Tom Bowden is a registered Republican and a corporate lawyer with an MBA. He’s also on the board of Bike Walk Virginia and he writes some good advice on “How To Talk About Cycling with a Conservative.”

I think every long time bike rider I know has a strong independent streak. There’s no bigger proof on dependence on the Government like using a highly regulated public highway system to get from Point A to B. The equipment, registration, licensing and “financial responsibility” requirements of operating a bicycle are minimal, and rightly so as a bicycle’s impact on the public are minimal as well. And unlike a lot of the hyperventilating we often hear about cyclists not paying our fair share, we already know that so-called user fees don’t cover the expense of building and maintaining roads, and in many U.S. states those who drive less (or not at all) subsidize the heavy car drivers.