Another Idiotic Idea by An Elected Official

[tyketime]

Every tyke's tricycle, hipster's track bike and jock's mountain bike in New Jersey must bear a license plate, if state Assemblywoman Cleopatra Tucker (D-Essex) has her way.

The New Jersey lawmaker is proposing a law that will require every bicycle rider in the state to pay $10 a year to register his or her bike with the Division of Motor Vehicles, reports NJ.com.

To prove that they have registered their "motor vehicles," each rider will have to attach a license plate to their human-powered transportation that would read "BICYCLE," reports NJ.com.

Tucker says that her bicycle-plate bill was inspired by several senior citizens who called her and complained about kids on bikes.

"They had been knocked down, knocked over and they had no way to register a complaint. They couldn’t identify the person," Tucker told NJ.com.

All bikers registering their "vehicle" would have to provide information such as the year, model, color, weight, serial number, owner’s address, date purchased and amount of state sales tax they paid on it, reports NJ.com.

"I believe it’s unenforceable. It’s cumbersome," owner of Montclair Bikery Gerry Magrini told NJ.com. "I don’t see any benefit to it at all, even from a revenue standpoint," he said.
Let's see. This was inspired by senior citizens being knocked down but unable to identify the assailant.

911 Dispatcher: "911. What is your emergency?
Citizen: "Well, I was just run over by a tricycle".
911 Dispatcher: "Are you OK? Do you need medical attention?"
Citizen: "I'm bruised, but I want to press charges".
911 Dispatcher: "Did you see who did it?"
Citizen: "I got a partial plate. The first three letters are B-I-C".
911 Dispatcher: "Oh no. That same tag has been involved in a number of other incidents all around the state."
Citizen: "We might be dealing with a serial attacker".

I mean really? This is the best idea Assemblywoman Tucker could come up with?

[lungs]

Make up fees to raise some money and then you can claim that you didn't raise taxes.

[Ksyrup]

I wonder if they'll also force bicyclists to have a service person fill up their tires with air.

[Mustang]

Make up fees to raise some money and then you can claim that you didn't raise taxes.

this.

And you expend absolutely nothing enforcing it, however when there is an incident you get even more revenue when you write up a ticket for an unregistered vehicle.

[molson]

There's some real proposed state legislative gold this time of year. The media only gets its hands on a small part of it. Fortunately, the voice of the real kooks is eventually drowned out.

[Ronnie Dobbs2]

OP is too close to the issue to look at it objectively.

[RainMaker]

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3194702/facepalm.jpg

[Draft Dodger]

I wonder if they'll also force bicyclists to have a service person fill up their tires with air.

this, I liked

[tyketime]

OP is too close to the issue to look at it objectively.

I see what you did there... :lol:

[Mustang]

I think we missed the real reason the OP is mad which was the first few lines of the quote.

'Every tyke's tricycle....'


Guess I should refresh, Ronnie beat me to it.. :)

[JediKooter]

Well, her name IS Cleopatra...

[sterlingice]

I wonder if they'll also force bicyclists to have a service person fill up their tires with air.

Ah, New Jersey...

SI

[Logan]

Yes, sometimes I miss my great state.

[Sun Tzu]

Bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle bicycle bicycle

I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my bike
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride it where I like

You say black I say white
You say bark I say bite
You say shark I say hey man
Jaws was never my scene
And I don't like Star Wars
You say Rolls I say Royce
You say God give me a choice
You say Lord I say Christ
I don't believe in Peter Pan
Frankenstein or Superman
All I wanna do is

Bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my bike
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my

Bicycle races are coming your way
So forget all your duties oh yeah
Fat bottomed girls they'll be riding today
So look out for those beauties oh yeah
On your marks get set go
Bicycle race bicycle race bicycle race

Bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle bicycle
Bicycle bicycle bicycle
Bicycle race

You say coke I say caine
You say John I say Wayne
Hot dog I say cool it man
I don't wanna be the President of America
You say smile I say cheese
Cartier I say please
Income tax I say Jesus
I don't wanna be a candidate for
Vietnam or Watergate
Cause all I wanna do is

Bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my bike
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride it where I like

[tyketime]

Well that didn't last long:

Now every tyke's tricycle, hipster's track bike and jock's mountain bike in New Jersey will be free to ride without a required license plate, as state Assemblywoman Cleopatra Tucker (D-Essex) has withdrawn her controversial proposal Thursday.

...

But after much media coverage and public outcry, Tucker changed her mind.

“My intention was never to impose a burden or additional costs," Tucker said in a statement. "My goal was to at least begin a discussion of how best to protect elderly pedestrians. No idea is perfect, but protecting elderly pedestrians deserves attention."

[Mustang]

WON'T SOMEBODY THINK OF THE ELDERLY PEDESTRIANS!!!

[saldana]

how about the elderly pedestrians stay the hell out of my way when i am riding my bike?

so a 10 year old kid knocks down some stupid old person that takes 45 minutes to cross the street and what...they get fined their lunch money..she should be removed from office for being an idiot.

[M GO BLUE!!!]

Stupid idea. I do like that the name of the place mentioned uses the word "Bikery."

[JonInMiddleGA]

As I've suggested frequently after moving to Athens, just license hunters to bag a set number of two-wheeled traffic impediments a year, same as with do with other nuisance animals like deer.

Problem solved.

[RendeR]

I heart Jon, of everyone on FOFC at least he's consistent.

[Sgran]

If it would get me more bike paths and respect from motorists I'd gladly fork over $10 per year. Hell, I might even consider taking a break from smashing 3 rearview mirrors a day.

[Qwikshot]

WON'T SOMEBODY THINK OF THE ELDERLY PEDESTRIANS!!!

Will their rascals get plates as well...

[Lathum]

As I've suggested frequently after moving to Athens, just license hunters to bag a set number of two-wheeled traffic impediments a year, same as with do with other nuisance animals like deer.

Problem solved.

Visit Seattle

http://blog.seattlepi.com/transportation/archives/215937.asp

Each bike box costs about $15,000 to install,

[Karlifornia]

I hate cyclists about as much as Jon does. From the godawful lycra jumpsuits, to the tired Livestrong bracelets, to the not stopping at stop signs, they can all
take and eternal dirt nap. Fixie kids suck, too.

They're as annoying as motorcyclists, but just more pussified.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Fixie kids suck, too.

On behalf of the non-hip FOFC'ers (surely I'm not the only one) ...

WTF is a "Fixie"?

[JonInMiddleGA]

Visit Seattle

SDOT tries bike boxes to protect cyclists (http://blog.seattlepi.com/transportation/archives/215937.asp)

I've got a box I'd like to put 'em in ...
{grumble}stay outta my damn yard & quit chuckin' my wood too{/grumble}

[Karlifornia]

On behalf of the non-hip FOFC'ers (surely I'm not the only one) ...

WTF is a "Fixie"?

It's a fixed-gear bicycle...no brakes on it. They became trendy a year or two ago, and the saturation hit critical mass around here last summer. Just packs of these idiot hipster kids riding around yelling "bike party!!" .

Thankfully the trend seems to be dying down, although it may just be because it's winter. I guess riding a bike isn't "cool" in a torrential downpour?

[lordscarlet]

Cliched, ignorant and unsurprising.