Good morning, Here are some interesting considerations on bicycle registration and cyclist licensing that I received from a list that I'm on. I'm not espousing these opinions, just sharing the thoughts.
Nick
---------- Original Message ---------------------------------- From: Mighk Wilson mighkw@earthlink.net Date: Fri, 09 Nov 2007 23:57:00 -0500
Jerry wrote:
perhaps you want to explain the difference between bicycle
"license" and "registration" and why it seems so onerous to you? <<
Put simply, licensing is of the driver; registration is of the vehicle.
I don't have a real problem with bicycle registration, though I see little value in it. I see the purpose of registration as a way to keep track of something that's both very valuable and mobile (we don't register houses, but we do register mobile homes...), and in the case of motor vehicles, to ensure that the vehicle is kept in safe working order (though that seems to have been thrown out in many states). Registering a $500 bike makes no sense in that case. Assessments of bicycle registration I have seen show it barely covers the administrative costs; that it would cover even a tiny fraction of the costs of accommodating bicyclists sounds unlikely to me. It's also somewhat onerous because the primary reason for bicycle facilities is that motorists have overrun our streets and often refuse to share them. Also, bicyclists and pedestrians already pay more than their fair share through property and sales taxes (only about 60% of road building and maintenance come from gas taxes).
Bicyclist licensing is what I really abhor. First off it leads to an inevitable absurdity. At what age do you require someone to be licensed to use a bicycle? If the age is 12, are 11-year-olds not allowed to bike? And if they are, why is a less competent 11-year old bicyclist allowed to ride without a license while an experienced adult is not?
More important is the core reason for licensing: to have a mechanism for removing drivers who pose a serious threat to the safety and property of others. The purpose of licensing is NOT to educate, or even to ensure good behavior. The proof is in the numbers: licensed motorists kill over 40,000 and injure over 2 million people a year. How many people do Un-licensed cyclists kill and injure per year?
Licensing is not necessary for education, and considering how poorly some states educate their motorists, it's clear that the two have only a tenuous link. There are better ways to get bicyclists educated. For instance -- I'd like to see the driving age raised to 18 or higher, but if you want to get your license at 16 you can do so after passing comprehensive pedestrian, bicycling, and motoring tests on your own dime. That creates a market for bike-ed. (My ped and bike courses are not to _permit_ people to walk or bike, just to make them safer peds, cyclists AND motorists.)
A license is literally Permission from the State to do something. Why should I ask permission to do something that poses such a miniscule threat to others?
Until someone can demonstrate a real need for bicyclist licensing I will continue to oppose it.
Mighk Wilson
At 10:05 PM 11/9/2007, you wrote:
Mighk, As I recall it was you and I that had the greatest differences in the previous discussion, perhaps you want to explain the difference between bicycle "license" and "registration" and why it seems so onerous to you? While the Bicycle registration program WAS repealed it certainly was not for its damage to cycling in general but rather to a lackluster approach to its funding and application, all part of the "anti tax" stupidity that has pervaded our culture in recent times. Jerry Hiniker
From: Mighk Wilson mighkw@earthlink.net To: "jerry hiniker" velojerry@msn.com,noah@transalt.org, mark@iowabicyclecoalition.org,thunderhead@thunderheadalliance.org Subject: RE: [Thunderhead] Bicyclists Licensing Date: Fri, 09 Nov 2007 21:26:16 -0500
That sounded rather odd, so I did a quick search. It appears Minn. HAD mandatory bicycle _registration_; it was repealed in 2005. Bicycle registration is not bicyclist licensing. Unfortunately Minn. used the term "bicycle license" in some cases, when a closer look clearly indicated they meant "registration.
Mighk Wilson FBA
At 08:48 PM 11/9/2007, jerry hiniker wrote:
Oh Bull****. Minnesota has had a statewide licensing program for at least 20 years and we have more cyclists per capita than the rest of you. Personally I strongly favor such a program for a variety of reasons that I enumerated a couple of years ago but the advocacy community seems too self obsessed to take note, I'll leave it at that. Jerry Hiniker NBDA Superior North Outdoor Center Grand Marais, MN
From: "Noah Budnick" noah@transalt.org To: "Mark Wyatt" mark@iowabicyclecoalition.org,thunderhead@thunderheadalliance.org Subject: RE: [Thunderhead] Bicyclists Licensing Date: Fri, 9 Nov 2007 19:42:36 -0500
Ack!
Please see: http://www.transalt.org/press/askta/041116bikebill.html http://www.transalt.org/press/magazine/045%20Winter/09bikebill.html http://www.transalt.org/press/askta/041119.html
If you can get out in front and immediately make the case that licensing is a malicious attack on cycling that will discourage and decrease riding, then you can really rally cyclists around the cause.
Good luck, Mark!
Best, Noah
Transportation Alternatives 127 West 26th Street, Suite 1002, New York, NY 10001-4010 Phone (212) 629-8080, 5, 1 Fax (212) 629-8334 Email: noah@transalt.org . www.transalt.org
Our mission is to reclaim New York City's streets from the automobile, and to advocate for bicycling, walking and public transit as the best transportation alternatives.
-----Original Message----- From: thunderhead-bounces@thunderheadalliance.org [mailto:thunderhead-bounces@thunderheadalliance.org] On Behalf Of Mark Wyatt Sent: Wednesday, November 07, 2007 8:32 PM To: thunderhead@thunderheadalliance.org Subject: [Thunderhead] Bicyclists Licensing
Has anyone recently fought an attempt to license bicyclists or register bicycles on a statewide basis? I would like to look at the campaign if possible. Sounds like we might have a host of bad laws proposed this year.
Mark Wyatt Iowa Bicycle Coalition
On Nov 7, 2007 6:04 PM, thunderhead-request@thunderheadalliance.org wrote:
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Today's Topics:
- right hand right turn signal (John Williams)
- Share the road signs on state property (Jim Sayer)
- Re: Share the road signs on state property (dennis.strawn@msbcbs.com)
- Re: Share the road signs on state property (Alan Wachtel)
- Re: right hand right turn signal (Alan Wachtel)
- RE: Seminars for adults teaching kids' bike safety (Robin Stallings)
Message: 1 Date: Wed, 7 Nov 2007 12:08:18 -0700 From: John Williams john@montana.com Subject: [Thunderhead] right hand right turn signal To: thunderhead@thunderheadalliance.org Message-ID: <p06240814c357bd5f5926@[192.168.0.100]> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"
Anyone know how many states include "right hand extended" signal as a lawful right turn signal?
Thx/J
-- John Williams, editor NCBW Forum & CenterLines Montana Office/National Center for Bicycling & Walking
Message: 2 Date: Wed, 7 Nov 2007 11:12:33 -0800 From: "Jim Sayer" jsayer@adventurecycling.org Subject: [Thunderhead] Share the road signs on state property To: Thunderhead@thunderheadalliance.org Cc: John Weyhrich jweyhrich@adventurecycling.org Message-ID:
A4EA67E1A6506E4A9245B58C715AEC9082610D@danny060524-1.advcyclingnet.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
A local advocate, John Weyhrich, has done a great job of getting the city and county of Missoula to buy and place "Share the road" signs at key junctures. However, we have discovered that the state DOT (all
the
way up to our DOT director) refuses to do this on state rights of way
or
properties b/c of concerns about lliability. I don't recall seeing a list of other states that either prohibit or allow such signs on their ROW/property. Can you pls share your experience and copy to all so
John
can see?
Thanks,
Jim
Jim Sayer
Executive Director
Adventure Cycling Association
Inspiring people of all ages to travel by bicycle
800/755-2453 x201; 406/721-1776 x201
jsayer@adventurecycling.org