Well there it is, the dumbest thing I'll read all day.

I love living in NC, but our politicians are the WORST.

Edited to add: Glad I saw this - just emailed both my state rep and state senator to tell them how dumb I think this is.

https://trackbill.com/bill/north-carolina-house-bill-157-dmv-registration-of-bicycles/1701849/

While it drives me nuts that slowtwitch appears to be the only website on the planet that does not automatically recognize links, it also drives me nuts that long-time users here who know better often do not take the time to actually link their links.

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Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
Instagram • Facebook

Wow, it will require bikes to have LICENSE PLATES.

This has not passed, has it?

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Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
Instagram • Facebook

Lots of stupid people on Facebook where I live trying to argue for this as well. Now in theory if all money from that went to where it says (bike infrastructure, helmet grants, etc), then maybe it's just something you roll you eyes every year when you have to go in but makes up for it in new bike lanes. I don't think anyone is kidding themselves about whether that will happen in the US though...

Maybe it also means cops will be required to care about stolen bikes? Ha.

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Benjamin Deal - Professional - Instagram - TriRig - Lodi Cyclery
Deals on Wheels - Results, schedule, videos, sponsors

 
So bicyclists in NC have to buy their own helmets, pay for their family member's helmets, AND have to help fund "bicycle helmet grants for minors" whose parents can presumably afford to get them a bike but not a helmet. Wealth redistribution behind every bill.

Note also, you have to register each bicycle you own and have to carry a card and registration plate so the gestapo can check your registration. I didn't see anything that limited application of the bill only to citizens of N.C. Is this going to apply to out of state cyclists coming to N.C. for a gran fondo, century ride, or triathlon?

Eff North Carolina!

If the $$$$ goes where the bill says it would (a big "if") it doesn't bother me that much...if I can do it online (a big "if).

On second thought, I own 3 bikes...and sometimes ride my sons. $40/yr seems a bit steep...esp since only one is a road bike...the others I ride on the road just to get from my house to trails.

Wow, I know a LOT of folks from Ontario who head to NC to cycle in the Spring for early training weeks. I wonder if they will also be required to register their bikes?

I forwarded it on to the local news channel also.

Increasingly both the wife and I wonder if we're living in the right country or right part of the country.

Our values and ideals just routinely butt heads with what we see around us.

I'd give them this stupid idea if they were to put into law a mandatory 5 year prison sentence for any death by motor vehicle: other vehicle, bicycle, pedestrian. No more "the sun blocked my view" bullcrap. You get a 2x multiplier if you were on your phone at all.

In their case in 2020 they'll only receive "warnings" as it's going to be a 6 month "warning" tickets given from Dec 1, 2019. After that I guess they'll receive citations.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

It's strange but not strange at the same time (i say not strange cus this is such a typical move by idiot politicians). This is a puff your chest moment for the leaders who can now say they are "helping" the poor. Except kids dont ride bikes anymore, so they really arent doing much other than making a solution for a problem that doesn't exist. But they are doing it for the kids and so for that they get my vote for re-election!!!!!!! (pink/not pink)

ETA: And oh by the way you cant make bike lanes on roads that really aren't wide enough to begin with. You don't get to repaint the lines and think it's safe.

If this means now that cyclists are now more "creditable" and drivers are held to higher responsiblity, then the bill is good in my eyes. But it feels like this is a hurdle to remover x% of cyclists who simply wont do this new rule so they stop riding, etc. But I do wonder if this now improves the cases for cyclists who get hit, I mean they are now licensed users of roads, etc. You being on your phone and running me over now that I'm "allowed" to be there, I would think attorneys can win better cases and/or more charges against drivers. Use this rule against the state and or drivers now.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

I sometimes run in the road. Will I have to register my running shoes too?

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Janyne

what problem are they pretending to solve?

I would make a joke but we North Carolinians aren't looking to good right now (i live in same area of NC as OP), so I cant even joke about it right now.....sighs


I'm not for or against this bill so much as the "why" behind it. Most roads you can't just repaint the lines and think it's safe and most young kids dont ride bikes anymore (especially poorer class kids, if they do it's just in their neighborhoods, they aren't riding around causing a ruckus in traffic). So I dont really understand why the bill/law was made other than for a pain in the ass. But as I wonder, if we are now "registered" vehicles, does that now make cases easier against drivers?!?!

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

Definitely. And attach a license plate to each heel :-D

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Blog | Strava

It would certainly make North Carolina a less attractive destination for cycling. NC business owners who cater to bike visitors (bike shops, accommodation providers, restaurants) might have some politcal clout to oppose the bill.

if the North Carolina legislators realise that someone might actually visit NC to ride bikes, they could treat the situation like they do out-of-state hunting and fishing licenses. Non-residents pay more.

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run well, run happy
george

Unfortunately, budgets aren't typically isolated. Even if money from registration/infractions technically go toward those projects, what tends to happen is those projects can then be assessed as overfunded, and money that was previously allocated is withdrawn. Net effect of no change in funding and the bike money is functionally sourced elsewhere.


As an aside:


Wonder how long you can get away with expired plates on a bike.

You're so right as to the "why" behind the bill being important. As to enforcement, if the current laws aren't enforced why would this change anything? I discuss this with people constantly when working on speed limits. Many people complain that drivers are going too fast and speed limits should be lowered. But if they're already exceeding the speed limit by 15-20 MPH with no consequence, why would lowering it change that? It's back to the same point about the "why"... A change in the law does not suddenly generate sympathy for a cyclist involved in an collision. It's more likely a new technicality to provide an out (i.e. the cyclists shouldn't have been there. That particular bike wasn't registered.) /pink but not really.

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Blog | Strava

I'm sure that everyone in North Carolina is for both of these bills.

Next time, try a smaller brush.

I forget, but years ago California had bike registration. I think it still exists...but you go to the local PD to fill some paperwork and they give you small sticker with a registration number...more for post-theft ID than anything else. It is of course a voluntary program. Or it may just have been a city program.

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Washed up footy player turned Triathlete.

I think that it makes the case easier against cyclists. Motorist hits cyclist, cyclist has expired registration (or no registration), blame cyclist.

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Janyne

Well in that case the cyclist would be charged with riding w/ an expired registration (or no registration). ETA: Same thing happens in cases with motorists- most of the time it's "illegals" who are involved in accidents with no insurance/license, etc. but they are charged with the accident and failure to drive with proper registration, etc. But if a cyclist is now registered vehicle, I am going to guess that an attorney is going to be able to have easier case vs a motorist who "oops I didn't see them" case.

ETA: We can't really say good or bad, but what we can say factually is that in 2020 in NC an car/bike interaction now will likely be between 2 "registered" vehicles...What that does to the actual rulings, I have no clue, but it does atleast give cyclists some leveling/acceptance on the roads.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

But this isn’t a license like a driver’s license, it’s just a fee. It says nothing about one’s ability to safely operate a bicycle on a road, so I don’t see how it would matter one way or the other in an accident (other than maybe being able to generally paint a cyclist as irresponsible for not being registered).

Seems like a pure money grab to me. Basically a use tax for cyclists to use the roads.

But this isn’t a license like a driver’s license, it’s just a fee.

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Except it's not just a fee. It's an cyclist using an registered vehicle on NC roads. Nothing less, nothing more.

Do I think that can help in accidents, imo yes I do.

ETA: So back to the other poster's point. In an instance that an cyclists is involved in an accident with no registered vehicle or expired vehicle, he will now be at fault for that. How that affects the fault of the actual accident is differently, but he will be using a vehicle that isn't registered or is expired. Same issues that occur when an driver does that now. That doesn't make them 100% at fault of an accident, it does make them 100% at fault for being in the wrong for using an expired/none registered vehicle.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

Thus the "big 'if'"