More on Sharing the road with bicycles

This is a response to the earlier posts

It is quite simple. It is only fair to ALL ROAD USERS for bicycles and their operators to have to achieve minimum standards too.

There is a legal manner in which to penalize the speeding woman who is failing to maintain proper control and as of recent for cell phone use too. These penalties and consequences are linked to having a state sanctioned operator's permit allowing it's holders use of public road ways. A road user can be declared by the state to be an illegitimate user of the public roads by removing that privilege, by removing the DRIVER'S LICENSE. No such sanction exists for the bicycle rider and should be available to society to curb unsafe behaviors. Can you imagine the chaos on the roads if there were no way to take away the driving privileges of motorized scofflaws? Though admittedly bicycle operator permits won't stop every single red light running peddle-head, there is no reason why not to start trying to control them.

We expect other road users to be at least vaguely familiar with the road user's code of conduct as we go out and share the roads. And I expect that other operators have a minimum proficiency in vehicle operation skills. The DRIVER'S LICENSE says that you have archived that. I want bicycle riders to have to demonstrate the same proficiency for access. It is my expectation for public safety that the state vet the skills of other road users. All other road users.

We determine and track the proper and correct vehicles for use on public road ways by the state-issued ID for vehicles, the license plate. I can't ride my YZ450 Yamaha motorcycle to work because the state won't give me a plate for it. It's an off-road vehicle without lights, signals, ect. There is no manner in which to determine if your bicycle is proper for public street use, has a minimum of equipment and even if it is your bike without state vehicle ID.

All road users need to be financially responsible through liability insurance for damages, insurance will require driver's licenses and vehicle ID plates.

I continue to maintain that bicycles are a legitimate component of the 21st century urban transportation mix. For the safety and respect of all road users, the non-motorized public road user should be required to archive a minimum standard of skills and adhere to certain behaviors to continue the privilege of public road use. As a society of road users we should have a method to restrict that privilege and provide proof of skills and authorization. The Bicycle Riders Permit is needed for that reason. The vehicle also needs to be equipped properly to be a road vehicle and a license plate and vehicle standards is that way to achieve that.

And finally, it is a matter of perception. As the situation exists now many motorized vehicle operators do not view the bicycle as a legitimate fully-fledged road user. When the bicycle rider can say he has a driver's license, a license plate and is insured just like a car driver is, then and only then can he/she claim true legitimate road user status.