On 06/09/2018 2:35 AM, Sir Ridesalot wrote:
On Thursday, September 6, 2018 at 12:54:44 AM UTC-4, Tim McNamara wrote:
On Wed, 5 Sep 2018 12:41:29 -0700 (PDT), Sir Ridesalot
wrote:

Where I am there's virtually no talk about MANDATORY helmet laws.
However many motorists and BICYCLISTS would like to see bicyclists
licensed so t hat they can fined or charged whenever they hit someone
or do something stupid and illegal that causes or nearly causes a
vehicular accident involving a motor vehicle or other bicyclist. The

Bicyclists can already be charged for violating the law in all 50 states
in the US. No licensing necessary. Bicyclists (and others) may not be
charged for stupidity, on the other hand, because being stupid is not
against the law- unless said stupidity leads to breaking the law.

Also, many here want to see electric scooters/pedal bikes licensed too
since so many people using them totally disregard rules of the road
and city bylawas as to where such things can be ridden.

And yet a plurality if not majority of motor vehicle operators that I
see every day violate some law or other while I am watching- speeding,
changing lanes without signaling, driving while distracted, driving out
of the designated lane, speeding, failing to stop for stop signs and
traffic signals, speeding, nonfunctioning head/taillights, speeding,
etc., etc., etc. Licensing clearly does not result in compliance with
the law and, at least in my state, no actual competence to operate a
motor vehicle in traffic is required to get a license. All licensing
seems to do is create a false notion of accountability. Take people's
licenses away and they just drive without one.

What people here want is a means to identify bicyclists/bicycle who/that leave the scene. Thus the wish for bicycle licenses.

Cheers


Here in Quebec they want that but there are also those that want
licensing as a fee for cyclists. They seem to think that since they
drive cars, they own the road and resent cyclists using THEIR roads.

Of course they're wrong since property tax pays for most of the roads
that cyclists use here and not licensing fees. And anyway, most of us
also drive cars and pay the same taxes and fees that they do but use
THEIR road less than they do. It's difficult to explain that to stupid
though.