Quote:
Originally Posted by Keith P.
These are the exact same issues involved in mixing cyclists with motor vehicles on our streets. Perhaps we need to resolve those issues first. Registration and high-visibility ID numbers would be a start.
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I agree with Keith on this point. A prerequisite for receiving registration should be a completion of a bicycle safety course. I don't think this needs to apply to recreational users in off-street areas, but a municipal requirement for street usage (perhaps in urban zones) does not sound unreasonable to me.
I am a fair-weather cyclist, and a motorist. Frankly it irritates me that there are so many cyclists who spurn road rules with no consequence. I absolutely respect the ones who do follow the rules, and have no problem with catering to them. And as a cyclist, I appreciate when drivers do the same. I do think that registration and visible ID numbers would go a long way towards making cyclists accountable for the way they interact with street traffic.
Make the course available in schools for kids a couple of times a year, even make it free for everyone (maybe take it from the infrastructure budget?). Safety trumps everything. It's true that bike lanes make things safer, but ultimately, individuals need to take responsibility for their own safety. If they choose not to, the rest of us should be able to hold them responsible. I understand that the idea of a registration system is distasteful to some, likely some of whom are responsible cyclists. It may even deter some from taking up urban cycling. IMHO, safety trumps convenience every time.