stopping a bike like this in an emergency at 40mph downhill is nigh on impossible.
“A bike travelling like this can kill someone on impact.”
Another agreed, saying: “Breaking the law or not it is totally irresponsible to travel on any vehicle at 40 mph in a 30 mph limit.
“It’s 30 for a reason.”
However, some disagreed, stating that the weight of the bike had to be taken into consideration: “They weren’t breaking the law.
“The speed limit doesn’t apply to cyclists.
“That’s probably quite reasonable when a bicycle weighs maybe 10kg and an average car 1.5-2 tonnes.”
The Highway Code states for any vehicle, that: “They must not drive faster than the speed limit for the type of road and your type of vehicle.
"The speed limit is the absolute maximum - it doesn’t mean it’s safe to drive at this speed in all conditions.”
Mia Williams