It was bound to happen soon or later, but a contrarian who believes that privileges (rights) need to be purchased wrote a letter to the Dominion Post editor about our last excellent BB article. There is clearly a separation between having "rights" and having to pay for licenses, insurance, and property taxes. Do you think the BB should address this person's question? I don't subscribe to the electronic DP so I've typed the article out below:
*Want the rights? Pay for responsibilities*
It was with amazement that I read the column in Thursday's [The Dominion Post] in the Green Life page about bicyclists. The title of the article "Same road, same rights, same rules" was read in disbelief. In my opinion, as well as quite a few of my friends', they [the bicyclists] can have the same rights when they start paying for license plates as we car and truck owners do. They can have the same rights when they pay the property taxes we do on our vehicles. They can have the same rights when they have to carry the state minimum insurance as we are required by law to have. If we have to have all of these things to drive our vehicles on the roads and they have the same rights as we do, then why do they not pay the same as we do to have the "privilege" to drive on our roads?
*Dennis Bolyard Kingwood*