Post by alanmoore on Nov 14, 2011 12:11:21 GMT -6
Have you run into a motorist (not literally) or someone else who says that bikes have no rights to be on the road because they pay no road-use taxes or something like that? Here's an answer:
The Federal Excise Tax (f.e.t.) paid on bicycle tires just the same as auto tires gives bicyclists the same rights to use the roads as autos. The use of any road can only be denied by having a minimum speed limit.
Usually, only Interstate Highways have minimum speed limits...40 mph...and bikes cannot impede traffic because: 1. They ARE traffic; 2. To impede traffic a vehicle...a bike is recognized as one...must be traveling slower than it is capable. If the person riding a bike can only go 15 mph under normal circumstances then he is not impeding traffic. Now...a CAR going 15 mph WOULD be impeding traffic.
The L.A.W. website has plenty of answers for the questions that most motorists throw at you. Most of them can simply be answered by saying that currently the law does not require certain things of a bicycle or its rider (like license plates and such).
The Federal Excise Tax (f.e.t.) paid on bicycle tires just the same as auto tires gives bicyclists the same rights to use the roads as autos. The use of any road can only be denied by having a minimum speed limit.
Usually, only Interstate Highways have minimum speed limits...40 mph...and bikes cannot impede traffic because: 1. They ARE traffic; 2. To impede traffic a vehicle...a bike is recognized as one...must be traveling slower than it is capable. If the person riding a bike can only go 15 mph under normal circumstances then he is not impeding traffic. Now...a CAR going 15 mph WOULD be impeding traffic.
The L.A.W. website has plenty of answers for the questions that most motorists throw at you. Most of them can simply be answered by saying that currently the law does not require certain things of a bicycle or its rider (like license plates and such).
