A contentious issue no doubt, but now very topical because Lord Winston
has been assaulted by a cyclist and is now campaigning for all cycles to
display a registration plate so that the owners can more easily be traced.

Not an unreasonable suggestion, surely?

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/n...tack-w7nbm2cfv

The IVF pioneer Lord Winston has called for cyclists to be forced to
wear licence plates after he was attacked by a woman he had challenged
for riding on the pavement.

Lord Winston, 78, said that the woman repeatedly kicked him after he
remonstrated with her for speeding past as he walked through Bloomsbury,
central London, on Wednesday.

“I went up to her and told her very politely that it was against the law
to cycle on the pavement and it was dangerous,” he said.

“I thought she would apologise and walk off but she became very
aggressive and was swearing. She snatched the telephone out of my hand
and then threw it into the road. She then kicked me repeatedly.”

He said that the attack by the “clearly well-educated” cyclist in her
late thirties or early forties had left him sore and shocked. “There is
no point going to the police because it will be impossible to identify
the cyclist,” he said.

The Labour peer used to cycle to work at Imperial College London and the
House of Lords until he had two bicycles stolen and he now uses public
transport. In a letter to The Times he wrote: “Most cyclists are
responsible and conscientious but regrettably an increasing minority are
very aggressive and break the law with impunity.”

He said that he had been overwhelmed by support from fellow peers and is
considering introducing a private member’s bill to force cyclists to
have licence plates. Requiring cyclists to take out third-party
insurance should also be considered, he said.