HOUSTON -- The year was 1968 when riots broke out at the Democratic National Convention, the first heart transplant in the U.S. was performed and the Houston City Council ordered bike owners to register with the police.

Few people realize that registering their bike is the law.

“No. I had no idea,” said bike rider Layton Duer.

There's a reason why Duer didn't know he was supposed to get a permit for his bike. In the 40 years since the city made it mandatory, almost everyone has forgotten.

“There must be a million and a half bicycles out there and we've only permitted 120 in the past year,” said Alfred Moran with the City of Houston's administration office.

That's just 10 people per month who still pay the $1 fee to register. Fire stations are supposed to keep the forms, but many have long since run out.

You can't even find the registration form online through the city's Web site.

“In my opinion, it's just bad public policy to have ordinances that are on the books that are not enforced,” said Councilwoman Anne Clutterbuck. “It leads to a lack of respect for our ordinances.”

Even Mayor Bill White owns a bandit bike. He doesn't have a permit for it.

“It's time to evaluate the usefulness of this particular requirement,” said Clutterbuck.

The wheels of government turn slowly, however. It will take months to derail the ordinance.

There seems to be no hurry to do so. The city attorney said that in the last 10 years, he has only prosecuted the offense twice.

Duer said he doesn't want to be a scofflaw, and will register both of his bikes. But until he finds a form or the city repeals the rule, he remains a renegade.

“I am a scofflaw,” he said. “Like the rest of the hooligans out here.”