what happened to the cycling proficiency test?

[Deleted member 1258]

I never took the cycle proficiency, my Dad taught me the basics of cycling when I was a small boy and got my first bike in the mid 1950's, in the early 1960's I was cycling 10 miles a day to and from school and the summer holidays before I started that my Dad spent time taking me out on my bike and showing me how to use the roads, when I came back to cycling after a break and had to relearn my roadcraft, I used what my Dad had taught me as my base, added in what I'd learnt riding motorcycles and learnt the rest as I built up my experience.

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

Still got my certificate and badge somewhere.

 

[BigonaBianchi]

what we really need in the uk is a driver proficiency test...cos clearly the driving test isn't enough.

 

[hopless500]

what we really need in the uk is a driver proficiency test...cos clearly the driving test isn't enough.

Good idea! They can all be reminded where the inicator stalk is for a start! Followed by what a speed limit is for
Drivers just don't indicate here - and I drive through several villages with a 30 limit on the way to work, and have lost count of the number of people that appear out of nowhere who have obviously had their foot down until I get in their way

 

[BigonaBianchi]

The test was a good idea for youngsters. But arnt there similar skools available now??

 

[Boris Bajic]

what we really need in the uk is a driver proficiency test...cos clearly the driving test isn't enough.

I think there are very many younger drivers now who have simply never cycled. This is not a crime and nothing to be disapproved of, but it may affect the way they behave around other road users, particularly cyclists.

I am a poor-to-middling cyclist and probably worse as a driver, but both my driving and cycling are rendered less bad by the umpteen billion miles I've spent doing the other of the two.

Driving HGVs and riding motorcycles have also helped, although the HGV bit was overseas and slightly hooky.

It would be lovely (and quite impracticable) if all primary-school pupils were taught to cycle on the roads as they are currently taught to swim.

Watching my two elder children (one a learner, one on a 'P' plate) in motor cars, I am convinced that their road sense and awareness of others is enhanced by being cyclists to the marrow.

 

[Ron-da-Valli]

I passed my proficiency test on 12th July 1973 ( my 10th birthday). I lost the badge but have still got the certificate!

 

[shunter]

Good idea! They can all be reminded where the inicator stalk is for a start! Followed by what a speed limit is for
Drivers just don't indicate here - and I drive through several villages with a 30 limit on the way to work, and have lost count of the number of people that appear out of nowhere who have obviously had their foot down until I get in their way

Maybe even remind them the purpose of the white line in the middle of the road - I see more and more people who veer over the line for no apparent reason. They even go deep into corners and still manage to cross the white line on the way out.

 

[BigonaBianchi]

Maybe even remind them the purpose of the white line in the middle of the road - I see more and more people who veer over the line for no apparent reason. They even go deep into corners and still manage to cross the white line on the way out.

That is the one single biggest problem here...drivers just assume they have the right to drive on the wrong side of the road,often head on into me and/or other road users. They just assume a bike can be forced over so they can squeeze past. This is especially the case when they have to pass rows of parked cars. They still have to be sure its safe to overtake before cross ing the line, and to a man they don't .

The other big thing I see a lot of is out of town, where there are double white lines and blind bends and hills. The majority of drivers risk my life, the lives of on coming drivers and their own lives and cross the double white lines, and even cross them on blind hills and bends coming really close to a head on smash or, more likely wiping me out as they pull in to save their sorry sad arses from the head on they create.

Major culprits of this are van a truck drivers. I even had one try to do this the other week going up a steep hill, but he was so heavy loaded he couldn't get up enough speed top pass me once he had pulled out across the line, he couldn't pull back in because the car behind filled the gap. Beggars belief how badly these drivers behave.