Consultation to changes to the Motorcycle Test.

it says around 1700 bikers have lost their lives in the past 5 years...
what I would like to see is how many of those was the fault of the biker....
I appreciate we need to be better then the car drivers and more aware of whats going on.
I have always believed it takes 2 to have an accident..even if the blame was the car drivers we need to take some responsibility.
my kids have all past there car tests in the last few years and not one of them were ever told by there instructors anything about bikers...hgv vehicles...
car drivers need to be taught more about other road users..they need training to be more aware of the space hgv vehicles need.buses and of course bikers...but there not....so imo its the car drivers that need better training and more restrictions....you can pass your car test in a 1ltr micra then jump into daddies bmw and hit the highways....how can that be right....
 
It is time power restrictions were introduced for car drivers similar to bike riders and I agree with aeronut7 that the DSA need to look at the bigger picture and improve the training and awareness of car drivers. Also, how many of those fatalities were caused by poor road surfaces, lack of maintenance, poor road layout, signage, lighting etc.
 
Bikers being a minority are easier to target then car drivers
And less resistance to change
 
It is time power restrictions were introduced for car drivers similar to bike riders and I agree with aeronut7 that the DSA need to look at the bigger picture and improve the training and awareness of car drivers. Also, how many of those fatalities were caused by poor road surfaces, lack of maintenance, poor road layout, signage, lighting etc.

I don't think a power restriction would make a huge difference, maybe some, as my kids cars are 1L things but are still capable of 80-90 miles an hour. I think the restriction would have to be down to say 500cc to make a difference.

What I completely agree with is the roads. As well as the surfaces, which are abysmal, it's the amount of distractions on any road that I find ridiculous now. Numerous bloody traffic lights, advertising, road signs etc etc. All this in my opinion takes the drivers eye away from watching for hazards. Add in text messages, emails and phone calls and it's a wonder more are not killed.
 
Would it be a good idea for new learner car drivers to have to undertake some form of CBT?
That might be the next step.
We now have it here (Ireland) called "EDT" Essential Driver Training http://rsa.ie/en/RSA/Learner-Drivers/Driver-Training/Car-Training-EDT/An-Introduction-to-EDT/

It was introduced some time after we got "CBT" (called IBT here) for Bikes.
When first brought up at meetings between our Road Safety Authority and Approved Driving Instructors it was thought to be unrealistic and no real chance of becoming law.
It now IS law and obligatory.
A bit like the smoking ban - it was believed we would not just sit still and accept it / but we have.
...its value is somewhat debatable. (not by me - i cant be arsed!)
But our IBT is actually rather good.
 
Fact is a driving license is a privilege not a right; there are far too many crap road users around.

Would you get on a plane for your holiday if you knew the pilot had done no training in the past 30 years ? Yet you'll get into someone's car or follow them closely on a ride out !
 
I posted my views about this and it echos the views here.


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I commented. The proposals feel a bit like trying to use a screwdriver for tighten a nut. This seems to be following a similar vein of make it harder and harder.

They are missing the point on two counts.

I believe from a recent biker first aid course if I recall something like 75% of bike accidents were non fault of the rider. The other 25% were no other vehicles involved or something like that.

Thus. The test and training needs to improve for other road users such that their observation skills are improved.

IMHO New riders need to be taught and tested on the principles of roadcraft so they are properly able to assess and priorise hazards presented by other road users.

The 75% will obviously comprise a wide variety of incidents ranging from a rider going too fast for the conditions making themselves harder to spot thus a vehicle pulls out on them through to the downright stupidity on the part of the other road user. ...Such seemed to be the case for our own Dr Alf.

You also have your weekend warriors, commuters, new riders, experienced riders, all of which can find themselves in an accident the fault of others under varying levels of self preservation due to both attitude, experience and training.

So for me, the issue is far more nuanced and diverse in a way that just putting more obstacles in the path to a full licence won't solve.
 
Im relatively new to the road bike thing having past my bike test only 3 years ago, the sole purpose for my test was to go green landing, and time card enduro's etc,ive rode dirt bikes for years and been driving for 30years.
When I took my CBT I was amazed at how little training is required to pass a CBT on the same day as I was taking my test a young 16 year old lad was taking his and he had never put his leg over a bike before in his life, never read a road sign or had to drive through busy traffic before but he still came away with a certificate. I would not let my son on the road with his level of experience. I think it needs revamping to make it more like a full test with more road time with instructors, to gain the experience required.
 
All this training and restrictions are fine yet a 17 year old with no driving experience on the road can do his theory test, driving test and be on the road a few days after his birthday in anything from a Smart car to a Porsche with no restrictions at all. How many times riding or driving do you see oncoming traffic negotiating a right hand bend half across the white line (a head on collision waiting to happen which will be logged as a motorcyclist losing control), although its strange the same people can manage left hand bends without driving over the pavement ? How many cars fail to negotiate bends as they are going too fast ?

Hell today we had 10 mm of snow and I watched the car in front barrel into a bend with the brakes on and slide across the road, fortunately missing oncoming traffic, as they had no idea of braking, grip etc.

It is about time new car drivers faced restrictions and stepped licences like motorcyclist do, some of us will live longer then.
 


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