Proposed changes to motorbike licences

[no_8wire]

Story

The Government has also announced changes to motorcycle and moped laws including a power to weight restriction for novice riders, as well as:

* Tougher motorcycle licence tests which are also more motorcycle specific;

*Removing the option for motorcycles to complete an approved driving course, and so cutting the amount of time they spend on a restricted motorcycle licence;

* Motorcycle specific training to be introduced as an alternative to the standard resting regime;

*Requiring all novice motorcyclists, regardless of age, to be subject to the same minimum time requirements.

Currently over 25 year olds have a shorter time requirement on the restricted licence.

* Require all moped riders to complete a moped handling skills test along with a motorcycle learner theory test

*Introduce refresher training options and promote high visibility and protecting clothing benefits.

Power to weight restrictions would allow novice riders a greater range of bikes that were suited to their skill levels, Mr Joyce said.

"Motorcyclists are 20 times more at risk of being involved in a fatal or serious injury crash than car drivers per kilometre driven.``

Just as well its not in effect till 2012, and wont apply to me...wonder how much its going to push up the cost to obtaining your licence?

[sil3nt]

All sounds good to me. Getting a license is way to easy! Being allowed on the road with only an hours worth of riding a bike (sometimes less) at 20kph

[PrincessBandit]

Was just reading that myself.
Hmmmm. Still no harsher restrictions on learner and restricted car drivers though. I reckon that stinks. Little 17 year old Johnny can still go out on his L or R and drive daddy's SUV with minimal road skills/experience but motorcyclists get harsher restrictions.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not necessarily bitching about bikes getting tougher rules, but how come car drivers don't????

[skinman]

yep
I propose to change my license to a 6F next week
But seriously would be interesting to know how many bike accidents were caused by riders skill level or by other drivers actions.
I think that further training would be a good thing for both riders & drivers, but in saying that I have just been riding the bike & learning as I go so training would have to be compulsory to get anyone to do it.

[Animal]

...Don't get me wrong, I'm not necessarily bitching about bikes getting tougher rules, but how come car drivers don't????

That's a bloody good point!

[pzkpfw]

Still no harsher restrictions on learner and restricted car drivers though. I reckon that stinks. Little 17 year old Johnny can still go out on his L or R and drive daddy's SUV with minimal road skills/experience but motorcyclists get harsher restrictions.

Yep. They say that bikes are 20 times more likely per km travelled to have accidents (see story) and that's why these measures (which I also don't necessarily reject); but how about they compare Johnny to other car drivers.

We already know insurance premiums are higher for some groups; that indicates an accident rate sufficiently far enough from "average" for some groups.

[release_the_bees]

Was just reading that myself.
Hmmmm. Still no harsher restrictions on learner and restricted car drivers though. I reckon that stinks. Little 17 year old Johnny can still go out on his L or R and drive daddy's SUV with minimal road skills/experience but motorcyclists get harsher restrictions.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not necessarily bitching about bikes getting tougher rules, but how come car drivers don't????

I suppose their logic is that car drivers on their L plates are supposed to have a supervisor in the car with them, whereas motorcycle learners can immediately ride alone.

[Mom]

Well they can jam this *.......promote high visibility and protecting clothing benefits.

Thin end of the wedge this one. Wearing Hi-Viz does not make riding a bike safer.

[Bald Eagle]

Well they can jam this *.......promote high visibility and protecting clothing benefits.

Thin end of the wedge this one. Wearing Hi-Viz does not make riding a bike safer.

It didn't stop the disqualified driver doing a hit & run on me on my Bandit last week either.

[onearmedbandit]

Was just reading that myself.
Hmmmm. Still no harsher restrictions on learner and restricted car drivers though. I reckon that stinks. Little 17 year old Johnny can still go out on his L or R and drive daddy's SUV with minimal road skills/experience but motorcyclists get harsher restrictions.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not necessarily bitching about bikes getting tougher rules, but how come car drivers don't????

Who do you think has the most to lose from this? Farmers and people who live in rural areas. They can't wait until little Johnny or Jessie get their license, they've been driving the farm vehicles for a few years now, sometimes on the road, and now they can legally do so, taking the load off the parents.

Every time this is mentioned in the media, they are the first group to complain. Not boy racers or civil libertarians.

[Mom]

It didn't stop the disqualified driver doing a hit & run on me on my Bandit last week either.

Ouch! You ok?

[Bald Eagle]

Thanks for asking. I'm OK. The ATGATT did it's job , boots saved an almost certain broken ankle, lots of loverly bruises and time on my hands to cruise trademe looking for a replacement after the insurance wrote of el bandito.

[bogan]

Who do you think has the most to lose from this? Farmers and people who live in rural areas. They can't wait until little Johnny or Jessie get their license, they've been driving the farm vehicles for a few years now, sometimes on the road, and now they can legally do so, taking the load off the parents.

Every time this is mentioned in the media, they are the first group to complain. Not boy racers or civil libertarians.

yeh but little Johnny (in my case anyway) has already rolled bowled and arsholed a few bikes on the farm anyway, so probably doesn't have as much learning to do on either car or bike for the road. There should be some way of discriminating between those who aren't quite safe enough to drive/ride on the road, and those who are!

[gazmascelle]

sounds good to me, back when i started out i got my 6L by riding a glorified scooter around a carpark and doing the scratch test (which didn't require knowing sweet FA.)

then when i finally got myself a bike, learning to ride it consisted of "right - wheres the clutch and gears and shit?" then riding off down the road

now that i think back on it some proper training probably would have been a good idea lol

[ukusa]

Yep. They say that bikes are 20 times more likely per km travelled to have accidents (see story) and that's why these measures (which I also don't necessarily reject); but how about they compare Johnny to other car drivers.

so I average 7000 kms per year on bike = car equivelent of 140,000 kms/year.
in car I average 15000 kms/year.

So a total 155,000 kms/year and no accident yet. Where's my discount?