With a straight-forward explanation, this article shows how bicyclists pay more for the roads on which they bike.
"[W]hile you can make a case that neither group pays its freight in a direct way, the facts are clear: People who don't drive much -- including most true bike zealots -- significantly subsidize those who drive a lot. And in any kilometre-by-kilometre comparison of city residents who travel exclusively by one mode or the other, drivers tend to pay less than their real costs, while riders pay more."
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You may be interested in this version of the article, which contains numerous comments from readers: http://www.vancouversun.com/travel/Bikes+versus+cars+pays+their+fair+sha... . Here are some additional reader comments sent to the newspaper columnist: http://communities.canada.com/vancouversun/blogs/cayo/archive/2010/09/27... .
It is interesting to see how much passion this issue has generated, including anger from many motorists who believe that they are abused by cyclists.
Todd Alexander Litman
Victoria Transport Policy Institute
www.vtpi.org
"Efficiency - Equity - Clarity"