My ex thinks cycling tests and insurance should be compulsary for cyclists

[PBancroft]

3200 people each year who would be alive today if some motorists had made better decisions about what speed to drive at, how much to drink, and how to behave. I don't think your ex has much of an argument.

FTFY

 

[Twenty Inch]

Thank you.

 

[PBancroft]

Sorry, I'm being a pedant. But as you can probably tell this is something which rather annoys me.

 

[Twenty Inch]

No, no, you were absolutely right - I missed a key part of my point. No apols required, thank you for correcting it.

 

[Origamist]

Riverman, I think you should take a sort of "what women want" test before marrying again. Discuss.

 

[CopperBrompton]

You can't be serious?

Serious about thinking it would be a good idea? Yes. Serious about thinking any government would ever be brave enough to ever do it? No.

Have you got your bike license?

Car and bike licences, car and bike IAM passes, former volunteer instructor with the IAM for both car and bike.

Do you know hard (it can be) to ride a motorbike for some people?

There would of course be medical exemptions for people with balance or mobility issues that make riding a bicycle or motorcycle impractical, but the majority of people should experience the perspective of more vulnerable road users before they take charge of a car.

 

[CopperBrompton]

Brave? Don't you mean stupid.

No, my regime would make the roads much safer for all of us.

 

[CopperBrompton]

And cost a small fortune for anyone that wishes to drive

Cycle training would be done as kids in most cases, so cost very little.

I think I paid £300 for an intensive motorcycle training course, including test.

Last time I looked, IAM training cost around £100, including test.

 

[2Loose]

And cost a small fortune for anyone that wishes to drive and the first two tests being utterly pointless for most people as I said in my first post try and be a bit more pragmatic.

Lee, why would cycling and motorcycle tests prior to a car test be pointless, especially if it confirms that someone is a safer and more considerate road user? After all, I think you must get a car test before a HGV licence. No one complains at that do they.

 

[CopperBrompton]

Going back to the cost, Ben I think your costs are slightly outdated. I done my A license back in 2006 and the cost was just shy of £500 including test.

Accepted, but the average cost of learning to drive is already over a grand:
http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/the-cost-of-learning-to-drive-768422.html

Taking Pass Plus typically reduces first-year insurance premiums by £200. I would imagine that someone who already has a bicycle and motorcycle licence would be a significantly lower risk, so would recoup the additional costs in 1-2 years.

And then drive on an interim license before going to do an IAM test?

Definitely: that would make more difference to the death toll on our roads than a billion new laws and speed limits.

 

[GrasB]

My ex feels that I don't understand that people need to take responsibility for their own actions, so any scheme I suggest that doesn't seem to involve this is deemed unacceptable.

After today I'd say the ones who need to start taking responsibility for their actions are car drivers!... 8 close passes (less than 12" between the end of my handle bars & the side of the car) & cutting in before they're fully passed! This on untreated roads with churned up snow, hidden icy patches & snow filled pot holes... yeah great responsible driving there!

 

[Headgardener]

Rather than take extra and expensive lessons and tests why not just make driver attiude and awareness when in the presence of cyclists and pedestrians on the public highway a stronger part of learning to drive a moter vechicle of any size.

P.S. I know this might be a bit contentious but I think that drivers should take a retest every five years.

 

[CopperBrompton]

It would be better than nothing, but nowhere near as effective as people experiencing first-hand what it is like to be a more vulnerable road-user.

 

[darkstar]

Oh yes, forcing millions of people to ride motorbikes is bound to sort out the problem and of course, will reduce the numbers of accidents..... Bahaha don't make me laugh.

 

[GrasB]

Ben Lovejoy, like your test system, it's kind of the way I learnt how to use the road & I'm someone who voluntarily takes a AD retest every 3 years. That said I think it'd back fire & you'd end up seeing more people driving without a licence, consequently uninsured etc. So yeah very nice in principle & I like the sentiment but I duno if it'd be a practical proposition.