Are Bicyclists Free Riders?
Thread started by
Purp at 04.2.09 - 2:30 pm
An Oregon lawmaker thinks not, and has proposed a law
requiring cyclists to pay a $54 registration fee every two years. A Portland bike blog interviewed the lawmaker in question, who explained the proposal this way: “Bikes have used the roads in this state forever and have never contributed a penny. The only people that pay into the system are those people who buy motor vehicle licenses and registration fees.”
http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/02/are-bicyclists-free-riders/
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uhhh... good luck PDX at trying to make that work... (chuckles)
Joe Borfo04.2.09 - 2:34 pm
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Half price for mini bikes used only for Zoo Bombing?
mr rollers04.2.09 - 2:35 pm
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@richie - I WAS GONNA SAY THAT I WAS GONNA SAY THAT
SKIDMARCUS04.2.09 - 3:13 pm
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I wonder if they have that vehicle code that states that a bicycle is a bicycle if it has 20" wheels or bigger? I can see a foldie heaven happening in Portland if that's the case!
BTW, my 20" wheels on my foldie measure 19" in diameter. hahahahahaha, it's not a bike!
User104.2.09 - 3:16 pm
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I'm sorry Allan, you are not allowed to post on this thread.
YOU CANT BE HERE.
Joe Borfo04.2.09 - 3:25 pm
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Borfo, I'm disturbed that you have more pics of me, than I have of me!
User1
04.2.09 - 4:21 pm
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I say go for it, I mean based on Oregon's track record, they would seem to allocate the collected funds quite appropriately.
Unlike our state, that after six years, still isn't getting it's figurative shit together and drives itself further down the hole.
I'm still longing for the day when this state is split in two, Sacramento's been stretched too far.
bentstrider04.2.09 - 5:27 pm
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What did you do to the font color, Allan?
Good point Adam,
My initial reaction is that I don't like what PDX is doing. However, if it works out for them then fine. Every city is different. Just don't start asking me for money to ride my bike.
Joe Borfo
04.2.09 - 6:14 pm
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He's wrong. This is a common misunderstanding.
I believe that the majority of road (not highway) maintenance fees are paid through local taxes, so cyclists definitely contribute.
More importantly, cyclists use vehicles on these roads that weigh around 30 pounds or less. Motorists use vehicles that weigh upwards of 5000 pounds. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that cyclists cause an almost negligible amount of wear on surface streets compared to cars, and have been paying WAY more than their fair share of road maintenance fees.
I can dig up some relevant info once I leave work.
angle04.2.09 - 6:41 pm
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I wouldn't mind paying a registration fee so long as I got more bike lanes/paths...since, you know, that's what I'd be riding.
HappyLand04.2.09 - 6:49 pm
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I read in some blogs of a proposed tax on bikes in Oregon, but I think I was a tax on every individual bike
Gav04.2.09 - 6:51 pm
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If something like this happened (passed into law) it would give law enforcement a ("in") reason to pull you over and check you out.
sexy04.3.09 - 2:15 am
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