Cyclry is all about the bikes. We like cool tech, fast races, and zooming in on Instagram cycling influencers when they’re wearing white bib shorts. And sometimes we even ride bikes. In New Hampshire, in fact.
So it is with regret that we inform you of the dumbest fucking thing anybody has said about bicycles since the last time a car driver opened their mouth: New Hampshire House Bill 1703.
The bill, introduced by Representative Thomas Walsh (R-Hooksett), proposes a mandatory annual registration fee of $50 for every single bicycle used on public roads or trails in the state.
Unenforcable? Yes. Incredibly stupid? Also yes. Likely to reduce the amount of people riding bikes, while not really bringing in any money? Big old yes. In fact, likely to cost more than it would ever raise. Them’s the breaks.
The “Bike Tax” Details
Let’s break down exactly what this bill wants to do, just so we are all on the same page about the absurdity:
- $50 Per Bike, Per Year: This isn’t a one-time fee. It’s an annual subscription to your own property. Got a road bike, a gravel bike, and a commuter? That’s $150 a year, please.
- Kids Aren’t Exempt: As currently written, the bill applies to “all bicycles,” meaning your 6-year-old’s specialized Hotwalk balance bike technically owes the state fifty bucks.
- The Fine: Caught riding unregistered? That will be a $100 fine.
- Tourists Included: There is no exemption for out-of-state riders. So if you drive up from Mass to ride the rail trail or hit the Kingdom Trails equivalent, you are technically a criminal the moment you clip in.
Rep. Walsh is aiming to make up a $400M shortfall in the highway budget and argues that cyclists use infrastructure (roads, trails) and should therefore pay for it, similar to snowmobiles or ATVs.
This argument ignores the fundamental reality that roads are funded primarily by property and income taxes, not gas taxes or registration fees. Cyclists are already paying for the roads; we just happen to be doing less damage to them than a Ford F-350.
The New Hampshire Department of Safety has already estimated that setting up the bureaucracy to track this would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, likely eating up any revenue it actually generates.
The Bill is Dead
The backlash has been swift. As of this week, nearly 14,000 people have registered opposition to the bill on the state’s website. Even the bill’s sponsor is now backpedaling, admitting he’s “getting beaten up pretty bad” and that the bill in its current form is likely dead on arrival. Not beaten up badly enough! Not dead on arrival enough! We’re possibly on a watchlist for those last two sentences, even though we’re just riffing on what he’s saying.
Anyway, he’s admitted the bill won’t move forward. So it’s a win. He’ll have to fund his highways the old fashioned way.