BICYCLE COSTS?

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
THE HERALD SUN 
MELBOURNE

Bicyclist Kate from Mitcham wrote in Text Talk (Oct. 13, 2016.) that she owned a car so she had been paying for roads for 40 years. In context then, most motorcycle & scooter riders also own cars so we pay twice for our roads.

Victorian registration fees and compulsory third party insurance on a motorbike is comparable to a car. On top of that, the unfair TAC tax on most bikes is around $70 a year. Melbourne riders can pay over $600 a year for their bike and that again for their car.

Motorcycle & scooter riders contribute more than their fair share to our road network but we do not get the hundreds of millions of dollars spent by all levels of government, institutions and businesses for pushbike paths and signs, secure parking and lockers that bicyclists get.

We aren't saying bicyclists should pay more than they do now. They should be very happy with their lot. The least bicyclists can do to contribute is to obey our road laws.

We are saying that powered two-wheelers pay too much. Motorbikes & scooters benefit car drivers by reducing traffic congestion, easing parking shortages and a lot more so motorcycle & scooter riders deserve a fair go both in traffic and from government.

Damien Codognotto
Independent Riders' Group
Doncaster