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