Everyone’s got a right to be published. Hence the infamous newspaper section, letters to the editor. It’s just a shame that there isn’t a requirement to actually think before hitting the keyboard, as evidenced by this gentleman’s letter here.

Or, if you don’t want to make the jump to the Salt Lake Tribune’s site, here it is, too:

Tax bicyclists Public Forum Letter Updated: 03/09/2009 06:06:54 PM MDT We have put signs on our roads for them; we have created special road lanes for them; we have made laws to protect them on the roads — now it’s time for them to pay up! It is time for bicycle riders to pay for the services they enjoy. Bicycles must be taxed to ride on our roads and be required to have a license plate that identifies that they have paid the tax. The income would be a boon to our economy. Plus, bicycle riders violating the law could be identified and cited for infractions, such as running red lights. Joe Wood Salt Lake City

I know. What a jackass.

Well, Joe. I’m an occasional bike commuter. For starters, I do pay taxes. I paid sales tax on my bike, just as you did your car. I also pay income tax and property tax to Salt Lake County. The reason there aren’t additional taxes beyond that—like say a gasoline tax or a road repair tax—is because my bicycle doesn’t pollute, doesn’t require use of a non-renewable resource and doesn’t harm the surface of the roads.

Oh, and if I’m in the bike lane, then that’s one less car you have to compete with. One less car creating traffic that slows you down and makes you late (bikes don’t contribute to that, friend) and one less car you need to worry about stealing your space in a parking lot.

So, aren’t there bigger issues in the world, or even our little red state, to consider than taxing bicyclists and forcing them to register their bikes? I think there might be, Joe.