supcom

Licensing of cyclists is an extremely poor idea. Doing so would limit ones right to travel. Currently people have the right to transport themselves via foot or bicycle on nearly all public roads. A cyclist license would convert the right to travel by bicycle to a privilege which could be revoked for any number of reasons.

pedex

Boston makes messengers "register" which amounts to a license to operate basically, has to be displayed on the bike or messenger bag I think, im not from there and have never ridden for a living there, not sure about all the particulars of it, but it is essentially a license nonetheless.It cost $$ and must be displayed.

Im against it myself, dont see the point.Seems current enforcement of exisiting laws for auto's and their licensing should be fixed first IMHO.

webist

Not sure whether we are talking only about an operator's license or an actual registration (license plate) for bicycles. The issues, it seems would differ between the two.

womble

I'm marginally in favour of the idea. "Right to travel" arguements don't wash with me. It's more of a "privilige to use the road" that one should earn. If you're going to be controlling your own vehicle which is capable of moving at a high enough speed to seriously injure someone else, then it's a privilege, not a right. A simple multiple choice quiz should be enough.

If someone is too thick or too lazy to demonstrate a basic understanding of traffic patterns, then they can catch the bus and let someone else do the driving.

I-Like-To-Bike

My comments are directed at those who propose to license bicyclists, especially the proposals that some sort of education scheme (of the schemer's choice) be made a mandatory prerequisite for the issueing of said license.

Bicycle licensing is strictly a revenue gathering/petty bureaucratic annoyance of little value to anybody.

pedex

that would be my guess as well

bkrownd

Yay - more $$$ bureaucracy! Oh, and convenient excuse for cops to start harrassing cyclists and stop even fewer dangerous drivers than they already do! Brilliant! I've been stopped and *****ed at by the police on my bike when they didn't like how I was riding - under a licensed system they'd ALSO write me a $50 ticket and the system would raise my insurance rates. (Meanwhile some good-old-boy monster truck with knobby tires sticking a foot out from each fender would fly by at 10 MPH over the speed limit and said copper wouldn't even notice.)

genec

I have thought about this on and off and discussed it with others... I think that really what we need are more questions on the motorists tests and emphasis in the manuals regarding cyclists rights to use the road.

But also I think we need to introduce or reintroduce some basic training at the grade school level and middle school level.

Currently hundreds of thousands of dollars are spent on sports programs in schools and yet hardly anything is spent on bicycle safety and training... yet users of cycles are expected to "mingle" out on the roads with regular motor traffic as soon as they are old enough.

I think the license idea is bad based on "more darn red tape... "

I-Like-To-Bike

I agree with most of your comments except the attempt to create an either-or relationship between spending on sports programs and bicycle safety training. These are independent of each other and you will not acheive your goal by making the association. Nor will you win friends for bicycling advocacy.

Guest

I have a drivers license. I think people with cars should get a bicycle license, and if they can't pass the test, then they will not get their drivers licenses.

Koffee

genec

I don't want to create an either/or situation... I was simply contrasting what appears to be important here in the U.S.

Sports programs that only a select few can particapate in, or cycling which could be transportation for the masses.

Now granted, one is a revenue generator and the other is viewed as a toy by an auto-centric society.

I find it quite deplorable. Attitudes of drivers will not change until bicycles are seen as modes of transportation by an entire generation. That has to start at a young age. Until then, bikes are "toys" and "get on the sidewalk."

I-Like-To-Bike

You are certainly free to deplore the importance that others place in pursuits that do not appeal to you. But again, I recommend not mixing such unrelated concerns with bicyling/bicyclist advocacy; it is counterproductive. Other people are not going to consider to bicycling in a more favorable light because a few bicyclists express open disdain/contempt for sports programs.

cruentus

Every person in the USA, who is in a public place, is required to show ID when demanded by law enforcement. It doesn't matter if that person is walking, or riding a bicycle. The Supreme Court has already ruled that this requirement is not a violation of the Constitution. Since licensing scheme's are as much about establishing identity, as they are a demonstration of vehicle operation skills, I think that licensing of bike riders is a moot point.

On the other hand, I believe that the states will eventually get around to requiring bicycle registration -- bicycles being operating in public places will be required to display a tamper-proof registration tag.

It is only a matter of time before a terrorist discovers that he can pack an amazing amount of HE in the down tube of a mountain bike. Such an explosive laden bike, left chained to a sign post on busy urban street, will kill dozens of people. The exploding bicycle was a favorite trick of the Bader-Meinhof German Red Army Faction terrorist group back in the 1970's. In one case they managed to blow up an armored limousine, killing the occupants, with an exploding bicycle.

Rowan

So just edify us all on what *is* productive in your view, Stanley.

I-Like-To-Bike

I would think a pedestrian can pack plenty of explosives on his/her body; read today's newpaper headlines from the Middle East. Does that provide a credible reason to require tamper proof identification plates for pedestrians wearing clothes less form revealing than spandex? How 'bout licenses for shopping bags, brief cases, and gym bags; boomboxes too? All have been used for concealing explosives.

And how in heck would you make the licenses tamperproof or keep a suicidal bomber from "borrowing" a legit bike?

Better dream of another rationale for licensing bicyles

cruentus

Perhaps I didn't explain myself properly. It's not that I'm advocating bike registration, I believe that it is inevitable.

It's a lot easier for a terrorist to leave a wired bike in a crowed place unattended, then it is to find some rube willing to pack his BVD's full of Semtex.

I-Like-To-Bike

Exposing the dreamy ideologues' reckless and dangerous disregard for reality is unfortunately the only positive action I see possible on this forum. To be a little more specific I believe it positive to expose the elitism (and self-interest) of those advocates who wish to deny cycling freedom to those not ready or willing to partake of the educational sacraments of the (self) Chosen Cyclists.

Advocates who base their advocacy on openly scorning the interests of the general public would be more productive if they spent their time going for a ride, watching television, or naval gazing; anything but furnishing to the public poster boys/girls of counterculture head jobs.

Advocates whose advocacy amounts to promoting contempt for the great majority of cyclists uninterested in the advocates' concepts of cycling purity (AKA "incompetent cyclists" in these advocates' opinion) would do bicyclists a favor to save their mantra chanting for themselves.

I-Like-To-Bike

And how would "inevitable" bicycle registration deter or even hinder such a terrorist event from taking place?

cruentus

It probably wouldn't, just like gun registration schemes don't prevent crime. Bike registration would provide cops/politicians with something they can never get enough of: control.

I-Like-To-Bike

I haven't heard of any significant political support for mandatory bicycle registration as a crime prevention measure or any other reason, have you?

webist

We are too few right now to justify the bureaucracy necessary to implement a registration or licensing program. Should we be successful in our advocacy however and substantially increase the number of us on the road, you can bet governments will find a revenue source in us.

I-Like-To-Bike

Sorta like all the extra taxes I would have to pay if I won the lottery. I wouldn't mind that dark lining on a such a silver cloud.

fallstorm

Bicycle licensing? Give me a break. I agree with the sentiments of previous posters: let's make drivers of motor vehicles answer more questions about driver-cyclist interactions and actually enforce the laws we have now. Licensing cyclists will do little to make our commutes and rides safer. After all, if you get hit head-on by a speeding cyclist your injuries are likely to be minimal compared to getting hit head-on by a car/truck/SUV/suburban tank.

As for registration, my university requires all bike riders to register their bicycles before riding it anywhere on campus. It's actually a state law and bikes can be impounded for failure to register, but it's not enforced and I'd say less than 5% of cyclists on campus actually do register their bikes. Because of the location of the sticker, I hazard to guess it's an anti-theft measure rather than an enforcement issue, but the campus police could ticket/impound/warn riders of bikes that lock up in a manner which blocks pedestrians and the disabled from accessing campus.

skanking biker

Oh great, lets regulate something else!

CdCf

That sounds absurd!