Bicycle license plates

[The Bloody Snowman]

Brilliant idea!

Now, which of your relatives is making the plates?

This sounds like another Daley money grabbing scheme.

What's next? Licenses for tricycles and big wheels? How about strollers and wheelchairs? And don't forget walkers and canes!

[TC ORourke]

About an hour ago, I witnessed a 14' rental truck eastbound on Jackson truck make a left turn from the center lane onto Dearborn, a cold red light, cutting off pedestrians. I see similar violations every day.
We as a society basically accept this behavior as a necessary evil, wrongly IMHO.
For example, instead of focusing on incredibly reckless and dangerous behaviors like this, we instead post TMA agents at this intersection to facilitate motor-traffic movements by restricting pedestrians. This use of resources reflects what is truly important to us as a culture. It isn't safety, it is unhindered traffic movement.
There are plenty of obnoxious cyclists out there and no justification for their behavior. But to focus on this vs. the vastly more dangerous behavior of *typical* motoring is terribly nearsighted.
Try reporting the license plate of a reckless DRIVER sometime and you will see the value of this idea.

[BikeMan]

I don't think so!! Sounds like a money grab, further reaching into the pockets of those already cutting back.

[DallasTXCommie]

I'm a bike commuter for 6 years and would be game only if every last cent collected went to providing bike paths and lanes. Otherwise my license plate would read. 3M 3TIB. Don't get it, read it in your rearview mirror.

[Misplaced Texan]

Wow - the things people come up with to make sure government has their hands in our pockets never cease to amaze me.

[Misplaced Texan]

The Bloody Snowman wrote:

Brilliant idea!
Now, which of your relatives is making the plates?
This sounds like another Daley money grabbing scheme.
What's next? Licenses for tricycles and big wheels? How about strollers and wheelchairs? And don't forget walkers and canes!

All pedestrians will be required to purchase a walking permit from the City. The cost of the permit will be determined by the impact you have on the city's infrastructure (shoe size, weight, average distance you walk daily, etc.). Any pedestrian not displaying the permit prominently on a lanyard (available from Daley relatives everywhere) while walking on city streets is subject to a fine of $250 per incident. New cameras will be installed to record violators.

[Misplaced Texan]

BikeMan wrote:

I don't think so!! Sounds like a money grab, further reaching into the pockets of those already cutting back.

Lucky for you - you're in Fort Worth. God, I miss that place.

[Gary Fisher]

This is a stupid idea from some socialists left-wing nuts. There are enough taxes already. This only makes bicycling less affordable to people.

[yeah well]

No Retort wrote:

<quoted text>
If government doesn't have a right to regulate transportation {interstate commerce}, then why do we buy city stickers, license plates, gasoline taxes, etc, etc?

The point was that drivers' licenses can be revoked in cases such as drunk driving- which makes sense, right? If you drive impaired you could kill someone.
The alternatives for driving are- biking, public transit, walking. I think the point was that we have a right to move about freely in *non-motorized* ways.
A gun can be used to kill. A car can be used to kill. A bicycle? Not so much.
Plus ok, so we have bike licenses. Who wants to pay for a new bureaucracy to administer this program? There would need to be records kept, tests given, offices maintained, license plates made, citations processed. It would be awesome if the courts were clogged up with bicyclists who ran stop signs.

[atbman]

Ho hum. Please read http://www.toronto.ca/budget2005/pdf/wes_tran... for thorough demolition job on this repetition of an unrealistic proposal.

[Scofflaw Cyclist Myth]

The Myth of the Scofflaw Cyclist
http://washcycle.typepad.com/home/2008/07/the...
Cyclists are no worse than drivers.
Drivers you think it's just bikes? How many of you maintain the speed limit all the time, or roll stop through a stop sign or make an illegal right on red. Drivers drink and drive and kill thousands every year. Drivers double park, etc. Get over yourselves. You don't have any right to get somewhere quickly. If a cyclist is in front of you, be patient. Is your arriving at a location 30 seconds or 2 minutes later worth risking someone else's life.
Cyclists, like you, have families they want to come home to and hug and kiss. Your use of the road and the fact that you're faster shouldn't jeopardize that.
The fact that SOME cyclists break the law is completely irrelevant to their right to be on the road, just like the fact that drivers breaking the law isn't relevant to their right to be on the road as a group.
We pay taxes to fund the roads just like everyone else.