Thursday, January 13, 2011

"NJ Lawmaker Backs Off Requiring Bike Licenses"

The Associated press reported,
"A New Jersey lawmaker has withdrawn a hastily introduced bill to require all bicycles in the state to display a license plate.
Assemblywoman Cleopatra Tucker was getting deep criticism for her proposed law that would have required riders or their parents would pay $10 a year to register their bikes with the Division of Motor Vehicles -- or be subject to fines of $100.
Tucker told the Star-Ledger of Newark that she proposed the bill because senior citizens called her to complain about children on bikes. The seniors told her they had been knocked down but had no way to register a complaint because they couldn't identify the rider.
She withdrew the measure Thursday, saying she would instead look for other ways to protect older pedestrians".
I would like to believe that the information and support from members of Bentrideronline, emails sent to Assemblywomen Cleopatra Tucker, many NJ bike clubs, and The League of American Bicyclists contributed and lead to the reversal of this ridiculous bill. 
Strength in numbers.
KEEP RIDING!!!

2 comments:

jakay said...

Glad to see common sense prevailed, it would only be a matter of time before it came in on our side of the pond if she'd got away with it!

Marty Garnick said...

Beautifully said.