This letter is in response to the letter regarding cyclists from John Wyllie on April 25.
ICBC contributes nothing to road building. ICBC costs cover the insurance for thousands of motor vehicle accidents on public roads each year. Registering your vehicle pays for registering your vehicle, not for roads.
Budgets for road building come from municipal or provincial taxes which all citizens pay for. Roads exist for the transportation of people and goods, therefore cyclists are ‘users’ not ‘special interest groups’.
Bikes produce less wear and tear on roads than automobiles, hence lessening the need for road maintenance. Bikes take up less space than cars, hence lessening the need for road widening. Cyclists are healthier than motorists, hence lessening the health care bill.
I totally agree with Mr. Wyllie that unfair road building contributions should be rectified immediately. He could send me a cheque. I can put the money towards paying for a spring bike tune-up.
But don’t worry Mr. Wyllie, most cyclists are friendly, and since we save so much money on gas, we won’t ask you to reimburse us.
Rowena Tansley, president
Penticton and Area Cycling Association