Ok, not directly motorcycle related, but given the number of bike accidents where young drivers (note; the data in the motorcycling compendium does not state who was at fault or whether the young party was driver or rider) it could well be relevant.
http://www.confused.com/featured-articles/motoring/car-...ontent=May
We've had the road safety pressure group Brake in these forums before. It's not very politically correct to contradict a group that says it's dedicated to saving lives etc, but if you look at what they're aiming for here http://www.brake.org.uk/target-zero then it does seem to me they're losing sight of the wood for the trees.
They don't half smoke smoke some wierd sh*t in those brake offices, another stream of bullsh*t from an index linked Quango. Brakes road safety manifest is to make traveling safer by banning all forms of road transport other than pedestrians, makes a nice computer model but not very practical In the real world. Clowns!
Rant over, go about your business, nothing to see here!
I used to deal with the road safety lobby when I worked for the BMF and they were well-meaning but clueless, safety fanatics or had some hidden agenda. The worst one was RoadPeace from which the BMF severed all from but Brake is not much better. Personally, I don't think they know how to sit the right way round on a lavatory, let alone a motorcycle.
Oh come on cataraptor every one knows you sit on the loo looking at the cistern, where else would you rest your book, laptop etc. :-) As for Brake, I've yet to see any ideas that they have that would work in the real world. Yes I think there should be some sort of restriction on young drivers the same as there is with bikes. Will insurance come down for new drivers if these proposals came in, I don't think so myself, insurance companies equals licence to fleece all motorists and they won't want that to stop.
To be honest some of the things I quite agree with, a novice young bike rider cannot go out and get a big bike till has ridden for so long or gets to a certain age so why should a young driver?
Also a lower Alcohol limit, lessons on motorways, 2 year novice licence, restriction on carrying young children (unless they are their own kids)
Biking has been discribed as being an old persons mode of transport, due to the difficulties and restrictions young riders face, when you look at the stats for young drivers now 12% of licence holders under 24 but 25% of deaths or serious accidents caused by them,IMO something needs to be done. And if that means young car drivers have to jump through a few hoops to prove they can drive so be it.
Some of it does seem rather extreme but must admit instead of lowering the alcohol level why not just make the level zero for everyone. An older drunk person behind the wheel is just as dangerous as a youngster.
I also have some opinions on this matter. I believe a restriction on the engine and power of a car, for younger drivers once they are fully qualified, ie pass there test, would serve as a better idea. As we all know a younger rider passing there test faces a two year period on a restricted bike (33bhp), which gives them time to get used riding a larger machine. But a young driver (17 or over), can pass there test then go and buy a extremely powerfull car, without any restiction (other than the extremely high insurance costs). So a restricted car of say 70 bhp would be a good idea. But a curfew could cause more problems for a younger driver who needs to travel around late at night. ie cook, health care worker or bar workers. An even playing field for all.
I agree with canyoutameme given that the majority would be penalised for the ones that are silly.They have far more expense than many of us older ones had at that age and more jobs available to earn from in this backward world the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. I would like to know what age groups make up the other 75%. also gender stats would be interesting, given that the E.U. have wiped the idea that woman have fewer accidents than men from insurance policy thinking, i dont believe male insurance came down this year as woman had to pay more trying to balance the books.
RED TAPE toting morrons who aspire to work for tax office but would settle for traffic wardens or speed gun operators jobs worth good for nowt get lost and let us get on with our lives ,
i never break the law intensionaly anyway but every time i get in my car or on my bike i feel like a criminal !!!
rant over ! ah feel better now mite go out and break the speed limit now
I could'nt believe what I read on the brake site, Unbelievable ( said in a very Victor Meldrew way) Unfortunately its Analy retentive groups like these that shout loudest and get heard ,be their ideas reasonable or not and if the Government can spin cash out of bringing into play some of ideas they will ,justifying it as "being Green" or "Promoting Road safety and stopping Anti social Driving" a good reason I think for alot of us to join a group such as the BMF that gives us a voice . One thing I read there was :Driver licensing requires mental as well as physical health assessment, to rigorous standards . I've suffered from Depression in the past would I be deemed unfit to hold a license by not meeting their " Rigorous Standards"? , this trend towards discriminating against people having suffered from Depression is worrying .I was told recently that if you have ever been treated for Depression you can not be considered to adopt children . There is enough stigma connected with this illness as it is and rulings such as this are going to add to it as well as making people or the more fearful of seeking help when they really need it . Anyway I guess we really should consider our selfs lucky to have the freedom on the roads that we have presently.I'm sure we will look back in not too many years saying "Remember when you could still......." Now i've gone on about one specific item that is personal to myself and there are many more that affect us all as drivers in general and Motorcyclists especially. We all sit online ,at home or down the pub bitching and moaning about this and that. We all enjoy our bikes and ride outs , so why not make some of our ride outs protests or as a Biker Match group agree to attend a few protests arranged by larger groups .I hav'nt seen any protest rides posted in the Events Forum (I may have missed them) Maybe something to consider, "just a thought"
Brake is a limp dick. It's too extreme to ever get any of their agenda passed. Other road safety groups are distancing themselves from these nutters, so I wouldn't worry.
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