In most accidents in which bikers are involved in the UK they are usually the major victims. This is not because they are often the cause of the accidents, but because of their vulnerability. In July, one study that focused on this issue came to the conclusion that whereas bikers are careful road users, other motorists are not mindful of their presence.

The study also identified Bath as one the areas that bikers suffered one of the worst rate of accidents outside London last year.

The conclusion, drawn from the analysis of insurance claims data, was not and is still not in any way questionable, given that the issues raised are valid and the methodology applied is highly reliable. But what might, somehow, provoke some questions today is the growing menace of some bikers – especially teenagers. It will be unfair to collectively blame all bikers, since many have proven themselves quite responsible and law abiding. But a few, usually teenagers, have shown that they are anything but that.

Moped riders, however, have gained so much notoriety that several crashes and accidents are attributable to them. Many cases of nuisance biking or joy-riding are linked to them across the country. And the fallout of this is that new regulations have been proposed to keep them within the bounds of the law. The law will insist that every moped user have a valid licence, bike insurance cover and licence plates.

The current law allows moped riders who are 15 years and above to ride their bike freely, in some areas, as long as they have their helmets on, have with them an ID issued by the state and wear suitable eye protection.

But in some areas it has been a serious battle between nuisance bikers – those riding without insurance, licence or helmets and at the wrong places - and police officers trying to keep the law. In some recent examples it took warning from the police to this category of bikers that their bikes would be crushed if apprehended to reassure worried villagers that they would be left alone. In another case the police had to make an appeal to the public to assist in finding a gang of youth who were stealing bikes and running through streets causing chaos while riding on pavements.

Beyond the fun of joyriding

Just as using the police to tackle this problem is a step in the right direction, helping young people through education to understand how responsibly they should ride a bike is an area that needs exploring. While doing ‘wheelie’ as they also call joyriding could be fun, teenagers need to realise how much risk they are taking. Not long ago one teenager lost his life after crashing a stolen bike into a car.

They need to be reminded that it would cost them nothing not to cause nuisance to other people by noisily riding their bike. They also need to be told, clearly, the implications of taking someone’s bike without permission, which is theft, and the penalties for this behaviour.

Teenagers also need to know that it is their responsibility to avoid riding bikes in areas prohibited by the law and what the result of violating this rule would be.

For parents who buy such bikes for their children, it is their job to help them remain law abiding by riding their bike within their home and if they must go out they have with them all the necessary requirements, inclusive of bike insurance.