Bikes versus cars: Who pays their fair share for Vancouver's roads?

If you are an avid cycle commuter this should make your choice a little sweeter.

Vancouver's roads?

City does have 'free riders' problem, but it's not what you think

By Don Cayo, Vancouver Sun September 25, 2010


Cyclists ride along the Burrard St. bike lane in Vancouver. Plans are now underway to complete separated bike lanes from the Burrard Bridge to the Dunsmuir Viaduct across the downtown core.

Cyclists ride along the Burrard St. bike lane in Vancouver. Plans are now underway to complete separated bike lanes from the Burrard Bridge to the Dunsmuir Viaduct across the downtown core.
Photograph by: Gerry Kahrmann, PNG

VANCOUVER - Bike riders or car drivers? Who are the free riders who fail to pay their fair share of the cost of building and maintaining the city’s roadways?

In Vancouver’s raging bike-car debate, where most people stand tends to depend on where they sit — whether perched on a saddle or ensconced in a car.

But, while you can make a case that neither group pays its freight in a direct way, the facts are clear: People who don’t drive much — including most true bike zealots — significantly subsidize those who drive a lot. And in any kilometre-by-kilometre comparison of city residents who travel exclusively by one mode or the other, drivers tend to pay less than their real costs, while riders pay more.

Given how drivers are incessantly dinged for things like licences, parking and fuel tax — and how cyclists aren’t — you may wonder how can this be.

Well, the first point is that car-related government revenue in general doesn’t cover the costs car use imposes on the Canadian public. The second is that if you look at just municipal balance sheets — who is paying whose costs in Vancouver or other cities — the subsidy for cars is far, far higher than the Canada-wide average.

A fair analysis of car-related costs and revenues should not include general sales taxes. These apply to almost everything you spend money on, so there’s no reason for the revenue senior governments get when you buy a car to be treated differently than if you bought a boat, or granite counter tops, or a diamond tiara.

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Bikes versus cars: Who pays their fair share for Vancouver's roads?