When cycling is discussed on the editorial page of the Greenville News (or any local paper for that matter), someone often follows up with a letter to the editor pointing out that cyclists do not pay gas taxes or vehicle registration taxes and therefore are not paying their fair share for use of the roads. You can see the latest letter along those lines right here. Of course, cyclists DO have the right to ride on the roads, but I understand that there will always be a few people who do not believe that should be the case. Those who don’t like the presence of cyclists on our roadways have the right to express their opinions, but I just want to point out that the financial argument against cyclists using the roads is a very weak one.
The first and most obvious point to bring up is that most cyclists are also drivers. Most of us own cars and do see the situation from the driver’s point of view. We pay the same taxes as other road users, with the exception of a little less in gas tax if we choose to replace some car trips with bicycle trips. For the sake of argument though, let’s look at the situation of a cyclist who does not own a car. That person still pays income, sales, and property taxes that heavily subsidize the construction and maintenance of the federal, state, and county road systems that we all use. Furthermore, the bicycle that he or she rides does not cause the damage to roadways that cars and large trucks do (when is that last time you saw a pothole caused by a bicycle?). Each year in the United States, 20 billion dollars is spent just repairing our existing roadways. Only a small amount of that money comes from our relatively low taxes on gasoline, especially in a state like South Carolina that has one of the lowest gas tax rates in the nation. If nationwide user fees such as gas taxes and tolls cover less the 20% of the cost of driving, then where does the rest of the money come from? It comes from all of us in the form of other taxes. The US spends 200 million dollars a day constructing, improving, and rehabilitating roads, so maybe those of you who are so concerned that all road users pay their fair share should start lobbying for higher gas taxes to cover those expenses. I doubt I will get many takers on that, but really, please stop falsely accusing cyclists of getting a “free ride” on the roads.
I could go on, but I don’t want this post to turn into a rant. The point I want to make is that bicyclists, like all citizens, DO help pay for the roads that we all use. Let’s get that issue behind us so that we can discuss the real obstacles that prevent us from creating roads in South Carolina that are safe for all users. As a cyclist, I am happy to share the road with motorists. I just hope that my fellow motorists are willing to give me the same consideration when I am out on my bike.
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Well-said...I couldn't agree more... When I read this editorial yesterday, I had the same reaction. Some more costs include costs of law enforcement, cost fire & rescue, subidies and tax relief to oil companies, free parking (as added to the cost of goods removed from one's salary), pollution costs, increased cost of healthcare, loss of revenue on land used for roads, decrease of productive land, costs due to increased urban sprawl, etc. A good read on the true costs of automobile ownership comes from Divorce Your Car, by Katie Alvord (pages 101-113). Sure, the title's alarming and possibly a little radical, but this doesn't change some of the underlying facts. I own a car (even drive it some), I understand that our whole economy has a reliance on motorized transportation, and I'm really not an extremist, I just think we should realize that motorists do not directly pay all the costs of motoring and are subsidized.
What all of this comes down to is respect. Motorists need to respect other motorists and cyclists, too. Cyclists need to respect motorists and other cyclists. Even when we are driving in a car, how many times can we remember other motorists driving in a less than optimum and safe manner? Driving a motor vehicle and riding a bicycle on public roadways is a right granted by laws. Motorists and cyclists both need to respect the laws and act accordingly as either privilege can be taken away. Too many points on a driver's license and we may lose our right to operate a motor vehicle. Poor behavior from cyclists could cause a change in laws regarding bikes on public roadways.
Even taking cyclists out of the picture entirely, there will always be slower drivers and vehicles on the roads. Perhaps it is someone with an old car that can not go very fast, a loaded down dump truck that is creeping along, a farm tractor on a country road, or perhaps it is someone that wants to drive 10 miles per hour below the speed limit. Remember whether we are driving a car or riding a bike to respect life. That means not only our lives but the lives of other road users around us whether they are in a car or on a bike.
How many times a week do we read about people dying from automobile accidents and bicycling accidents? How many times do we read that the occupant of the vehicle was ‘not wearing a safety belt’. Wear a seat belt when you are riding or driving in a motor vehicle and wear a helmet when you ride. There is no need to drink and drive, speed , tailgate other vehicles, etc. For cyclists, we should stop fully at a stop sign – it might just save your life. Life is precious and we do not want anyone to be injured whether it is in a motor vehicle or a bicycling accident.
RESPECT – just remember that as a slogan and respect your life and the other lives around you. That ‘person’ out there is special to someone else (a mom, dad, child, brother, sister, etc). Don’t be in such a hurry that you can not look out for the safety of yourself and those on the roads around you regardless of whether they are another motorist, cyclist, or pedestrian. If you can not respect your own life and the lives of others, what does that say about you as a person?
Thanks to both of you for the great comments.
Christopher, I have not read Divorce your Car, but others have recommended it to me. I definitely need to read it.
Anonymous, The fact that we average 40,000 traffic fatalities per year in the US is something that should outrage way more people than it does. Our per capita traffic fatality rate is over twice that of most European countries. In 2004 we had a per capita rate 3 times higher than the UK. Drivers here are generally careless and don’t take the act of driving as seriously as they should. Driving a car is the most dangerous activity that most people participate in on a daily basis, and we should all be conscious, careful, and 100% attentive when we get behind the wheel.
The courtesy issue is something I don’t really understand. Most people are generally polite and would never dream of screaming and cursing at someone in front of them for walking slowly on a sidewalk. In the car, however, they feel free to honk and curse at a slower driver as if it is just a car or bike and not another person. It’s like a Jekyll and Hyde phenomenon when some people get into a car and venture into traffic.
The link below is an example of how the carelessness of two people resulted in a law enforcement officer being hit. I can not understand why someone would drive 21 mph over the speed limit near I-385 and Roper Mountain Road. (76 in a 55 zone) If that driver would have been more cautious perhaps the law enforcement officer would not have had to pull them over for speeding and the other careless driver would not have veered over and hit the deputy. Furthermore, note that the driver of the speeding car did not pull off very far from the lane of travel. There was plenty of more room on the shoulder for them to pull off further from the main road and give the officer more space to avoid traffic. Yet another sign of carelessness and a lack of attention.
http://greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070613/VIDEO/70613008
Although this involves two cars and no bicycles, it is an example of how all road users need to respect each other and be more careful. Carelessness and a lack of respect for other road users hurts everyone whether you are on a bike or in a car. The issue is larger than just bike and car conflicts on the road. Removing bikes from the roads is not the solution. Changing the attitude of road users and taking our use of the road seriously and professionally is the solution.
Here is another link. Driver dies. Not wearing a seat belt.
http://www.greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070614/NEWS/70614004
I read articles like this weekly. What is it going to take for people to take their use of the road seriously?
Good article James, and good comments from the others. That cop video was dramatic.
Note also that our public roads are not "pay to use" facilities. I suppose in a libertarian paradise the roads would all be supported by user fees, but that would severely restrict the travel rights have the great majority of Americans, I suspect.
Anon, great point about the video. The officer is lucky in this case that he was not seriously injured or killed. I ride the Roper Mountain bridge over 385 on my commute and I can personally attest to the fact that some people drive too fast in that area.
Right Fritz, the roads are like any other shared community facilities including parks, libraries, etc. Individuals can choose to use them as much or as little as they would like. I just get irritated when certain users claim to foot the bill for the roads that we all pay for.
James, I liked your post. I've quoted a portion of it, with a referring link, in this article on the same topic.
http://ncrandonneur.blogspot.com/2007/06/bicycles-gas-tax.html
Thanks, Mike / Raleigh
In the interest of full disclosure...until a couple of years ago, I'm sure I had some of the same (although probably not as hateful) type thoughts about cyclists. But now as an athlete, I really appreciate when drivers go out of their way to share the road with me. It's perhaps an inconvenience to them...its my LIFE.
I read some of the editorials and comments on the Greenville News, and I begin to realize we've got a ways to go before being the Cosmopolitan city we want to be.
I guess my true question is...how high would gas have to go in order for these guys to even CONSIDER biking somewhere?
I love the fact that my hometown is making bike paths available..I only wish they were in more suburbs too!
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