New York cyclists to get licence plates?

Lawmakers in New York state have proposed that bicycle riders should be forced to register and instal licence plates on their bikes, according to news site WIVB.com and local blog site Streetsblog.

Queens Assembly Member Michael DenDekker has proposed that childrens’ bikes as well as adults should be registered and regularly inspected to prove the bike is road worthy. Licence plates would cost $25 or $50 for commercially owned bikes. The scheme would net around $300,000 annually for New York state, leading critics to call the scheme a money spinning exercise.

DenDekker has also proposed that dedicated cameras should be trained on cycle paths:

"We would put cameras in bicycle lanes to make sure that bicyclists are wearing their helmets and have their lights on and are riding in a manner which is accustomed to the lane or if they’re being reckless and endangering and hurting others. I believe it also gives more credibility to bicyclists, making them more a part of the road."

Erie County Clerk Kathy Hochul expressed concerns that the proposal would slash cyclist numbers: "It’s a nice family outing, trying to conserve on gas, recreation, exercise, which we’re trying to encourage, and then to put another roadblock, another cost to be able to do this is just so wrong."

The bad economics of licensing bicycles – and why cities around the world got rid of their registration schemes – can be found here.