Did you ever consider that those cyclists you claim don't pay fuel taxes more than likely also own and drive motor vehicles?
Yes, I have.
But when they are riding on their bike, on that shoulder, or that trail through the woods or along that river, that bike didn't pay for any of what they are riding on.
Have you ever done any research into how roads are funded?
Actually, I retired as a transportation manager for a County so I know quite a bit about transportation funding. I did it for a living.
The first article you sent says car don’t pay taxes. That’s true. But it doesn’t mention fuel taxes, or Highway Users Revenue Fund, or HURF. That’s collected by the government for every gallon or gas or diesel collected. Depends on the individual State, but it’s typically around $.40/gallon. That money is then dispersed to fund road construction and maintenance. Which by the way, are not getting a passing grade like most of the infrastructure (dams, bridges, water delivery systems, roads, etc.) rating here in the US.
So no, that bicycle shoulder on the side of the road is not in any way paid directly for that shoulder. True, that bicyclist probably buys gas and diesel too, but so does everyone else. But they don’t get special stuff for their fuel tax. By the bicycle community does.
If bicyclist had to pay say $20/day to use that bike path or shoulder construction and maintenance, I am guessing many wouldn’t. But they are getting it free now. And fricken complain about the condition of what they are getting free and don’t abide by traffic laws like the car next to them has to. The car that has fuel in it that paid the tax. Which that bike didn’t.
That’s messed up.
So you do understand that cyclists do pay for roads. In every jurisdiction I have studied, ad valorem taxes pay for municipality and county roads and general tax fund money is used for state and federal roads. Glad we were able to dispense with the myth that cyclists don't pay for roads.
