In my city, there is a push to charge bicyclists an annual licensing fee, similar to cars, and to require they have license plates. Once bicyclists are paying their fair share for the roads, then we can start dreaming bigger than bike lanes.
You're looking at at least an order of magnitude difference in cost, which overwhelms the difference in taxes paid. That cyclists may only be paying 50% or even 25% as much as drivers doesn't matter if the cost of bike lanes and paths is 10% of the cost of roads for cars.
Thus, it's actually drivers who are freeloading compared to cyclists.
Now, if you’re talking bike trails, then yes. Those are cheaper. If you’re advocating that bicyclists should be limited to bike trails, then I’m in full agreement. If they’re on the roads, however, they should be forced to pay all the road fees cars have to pay.
It is when it's bad, yes. Good bike infrastructure usually involves things like physically separated bike lanes, or off-street bike paths.
> Also, auto drivers pay the exact same taxes that bicyclists do and additionally pay greater taxes in gas and licensing.
I already addressed this in my comment; it doesn't matter when car infrastructure is VASTLY more expensive. Why would it matter that drivers pay double when they cost 10x?
Cyclists subsidize drivers. Period.
> If they’re on the roads, however, they should be forced to pay all the road fees cars have to pay.
The whole reason roads are super expensive is because of cars, not bikes, so of course drivers pay more. If there were only bikes (and scooters and skateboards) on a given stretch of road, it would be called a multi-use trail, and it could be made for much, much cheaper, since the engineering standards would not have to be nearly as high.
Your argument is exactly like if a city got rid of all its sidewalks, forcing people to walk on the road, and then to add insult to injury forced people to be 'licensed' and pay a registration fee to walk about. No freeloading steppers here, no sir! They need to pay their fair share now that they have no good options of their own!
I get that it doesn't jive with your current worldview that cyclists are subsidizing drivers, but it's true. Those cyclists you deride as 'whiners' are paying your way.
In my city, there is a push to charge drivers higher toll fees to make it less lucrative to drive, similar to how bikes riders have paid a health and safety fee for years. Once drivers are paying their fair share for the use of highly valuable inner city space, then we can start to dream bigger than bike lanes.