I don't know how many of you are familiar with Jeremy Clarkson, who is the obnoxious (but I LOVE him!!!) TV journalist who runs the BBC TV show 'Top Gear', and is an exotic car NUT, but he has a "Highway Code" on cyclists which goes something like this...
"Trespassers in the motorcars domain, they do not pay road tax and therefore have no right to be on the road, some of them even believe they are going fast enough to not be an obstruction. Run them down to prove them wrong."
Now, I have to agree wholeheartedly with this sentiment, especially here in "Lance Armstrong's town". These people are EVERYWHERE in their yellow spandex outfits, fingerless gloves, goofy looking helmets, poofy little shoes, cluttering up the road, slowing down traffic and generally poluting the environment for us long suffering motorists. I am preparing a short brief for the Mayor of Austin, and eventually the Governor of Texas to propose the following...
1) All cyclists must pay a $50 per year road tax before they are allowed on ANY roads
2) They must pay to have their bicycles 'inspected' once a year at specially designated "CIP" locations (Cycle Inspection Posts). $10 inspection fee
3) They must get insurance before they are allowed on the roads. Insurance will vary depending on the age and experience and cycling record of said cyclist. Minimum annual charge of $100
4) They must buy a specially engineered bracket ($15) to display their inspection stickers and their road tax licenses
Just think of the increased tax revenue which would perhaps a) help pay for better roads and b) reduce the road fees WE innocent motorists have to pay.
The insurance companies would get more revenues (like they NEED that????) and perhaps reduce the insurance costs of us innocent motorists.
We could increase employment with all the mindless bureaucrats needed to enforce the new regulations.
I see this as a complete win-win situation here...either that, or cyclists should be declared 'fair game', and we should be permitted to at least 'clip' them with a front fender on passing, just to serve them right!
Why is it that they don't at least have to pay road tax...they USE the roads don't they????
Glyn