$1.2 Billion for bike paths...

[Flubber]

That came up in the survey I mentioned earlier. They compared the cost of snow removal on the dedicated bike paths with the number of actual users and discovered it was an obscene amount.

I could see that in places with heavy wet snow--

here in Calgary they typically just use a sidewalk sweeper type vehicle. One pass is more than sufficient so I cannot imagine the cost is too oppressive.

[The Mad Monk]

Buses are a fine way to travel.

Especially if you're a bacilli or virus.

[Ben Kenobi]

Are you or anyone really trying to assert that car registration fees comes anywhere close to the cost of maintaining the road networks and all the car-traffic related costs. I doubt that but would love to be proven wrong

Gas taxes on top of the rest of it do. They also subsidise public transit and bike routes.

Cyclists need to carry their own load, not ask the rest of us to pay for bike routes.

[Snotty]

the cost is prohibitive as cyclists give nothing back to society, as has been established by the lack of cycle tax

[Garth Vader]

Drivers complain when cyclists try and share the road with them. Drivers complain when cyclists get a path so they are out of the way. Drivers complain when there is much more traffic cause the cyclists are now driving cars.

[Ben Kenobi]

Drivers complain when there is much more traffic cause the cyclists are now driving cars.

I'm happy when cyclists drive cars.

[Flubber]

Gas taxes on top of the rest of it do. They also subsidise public transit and bike routes.

Cite??

[Ben Kenobi]

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Drivers+face+fund+transit+roads/1383243/story.html

[Flubber]

Cyclists need to carry their own load, not ask the rest of us to pay for bike routes.

"Cycle routes" in calgary also serve as walking trails and are enjoyed by runners, walkers and rollerbladers. I guess they need to get registered too !!

Seriously though- if the model is user pays then

1. Transit should be a lot higher cost
2. We need to somehow tax all those walking folks-- Sidewalks are a similar width and bear similar loads to bike trails and there are a LOT more of them so the cost must be outrageous
3. You should divorce any highway payment model from a "gas tax" which could penalize a rural farmer (or other industrial users) for high gasoline usage
even though their roads used are rudimentary


Personally I see a transportation system as a common thing and don't really have a lot of issue with general tax revenues being used for it. On that model I pay far far more than my share when compared to government resources I personally would consume

Oh and bike trails don't have to be that fancy-- their cost per km woulod be a very small fraction of a road considering their width and the laod they must bear

[Ben Kenobi]

Seriously though- if the model is user pays then

1. Transit should be a lot higher cost

We're in agreeement. Cool.

2. We need to somehow tax all those walking folks-- Sidewalks are a similar width and bear similar loads to bike trails and there are a LOT more of them so the cost must be outrageous

Charge tolls.

3. You should divorce any highway payment model from a "gas tax" which could penalize a rural farmer (or other industrial users) for high gasoline usage
even though their roads used are rudimentary

Wow, we are in agreement here.

Personally I see a transportation system as a common thing and don't really have a lot of issue with general tax revenues being used for it. On that model I pay far far more than my share when compared to government resources I personally would consume

As do I. However, I don't want to pay for cycle routes on top of the taxes I already pay. We are massively taxed here in PG wrt property taxes and the rest. Pay your own damn way for a change.

Oh and bike trails don't have to be that fancy-- their cost per km woulod be a very small fraction of a road considering their width and the laod they must bear

Don't care. I'm already paying a 'carbon tax'. Fund the trails yourself.

[Jon Miller]

I biked in snow, cold (<-20, although we didn't have many of those). There is theft, but less than I would expect in the US.

JM

[MrFun]

Drivers complain when cyclists try and share the road with them. Drivers complain when cyclists get a path so they are out of the way. Drivers complain when there is much more traffic cause the cyclists are now driving cars.

You've just given a fine summary of the whole thread.

[Garth Vader]

As do I. However, I don't want to pay for cycle routes on top of the taxes I already pay. We are massively taxed here in PG wrt property taxes and the rest. Pay your own damn way for a change.

Pretend your taxes go for the roads, and the taxes cyclists pay go to their trails. They probably don't want to pay for your roads anymore than you want to pay for trails.

[Snotty]

You mean cyclists pay taxes too? I was sure they were just a bunch of free loading hippies

[Ben Kenobi]

Pretend your taxes go for the roads, and the taxes cyclists pay go to their trails. They probably don't want to pay for your roads anymore than you want to pay for trails.

So cyclists don't use roads themselves?

They pay for roads if they own a car and use gas. Same as everyone else.

I already pay a 'carbon tax' on the gas I buy. The cyclists can use that money to fund their trails. Deal?