Origination of the Idea
After a recent news article was published in late December, many Indiana bicyclists have questioned whether there will ever be a tax on bike usage in Indiana. The talk of possible bicycle taxes stems from the extreme growth of bicycle use among city dwellers across the United States. Cities like Chicago, New York, and Portland have documented spikes in the amount of citizens using bicycles for transportation. Indianapolis and other cities and towns across the State of Indiana are no different – people have begun to rely more and more on bikes as an alternative to driving a car, resulting in better health, better air quality, and less money spent on gas.
Due to this increase in biking across the country, local governments, like Indianapolis and other Hoosier cities, have started accommodating to cyclists on public roadways by adding bicycle lanes, bike sharing systems, bike boxes, and even mini snow plows purchased for the sole purpose of clearing bike lanes. Because of this, a select group of folks across the United States are questioning why local legislatures have not yet required a tax on bicycle usage and/or a bicycle registration fee to help cover the costs of these bicycle-accommodating initiatives. Currently, the State of Hawaii and the City of Colorado Spring, Colorado are the only governments we know of that have instituted a bicycle registration fee; no state or local government has started to tax bicycle users yet.
Will it Happen in Indiana?
Like many other municipalities across the country, Indiana cities like Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Evansville, Lafayette, Bloomington, and South Bend have noted a substantial spike in residents’ use of bicycles. While there has been no talk of instituting a bicycle registration fee or a bicycle-use tax anywhere in the State of Indiana, it will be interesting to see how this issue pans out across the country. Most Indiana bikers also own cars and therefore pay fuel taxes, as well as the property taxes paid by homeowners, which partly pays for road improvements, causing many bicycle users to question whether they should have to pay an additional tax for riding bikes. Talk of Indiana bike taxes and the like led one bicycle blogger to sarcastically wonder why pedestrians aren’t charged a shoe tax to use the sidewalks.
Indiana Bicycle Lawyers
The Indiana bicycle accident lawyers at Caress Law Group want to wish all Indiana cyclists an exciting and happy 2014. We look forward to making sure all Hoosier riders are aware of all Indiana bicycle updates that occur this year. We will continue to take great pride in acting as the premier Indiana bike accidents attorneys and promise to passionately represent injured bicyclists across Indiana. If you have any questions about Indiana bicycle law or if you or a loved one has been injured in a bicycle crash, other personal injury matter, or medical malpractice incident, please Contact Us by clicking here or give us a call for a free and easy initial consultation at 317-255-5400. We look forward to speaking with you – and remember to ride safe this New Year!