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A letter to Councillor McCluskey: I was recently informed that you are seeking advice from city staff regarding a potential licensing scheme for bicycles in Halifax. As a resident, voter, and regular cyclist, I must confess that I see this idea as troubling. Cities around the world are working hard to ensure cycling is accessible as possible. Anything that makes casual riders less likely to choose cycling makes every minute on the road more dangerous for me as a rider.
Fewer bikes on the road = decreased awareness of cyclists by drivers = more danger for those who do ride. I’m sure you follow.
Most of the email you receive on this topic will be angrily against the idea of a bike license. I am conflicted. I feel that if the city offered me an optional bicycle license for a few dollars I would get one. I would do it just for the sheer pleasure of showing it to every driver who believes that not having a license while riding a bicycle somehow makes me a menace. I am not a menace. I am trying to make my city a better place. One less car on the road, one less polluter, one less step backward.
I hope you will reconsider this ill-advised policy direction. —Kris MacLellan
This article appears in Nov 20-26, 2014.
Nice one Kris! I am a huge fan of accountability and I think we should all ask for it from our leaders. I am also a fan of building a collective understanding of a problem and collaborative problem solving.
So what is the problem?
Why do we licence anything? My thought is that it allows us a common understanding of the rules we want to uphold: those that will allow us to enjoy a safe, respectful and orderly system. I mean, let’s face it, without rules of the road we have the potential for huge chaos – a high risk for serious conflict and an unsafe environment. Licenses make drivers accountable for their actions. They require the demonstration of the understanding of these rules and a willingness to follow them or face the consequences.
But your point about encouraging more cycling is a very good one and is an opinion that many of us share. It’s a healthy green alternative to car transport and it’s fun and socially positive.
Cyclists are exposed in a way that drivers of vehicles are not. We need more and better bike lanes. We need more funding for cycling safety education in our schools and communities because cyclists need to be safe and be accountable for their actions too.
So how to balance all of these elements in order to encourage the collective understanding and behaviour we want while promoting the healthier greener alternative seems to me to be the real issue.
I propose a beta licensing system. Voluntary for two years. Online registration to be completed by the cyclist with a printable receipt/card or smartphone “badge”. The licence would be issued upon completion of an online learning module which outlines the expectations of behaviour and requires a demonstration of the applicant’s understanding of the rules of the road. Make it free. We pay a lot of tax already and surely we can direct some of it to encouraging an active lifestyle and promoting an environmentally friendly alternative to cars. After 2 years, we look at the issue again and see if it made any difference at all.
NOTE TO THE COAST:
Some of us don’t want to “Bitch”. How about a new board that encourages collaborative problem solving and respectful participation in helping to make our town and our lives better. Just a thought.
Oh, fuck off Smuggie.
For the record I don’t agree with licensing cyclists. It’s as much a knee-jerk reaction as the Liberal long-gun registry that followed the Montreal Massacre. Pointless, a waste of time and probably nothing less than a bald-faced tax grab.
But self-righteous sanctimopes like you give riders just as bad a name as the lane hoppers, light jumpers and sidewalk racers.
NOTE TO SIAN MCKENNA:
That already exists: http://www.thecoast.ca/blogs/Lovethewaywel…
Kris dear, have you met her? She’s the one that is always putting her fingers into the pie. They keep her around for shits and giggles. No one really takes her seriously, nor should you. And if by a miracle should the rest of the idiots (save Waye Mason-he seems to be the only one that has his head screwed on tight) vote in the bylaw, just ignore it, as it was ignored the last time it was in place.
And if you’re concerned about Halifax councillors, you need to watch out for that Twatt woman… she steals the pie and eats it all herself!
From now on can we please just laugh dismissively at people who claim that cyclists should be licensed and insured because motorists are?
“We need more funding for cycling safety education in our schools and communities because cyclists need to be safe and be accountable for their actions too.”
We don’t have [public] funding for motorist safety education in our schools or communities, so why should it exist for cycling? That said why not add questions about cycling safety (e.g. signals for turning left, right, stopping) to a test for the driver’s permit (most people write these tests, cyclists included). Imposing penalties on those who break the laws would be nice… I’m looking at the cyclists who hop on and off of sidewalks as well as the motorists (mostly cabs) who park in bike lanes.
What ever happened to fairness ?
Bicyclists believe they deserve part of the road, yet pay no gas taxes…which is where much of the money to build & maintain the roads comes from.
They pay no registration fees aka license, which I definitely agree, is as blatant a tax grab as those vultures in power have ever come up with …every 2 years they charge you for “renewing” the information they already have ….I have no problem registering & paying a fee. Once done, unless there is a change, of say residence, ownership etc there should be no more “registration fee” The fuckin’ things already registered ! ! !
But In My Opinion ladies & gents, if you are operating a vehicle on the roads, you definitely should have collision insurance. So while I see no problem not ‘licensing’ bicycles. I believe they should have to carry Liabilty insurance, just like any other vehicle on the roads , so PL PD , theft …I suppose we can let them off on fire, unless its one of those so called electric bicycles.
Flame away ~:D
So basically, you are butthurt about having to pay a fee, and your logic is that it isn’t fair bikes don’t have to do it…because you don’t bike. I hope I have crystalized your childish argument.
KRIS IS CONFLICTED
“Most of the email you receive on this topic will be angrily against the idea of a bike licence. I am conflicted. I feel that if the city offered me an optional bicycle licence for a few dollars I would get one.” Kris MacLellan
What is required here is a little conceptual clarification. What is the issue in respect to which Kris is conflicted? Kris does not appear to be clear on the point. On the one hand, Kris claims that most bicyclists would be angrily against the idea of a bicycle licence but he gives no grounds for his claim. How did he know that? Does Kris have special insight into the minds of most bicyclists? He gives no reason to suppose that he does. One can only assume that Kris, to put it politely, is talking through his hat.
On the other hand, what does Kris mean by an “optional bicycle licence?” One supposes that either a licence is mandatory or it is not. That is what it means to be a licence. So what is Kris talking about? Does Kris know what he is talking about? I would seem not. Where previously Kris made claims in respect to whicjh he was unable to provide grounds so now Kris has misconceived the nature of a licence itself. Kris has become incoherent. That is why Kris is conflcted.
(Avatar #84: “The Sad Story of Mary Tudor,” Part I)
A pleasure as always.
Cheerio!
If bicycles had insurance, what would the deductible be? If a bicycle runs into or bumps a car how much damage do you think there will be?
I am an avid cyclist and have been involved in one accident which was not my fault. My bike was ruined (bent frame, broken rim and mangled handlebars) but as I do not have insurance it was not covered even though the accident was deemed to be the other drivers fault. The vehicle the idiot hit after me was covered, because they had insurance. So, it seems that the ones who will truly benefit from this are the cyclists. I would have liked to have had my almost thousand dollar bike replaced so now I would happily pay the few dollars a month to have the protection and peace of mind. It would also be nice to show to the motorists that just refuse to share the roads.
Maybe the funds collected could then be invested in bicycle lanes that actually connect to each other…….
NOTE TO JACOB BOON:
No one likes that place, I’d say it was dead but it was never alive. LTWWB is where its at….. like that Beck song.
You can always make a claim through your home insurance policy, Nukka. The problem therre is that if you own your home, your deductible is probly 1000 making it unfeasable.
I agree with several bits of opinion that have been posted so far.
1. Waye Mason does seem to be one of the rare politicians who posesses an abundance of common sense. Makes me wonder if he will ever run for mayor.
2. As I believe Nukka was implying, it might be useful to look at licensing from a positive prespective such as:
– use the fees to improve cycling infrastructure. On a visit to Montreal last spring I noticed some dedicated cycling lanes wiht barriers in the heart of the city.
– licensing could be used as a way to take the irresponsible cylists off the roads by revoking their licenses if they exhibit bad cycling behaviour.
– licensing implies a right to fair treatment for cyclists
– licensing would help promote a common understanding of the rules of the road for cyclists. Some seem to currently be ignorant of the existance of rules.
Not only should bikes be licenced with a plate but they should be insured too.
“Whaaaaa…I’m saving the planet, how dare you think of charging me for riding my kale propelled, answer to the worlds problems!!!”
Every other type of recreational VEHICLE (which you are considered to be under the MVA) has to be registered and insured, why do you think you should be exempt? As a cyclist, you should be pushing for registering/insuring, if for nothing else, to protect yourself, both legally and financially, if you are injured or injure someone in an at fault accident and to legitimize your claim to the road. Anything less shows your lack of responsibility. Everyone else HAS to be responsible, except for the cyclist right, Fucko?
RSVP
: ZippyZigZag (11:24, 10:25AM)
“On a visit to Montreal last spring …”
That’s odd. I didn’t see you.
A pleasure as always.
Cheerio!
lol, as per my comment above.
OP is probably one of those E.A.C coprophages who thought it would be cute to “rename” Halifax
Hay C@th#r!n# Abr#” – I donated $5000.00 to you but canada post returned the cheque because according to them – Chi’potle Pu’ckDr’p isn’t a real address.
So I gave it to General Rick Hillier’s Hero Fund , instead.
Mmmhmm because taking away accessible parking in front of dal and shoving the traffic into surrounding side streets for his stupid bike lane idea sure makes Waye a GREAT politician with the best interests of all taxpayers in mind. Note: majority of dal students don’t pay municipal taxes. (Yeah yeah I get it, it’s included in their rent – but most are not homeowners – certainly not in that area, and most are a transient population who won’t really be affected by Waye’s bike lane, which seems completely self serving and not exactly in the best interests of a lot of his constituents)
i’d have no problem licensing and insuring my bicycle. that guarantees that i’ll get the use the whole road not just the metre closest to the shoulder.
For the record, I cycle 365 days a year (well maybe not at
I am torn on the issue of licensing and registration for cyclists. Like a motor vehicle, I enjoy the privilege of using the roads to move my arse about. This is a privilege, not a right.
That being said, the impact that a knowledgeable and safe cyclist has on traffic and the road is minimal to non-existent. The only time I have an issue with a vehicle is when I notice too late that a driver is inattentive. I learned many years ago that relying on others for my safety was a sure path to doom; so I drive as defensively as I possibly can. I have multiple blinky lights (including revolving rim lights) and numerous reflective hits for visibility … even during daylight hours. When obeying the rules of the road, I feel very safe overall.
Sadly, not all cyclists are created equal … much like motorized drivers. It’s just too easy to jump on a bicycle and start careening down the street with no further thought to other traffic/pedestrians.
Back to the question of registration/licensing … the biggest hurdle to implementing this is enforcement. The costs would far outweigh any perceived benefits.
The best solution is better/more driving training regardless of what vehicle a person chooses to use for transportation. That, and awareness.
I see this program in comparison to the safe boating course that can be taken online.
“Bicyclists believe they deserve part of the road, yet pay no gas taxes…which is where much of the money to build & maintain the roads comes from.”
Yeah right. Because cyclists NEVER drive cars, right? Narrow, self-serving thinking exposed. Some of us use both, so there goes your poorly constructed thought process. Try again. BTW FYI: “theft” is not mandatory it is elective.
My gas taxes allow me the right to my part of the road on my bicycle so MYOFB.
You must attribute your quotation. Unless it follows immediately on the previous comment, as in the present case, one is required to scroll back through the entire soporific collection of comments which I did but without success. Do try harder.
What about those of us who don’t ride bikes for transportation purposes, but for recreation (like on bike paths and such). Why should they have to be registered? Will this apply to stationary bikes, as well? Children’s bikes? (just to show the ridiculousness of the idea)
I’m not convinced this is a great idea, BUT we have to have SOME way for those who cause damage/harm with their bikes to be held accountable, which is virtually impossible, now, and I don’t have an answer as to HOW to fix this.
Ohhhh, my gas taxes paid for the roads… pssssh! So what do my Sweet Chili Heat Doritos’ taxes pay for?
Furious, thats what the officer had said. Fellow at the bike shop said he’d “inflate” the costs of parts to help me out. However I had paid $799.99 for the bike on sale from $999.99. So if the bike would have been one discontinued cent more I could have claimed forty percent. But either way I wouldn’t have felt safe riding it so I took the parts worth saving and added the frame to my basement pile.
Plus, you are most likely getting a claims free discount, which you would lose. The only way to do it would be to add a floater for the bike so you wouldn’t pay the deductible. So yeah. Unless you have a pricey bike, insurance in it’s current iteration would do little good.
Meh! In the long run, we cyclists win.
FYI naysayers, in 2013 Canadian Taxpayers Federation says over 21 Billion dollars in tax was collected from Gas & diesel fuel sales … Unfortunately there was no figure for bicycle taxes collected.
21 BILLION. that’ll build a lot of roads, for repairs , a hell of a lot more .
I looked & found some legit numbers that can be verified by you guy’s, on the vehicles that use infrastructure
Maybe you can get back to me/us on the bicycle communities contribution to our road ways.
Also about the insurance issue, a new grill for my truck, & a headlight/marker light assembly is a lot more than a thousand bucks… instead of having to drag some bike owner into small claims court, I’d rather just go through insurance, especially since any serious impact with my truck is going to be quite hard on said bicyclist & suing a dead guy (or chick) is another hurdle to overcome.
Also no ones mentioned it so let me be the first. I am seeing scooter with pedals , the call them bikes as well. I never see anyone peddling them, the tour around with their electric motors 7 are ‘bikes’ (I don’t believe it for a second.) I have also seen more than one bike that has been converted by a small gas motor to a ‘powered’ means of conveyance , also in my opinion , not a bike … a vehicle that should be licensed & insured.
Off road ATV’s are licensed, they’re not allowed on the roads.
A little fairness, same rules applied to all.
Yeah, that’s what we need. More bureaucratic red tape for basic liberties. Anyone who thinks this is a good idea is a dumb fuck.
A true cycling ambassador. He privated his other videos of shitty bicycling but this one is still available. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGdIY-1yqjE
This is the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard of, No wonder this province is so broke, A Cyclist License? and insurance! What about the 12 year old kids riding around town? I drive a large jacked up 4×4 SUV and I share the road with bicycles best I can, I don’t even own a bike anymore and I think this is the most pathetic money grab I’ve heard of yet, Along with MVI, two year vehicle permits and salting the roads for “Safety”… Nothing says safe like rusting gas and brake lines….. lmao
Any dumbarse arguing for fairness between bike users and motor vehicles drivers should spend the remainder of the post sucking on a tail pipe.
If any of you fat lazy arseholes were willing to pay a tenth of the actual cost of petroleum, you would have a leg to stand on. When petroleum:
– is priced at a sustainable price
– has a neutral environmental impact
– doesn’t promote child solider, slavery, rape and genocide
you can start to make comparisons between bike.
For More, sounds like he need all the help he can get.
$21 billion is barely enough to maintain the current road network. Let alone provide for future planning. Total Road assets are in excess of $200 billion (you forgot this, or was it not the first click and therefore was missed by your extensive research). The report also stated that current investment in roads was insufficient and that roads has passed 53% of their useful life (w/e that means). http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/11-621-m/11-621-m2008067-eng.htm
As I’m not a fat fuck driving a truck that I don’t need, my contribution to the roads, is through my taxes and the fact i don’t destroy the roads in my truck that i don’t need.
Bike lanes on Univ Ave sound dumb as shit. Traffic already moves at a snail’s pace, making cycling really safe. Whether or not students pay taxes is irrelevant, though.
More’s grill is worth more than $1,000. What a hoot.
Honestly, just yell at cyclists for being assholes. I do it while I am on my bike. They’re usually oblivious though which indicates that lack of awareness is the main culprit.
How nice it must be to have a zero carbon footprint and have the luxury of opting out of an entire system based on fossil fuel consumption. Bravo to you for being the first person in Halifax to live off the grid, knophatties. It must be so liberating!!!
It is hypocritical to think the fact that you ride a bike actually makes a shit bit of difference in the consumption of fossil fuels. Do you realize the carbon footprint it takes to build and maintain a city the size of Halifax? You are either stupid or willfully blind to your carbon footprint on a much larger scale than just you as an individual. If it makes you feel better about yourself, by all means, pedal away.
Oh now you’ve gone and done it, knophatties – now More-on’s gonna come on here and brag about his ‘business’ no one gives a shit about.
So thanks in advance for that.
^^I have to agree. Just because someone walks or cycles to work they aren’t automatically some sort of climate hero. There are many components to a person’s carbon footprint (food, accommodations, travel, etc) so I would caution anyone against getting all holier-than-thou without doing a thorough analysis of their lifestyle.
Cycling as GHG-offsetting bacon consumption.
“Maybe you can get back to me/us on the bicycle communities contribution to our road ways.”
Please pay attention, More. Many cyclists drive cars, trucks and/or motorcycles too.
I know this fact goes against your preconceived prejudices against who you believe cyclists to be. Your continued thinking along this line does you a huge disservice. People will start to think you haven’t got a clue what you are talking about.
All cyclists should have to pay yearly for a licence plate that hangs off the rear of your seat. That way we can report you when you do your stupid stuff.
Yours truly.
Dis da most ridiculous idea evar!!! Putting license plates on peddle bikes? Governement need to get a grip. Control issues, much? Da mark of da beast be starting! It’s true though. I’m not even manic. They are turning bank cards into bracelets with chips now, (so kewl and innovative, right?), everywhere in town is under surveillance, and the cell phones you carry allow you to be tracked. Now dey gotta know who’s riding on a peddle bike? Fuck man, my nanny wasn’t lyin – dis da end of dayz!
“Yeah right. Because cyclists NEVER drive cars, right? Narrow, self-serving thinking exposed. Some of us use both, so there goes your poorly constructed thought process. Try again.”
Whatever. If somebody owns more than one vehicle they still pay more taxes….but you feel that one car is enough to cover your bicycle too. The cyclists’ sense of entitlement is strange.
I second this: “I’d have no problem licensing and insuring my bicycle. that guarantees that i’ll get the use the whole road not just the metre closest to the shoulder.”
I’m sure motorists would prefer us remaining unlicensed and uninsured if the opposite meant giving is the entire road.
On top of burning the demon fossil fuels in a big gas guzzling monstrosity , I been burning lots of Nova Scotia’s forests as well …yep nothing makes me happier than tossing another chunk of birch or maple into the ole wood stove.
Just doing my part clearing out the woodlots 1 tree at a time ~:)
Any of you go to the bonfires that used to be held on the lakes in the winter time.
Nothing got those fires roaring better than a couple of old tires. I miss those days, I believe its way past time to , bring back the good ole days. Hopefully the lakes are frozen enough after xmas, so theres a bunch of old xmas trees to do a good ole bonfire, I’ve got some tires ~:D
This is a though call, “To license or not to license?”
Whenever someone accesses our roads, either via motorized vehicle or bicycle, they are taking their lives into their own hands. Literally, not even dramatizing a little bit, you could be seriously injured or killed in these situations. You can crash your bicycle all by yourself, without a car in sight, and do serious and irreversible damage to yourself. The damage you can do with a vehicle doesn’t even need to be mentioned here.
Why would ensuring that people in these situations can exhibit at least some level of competence be a bad thing?
I know for a fact that every day failed driver exams ensure that incompetent drivers aren’t on the roads. There is nothing keeping terrible cyclists off the roads – and there are a few bad cyclists in HRM; at least one that seemed delighted to have the opportunity to become The Captains new figurehead.
i like fires
this province needs to get a grip… bike helmet law -> skateboard, scooter, rollerblade helmet law -> skiing/snowboarding helmet law -> ice skating helmet law -> and now this??
no where else treats overwhelmingly safe and positive recreational activities like criminal pursuits the way we do. this is unbelievable. fire all MLA’s.