Pat Farmer and bicycle registration

weiyun · Postby **weiyun** » 08 Feb 2008, 05:29

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/cyc ... 66487.html

I think he wants a bike route setup b/n Mosman and Campbelltown.

jimmy · Postby **jimmy** » 08 Feb 2008, 06:48

I think that the last paragraph in the article shows that cyclists already pay for road use.

Preliminary results from a study undertaken on behalf of the Department of Health and Ageing found cyclists saved more than $82 million in public health costs, almost $64 million in traffic congestion-related costs and $9 million in greenhouse gas-related costs.

A lot of motorists think that Rego pays for road use, Rego simply ensures that the 250kg+ metal box is safe to use on the road. The fee that you pay for a license, is more to cover the administration cost of testing etc than anything else.

I doubt that this would get of the ground.

James

weiyun · Postby **weiyun** » 08 Feb 2008, 06:55

I agree that it's unlikely to get off the ground. Need to read a bit more into BNSW's response on this.

Internationally, China is one country that actually has bicycle registration. But in the past few years, they are gradually phasing that system out as more motor vehicles invade the streets. Pat Farmer is trying to go in the reverse. This users pay concept in our society is so stupid when people tries to apply it without thinking.

mikesbytes · Postby **mikesbytes** » 08 Feb 2008, 08:54

Taxes are not distributed to expenditure based on their source. Anyone who pays any form of tax and that's everyone pays for the roads.

Sydney spends considerably less than Perth on cycling facilities.

lindsay · Postby **lindsay** » 08 Feb 2008, 10:08

The Minister for Roads, Eric Roozendaal, dismissed the idea, saying bike riding would remain a free activity in NSW.

"Mr Farmer should get himself a long-distance Malvern Star racer and enjoy the free bike ride between his new home in Mosman and his electorate in Campbelltown," he said.

& the perfect bike for today can be found with a quick browse through the 1936 catalogue

weiyun · Postby **weiyun** » 08 Feb 2008, 10:17

There's now even a poll on this issue.

http://www.smh.com.au/polls/national/form.html

Toff · Postby **Toff** » 08 Feb 2008, 10:28

Earlier this week I was thinking about the motorists that complain about cyclists using "their" roads. Then I had an idea. Imagine if for just one day, all cyclists opted to drive a car to and from their destinations, instead of cycling. I bet that would make a far bigger impact on traffic than the occasional bike that adds maybe 30 seconds to their journey.

mikesbytes · Postby **mikesbytes** » 08 Feb 2008, 11:43

Yeh, instead of being stuck behind a bus or a truck, your stuck behind a bicycle.

Best way for motorists to improve the road is to leave the car at home and catch public transport.... or ride.

Damian · Postby **Damian** » 08 Feb 2008, 13:46

I'm pretty sure I won't be renewing my BNSW membership based on Alex's comments. Shouldn't BNSW take a stand in favour of cyclists ?

mikesbytes · Postby **mikesbytes** » 08 Feb 2008, 14:01

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/bik ... 32979.html

weiyun · Postby **weiyun** » 08 Feb 2008, 14:16

At the end of the day, I think the government hasn't done their job properly. As a minimum, they should come out and educate the public in that the more cyclists there are, the less the congestion. They need to come out and take a leadership position on this. I've been quite impressed with Clover Moore. Verity Frith has been quite supportive and I've had face to face contact with her. But I am not sure she has the power to open enough doors within the government bureaucracy.

mcrkennedy · Postby **mcrkennedy** » 08 Feb 2008, 16:03

While I am no sure of Pat Farmer's motivation and at first I rejected this out of hand I have changed my thinking. I think the Bicycle NSW position is what can cycling do to get itself a strong seat at the table when roads and transport are being discussed. Pay some sort of rego fee would give the cycling community not more legitimacy but more clout.

I think the idea has merit, but only if it leads to improvements in facilities such as separated bike lanes. If the rego is a way to go then the big question would how is it paid for and who pays it?

Damian · Postby **Damian** » 08 Feb 2008, 16:09

Can we say it again....

Car rego doesn't pay for the roads.

You are already paying for the roads.

(as an aside : as a racing club, segregated bike lanes don't help us, they aren't made for bunch riding in, or riding fast in so they aren't any good to train in. What they are likely to do is make drivers more angry when we try to train on the roads)

weiyun · Postby **weiyun** » 08 Feb 2008, 16:30

We typically don't train during peak hours but when drivers are still asleep. So I doubt that'll have too much impact.

mikesbytes · Postby **mikesbytes** » 08 Feb 2008, 17:02

Where bike lanes generally do work, is where there is a door zone between the bike lane and the parked cars.

weiyun · Postby **weiyun** » 08 Feb 2008, 17:10

Actually, bus lanes work very well for bikes. Nice and wide and typically well surfaced. Just have to watch out for those oil sleeks around bus stops. All with the added advantage of those highly motivational buses when driven 1m behind you.

geoff m · Postby **geoff m** » 08 Feb 2008, 18:06

I'm pretty sure I won't be renewing my BNSW membership based on Alex's comments. Shouldn't BNSW take a stand in favour of cyclists ?

The latest on this issue is updated on BNSW website:

http://www.bicyclensw.org.au/

I'm always keen for feedback on these issues.

Damian · Postby **Damian** » 08 Feb 2008, 18:09

From the site...

"A form of bike registration or levy may help legitimise the use of bikes as a great form of transport, however Bicycle NSW does not at this time have a policy position in this area. We have a clear purpose, which is focused on getting more people riding bikes more often, because life is better on a bike.

Why doesn't Bicycle NSW have a policy position on this ? It's an old old old argument, one that has been pretty decently debunked in many places.

geoff m · Postby **geoff m** » 08 Feb 2008, 18:21

Our broad strategy is to get more people cycling more often. That is the key value we work towards.

Specific issues like these will come up from time to time and don't worry - these big issues get discussed as we look to see how the issue fits in with our overall goals.

T-Bone · Postby **T-Bone** » 08 Feb 2008, 22:10

Earlier this week I was thinking about the motorists that complain about cyclists using "their" roads. Then I had an idea. Imagine if for just one day, all cyclists opted to drive a car to and from their destinations, instead of cycling. I bet that would make a far bigger impact on traffic than the occasional bike that adds maybe 30 seconds to their journey.

How about if this is done with a big picture of a cyclist accross the back of the car which is also being driven at bicycle speeds. I'm sure that would get the message across.

mikesbytes · Postby **mikesbytes** » 08 Feb 2008, 22:17

How about if this is done with a big picture of a cyclist accross the back of the car which is also being driven at bicycle speeds. I'm sure that would get the message across.

It called a fully laden truck.

Now where's that video of the car that got converted to a bicycle? They striped as much weight out of it as possible without loosing the "car" look. Takes 4 guy peddling to reach a max of about 15kph.

timyone · Postby **timyone** » 09 Feb 2008, 11:38

Can we say it again....

Car rego doesn't pay for the roads.

You are already paying for the roads.

(as an aside : as a racing club, segregated bike lanes don't help us, they aren't made for bunch riding in, or riding fast in so they aren't any good to train in. What they are likely to do is make drivers more angry when we try to train on the roads)

lol are we a racing club?
or do you mean a club that does bits of racing?

Dulwich Hill Bicycle Club

Pat Farmer and bicycle registration

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