timtim2008

Lawmaker wants Georgia bicyclists to buy license plates, and ban bikes from some roads.




Some Georgia lawmakers are considering forcing owners of every bicycle in the state to buy license plates, just like cars and trucks.

Channel 2's Jeff Dore talked to some drivers and bikers who were worked up by the proposed provisions.
Rep. Carl Rogers, R- Hall County said he has heard it over and over from constituents, fed up with slow bike riders taking up lanes on country roads.
“Over the last three years, I've heard from a lot of property owners, a lot of drivers of automobiles and trucks, and they keep asking me -- when are we going to do something. When I’m going to do something about it,” Rogers said.
Rogers and two colleagues have introduced house bill 689. It would require bikes to buy and display license plates, forbid riding side-by-side, allow only four riders in a single-file group and even let counties ban bikes from some roads.
Some bike riders found some of the ideas OK.
“As a driver, I can understand. As a biker, not so great,” said driver and rider Natalie Biniasz.
Some people found them outrageous.

“I think it sounds extremely regressive. I think it seems like they're really trying to limit, really limit biking,” said Ellen Nemhauser.

There’s going to be a public meeting Monday night at 6 p.m. (oct 7, 2013) at the Hall County Government Center. It's expected to be crowded and lively.

more at:
https://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local...-plates/nbGKP/

JanMM

I posted this in a previous thread (https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...e-Bill-689-Eek!) in Tandem Cycling:

https://www.georgiabikes.org/index.php/blog
Georgia Bikes blog suggests that the bill has little to no chance of being enacted.

fietsbob

they want to repeal the 20th century down there. some prefer the 1830's

acidfast7

personally, i'm for cycle registration and a mandatory yearly fee payment if it goes to the cycling infrastructure and promotes a mandatory database of cycles with serial numbers, such that they can't really be stolen.

however, it seems that US govt has it's hands full right now.

nkfrench 

So the cyclists can suggest that the traffic congestion caused by the public meeting could be alleviated by requiring a 50' gap between every 4th car; and completely resolved by banning cars on the road.

My home town does ban bikes on a 45mph arterial, but there is a parallel good road 150 feet away with no traffic. Apparently there were some cyclist fatalities before the ban on that road.

HardyWeinberg

The mindset of mandating that cycling fees go to cycling infrastructure is where the mindset from drivers in the US that bicycles must be licensed to pay their way comes from. They don't get that cyclists more than pay the way for their infrastructure through the cars they mostly also own and property taxes they also pay either through their houses or their rent already.

HardyWeinberg

The user-fee mindset of government is something really freaky that we have in the west of the US that is alien to where I grew up in the northeast.

acidfast7

I think the bottom line is that US govt would botch it just like healthcare when one compared to the rest of Western society.

But at least you look at the pretty pictures of what a "bike number plate" would like:


and examples of what it pays for:

walrus1

Those, sir, are fighting words! I shall have my man servant fetch the dueling pistols and we shall meet on the field at dawn!


In all seriousness I'm glad I left that sorry state.

DX-MAN

Without trying to offend any members who may live in GA, the three years I lived there were more of a culture shock that EUROPE was! The people I dealt with took stupid to a whole new extreme.

timtim2008

the problem isnt the bikes going slow, its the cars going 70+ mph, on a 35mph road.

old's'cool

FYI, bike licensing in Switzerland has been discontinued; I'm not quite sure since when.

acidfast7

Really? Good catch!

I only look at buying used bikes, which is why I haven't noticed I guess!

Guess the infrastructure has been paid for!

CoachManny

I personally don't see it passing but the fact that it's on the table for consideration is crazy.

I don't get why it's a thought.

Manny

phoebeisis

It is obviously a punitive measure.
Drivers pissed off at bike riders HOGGING whole lanes.
Yes things like that could get more common-if fellow bike riders insist they are VEHICLES
Vehicular Cycling-sounds like an invitation to license and tax to me.
Taking a lane-pisses the vast majority off-this is the result of that-not a surprise at all!!

The vast majority of road users-voters- see bikes as unimportant-inferior in VC lingo-
This is the SMART approach to punishing riders driving them off the roads.
They know the FEDS won't allow them to ban bikes from roads-but the FEDS have no control over a measure like this
TAXES LICENSES TICKETS CONFISCATION FOR NO LICENSE -obvious approach-probably completely legal
Thanks your take the lane friends for it.

polishmadman

Ok, lets not take this seriously. Because, if it went through, then walmart would have to do registration paperwork with every bicycle sale. They would need to set up a system similar to auto registration with every place that sells bikes. And what parent would buy a bike for their kid if they have to pay for registration every year? Finally, a place that has no bike infrastruture is not going to use the revenue to start one. Especially if the bill is coming from a noncyclist who sees us as a burden to be dealt with.

caloso

Just some legislative perspective: each session hundreds of bills are introduced. Many won't even be set for hearing. Many don't make it out of policy committee, many don't make it out of fiscal committee, etc. It's a long road to the governor's desk.

ftimw

From what I've read and those that I have spoken to, this bill is going nowhere.

BTW: For those of you with disparaging remarks regarding Georgia: If you stay out, we'll both be happy.

fietsbob

Don't Tax the Owners of the Plantations .. the politicians have to go to them
for contributions, to pay for their next re- election campaign's advertising.

tax the little people. borrow money with Interest to be paid, back, to the wealthy .

then complain about the debt. And Repeat every 2 years '''///,,,

Matariki

So the problem is that Mr. Rogers is either listening to or only hearing from one faction of constituents. The first is his problem in that he is not doing his job to objectively represent. The second is a problem with the cycling population. It seems they need to get just as whiny as the self-absorbed motorists who "own" the roads.

phoebeisis

We-bike riders-should take this as a wake up call.
We are pissing folks off-for no reason.
Vehicular Cycling- vehicle?? what do you expect? Vehicles are licensed-taxed -ticketed-insured.
It won't pass of course.
Georgia-nice state-used to compete against Georgia Tech and U of Georgia- nice enough folks-never got to eat ate that hamburger stand-Varsity??-near Georgia Tech-stayed in a motel across the street-but had to make weight-so just stared at it- that still sucks 44 years later-but georgia was ok-wonder if those hamburgers were any good??

wphamilton

VC has nothing to do with it in my opinion. This lawmaker has offices on a narrow high-traffic divided street with no shoulder - anywhere on the street would be "taking the lane". He wants bicycles off his street, period.

nelson249

Quoting Walrus 1: "Those, sir, are fighting words! I shall have my man servant fetch the dueling pistols and we shall meet on the field at dawn!"
"In all seriousness I'm glad I left that sorry state."

The challenged party gets their choice of weapons. Besides would send your second not a manservant to set the conditions for the encounter.

-=(8)=-

Most hillbilly states (I live in one) have enough vocal, anti-bike gummylumpers that they can sort of be considered an unofficial lobby.
I can see a/this politician knowing this isnt going to pass, but introducing it in hopes of getting votes and cash in the next election.
Although it won't pass, I believe it will empower all the yellers, long-beepers, bottlethrowers etc, these areas are known for.

phoebeisis

VC has nothing to do with it in my opinion.

maybe-but if you insist your bike is a vehicle-and be treated like every other vehicle-
well......... LICENSE TAXES INSURANCE just like a vehicle
Better dumps that designation- call it.......... Bicycling
Careful what you wish for