Should our pedal-powered brethren be registered?
Contentious issue reignited by business honchoA call by the manager of communications and public affairs at the Victorian Employers' Chamber of Commerce & Industry for road bicycles to be registered has been met with polarised opinions by motorcycle riders' groups.
In a blog on the VECCI's official website, Chris James has raised a number of "uncomfortable questions" in response to recent data which showed that bicycle injury hospitalisations increased by over 75 percent during the last decade.
James agreed with Bicycle Victoria that the rise of accidents was against a backdrop of a massive increase in bicycle use during the said period, but he went further and posed the following questions:
- How are road users identified in case of accidents or breaches of road rules. Simple in the case of cars - via licence plates?
- How many of us have seen cyclists riding on a footpath or blithely sailing through a red light? One looks for a form of identification, such as a licence plate but, alas, nothing as the offender proceeds on their merry way.
- What happens if there is a serious accident?
- And, of course, there is the question of fairness. Cyclists and their lobby group Bicycle Victoria have been extraordinarily vocal about wanting a network of bike paths constructed throughout metropolitan Melbourne, often on existing roads at the expense of other road users. Road users have paid for these roads via fuel taxes and steep registration fees, which also include a component for third-party insurance.
The Independent Riders' Group (IRG) has endorsed James' comments, and also believes bicycle riders should have a car or motorcycle licence to ensure a minimum level of skill and knowledge of road laws.
"We don't think registering bicycles will make bicycling less popular," said IRG spokesman Damien Codognotto OAM. "Motorcycle and scooter riders have had onerous restrictions and unfair taxes increased over the last decade and our numbers have doubled.
"Registered bicycles would still deliver a health benefit to the community. The question is the cost to the rider. It should reflect their role."
Motorcycle and scooter riders in Victoria currently have to pay an annual $60.50 safety levy in addition to all other road charges.
The IRG also maintains that bicycle registration will improve safety and law enforcement while reducing theft.
Meanwhile, the Motorcycle Riders Association of Victoria doesn't support the IRG stance.
"On behalf of its members, the Motorcycle Riders Association of Victoria does not endorse any proposal to require bicycle riders to be licensed or registered to use the roads," said Kerry Walton, the president of the MRA. "Education and understanding of the road rules and safe operation of all vehicles should be paramount to road user groups, and we would endorse further education initiatives by the government to help achieve this.
"All road user groups should be aware of their duty of care to all other road users and adjust their attitude accordingly, whether they be driving, riding, cycling or walking.
"The MRA has concerns over the shared use of some roads; for example when bicycle lanes are placed in roads that have tram tracks, motorcycles and scooters may be forced to travel on the tram tracks which increases the risks to powered two wheelers, particularly small wheeled scooters.
"The MRA calls on VicRoads and the government to ensure that when making decisions about road space allocation, the interests of all road users are taken into account."
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