FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
New Laws Regulating Pedal Bars Opposed by Libertarian Party of Marion County
Indianapolis – September 26, 2016 – The Libertarian Party of Marion County is disappointed to see that members of our City-County Council are considering imposing new laws and regulations on the owners and operators of the pedal bars in our city. The small businesses, which allow about one dozen people to bicycle around town town together in a safely driven BYOB environment, have become quite popular in Indianapolis in recent years.
Chris Mayo, chairman of the LPMC, is especially disappointed that laws like this seem to do little but prevent new business growth. “When people want to know why it’s so hard to open a small business and succeed,” he said, “we can just point to laws like this that stifle innovation and place additional burdens on the hard-working creative entrepreneurs that produce or provide the things people want or need.” He continued, “For a city that’s striving to be a trendsetter, we spend entirely too much time trying to solve problems that don’t exist.”
Spending those time and resources on non-existent problems is of special concern to Mayo. “We have serious public safety issues in Indianapolis, and our infrastructure is terrible. We’re spending more on police than we did 10 years ago, and yet have fewer officers patrolling our neighborhoods,” he stated. “Let’s solve that problem instead of picking on small businesses.”
Having recently used a pedal bar for an excursion, the LPMC Chair felt his experience was similar to those of most people interacting with them in the city. “I’ve personally used a pedal bar for a recent outing. I’ve interacted with them as a motorist, and I’ve enjoyed dinner on Mass Ave as they’ve passed by,” he said. “My experience in each case has been a positive one. They’re a great way to enjoy a city that’s trying to foster growth, progress, and development.”
The LPMC is also concerned that the desire to license and demand liability insurance from the pedal bars appears to have actually originated out of noise complaints, which are already covered by city ordinance. Mayo gawked at the idea, chuckling that, “there are plenty of cars and motorcycles roaming downtown that are louder than a handful of people traveling happily down the road.”
Contact:
Chris Mayo
Chairman, Libertarian Party of Marion County
chair@indylp.org
317-457-0055
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