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Wood chips may not be the best alternative for bikers

Bern, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – The Swiss parliament is considering abolishing the annual CHF5-10 bicycle tax/license, which provides third party insurance coverage for riders, reports 20 Minutes (Fre). The administrative costs of the license, which is obligatory in Switzerland, outstrip the revenue, argue centre- and right-wing parties, while the Socialists say the 10 percent of the population that does not have third-party insurance is the poorest, and this would leave them more unprotected. Some lawmakers have argued in favour of keeping the tax, saying the stickers help police identify stolen bicycles.

Geneva alone had more than 3,000 bicycles stolen in 2009, and the recovery rate is low, recently published police figures indicate.