After a taking a summer vacation, the anti-cyclist's favorite threat, cycling licenses and registration, returned to town last night at the Transportation Committee of the UES's Community Board 8, where a resolution "petitioning the city and state to require bicycle registration and some kind of identification for the vehicles, like a license plate" was approved. The nearly unenforceable idea now moves on to the full Community Board which will vote on it October 19th, before sending it on to City Hall and Albany. more ›

This afternoon we spoke with State Assemblyman Michael DenDekker, a Queens Democrat who has introduced legislation that would require every bicycle in New York State to have a license plate. The registration and inspection fee would cost $25 for "private" (i.e. non-commercial) bicyclists and $50 for commercial bicyclists, with a $5 fee every subsequent year to renew the license. Reached by phone, DenDekker elaborated on the bill, and said he looks forward to the day when cameras in bike lanes will help identify scofflaw cyclists and hold them to the same standard of accountability as drivers. (We're assuming motorists and police officers in bike lanes would continue to be exempt from any enforcement.) more ›

Over the weekend, we spoke with young City Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Queens), who is seriously proposing legislation that would require all cyclists over the age of 18 who use city streets to register with the city and affix IDs to their bikes. Ulrich told us, among other things, "This is the reality of the situation we're in, given the large number of people on bikes. And frankly, it's amazing this hasn't been passed already. The people on bicycles brought this on themselves by behaving this way." Meanwhile, ABC 7 was out on the streets getting reactions from diehard cyclists braving the frigid elements. But some of the cyclists they found might not be the best spokespersons for the anti-license side. more ›

Unlike the backtracking New Jersey Assemblywoman who withdrew her proposal for mandatory bicycle licenses, City Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Queens) is serious about his bill, and he says there's support for it in the City Council. Reached by phone, Ulrich elaborated on his proposal, which he cautions hasn't been officially drafted or introduced yet. "This is so premature," Ulrich tells us. "I have no specifics about what it will look like. But I imagine that when it is finalized I'll gain a number of co-sponsors. Many of my colleagues feel similarly and will be supportive." But it's not that premature—Ulrich hopes to introduce the legislation on February 2nd. more ›