[spin]

<p>unbelievable, check this out ....</p>
<p> </p>
<p>==========================================</p>
<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;color:#000000;font-family:Tahoma, 'sans-serif';">Assembly member Michael G. Dendekker introduced two bills in the state Assembly that would require that all bikes in the state be registered each year and sport a license plate.</span> <span style="text-decoration:underline;"><span style="font-size:10pt;color:#0000FF;font-family:Tahoma, 'sans-serif';"><a href="http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=34BILL" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1E66AE;">http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=34BILL</span></a></span></span> <span style="font-size:10pt;color:#000000;font-family:Tahoma, 'sans-serif';">(please <span class="messagebody">sending an email to assemblyman DenDekker regarding taxing cyclists...)</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;color:#000000;font-family:Tahoma, 'sans-serif';">Here is the  BILL</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><br><span style="font-size:10pt;color:#000000;font-family:Tahoma, 'sans-serif';">NUMBER:A5429</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;color:#000000;font-family:Tahoma, 'sans-serif';">TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law in relation to the registration of personal bicycles</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;color:#000000;font-family:Tahoma, 'sans-serif';">PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL: Every personal bicycle shall be regis- tered annually along with being issued a license plate identifying it as a personal bicycle.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;color:#000000;font-family:Tahoma, 'sans-serif';">SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS: Personal bicycles shall be issued a license plate upon passing an inspection by the department. The inspection shall require that the bicycles conform to the lamp and equipment requirements of section twelve hundred thirty-six of this chapter. The license plates shall be twenty-five dollars the first year and shall reduce to five dollars each year thereafter. JUSTIFICATION: An estimated 75,000 New York residents use bicycles for transportation on a typical day. Of those, approximately 5,000 are hired riders, meaning they ride solely for employment purposes. Of the remain- ing 70,000, grand amounts of the cyclist are able to rely entirely on their bicycles for transportation. With a recent high increase in bike use on roads, rising from 30% in 1980, and doubling to 60% just ten years later, it is essential that the state of New York be able to iden- tify the bicycle riders. The issuance of license plates will ensure personal protection for cases such as bicycle theft or bicycle acci- dents, to name a few.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;color:#000000;font-family:Tahoma, 'sans-serif';">PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: New Bill. FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: This bill will generate an estimated $1,875,000 for the state of New York; as well as recurring annual revenue of $375,000.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;color:#000000;font-family:Tahoma, 'sans-serif';">EFFECTIVE DATE: This act shall take effect immediately.</span><br><br><span style="text-decoration:underline;"><span style="font-size:10pt;color:#0000FF;font-family:Tahoma, 'sans-serif';"><a href="http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?default_fld=&bn=A05429&Summary=Y&Actions=Y&Votes=Y&Memo=Y" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1E66AE;">http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?default_fld=&bn=A05429&Summary=Y&Actions=Y&Votes=Y&Memo=Y</span></a></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;color:#000000;font-family:Tahoma, 'sans-serif';">====================</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;color:#000000;font-family:Tahoma, 'sans-serif';">glad to see NY state's finest hard at work dreaming up garbage like this ....  </span></p>

 

[RunningForT3]

<p>We had such a bill introduced here in NJ, but after all the outrage it died after a week.</p>

 

[jroden]

<p>I have no problem with NYC licensing bikes to deal with the lawless riders and provide an enforcement mechanism, but the bills founder needs to take a drive around the Empire State and realize it is largely rural once one leave queens and most riders of bicycles in upstate are wearing Sears tuffskins.</p>

 

[mrscoby78]

<p><em>This bill will generate an estimated $1,875,000 for the state of New York; as well as recurring annual revenue of $375,000.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Bingo.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It's not about rider safety.  It's about revenue.  Period.</p>

 

[jroden]

<p>$375K?  We spend that on gas caps for the Thruway Authority, it's such a non-revenue.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>i think its related in large part to pandering to the anti bike lane backlash in NYC.  There are a lot of lawless and dangerous riders in the city, but here in west falls, I ride for a year without encountering a red light, pedestrian or one way street, so it's a little misplaced.  The entire NE part of the state is a rural park, millions of acres, not exactly a bike mayhem zone.</p>

 

[jroden]

<p>i got this email from someone in NYC, it explains the issue:</p>
<p> </p>
<p>This bill is  related to the cycling / bike lane controversy in NYC.</p>
<div>For those not familiar with the issue, over the past few years the Commissioner of DOT Jeannette Sadik-Khan has been aggressively building a  bike path infrastructure.</div>
<div>There is a currently quite a backlash against the bike paths and against cyclists.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Some car users complain that  the bike paths are taking road space and parking spots away from cars.  The number of cyclists has also increased a lot and many do not obey traffic rules. This is generating a lot of complaints.</div>
<div>In some precincts complaints against cyclists is the number 1 issue.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Opposition is especially strong from Republican politicians in the outer boroughs like DenDekker.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>In Jan. a GOP councilman got some pr about introducing a bicycle registration bill into the city council. With only 5 Republicans out of 50+ this was not going to get to far so I guess</div>
<div>they decided to try going thru the state. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>At present there is a severe crackdown against cyclists in Central Park. The NYPD is strictly enforcing red light laws even when the park is closed to cars and there are no pedestrians around. They have given out about 150 tickets at $270 each in the park.  They have pretty much closed the park for training.  It's hard to get a ride in if you have to stop for every red light. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>The races held in the park are ok.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Currently the DOT in the city does not support the licensing of bicycles. Without the support of DOT and the City, I do not think that there will be political support to pass the bill. </div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<div>That's my take but I have included Paul Steely White who is the Executive Director of Transportation Alternatives (TA) on this email.</div>
<div>Paul  should have better  information than I do about the bill and about the best ways to defeat and bury it.</div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>

 

[pcsronbo]

<p>If a bike cop can chase me down, I'll pay the fine <span id="user_yui_3_3_0_6_129911853011923"><img alt="icon_tongue.gif" id="user_yui_3_3_0_6_129911853011922" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/icon_tongue.gif" style="width:15px;height:15px;"></span></p>

 

[gretriever]

<p>Revenue, schmevnue.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Greed knows no bounds.</p>