Bicyclists Blast Proposal To License Riders
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Ald. Richard Mell is suggesting that the city of Chicago should license bicycle riders--and ticket them when break traffic laws.
The bicyclists Mell would target have little use for the idea.
Mell said his primary concern in making the proposal is safety, not city finances. One person called the idea "dumb," another "mildly ridiculous." Still others ask if it's just another city money grab.
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Seth is a student at the University of Illinois at Chicago He asks how a depleted police force would be expected to check for licenses.
"Its an insane idea, because if you you are charging people to ride their bikes, why not license them to walk on the sidewalk to pay for all the new sidewalk," he said.
Marcus Rodriguez brings his bicycle downtown, from DeKalb. He calls licensing impractical.
"For people from out of town, it would be really hard to get into the city and acquire a license for something we that we only do once in a while," he said.
Another called it "nickel and diming" those who use bicycles and said that if the aldermen don't want people to ride bicycles, they should just say so.
