[Industry_Hack]

My guess is that not enough bike messengers in New York manage to get to the polls. How else can you explain Bill A5430, brought to us by Michael DenDekker?

For anyone that doesn't want to click the link, here's the bill, in all its shameless glory:

S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
__________________________________________________ ______________________

5430

2011-2012 Regular Sessions

I N A S S E M B L Y

February 18, 2011
___________

Introduced by M. of A. DenDEKKER -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Transportation

AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to the regis-
tration of commercial bicycles and requires casualty insurance for
such bicycles

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

1 Section 1. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new
2 section 401-c to read as follows:
3 S 401-C. REGISTRATION OF COMMERCIAL BICYCLES. EVERY COMMERCIAL BICYCLE
4 SHALL BE REGISTERED, AS PROVIDED IN THIS SECTION. COMMERCIAL BICYCLES
5 SHALL BE ISSUED A LICENSE PLATE IDENTIFYING IT AS A COMMERCIAL BICYCLE.
6 COMMERCIAL BICYCLES SHALL BE ISSUED A LICENSE PLATE UPON PASSING AN
7 INSPECTION BY THE DEPARTMENT. THE INSPECTION SHALL REQUIRE THAT THE
8 BICYCLE CONFORMS WITH THE LAMP AND EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS OF SECTION
9 TWELVE HUNDRED THIRTY-SIX OF THIS CHAPTER. THE FEE FOR SUCH LICENSE
10 PLATES SHALL BE FIFTY DOLLARS.
11 1. AN OPERATOR OF A COMMERCIAL BICYCLE MUST HAVE A FORM OF IDENTIFICA-
12 TION PROVIDING HIS OR HER NAME. REGISTRANTS SHALL BE ISSUED REGISTRATION
13 CARDS WHICH MUST BE CARRIED WHILE OPERATING A BICYCLE FOR COMMERCIAL
14 PURPOSES. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ISSUE A LIST OF TRAFFIC REGULATIONS
15 PERTAINING TO BICYCLE OPERATION FOR EACH BICYCLE REGISTERED.
16 2. REGISTRANTS SHALL OBTAIN PROPERTY AND CASUALTY INSURANCE TO COVER
17 ANYONE WHO OPERATES A COMMERCIAL BICYCLE.
18 S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

[rola643]

Colonel Klink: "All ranks are ordered to extend complete cooperation, assist without question. Ahmmm. Failure... punishment execution by firing squad. Signed General Jodl for the Führer."

How many different money making schemes did you see in all of that? NY is B-R-O-K-E...
Inspections, registration, license plates, insurance, cost of ID cards that are mandatory, etc, etc, etc....

[photosbymark]

Got a better idea for everyone. 1. Don't buy any NY city bonds, especially in your 401k.

2. Don't go to NY and spend a single cent.

3. IF you live in NY and make any money, my advise would be to leave.

4. If you don't welfare there is available.

Before long I think they will have other issues, and actually they have them now. I know a way they could stop this in its track though. It would really be simple. Unionize the bike messagers under SEIU and I suspect that problem would disappear.

This is really just another way to kick the budget can down the road a bit allowing someone to say they did something, even if its something that they know wont work