Nope, not kidding. I have to have a license to operate my car on the public highways. The license indicates I know the “rules of the road” and agree to obey them. If I’m operating my vehicle on public highways, other drivers sharing the road expect me to know the rules and obey them; and to be able to cover the cost of any damage I might cause while driving. Why should cyclists be exempt?
BTW, In Alabama, I have to have a (V class) certification on my driver’s license to operate a boat with any type of motor, even a trolling motor. You have to take an exam to get the certification. So perhaps something similar for cyclists would work.
As for this being “FREE Republic,” what’s your point? Are you saying that cycling is a constitutional right?
In Virginia, where apparently we still enjoy a good amount of freedom that is lacking in other states, I don’t need a certification on my driver’s license to enjoy my boat. I personally think there should be a hunting season for nuts on PWCs, but I don’t demand the government swoop in and regulate it. I don’t need a government license to arm myself either.
So, are you going to kick everyone under 16 off of their bikes? In the rural town I grew up in, I used to ride horseback into town. Do I need a license for that too? As a conservative, is there any means of transportation that you don’t favor government interference of?
Are you one of those people who believes that their only rights are those enumerated in the Constitution?