Yeah, Man, I've ridden over that James River Bridge many, many times. Last time was in the mid 70's. Toll was .90 then, I believe. Some good points posted concerning this issue, but I would advise a little less hostile approach. Ever heard of "Obstructing Traffic?" Having had experience with fighting City Hall, it's best to fight your Battles there. Research info on how many bikes enter the toll everyday, how much revenue is generated by those tolls, how many Bikes are registered in the immediate area, how many Bikes are registered in the State, how many crashes involving Motorcycles and Cages, have occured at each Toll Booth, etc. Then suck up to one of the Politicians, and let him take credit for suggesting the construction of the New "Motorcycles Only" toll booth. Emphasize the "Safety Factor." Don't forget to lobby for reduced tolls for Motorcycles, too. Plan your work, and work your plan. Politicians don't see you as people, when you walk through those Capitol doors. They only see votes. More people, more votes. Twolane, would be a great source for strategy, and orginization for you guys. I wouldn't even attempt a Political battle, of any kind, without his advice. There endeth the lesson. Later--HUBBARD
Just saw this thread and have to agree with Red and Hubbard. This isn't a battle I'd want to take on as a political activist. Asking for something for free (toll road access) that all other "normal" users have to pay for and then shutting down the system because you're not getting it is no way to fight a political battle.
Bikes are already at best only tolerated in many municipalities. At best we're treated equally with the safety concerns we need above equality left to ourselves. That's exactly how it should be though (at least in my opinon). There aren't enough of us that it'd be right for the entire road network to be tailored to the few extra things that might make our lives easier when we really can tend to those things ourselves with not much extra effort.
Consider the following as a completely logical and not at all illegitimate scenario from a legislator's or DOT senior bureaucrat's perspective:
Posit: Hmm, motorcycles want unfettered or least preferential access at toll plazas. There's not that many of them. It'll cost as much to accomodate those few as it would to equally benefit some tremendously larger number of other motor traffic.
Response 1: Ok, I guess I'll do it.
Budget office to legislator or bureaucrat: "How are you going to pay for it?"
Legislator or Bureaucrat: "Well, the benefit is targeted to a select group. I guess we'll have to figure out how that group can cover some major portion of the expense. Perhaps motorcycle license plate fees or property tax rates will have to go up? We might even have to couple that with mandatory helmet laws. After all, motorcycle accident injuries cost the state (through costs above those covered by insurances and not paid by the victims) more than other motor vehicle accident injuries. We absorb those differences in per-mile-expense on the system now beause, overall, the cost isn't so great as to necessitate the political battle. But now they're wanting some extra so we'll have to regulate the expense more tightly. So if we mandate helmet laws for all bikes in our state we're lowering the cost we absorb to have motorcycles in the system without raising the various taxes. Or gee, maybe we'll have to mandate helmet laws and raise the fees too."
Basically, for me, the US highway system is a system I can use as a biker. Safely and mostly easily. I may have to be more careful in some areas than others. But I can do that. It is part of being self-reliant on the bike after all. I don't want any damn special privilege and I especially don't want any special notice from the government. Especially when not getting those things means they basically leave me the hell alone. Last thing I want to do is give a government a good reason to really start thinking A LOT about motorcycle usage on the highway grid. Because when they do it won't be a good thing for us. You may see some near term pacification to your near term demand. The longer term result won't be nearly as good though.
Above and beyond all that I can not understand at all why I'd want to piss off all the motor vehicle traffic backed up for god knows how many miles behind me at a busy toll plaza. They're going to get through the plaza eventually after all. Some of them may not stay behind me. And they're all sure as hell bigger and more stable than my bike.
There are, for sure, within any group a few nuts out there. Guys pissed off sitting in there car close to overheating with the kid squalling in the back seat is just one step closer to being next nut with a case of road rage. I don't appreciate all of you painting a bullseye on my bike as a way to vent your inadequacies in dealing with a toll plaza.
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Topic: Toll road protest in Virginia for bikes (Read 3615 times)