Saturday, June 6, 2009

License to Ride?


Summer is here, and with it comes a myriad of cyclists in the city. During my travels throughout the city, I have decided that along with Mayor Ballard’s Sustain Indy Bikeways plan, Indianapolis needs to implement the License to Ride a Bicycle program. This could easily be added on to the current streamlining of the BMV (now known as the BMV+B). The test would consist of simple questions such as: “When riding on a busy street during rush hour, do you ride against traffic in the center of a lane?” (an appropriate answer would be “no”) or “Is it safe to ride in a zigzag pattern with your fellow bicyclist in front of moving vehicles?” (again the appropriate answer is “no”) or “When you and your fellow bicyclist are riding in a zigzag pattern in front of a moving car, is it appropriate to give the driver of the vehicle an ‘are you nuts’ look when he/she stops the vehicle in the middle of the street to avoid hitting you?” (this is a “no” as well, are you noticing a pattern?) or “When bicycle lanes are present, should you use them?” (tricked you! This answer is “yes”) In lieu of a written test, an oral exam or field exam could be given for those unable to read and write, but who are able to master safe cycling (i.e. a two year old).

No comments:

Post a Comment