Kenny Lane, Rowan County
♦ I recently watched the video this past week where Commissioner Craig Pierce suggested some potential legislative initiatives for bicycles on highways. Two of the ideas make good sense for bicycle riders as well as motorists. Bicycles, like motor vehicles, are involved in accidents that can lead to fatalities, injuries, and vehicular damage for both to bicycle riders and motor vehicle drivers. If bicycles are out on well-traveled highways where speeds are much faster and dangers increase, the potentiality for accidents rise.
Fatal bicycle accidents occur even in public parks. On Monday morning I saw this CBS News report about a speeding bicyclist in New York’s Central Park leading to a woman’s fatality:
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/wife-of-cbs-senior-vp-hit-by-bicyclist-dies/
Here is an N.Y. Post article on bicycle accidents in Central Park:
http://nypost.com/2014/09/21/bicycle-pedestrian-crash-injuries-rose-in-2013
As both a driver and former law enforcement officer I’ve witnessed the aftermath of quite a few motor vehicle and bicycle accidents. When a bicycle tangles with a 2 ton vehicle its results can be quite gruesome. I personally don’t think youngsters should be anywhere near public highways. So this letter, like Craig Pierce’s ideas about bicycles on public highways, is aimed at mature individuals 18 years old and up who responsibly ride their two wheel human power vehicles.
Taxing bikes? I’m quite unsure that is something required–I personally haven’t studied this taxing issue. I suspect not many persons own these high-end special alloy bicycles costing thousands of dollars–some as much as new cars. This letter is not about taxing high-end human locomotion.
Bicycles are an inexpensive, great exercise, and they don’t pollute–that’s a plus. Yet I don’t think either peddle power or rickshaws will be replacing motor vehicles anytime in the next 70 years.
I am a firm believer in the importance of any highway vehicle, be it motorized or human power, needs to have at the very least have insurance–specifically liability insurance. It protects the bicycle rider from accidents and any accidents they might cause. After reading in the Rowan Free Press about a bicycle insurance called Velosurance it seemed like a good way to go for bicyclists:
Tags/licenses are important for highway traveling bicycles for a number of important reasons:
• To show that the rider knows the laws of the road like licensed drivers do. Highways can be dangerous places.
• A tag can let law enforcement know if that person has at least liability insurance to be out on the highway or is not driving with a suspended license for DUIs, wreckless riding, and other offenses. The tag ought to be inexpensive and in plain view.
Tags/licenses and insurance for bicycles makes good sense.
