News: Brits block bad bike bill

[mediajackl]

Darn, couldn't think of a word for "rules" that starts with B for an alliteration sweep...but anyway...

Know how we marvel at the baffling complexity of British motorcycle "licencing" laws? (Even those of us who philosophically support the notion of graduated licenses)

Apparently, the European Union was intent on making bike-licensing a whole lot more complex.
The British Motorcycle Foundation called the proposed changes "unjustified and unnecessarily complex motorcycle testing and licencing proposals" that "will decimate the future of motorcycling."

The changes have been "deferred," notes the BMF in this report:

http://www.politics.co.uk/press-releases/bmf-licence-directive-deferred-but-not-dead-$15108056.htm


What are/were the changes?

See this link from a UK site, article written by instructors:

http://www.motorcycle.co.uk/articles/training/3rd_european_directive.html

They note: "It sounds complicated.... It is complicated.... Look, suppose you are 17 years old and you want a bike licence...There's 3 steps, at 17, 19, 21 years old.
Each step involves theory, off-road, and on-road tests...Each step must be taken on a bigger bike than you are currently allowed to ride, and practiced for under Instructor supervision. '

More details with the article.

EU apparently wanted to license standard "to ‘improve the free movement of EU citizens by ensuring and facilitating mutual recognition of all licences, reducing the possibilities for fraud and increase road safety," but it drew a lot of flak.

[Galaxieman]

Bylaws?

Since it's not passed, is it not a bill?

As for EU recognition of all licences, what's wrong with 'full faith and credit'. Oh $#it, that's the US constitution, not the poxy EU one...

The testing breaks down from 17 to 19, where you test on a 500cc machine, when you've been limited to a 125. At that point you're restricted based on HP, but not CCs, and a V-star 650 falls squarely in their test vehicle range (>600cc, <47hp)... Oh wait a minute, then at 21 you've got to test on a 47 hp machine, which the v-star isn't. Sound's like a non rider came up with that one for sure...

[Caddie]

Darn, couldn't think of a word for "rules" that starts with B for an alliteration sweep...but anyway...

Bunged-up, bureaucratic bullshit?

Bureaucratic buggery?

[LoDownSinner]

Barrister bait?

Oh yeah, and let this serve as a warning to all those who want some EU type organiztion here...

[MarcS]

They are just trying to deal with the fact that UK riders, by the statistics, are worse than US riders. ;)

[Galaxieman]

They are just trying to deal with the fact that UK riders, by the statistics, are worse than US riders. ;)

Even with the graduated licensing? Whoa! Sounds like the issue merits a closer look!

[Jack_R1]

He's kidding, Galaxieman. European riders are generally the same or better. It's an unclear point, but the statistics show accident rates to be around the same.

[MarcS]

Only sort-of kidding. Part of the problem is that the numbers are all over the place, but the UK has some of the worst riders in Europe. Most European countries are running at under 1/2 the deaths of the US, but the UK has been running at around the same as the US to roughly half the deaths/serious injuries of the US, per VMT.

One major problem with the UK's current graduated licensing scheme is that there are loopholes if you're over 21. If you're over 21, getting a license in the UK is a lot more like getting a license in the US. And they have a lot of the same cultural problems we do -- alcohol and speeding.

That said, NHTSA tells us that alcohol and speed are highly overrepresented in US serious injuries and fatalities; 36% of fatalities in 03 involved a speeding motorcycle, 29% of fatalities in 03 involved a drunk motorcycle operator (BAC > 0.08); 36% involved an operator with detectable blood alcohol. That same number -- 36% -- of motorcycles involved in fatal crashes were speeding. Oh, and 44% of motorcyclists who were involved in a fatal single-vehicle crash were drunk, too.

[HotFix]

I read the subject line to my self a few times before clicking. My 3rd grade teacher would be proud. Thanks for the bill Galaxieman.

[mediajackl]

..."bill"...I'll take it! Done!
Good job, folks.
A BB Brit-bike bill bonanza!