When are bicyclists going to start paying a tax for riding on the roads they now don't pay for? This kind of welfare-transportation can't be provided to bicyclists forever for free you know. At some point they're going to have to start paying for the maintenance and upkeep of the roads they now ride on without cost. It can't always be automobile owners who pay for roads through vehicle registration fees and gas taxes, especially as less and less people drive due to the rising cost of auto ownership.

LT, I corrected you before when you made this point, but apparently listening and learning isn't your strength: sales tax, which bicyclists pay, is a major source of transportation funding. And bikes have minimal impacts to roads, unlike heavy cars and buses. Your point simply isn't valid, however many times you ignorantly insist on making it.

Lucretia,
What sad short sightedness you display. I drive (I have 3 vehicles in my family) but (for exercise and to reduce my carbon footprint) I try to bike to work 1 or 2 days a week. Sometimes I cheat and put the bike on MUNI for part of the trip. I pay taxes quite a bit of taxes. My story is NOT unique

Just cuz you might see me on my bike doesn't mean I don't pay (lots of) taxes. So are you also wanting people who walk to pay extra taxes for the concrete sidewalks? Reality check: what creates more wear and tear ... a bike that adds 35 lbs over my own weight, or a vehicle weighing thousands of pounds.

This is NOT a pay as you go (selfish) society. We have "the commons" i.e. the libraries, roads, police and fire departments. Regardless of weather you "use" them, we all must pay for the betterment of our community.

Thanks Steve for staying on this issue....which has dragged on for far too long, but will hopefully be resolved soon. Watch out SF -- tons of bike goodness coming soon (we hope it's soon!).

Lucerita wrote: "It can't always be automobile owners who pay for roads through vehicle registration fees and gas taxes, especially as less and less people drive due to the rising cost of auto ownership."

Is this parody? I mean, I do not even own a car or a bike and I know that part of my tax money goes to roads, not to mention badly needed health services, --and for the street cleaning and police that keeps Lucretia's neighborhood all shiny and clean.

Steven: My only request is that you remind cyclists to heed red lights like many of us pedestrians. I fell and cracked my elbow due to cyclists who could not be bothered to stop.

Lucretia, cyclist are currently paying taxes for roads just like everyone else whether or not they own cars. Everyone pays federal and state income taxes, and sales tax, part of which are used for roads. Also, everyone pays local property tax either directly by home ownership or indirectly by paying rent. You referred to tax on fuel that bicyclists don't buy. Although, a lot of fuel tax money is spent on freeway projects which cyclists cannot use anyway.
If 'less and less people drive' there will be less wear and tear on roads and less money spent on maintenance. Also, if 'less and less people drive' there will be less traffic congestion and more parking available which would make life easier for people who do drive cars.

I find it entertaining that Steve spends so much time howling about car owners not paying their "fair share," and now all these people are coming to Steve's aid by saying that bike owners pay their fair share though other taxes.

Progressives are so easily lead.

Glen,

For the record, I am not a progressive as I do not believe capitalism can be reformed. (I am actually a supporter of the Socialist Workers Party.) If you have read any of my posts here, you will find that I am quite critical of The Guardian's support of the Democratic Party. Lucretia's post was just so ridiculous that I thought it may be parody or just another attempt to stir the pot. (Which is what trolls do.) However, it may help the claims you make here more if you could make actual arguments, not ad hominem ones.

Michael, oh sorry, I didn't know you were a different strain of true believer than the run of the mill progressive like Steve. I suppose I should keep better track.

I hope that socialism thing works out for you, it hasn't for a lot of people around the world.

Glen wrote: "I hope that socialism thing works out for you, it hasn't for a lot of people around the world."

And capitalism has? Is the current, and one of the many, crisis’s in capitalism going to be solved once again by the magic wand of the "free" market?

I would be more than happy to discuss which has done more damage; capitalism or socialism- which is not to be confused with totalitarianism--, but I once again ask that you offer more than one-liners and ad hominem attacks. If you are not able to or refuse to do so, why should anyone take your claims seriously? While I very much disagree with Steve's positions, he at least is able to make an argument, which is far more than Lucretia or you are currently doing.

I'll pay bike taxes if we get some accountability out of the cast of characters that brought us to this point because the intellectual authors of this all are still steeped in denial.

It is very difficult being a queer in America and a bicyclist in San Francisco these days, where those who posit themselves your advocates are if not your worst enemies, sure trying.

-marc

C'mon guys 'n gals, let's stop enabling the sad little trollop and give he-she-it the attention appropriate to the insight and intellect displayed; in other words, ignore the pathetic, predatory, privileged little pissant.
Maybe Gormless Gavin could use some help in creating his new whore room and trolling for his next sinecure. Lucy appears to have requisite qualifications and should be able to sleaze in easy.

Patrick have you ever considered how misogynistic your comments are? "Trollop," "Sleaze," "Whore," Do you talk to your female friend that way or is it only because I'm a lesbian womyn of color that you feel that you can denigrate me in this manner? The days of white men like Patrick Monk RN being able to insult and malign wimmin of color are o-v-e-r.

The only absurd thing going on here is the steadfast refusal to admit that our side really, really fucked this up and that nor acknowledging that is fucking it up more and worse.

The next time you see Dennis Herrera's TV ad about "breathing easier," oh yeah , that was a "reelection" campaign ad that did not mention the election, remember that the samelegal whiz who brought us Prop 8 is the one on whose watch the City blew the bike plan.

As to what Leah wrote, these bike goodies are stale, projects conceived almost 13 years ago. Where is the public planning process for the next round of bike improvements? How do we get Copenhagen when nobody is taking steps to bring us that?

Without any accountability for their actions, we can count on the same cast of characters to proceed forward, unchastened, to "lead" us to more such "successes."