It is not entirely true that cycleists don’t pay for roads. Most of them own a car and drive on occasion. There are taxes paid on those vehicles that are not being used. Bikes also apply less road wear than cars.
There was a time when many cities had bike licensing and taxes. Mainly at times when the bicycle was a more important mode of transportation.
I ride quite a bit (4000 miles in the last year). My car is parked for most of the summer.
Would the application of a tax or license really be worth it. I would imagine that it would be costly to try to implement with so few people actually riding. I would not necessarily be opposed to it but I don’t know what true benefit would be gained.
We have bike licenses here. Some years ago, a girl and her mom accused our daughter of stealing her bike. My wife went home (while friends of ours stayed behind), got the papers, came back, and showed the girl and mom the number on the papers that matched the sticker on the bottom of the bike. We told them to call the cops if that wasn’t enough proof. They left.
Sure, you can scrape the sticker off, but then there’s the stamped on serial number that’s also recorded on the papers. Worked out well for us.
The benefit would be that the government would have a little more control over you and get a little deeper in your pocket. The police would have another excuse to pull you over and check your papers - bike registration etc. For your own safety of course.
Taxes are no longer applied to raise revenue or cover costs fairly. Taxes are a form of punishment and retribution. Bicyclists are no more immune than anyone else.
I do understand your point but here’s my beef. I own a car, a pickup, and a motorcycle. I can’t operate all three at the same time but I still have to buy a license for all three at full price. I ride the motorcycle more during summer months, the car when my wife and I go somewhere together, and the pickup when I need to haul something.