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People who buy hybrids get tax breaks, and can usually park for free in metered spaces. I was tring to think of the goverment could reward people for using there bikes for commuting and errands. I can't think of anything, anybody out there got any ideas?
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Reduced health insurance premiums since they are excercising more? or smaller copayments at the doctors office?
Free bike registration, free insurance, and carbon neutral fuel.
Reduced health insurance premiums since they are excercising more? or smaller copayments at the doctors office?
I agree with this. I think that people who are generally more active, and try to lead healthy lifestyles, so be given a break. I try not to think of it as hurting the sedentary, but rewarding the "fit". But the bottom line is that you gotta get out there with the education, and some constant reminders. tell veryone you know that you bike to work: The chick at safeway, the bank teller, the cop who pulls you over for not wearing a helmet:D ....anyways, good times.
I used to work for a company that paid bike commuters 1$ a day. If the govement is willing to send me a 100$ check to ease the gas burden I think they should come up with a scheme like that for riders
I would be happy if the companies got the incentives (tax breaks, etc) to provide bike-commuting friendly facilities such as bike lockers and showers. My current employer has them and it's real nice but I know not every building has them. They should make these rewards based on number of employees who commute.
As far as rewards direct to commuters, perhaps an incentive program like what Microsoft has that gives $300 to their employees towards the purchase of a bike that's used for commuting purposes. This could then be subsidised by government programs via tax breaks to the companies. It would also be nice if it was offerred much like insurance benefits akin to how vision plans currently work. Every few years, the employee would be allowed to purchase a new bike (up to a certain price) and have it paid for or reimbursed by the company.
Another thing I've seen some companies do is provide bikes directly. Some companies with large facilities such as office campuses provide simple single-speed bikes for their employees to use. HP does this. So does SeaTac airport. I don't think they can be taken off premises though.
Make bike parts, accessories, and maintenance tax-deductible. Think about it: many people have bikes, most of them gathering rust in a basement or garage. Only people who use bikes a lot buy panniers, or get work done at a bike shop, or actually buy new shifters etc.
um, http://todd.cleverchimp.com/blog/?p=115
That bill is awesome, if you added up all the ways that people commuting by bikes will save the goverment money, it would be a drop in the bucket compared to the savings brought on by bike commuters, better health=less on health care, less ware and tear on the roads. Less road maintainence bills.
People who buy hybrids get tax breaks, and can usually park for free in metered spaces.
Free parking? Really?
Hey tfahrner (or anybody), any more info on that bike commuter tax break bill? I'd like to contact my reps and ask them to support it, but I probably need a bill number or something, right? EDIT: Nevermind, I found it via the BTA blog (http://www.bta4bikes.org/btablog/2006/04/24/sen-wyden-introduces-bicycle-commuter-act/): S 2635.
Please don't advocate adding to the complexity and unfairness of our ridiculously complex and unfair tax system.
The only perk bike commuters need is proper facilities, respect and recognition.
I would be happy if the companies got the incentives (tax breaks, etc) to provide bike-commuting friendly facilities such as bike lockers and showers. My current employer has them and it's real nice but I know not every building has them. They should make these rewards based on number of employees who commute.
As far as rewards direct to commuters, perhaps an incentive program like what Microsoft has that gives $300 to their employees towards the purchase of a bike that's used for commuting purposes. This could then be subsidised by government programs via tax breaks to the companies. It would also be nice if it was offerred much like insurance benefits akin to how vision plans currently work. Every few years, the employee would be allowed to purchase a new bike (up to a certain price) and have it paid for or reimbursed by the company.
Those are GOOD ideas...
Please don't advocate adding to the complexity and unfairness of our ridiculously complex and unfair tax system.
The only perk bike commuters need is proper facilities, respect and recognition.
I think I'm in this guy's camp.
Arriving at work with a big smile is enough reward for me.
Paul
Seconded.
People don't avoid using bikes because they lack tax incentives. They avoid cycling because they perceive motorists as dangerous, and the infrastructure as inadequate.
FIX THOSE PROBLEMS.
Please don't advocate adding to the complexity and unfairness of our ridiculously complex and unfair tax system.
The only perk bike commuters need is proper facilities, respect and recognition.
yes safe streets and bike storage would get more people to ride, but I think the idea of a little extra green in the average joe's pocket would get a lot more people to ride and with all the money the goverment saves by people riding , I think it's only fair
One person's subsidy is another person's thievery.
Seconded.
People don't avoid using bikes because they lack tax incentives. They avoid cycling because they perceive motorists as dangerous, and the infrastructure as inadequate.
FIX THOSE PROBLEMS.
How do you fix the "too lazy to get off posterior" problem?
:p
i don't need a tax break to commute by bicycle -- and never have.
instead of giving us tax breaks, just re-allocate the money to better public-funded bicycle facilities, public transit, and intermodal transit solutions.
i'm more than willing to pay for that sort of thing.
How do you fix the "too lazy to get off posterior" problem?
:p
Make laziness socially unacceptable. That approach has worked better than any other with smoking and drunk driving. I think it would also work with changing sedentary lifestyles. The US government is already doing a lot of advertising along these lines.
Make laziness socially unacceptable. That approach has worked better than any other with smoking and drunk driving. I think it would also work with changing sedentary lifestyles. The US government is already doing a lot of advertising along these lines.
I agree with you that we need a paradigm shift in the population as a whole. At this point in Ontario smoking has pretty much become socially unacceptable, and (other than business owners) no one really objects to the smoking ban in all public spaces. We need to do the same for sedentary and unhealthy lifestyles. I think public awareness is growing, however, with media attention on how our health care system is stressed due to poor lifestyles. We need governments to be pro-active again in encouraging an active lifestyle.
I think public awareness is growing, however, with media attention on how our health care system is stressed due to poor lifestyles. We need governments to be pro-active again in encouraging an active lifestyle.
I think many of us are preaching to the choir. BTW, I myself am not car-free but I do try and be car-responsible. At previous points in my life, I have been car-free however.
At anyrate, for better or worse, our society is resistant to change. Sometimes a catalyst and a bit of lube is needed to entice people. For many, this is often one of monetary concern. Trumpeting health benefits is one thing but I think that historically and statistically speaking, you'll find that barring an immediate life-threatening danger (and sometimes that's not enough), the general populous as a whole will tend to retain a certain lifestyle unless there's a financial incentive to change. The health insurance companies and health care institutions around here have however done a good job of promoting exercise/fitness with blatant depictions of cycling in my area. OTOH, my area already has a large and growing proportion of the population who are cyclists so they may also be preaching to the choir.
Set up a program where if you bike to work (and your company signs off on the fact that you showed up on a bike X number of days) a certain number of days per month (average) for the year, you get $500 back on your taxes (or some amount). Giving the company's some of that incentive is a bad idea, however, as there would be a LOT of fraud in those cases. Whereas if a company doesn't benefit from you riding to work, they're more likely to be honest with it (which is the point here).
I would just be happy with an acceptable place to park my bike (I was already told im not allowed to bring it in the building and during the summer they have the grass sprinkers spraying the bikes all day long, makes me very angry). However, tax breaks and showers at work would be nice.
Free bikes, and free bike parts!
More free bikes!
I agree with everyone that riding to work is great, and it feels good, and I've done it for many years without any payments but I do think that if the goverment is crazy enogh to reward car drivers with hundred dollars checks than they should also be giving money to people who are not guzzzling fossil fuel to get to and from work, I agree with Khuon, a little incentive goes a long way, the easier you make it to change, the more people will change.
How about the ability to right off a pecentage of our food. It is our "fuel" after all. We are zero emissions vehicles...Well except on Taco Bell days:o
...if the goverment is crazy enogh to reward car drivers with hundred dollars checks than they should also be giving money to people who are not guzzzling fossil fuel to get to and from work...
It actually makes more sense to me to reward non-drivers than to give rebates to drivers - all those $100 checks that are handed to people who drive all the time are almost definitely going to be spent on buying more gas. "Sorry gas is so high...instead of doing something about the prices, or encouraging you to drive less, why don't we just buy you a couple of tankfuls? (With your tax money, of course.)"
yes the logic behind rewarding people for driving is a bit crazy, but hey George W and his oil buddies will solve it all..don't worry
What about a real reward... improving safety on the roads a bit? Rather than tax breaks and so on what about spending a bit of that money to actually promote cycling. Just a thought :rolleyes:
what ever it takes to get more people out from behind the wheel, and on the saddle.
My workplace has an interesting rewards program... $1 for each day you bike to work. Subsidies for accessories for your bike that you use to bike to work. $1 for each person that carpool w/you to work on the day that you drive. They're not huge incentives but it's a small/easy way to get people thinking about possible ways of commuting.
Right now any kind of encouragement is good.
Make bike parts, accessories, and maintenance tax-deductible. Think about it: many people have bikes, most of them gathering rust in a basement or garage. Only people who use bikes a lot buy panniers, or get work done at a bike shop, or actually buy new shifters etc.
hey, great idea, that is realistic...it would be great to get the season's new chain, cassette, chain rings, tires and cables replaced for free basically...
if i could get 100-200 dollars of free drivetrain stuff each year, i would be really happy with that
Arriving at work with a big smile is enough reward for me.
Paul
i like arriving at work through the parking lot, with all the stiffs...i pull wheelie and stoppies just for good measure
Right on! I've been thinking about the mindset of most drivers lately. As I'm the fastest thing on the multi purpose trails what would be the reactions of people if I cursed out the skaters and screamed at the joggers to get the #*&% off the trail? What's the difference? The law says that the roads are multi-purpose for both bikes and autos.
Please don't advocate adding to the complexity and unfairness of our ridiculously complex and unfair tax system.
The only perk bike commuters need is proper facilities, respect and recognition.
I don't feel the need to be "rewarded" since I chose cycling for other than recreational use-like utility and communting. It has it's rewards built into the activity. Besides I rather not have much to do with any organization like goverments or private sector corporations for something like this since it can invite too much possible intrusion onto a private choice matter.
I know when I lived in NJ the only thing I needed was a safe way to commute to work. I tried a couple of times - nearly scared me to death.
Making it easy for people to commute would be wonderful - and make the punishments for running a cyclist off the road very stiff. It doesn't help to say we share the road - with a Hummer bearing down on you. :mad:
Instead of saying bikes are allowed on expressways - make a lane for them on the expressway! We don't need a lot of room - nor does it have to be all that strong either - if you keep the Semis off it.
The government is in the job of providing infrastructure - reward bike commuters by thinking about them during the planning stage.
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