I read the July 19 column by Shoshana Hoose, “Leg Work: Cyclists have the right to ‘control the lane’ for safer riding.”

I am not a bicycle rider. I’m a motorcycle and vehicle rider. It seems to me that bicyclists have the road more than someone on a motorcycle or in a vehicle.

If that’s the case, then I’d like to see a few things changed. I would like any bicyclists on a public road or bike path to have to pay a $50 bicycle registration fee to the local and state governments.

All bicycles should have a license plate on them. Some money goes to the city or town, some to the state. This money can be used for the upkeep and maintenance of roads. We spend millions of dollars on bicycle paths, yet bicyclists are on the road instead of the path.

I’d also like bicycles to have the same rules as motorcycles. They should have speed limits, the same as cars, trucks and motorcycles. Bicyclists should stop at all stop signs and red lights.

People complain about groups or large numbers of motorcycle riders going down the road together. At least we pay a registration fee for the right to use the roads, and bicyclists need to start footing some of these bills for road maintenance. Bicyclists’ free ride of the road needs to come to an end.

I would like to see Gov. LePage or anyone in Augusta push for a bill requiring the owners of any bicycle or anything with wheels, like the bicycles with small gas motors, to pay $50 a year to register them.

You want to play – well, it’s time to pay. Same road, same rights, same rules and same registration. You want all those rights to the roads – let’s see some money.

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