NJ Politician Proposes License Plates For Bicycles

reply to post by TheStev


So because fools in cars have bent over and accepted the ridiculous things the government shoved down their throats, back when it was proposed, now bikers should shut up and fall in line and do the same? It is not our fault idiots back in the day allowed themselves to have BS regulations slapped on them, and people today continue to let it go on.

As I say I totally get conceptually where you're coming from. And conceptually, I agree.

But I think there's a damn good reason for this form of licensing and regulation (even if it is a form of control). Just look at the way people act on the road right now. Can you even imagine if no one needed a license, or needed their car to be registered? Can you imagine if there were no license plates, and everyone on the road was completely anonymous?

I'm self-destructive enough to be curious about what anarchy would be like. That, right there, would be anarchy on the roads.

I'm one of the hard working but low income people that uses a bike to get to work and can't afford a car (they're giant money traps). If I had to start paying for licenses and insurance, etc. I don't think I could even afford to get to work. So who uses bikes the most-for daily transportation? I think kids, teenagers, and low income people. Sure, there are bikers riding around with $4000 frames, but that ain't me. From what I know about my state, the taxes I pay go to road management. So where would the money go from the licenses? Probably not anywhere that would be useful to me or my neighbors.

And do you think license plates will stop anyone from breaking laws? I see cars with plates run red lights, how will it change biker behavior? Lot of things are illegal, but they still get done. Bike plates won't lower crime or keep people safer, only education will do that. Educate your kids about the value of protective gear (helmets), and the value of following traffic laws. When my boyfriend runs through red lights he has to stop and wait for me anyway, because I wait my turn.

reply to post by TheStev


Lol, a bicycle is always on equal footing with a Humvee jeep. Have you ever had the displeasure of witnessing a head on collision between the two? The bicycle tears the Humvee up all the time.

When I was a kid in Iowa, there was a lot of bike theft, so we had bicycle license plates. They were stickers, really, and stuck on our bike bumpers or seats. It was no big deal. I don't even think they cost anything. But it made it a little harder for me to steal other kids' bikes.

Reply to post by Blue Shift

No manufacturers serial number on the bottom bracket?

I have old steel behemoths from the 30's with serial numbers, cheap aluminum huffys from the 80's with serial numbers and carbon fiber racers from last week with serial numbers.

When you sign up for those "bike theft alerts" with the local cops or even BikeReg that's what you use.

An extra sticker seems like a waste of paper, glue, time and effort.


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Reply to post by TheStev

With over 4 million miles of road in America and at most 10,000 miles of sidewalk, yes we run in the road.


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reply to post by TheStev


This thread applies to the U.S. and its State's laws. Obviously it is different in your country down-under (sorry about your luck there mate). But what I have pointed out about the laws in my State, in the U.S., is accurate. Also, in my rural area, it is common to see people walking, bicycling, riding horseback and in horse drawn buggies, all on the same roads that the cars use. There are no sidewalks, footpaths or bicycle trails for non-motorized vehicle use, only the roads can be used. With that in mind, how can I not travel the roads, I would have to trespass on private property using deer trails or two-track logging trails. Some people, and their dogs, would have a big problem with that. Maybe I could canoe on the river to get around, however, I'd need to take my canoe down to the river by using a road. But all those motorized boats might have a problem with a slow moving canoe weaving all over the river so best not to get in their way too by your standards.

reply to post by arbitrarygeneraiist


As chance would have it, I've seen similar.

And the 'Humvee' driver then gets a manslaughter charge. No matter what the cyclist was doing at the time

Yep, that's equality right there.

EDIT: What it boils down to for me is this - if I'm to be held accountable for my actions, I think everyone in the same situation should be held accountable for their actions. As far as I'm concerned, cyclists are 'in the same situation' far more than joggers or pedestrians. A $100-200 annual registration charge and a license plate on each bike seems a small price to pay to ensure that everyone using the road (by my definition I suppose, but I don't feel it's an unreasonable definition) has the same responsibility.

reply to post by TheStev


In my eyes, if a person is riding a bicycle outside of recreational purposes, chances are they're doing it because they can't afford to own a car or registration like that. If the registration to own a bicycle was more around $5 I doubt it would be an issue, but a yearly fee of $100-200 is a bit steep.

When gas prices skyrocket, when population becomes a problem, and when materials to build automobiles begins to drastically dwindle, then I'd support something like bicycle registration, because chances are people would resort to scooters and cycles more than cars, trucks, and Humvees.

Basically anything that can legally be driven on the freeway and moves at about the speed of a bullet, I'm in favor of being registered. But I don't notice many bicycles speeding on the freeway at 75mph like automobiles do.

In my mind , i only see one one solution, fire the bitch

reply to post by guohua


REALLY!?

What the hell? I can only see one good use from this is that you can find your bike a lot easier if its stolen... but that's the only good thing i see from this.

Yes, I do think the NJ politicians are trying to milk us for all we are worth. I hope it doesn't become law.

reply to post by ugie1028


All I have to say is this, Once N J gets their Bike registration Fees going, then some one from one of the Big Insurance Companies will offer a kick back to your Politician to pass a bill to require all registered Bikes to get some type of Insurance, liability or full coverage insurance.
Your Politicians smell Money to be made for their pet projects.

reply to post by arbitrarygeneraiist


$100 - 200 a year, hell my bike isn't even worth that much FFS. I feel sorry for the people in NJ who bought a nice bike in order to save some money on gas, only to be hit with this nonesense lol

I think this proposal is nothing but a money grab. And if you really need a reason...bicyclists do not contribute to pollution so that reason alone should be enough to keep the government and like-minded people off of their back.