Spokesman-Review Letter to the Editor
Car romance cooling
Reference to Dennis Heine’s letter, “Why No Tax on Cyclists?” (March 30), I believe we have to end our “love affair” with the car sooner or later. We cannot forever pave the earth to accommodate roadways, and we don’t want to keep breathing the pollution caused by cars, and we need the exercise, be it cycling or walking.
Spokane’s comprehensive plan states that “For Transportation – Design the city for people, not cars and to link the parts of the community through routes, paths and systems to improve accessibility.”
So, I guess we need to get used to those cyclists and in time, perhaps, our attitudes will change, not just in Spokane, but in all cities – small and large. Many in the Colville area have a “love affair” with large pickups as well as cars.
Trudy Lundy
Colville
Have to admit I was kind of surprised to see a letter from Colville telling people to get used to bikes, and quoting Spokane’s Comp Plan. Good for you Trudy. Any other comments?
I'm all for taxing cyclists .25% AND giving them .25% of the roads car-free. That means for designated bike arterial roads cyclists use, cars must stay off of unless the motorist lives on that particular road.
Just think… maintaining that designated .25% will be virtually non-existent seeing cyclists do not install studded tires or weigh very much.
Well, the cyclists who do have studded tires (someone commented on here last week that he puts studs on his bike)don't do any damage anyway.
There has been talk before of taxing cyclists or making them register their bikes, and it has been very unpopular around here. But what HAS been gaining momentum is the possibility of bike boulevards, which are streets where bikes are the priority and cars are either discouraged from using- unless they live on the street- or required to give bikes the right-of-way.