Driving standards.....

[Loosehead]

It has often been said that if all motorists had to do a year or 2 on a motorbike then the roads would be much safer. I am a motorcyclist and a car driver. I have done a bike "roadcraft" course with the local police and learned a lot about "making progress" safely. Often though I hear some of the things that I was taught being slated as dangerous when they are in fact safer. So why are there so many car drivers out there who are clueless? do you think that where possible, drivers would benefit from some time riding a bike? Now before this turns into a biker/car driver slanging match I accept there are a lot of idiot bikers too with no idea.

[redcrx]

i have heard similar said before but tbh i cant see it working. Have you seen the 16 year old idiots that ride around on mopeds? We have almost killed a few, one of which decided to overtake us as we were overtaking a parked car. There was a wall on the right hand side of road (no pavement) and he started to pull around us after we started overtaking. he had been a foot from our rear bumper to this point. perhaps the idea is to weed out the bad drivers by them getting theirselves killed before being old enough to drive a car

Mr CRX has a bike, and sometimes id feel safer on his bike than with him driving in his car lol. As for me, i feel my driving is reasonable (better than his) and yet i cant do the figure 8 turn to pass my CBT lol

[milliezoe]

I do agree that car drivers would benefit from riding a bike for some time this would make them aware of how to think a bit more about how easy it is to maim someone on a bike because they are not easy to spot.

[scoobysoo]

I rode a scooter for 10 years before I moved on to a car, and my driving instructor said he could tell. My observation was great, and I was able to forsee possible hazards more than a non-scooter rider...BUT...my spatial awareness was just terrible!!!!

[Ethel]

The same could be said re artic lorries. How many car drivers appreciate the blind spots and the large turning arc these things need?

Sadly I live very close to a 'bikers run' - and there is nothing safe on those roads on a weekend with them racing each other with no regard for themselves or other road users.

Some people have common sense, some people don't.

[dustypuss]

A biker literally lost his head in a crash near york recently . The chief of police suggeste a poster of the poor blokes head still in his helmet with the slogan .
( THINK ! DONT LOOSE YOUR HEADl.) The chief of police nearly lost his job !

[Cockney_si]

Sadly on the roads today I've yet to see a biker riding responsibly and carefully.

I have riden a motorbike and a pushbike and drive a car and where I drive the roads seem to be one big free for all for doing whatever you like once you've passed your driving test.

[ceejay123]

True Very True!!!!!!!!
I passed my bike test in Nov 1962 and me car test in Jan 1969. Both first time by the way. This not bragging but just to confirm that I definitely found it an advantage to be a motorcyclist before driving a car.
As for these youngsters crawling about on "twist and go's" I don't have much of an opinion as the only people (well mostly) they are endangering are themselves!!
It is complete folly of the authorities to condemn kids to ride arould on under powered machine that do not have the capability to overtake or even keep up with the traffic flow. If they are on a de-restricted road they will, by nature, want to get through the traffic and make progress when the traffic slows or stops. This leads to them weeving in and out of slow moving traffic. (all right I do have an opinion! lol)
Chris

[Twenty20]

Unfortunately, I think there's a larger proportion of idiot motorcyclists compared with the proportion of idiot car drivers. If you see a motorcyclist riding steadily along with the traffic you look twice because you think there's something wrong.

Most motorcyclists seem to have a death wish - weaving erratically in and out of traffic, riding about 2 foot away from the rear of cars, overtaking on blind bends and at traffic lights, pedestrian crossings etc etc.

I'm afraid I dont have much time for them these days (and I used to be a motorcyclist). Fortunately its usually just themselves they kill and not other people.

Yes, I think it can be an advantage to have ridden a bike before a car but I just wonder at what stage it all goes wrong for motorcyclists and they just become a danger to themselves.

[dustypuss]

A nurse who work in A&E told me that they call Fri night Pi**head night and Sunday Leather day

[Paul22118]

The simple solution is to raise the standard of driving tests to match that of the police Roadcraft for cars level. You have peered into the world of police training for motor vehicles and quite rightly are impressed. It is the level of expertise required to pass a atest that is low not necessarily the desires of the student. Up the ante.
Btw, well done for riding properly now.

[Toureman]

There will never be a rule that everyone will have to ride a motorbike before being allowed to drive a car though it would be a good thing.

What is needed Is more car driver education.

Most rider deaths are caused by drivers pulling out in front of the motorcyclist and claiming they did not see them.

Most car drivers have never been on a motorbike and have no idea how fast and safely a bike can pass them, all they think is another idiot speeder with a death wish.

Most Motor bikes have an accelaration time of 0-60 under 5 seconds, some a lot quicker than that, what do most cars have? 12 seconds? the bike also takes up a lot less room.

Yes, there are idiot bikers but this is quite rare as they do not survive that long. There's more idiot car drivers.