Cyclists Should Pay Registration!

LULZ - yes, tennis is a proper sport, climbing the Alps is apparently not...

 

Makedde, you are behaving... well -- I'm sorry, but you are behaving pretty dumb.

For whatever reason you think "the road" is only destined for cars...

You know how we call "a car" in Dutch, Mak? We call it an "auto" (short for "automobiel").

A road only destined for motorized traffic is, what in Europe at least has following names:

autosnelweg
autostrada
autoroute
autopista
autobahn

...

Get a grip on yourself... all of you anti-cyclists! It isn't the exclusive right of motorized traffic to use public roads.

 

That is a beautiful graph! I myself have been a significant contributor to that red line

 

Honestly, I think both sides of the argument are acting as childishly here as they do on the public thoroughfares.

Many car drivers act impatiently and aggressively - blocking and menacing cyclists, etc. - on the basis that they pay for the upkeep of the roads, and cyclists do not. They assume a right that does not exist in law, or in reason. Cyclists have an equal right at law to use the public thoroughfares.

On the other side of the coin, many cyclists (especially the lycra brigade) act selfishly and inconsiderately in hogging lanes, and riding several abreast. Many of these cyclists also don the mantle of virtue, simply because they are doing something they enjoy (which happens to be healthy), and do not give sufficient thought to how pursuing their hobby affects other road users.

Cycling as a means of transport is an excellent thing, (where the environment is suitable,) but as a sport, it is no more than that, and should not inconvenience others, any more than mountain climbing, or football is allowed to.

Surely it makes sense for both motorised traffic and bicycles to make allowance for the differing characteristics of each vehicle. Motorists must realise that a bicycle is a very slow contrivance, and that it is not possible for riders to (a) maintain even the same town speeds as cars, and (b) it is also not possible to be on bicycle ways or laned footpaths everywhere you ride. Cyclists must also be aware if and when they are unnecessarily impeding other traffic, and take what steps are available to avoid doing so. Just because you are doing something healthy does not give you the right to unthinkingly inconvenience others. A bit more consideration and common sense on both sides would not go astray.

 

Exactly. Some people are idiots and that will be no different whether they're sitting on a bike, in a car or at a keyboard. The "whole they're all bad and we're mostly good" back and forth achieves nothing (other than minor entertainment for the rest of us.

As for the topic, some form of registration and taxation for road-bikes isn't an entirely unreasonable as a concept, though practical implementation provides a number of difficulties which could make it more trouble than it's worth. That kind of decision requires calm, intelligent, informed and balanced consideration though and I've seen precious little evidence of that in this thread.

 

TGhe solution involves two stout posts and a length of 200lb monofilament fishing line tied securely to said posts, approximately 4' off the ground!