Legislators passed a law requiring a 3-foot separation between cars and bicycles. In essence, they made every road in Maine a bike path where drivers have to yield to bikes. Published guidelines even pictured a car being forced to cross a double yellow line to avoid a bicyclist.
Watch a bicyclist for 60 seconds. They will not follow the rules of the road. They routinely run red lights and stop signs; will dodge onto and off of a sidewalk when it suits them; virtually never signal a turn and (my pet peeve) expect to be treated like pedestrians in crosswalks.
Automobile owners pay thousands of dollars for the privilege of using highways, with sales tax, annual excise and registration taxes, gas taxes and costs of buying and maintaining a safe automobile. Bicyclists? Sales tax on their purchase, period.
If we are going to live with the laws giving bicyclists right-of-way on roads, it is time that they pay their fair share. It is time that they demonstrate knowledge and obedience to the rules of the road. It is time that they contribute significant money to make the roads safe. Bicycle registration would be a good start. Licensure of bicyclists is only logical. Police could be writing tickets to bicyclists who are operating contrary to rules of the road. That money should be earmarked to build more bike lanes, to pay for street sweepers and to establish educational requirements.
It is time bicyclists pay their fair share.
Bill Kennedy, Otisfield
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