Wrong, Sancho, aside from special projects under the Fedaral grants system, and those private motorways paid for by users via tolls, most road funding comes from road and fuel taxes, which aren't paid by cyclists. The major tax going to roads is council rates for secondary roads not covered by state mechanisms.

The argument that cyclists should have free rein on our roads "because they pax tax" (presumably because they also own a car, or pay income tax) doesn't wash with me. There are plenty of things my taxes pay for like army tanks, airforce runways and Navy ships I don't get to use. Nor do I get to use the services of translators and a whole raft of services my taxes pay for. If it's OK for cyclists to use roads paid for by others, why can't motorcyclists, whose effects on the road surface are minimal? Reason, we have laws which stipulate they have to be roadworthy and have road tax paid (as part of registration) not to mention insurance (if I hit a cyclist he/she is covered. What if they hit me, especially as a pedestrian?).

Cyclists are no more than freeloading pirates.

You DO get to use the military. You use it every day when you go about your business and don't get invaded by other countries, and if you need to use a translator, you can, because your taxes have paid for it. Using your logic, motorists should only be able to drive on the bits of road that they've paid for directly.

It's appropriate for motor vehicles - including bikes - to cost more to users because they impose a greater cost on the environment and community. Pushbikes don't do the damage to roads that heavier vehicles do, and they don't produce particulate air pollution. The costs are further offset because cycling reduces health costs of the users by improving their fitness.

And why on earth shouldn't a car-owner use a cycle instead? They're doing you a favour by paying the rego, then they're not causing the damage and congestion that using the car would.

I think bicycle registration and licensing is a great idea, but it'll never happen because cyclists would then be entitled to the same services and attention motorists get, and there's no way the roads and motor lobbies would allow that.

As for "freeloading pirates", what? Such ridiculous abuse undermines any sensible argument you have to make. It'd be like me dismissing every motorist as a bogan revhead out to devour as much fossil fuel as possible in their short, miserable lives.

Sancho>"You DO get to use the military. You use it every day when you go about your business and don't get invaded by other countries"

That is a complete myth, mate... and it's an extremely weak argument even if you believed it (which you would be a gullible fool to do).

Next time Critical Mass tries to block traffic in the tunnels during peak hour...

BRING ON THE B-TRIPLES... LOTS OF THEM :)

I can only agree with Viking 13.

These Spandex-clad, pedal power 'politicians' - who pay nothing to use our roads and have the arrogance to suggest that their needs (or "rights") are in someway equal or superior to those of the general travelling public - can, at best, be described as egocentric and, at worst, a positive menace on our roads.

In case they are not aware (which is really a rhetorical statement), commercial road transport is the lifeblood of this country. On average, the goods that people consume in Australia travel on an average of six trucks between their point of manufacture or importation and their final retail destination.

That means, road transport is one of the most important ingredients in achieving national prosperity for Australia. Commercial transport is the single most important factor in allowing and promoting Australian lifestyles.

Conversely, Alan Parker is the quintessential whingeing apologist for an illegitimate subgroup of the Australian population that believes their personal desire to 'take their bikes and play in traffic' is superior to the essential requirements of economic efficiency underpinning Australia's GDP.

Alan, why don't you just get yourself a stationary bicycle and ride it on your front veranda?

A pox on all trucks during peak times in our cities. More often then not they drive over the speed limit and weave between lanes as if they're in a light sports vehicle.

For so called professional drivers who necessarily have to share the road with amateur drivers many act with little regard to the safety of others. In other words, very unprofessionally.

Bizarre anyway how much we insist on relying on moving goods long distances by trucks.