This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
If bicycles are considered vehicles with the same rights to the roadways as motor vehicles, why aren't they required to be licensed and insured?
Why can a $5,000 bike be re-sold without paying any sales tax or registration fees?
The main difference between bikes and motorcycles, which are subject to all motor vehicle costs and regulations, is that bikes are typically operated by young and healthy people with good physical strength and stamina. To allow these people a free ride while taxing protected populations who must use motorized vehicles amounts to illegal discrimination under federal law.
It's high time that our state legislators recognize this inequity and bring bicycles, both street and off-road, into the registration and license system.
Rainer Huck
Salt Lake City