How to pee Off an Arrogant Pedalcyclist 4368

Brent P

Here is a simple way to resolve this:

Add up all the taxes and fees paid by people and business as a result of owning and operating motor vehicles - this would include fuel taxes, registration fees, property taxes on cars, sales taxes on cars, sales taxes on car parts, excise taxes on tires, road tolls, ferry fees, parking fees, fines for motor vehicle violations, inspection fees, license fees for business that sell car parts and cars (apportioned fairly), etc.

Now from this sum subtract out all the money the government spends on roads, streets, parking facilities, enforcing motor vehicle laws (but not general laws), administering vehicle registrations and other motor vehicle laws, etc., etc. Be sure to weed out all the money hidden in department of transportation budgets that are not actually motor vehicle related (landscaping, sidewalks, mbutt transit, bike paths, tourist welcome centers, etc. and be sure to apportion administrative costs fairly).

I am certain if you do this fairly, there will be money left over from the fees and taxes collected that are directly related to motor vehicles.

Now do the same for bikes.....

If you are honest, I think you'll agree that bikes are a net drain on government resources. Maybe a small one. And I suppose you can argue that a strict ledger balance is not including environmental harm and health problems buttociated with motor vehicles. I am not opposed to increasing the fuel taxes to "charge" people for these "costs." However, I still say there is no way bike riders are "paying" for the roads in the same way that motor vehicle operators are paying for the roads. However, at least in my state, bike riders by law have the right to use public roads (except Interstates), so the argument about whether or not they are paying for the right is pointless.

I did see one funny thing in looking through motor vehicle laws as they apply to bicycles in North Carolina. All bicycles that are operated on public roads are required to have a front light - "Every bicycle shall be equipped with a lighted lamp on the front thereof, visible under normal atmospheric conditions from a distance of at least 300 feet in front of such bicycle, and shall also be equipped with a reflex mirror or lamp on the rear, exhibiting a red light visible under like conditions from a distance of at least 200 feet to the rear of such bicycle, when used at night." I hardly ever see a bicycle that meets this requirement. And I have never seen the police pull over a bike rider for violating this law. But then they never seem to ticket them for running red lights, gutter riding or any of the other illegal and obnoxious behaviors that arrogant pedal cyclist routinely engage in.

Regards,

Ed White