dougmc

Maybe. It depends on the specifics, how much they charge, how it's administered. If they charge a dollar or two per bike or less (what many here say would be fair), you're probably right. If they look at what they charge cars and motorcycles and extrapolate from that (i.e. charge bikes perhaps a half or two thirds what they charge a motorcycle) and use the existing system to collect it, probably not.

A "Mad Max level of death and mayhem" has never existed for cars in this country.

Now, I realize that this was just hyperbole, but many drivers do think that cyclists perpetuate "motorist levels of mayhem -- or more". Now, such beliefs do tend to be based on sensationalized news stories and false equivalences , but the beliefs are real and coupled with a "it's not fair", "they don't pay their fair share" and "I don't like them in front of me anyways" and it could get pushed through.

As for what the drivers are thinking of, they think of cyclists running red lights and stop signs (and conveniently forget that motorists do the same as well.)

"If a car runs a red light, I can call in the plate. What can I call in for a cyclists?" (Of course, this is based on a few incorrect premises right there -- 1) people don't call in drivers running red lights, 2) if they did call in a driver running a red light, the police would not do anything, even with the license plate, and 3) in general the police couldn't give tickets based on license plates anyways -- they cite people, not cars (or the owners of cars), and 4) even with clear video of the red light being run, capturing the plate and driver clearly, the police still wouldn't do anything in the majority of cases. Also, as for "sensationalized news stories", I'm thinking of reports of hooliganism in things like Critical Mass rides. Things that do happen, but are extremely rare. Like that recent "Hollywood Stuntz" mob of motorcyclists attacking the car.)