Defensive Driving course - calling all legal eagles

**PrincessBandit** · 8th December 2010, 19:30

Ripper Roo92 is looking to put his application in for the Police Force. He has held a full bike license for a year and recently passed his car restricted.

The young fulla is slowly but surely ticking his way through all the boxes needed to put in his application, including paying for and completing his work first aid certificate and having all the money saved up to have his eyes lasered.

He is halfway through the defensive driving course (2nd night of 4) and has just been told he may well be kicked off the course because he hasn't had his car R for 6 months.

If this happens does this mean that anyone on a full bike license is not entitled to sit a defensive driving course?????????????

Has anyone else had the same experience? I would love to know just what the story is from a legal aspect. Perhaps some of our resident cops might be able to shed some light.

Many thanks.

**PrincessBandit** · 8th December 2010, 19:56

At the risk of getting my ass infracted for doubling up on this question (I have posted in politics and law on this), are you not allowed to do a defensive driving course if you hold a full bike license?

My son has had his full bike license for a year, but only recently passed his R for the car. He's 2 sessions into a 4 session course of def driving as part of his pre-reqs for a career path he very much wants to apply for. Tonight he was informed he may be kicked off the course because of not having held his car R for 6 months or more (despite the length of time he's had his full bike license).

Does this sound crazy to anyone else besides me?

**scumdog** · 8th December 2010, 20:07

PM me with all relevant info and I'll see what I can find out.

**JimO** · 8th December 2010, 20:48

when my boys did theirs through the school they had to have had their car licence for 6 months

**PrincessBandit** · 8th December 2010, 20:56

Hubby just looked online to check and all it said was "held a restricted license for 6 months or full license". Nothing about whether it was for car or bike.

While it might be easy to assume that it refers to a car one, at the very least it's ambiguous. They were quick enough to take his money when he paid for it! The least they could have done was confirmed which license he holds.

**sinfull** · 8th December 2010, 21:07

Let me get this straight, you have to hold a licence for 6 months before your allowed to get any driver (or defensive if ya like) training ?

**breakaway** · 8th December 2010, 21:44

That is the most fucked up thing I've read. Doesn't even make any sense.

What does his car licence have to do with the defensive driving course?

**Gremlin** · 8th December 2010, 22:29

A defensive driving course is able to be loaded towards one class of license only.

Ergo, I currently have my 6 and a 1L. I have done the defensive driving course once already for my bike classes. I did the course more than 6 months after gaining my 6R, and it was applied to my bike class.

To speed up the car class (when I get around to progressing it further), I would have to sit the course again. It does not matter what other classes you hold, just whether you meet the requirements around the class you are doing the course for.

Not sure exactly what you are asking, but I imagine this has shed some light on the matter?

**psycho22** · 8th December 2010, 23:31

Hmmm I can't really help alot because I only had both my restricted's held for 6 months or more when I did my defensive.

However there was a guy at my course who had his 6F but was only on 1R I'm pretty sure and he didnt have any issues like that that I knew of.

**psycho22** · 8th December 2010, 23:41

Just make sure he's not colourblind.

I was set on joining the force until the optometrist whipped that one out.

But good luck to him and hope everything goes well all the same.

**PrincessBandit** · 9th December 2010, 06:33

Originally Posted by Gremlin

A defensive driving course is able to be loaded towards one class of license only.................
........................ It does not matter what other classes you hold, just whether you meet the requirements around the class you are doing the course for.

Ah, that does make some sense. When Balu had to do a DDC in order to shorten the time on his 6R he found it a complete and utter waste of time for bikes. (He had to do it as tptb wouldn't extend his exemption [granted due to his physical size on the 250 we had at the time] to ride my bandit while he 'rode out' the remaining months on his R). He couldn't really couldn't understand what the course he was forced to do had to do with his competency on a bike, yet he was expected to do it. Now this is the reverse - a young person needing to do it to meet pre-req's for a course application and the license number does suddenly matter.

**mad.mike** · 9th December 2010, 07:23

I just did mine for my bike after holding a full car licence for over 2 years. My understanding of it is that you must hold the class of licence that you are applying for for at least 6 months in order for it to count towards the licence. Eg has to have had his restricted car for 6 months regardless if he has his full bike.

**Mom** · 9th December 2010, 07:25

Originally Posted by PrincessBandit

Ah, that does make some sense. When Balu had to do a DDC in order to shorten the time on his 6R he found it a complete and utter waste of time for bikes. (He had to do it as tptb wouldn't extend his exemption [granted due to his physical size on the 250 we had at the time] to ride my bandit while he 'rode out' the remaining months on his R). He couldn't really couldn't understand what the course he was forced to do had to do with his competency on a bike, yet he was expected to do it. Now this is the reverse - a young person needing to do it to meet pre-req's for a course application and the license number does suddenly matter.

Get hold of Tricia at Roadcraft School of Motorcycling, she will have all the info you need. My son is currently doing his DDC with her, he does not own a car and is able to sit his practical aspect of the course on his bike. Infact she will slant the course towards bikes if she has them on her courses. He holds both car and bike full licences bit is sitting DDC for his further education.

0800 4 LESSONS is her number, she is based in Orewa.

**Tricia1000** · 9th December 2010, 07:33

I am a provider for the Defensive Driving Course, in Orewa, and you need to have held the licence for which you would like the reduction for 6 months if you are under 25, before you do the DDC. So, really, since he has paid his money, he should be allowed to drop out of this course, and pick up on one after he has been on his 1R for 6 months, without having to pay any more money.
It is crazy, that you are only allowed to do the DDC after you have been driving for a whole year, but that will change from July next year. You will be allowed to do the DDC, on your Learners licence.
Hope this helps,
Tricia
Roadcraft School of Motorcycling Ltd.,
021 269 3246

**PrincessBandit** · 9th December 2010, 12:23

Originally Posted by Tricia1000

I am a provider for the Defensive Driving Course, in Orewa, and you need to have held the licence for which you would like the reduction for 6 months if you are under 25, before you do the DDC. ........... You will be allowed to do the DDC, on your Learners licence.
Hope this helps,
Tricia
Roadcraft School of Motorcycling Ltd.,
021 269 3246

Thanks for that reply. The thing is he's not actually doing it for a time reduction on his R, it is to meet a pre requisite for putting in his Police application. While the bottom line may not alter from what you are saying, they didn't specify the license class number and I think that is a tad misleading.
I will pass on your post to him and see what happens.
Many thanks.