Driving test numbers

[ro]

The government recently published some statistics about driving tests (http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm101013/text/101013w0001.htm#10101332001763) conducted in various places. The new 2-part test came in near the start of the 2009--2010 period (government years run from 1 April to 31 March)

Here are the number of tests added up for Wiltshire:

PeriodCarMotorbike
2007--200821305
1609
2008--200914186
1941
2009--201018585
815 (159 old,656 new)

[Angel]

its a fooking joke,
But what those numbers don't tell you is how many new riders got hurt badly because the new test centre's were not properly prepared...

[Mark_Able]

Well the stats show what I already knew. Won't be long before the bike test will be just too expensive and too complicated... :( >:(

[pilninggas]

Well the stats show what I already knew. Won't be long before the bike test will be just too expensive and too complicated... :( >:(

At least then the Elf 'n' Safdy brigade will be happy.

[t1pper]

Well the stats show what I already knew. Won't be long before the bike test will be just too expensive and too complicated... :( >:(
Yes, if you want to get into biking the whole palava from CBT followed by the hazzard perception and multi choice theory parts followed by the module 1 then then followed by module2. Passing each one before moving on to the next Phew!
Thats enough to kill any intrest from a would be biker let alone the cost of it all.

However riding a bike by someone who is new to biking can be hazzardous without proper training and we want to keep everyone safe, so does anyone have ideas how to teach/examine learners and what should or should not be seen in the test.

[bobf279]

What we will end up with is lots of young kids who do a CBT and don't take their bike training any further. They will just move up to a car as soon as they can, but in the meantime whiz around on scooters.

[Toph]

Personally i wish I'd taken my test 33 years ago... the driving test for motorcycles now is such an expensive long drawn -out affair that I'm surprised anyone can be bothered to take a motorcycle test these days.
The figures that Ro posted at the top of this thread doesn't surprise me at all, the motorcycle driving test in it's latest incarnation is too complicated ,too involved an too expensive, It seems to me that the powers that be are trying to discourage people to ride bikes.
you would have thought that motorcycling would be encouraged to ease congestion, to lower carbon emissions and to make everyone nicer caring people, like we all know bikers to be!! ;D
rant over!!! :D [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

[redken1]

Personally i wish I'd taken my test 33 years ago... the driving test for motorcycles now is such an expensive long drawn -out affair that I'm surprised anyone can be bothered to take a motorcycle test these days.
The figures that Ro posted at the top of this thread doesn't surprise me at all, the motorcycle driving test in it's latest incarnation is too complicated ,too involved an too expensive, It seems to me that the powers that be are trying to discourage people to ride bikes.
you would have thought that motorcycling would be encouraged to ease congestion, to lower carbon emissions and to make everyone nicer caring people, like we all know bikers to be!! ;D
rant over!!! :D [smiley=thumbsup.gif]
Chris you hit the nail squarely on the head. The powers that be would never admit it publicly, but would love to see all bikes off the road. we are viewed by many as nothing more than a nuisance on the roads

[Col]

(government years run from 1 April to 31 March)

Very appropriate start date for any gummint ::)

Yeah got too expensive so can understand the numbers drop ... and with things going up with vat rise can see even less doing it :(

[RichardJH]

To be honest it isn't that expensive when you think about it, ok the training and test may be a little more but you soon get the money back with a bike test on what comes after, INSURANCE!

I pay roughly £300 now for a tzr125 and a gpz500, find me any car that i can get insuance for as low as that aged 21!

[Angel]

My Bike license cost me £700 (Not Joking)

CBT £120
Theory £65
Traing Day x2 £100 per day
Mod 1 £75
Training Day x1 £100
Training Morning plus test £143

And they say it is going to get more expensive

[Scotty]

I'm wondering what it cost me to get through my test... :-?
Suzuki GT250M - £260 (recouped when I sold it on a year later for pretty much the same amount)
Insurance - £90
Running costs - a tank of petrol was probably only about £2.50, so that's about £130 plus maybe £20 for 2-stroke oil for the year (couldn't drive in those days, perish the thought, I was a hardened all-weather biker, getting cold and wet with crap gloves, no waterproofs, a visor that steamed up continuously - didn't know any better to be honest)
Price of the test, erm, probably about £20, maybe less, and it was the easiest test of any sort I've ever undertaken [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

Does anyone know the score about the future of DAS? I have to put up my hands and say I've never been a fan of it. As Wolfhunter has said, he got his licence after about five and a half days in total of sitting on a bike - sure, a nice quick way to get a licence, but the new rider is then let loose on the road on anything they can afford and having as good as no experience under their belt. The alternative of the restricted (A2?) licence is unbelievably flawed - how are the police supposed to be able to verify the power of a supposedly restricted bike by the roadside? I know of more A2 licence holders who've de-restricted their bikes than those who've abided by the 33bhp limit, it's a law that's totally unenforceable.
Then we have the latest ****-up with swerve tests at a speed that is illegal in 30 limits in this country. Are the government and the DSA going to listen to the trainers and the police to sort this all out at all? :( :( :(

[Mark_Able]

I'm wondering what it cost me to get through my test... :-?
Suzuki GT250M - £260 (recouped when I sold it on a year later for pretty much the same amount)
Insurance - £90
Running costs - a tank of petrol was probably only about £2.50, so that's about £130 plus maybe £20 for 2-stroke oil for the year (couldn't drive in those days, perish the thought, I was a hardened all-weather biker, getting cold and wet with crap gloves, no waterproofs, a visor that steamed up continuously - didn't know any better to be honest)
Price of the test, erm, probably about £20, maybe less, and it was the easiest test of any sort I've ever undertaken [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

Does anyone know the score about the future of DAS? I have to put up my hands and say I've never been a fan of it. As Wolfhunter has said, he got his licence after about five and a half days in total of sitting on a bike - sure, a nice quick way to get a licence, but the new rider is then let loose on the road on anything they can afford and having as good as no experience under their belt. The alternative of the restricted (A2?) licence is unbelievably flawed - how are the police supposed to be able to verify the power of a supposedly restricted bike by the roadside? I know of more A2 licence holders who've de-restricted their bikes than those who've abided by the 33bhp limit, it's a law that's totally unenforceable.
Then we have the latest ****-up with swerve tests at a speed that is illegal in 30 limits in this country. Are the government and the DSA going to listen to the trainers and the police to sort this all out at all? :( :( :(

The test is flawed in more than one way. ::)

The government won't listen to anyone with common sense. Until they revert back to a single practical test, the numbers doing their test will never increase.

My honest opinion is DAS doesn't make a jot of difference to road safety. Before, you would do your test on a 125 and get a licence that allowed you to ride anything (also flawed). Not many people would be stupid enough to jump on a Fireblade straight away, but I'd trained a couple. Most would go for a 600. Nothing has changed. Most people still settle with a 600 as their first bike. The main difference is they have a bit more of an idea of what it's capable of doing. The training is better because it's more 'real world', whereas on the 125's it was basics only.

Although DAS is available to anyone over 21, it doesn't necessarily suit everyone. Some people would be better taking a slower route to riding a bigger bike. But this is something you cannot legislate for. It has to be down to the individual to recognise their own short comings. I'm sure there are some on here that were quite happy on their first 'big' bike, whereas there will also be some who were petrified. The simple answer is, if it scares you, you've got the wrong bike.

And while we're at it, how come this is only directed at bike riders? Why isn't there restricted licences for younger car drivers? They are proven to be the ones that are most likely to have an accident (which normally involves injuring their passengers as well).

The whole system makes my blood boil... >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(

:)

[Dabz]

totally agree with the car driving - it's ridiclous that the only thing stopping a 17 year old getting into to a 500bhp car is the insurance cost. they should be restricted to much smaller engines for a year or two

[bobf279]

reliant robin or smart car for 2 years

[Jon_W]

Agreed with Mark.

I think there should be a CBT for drivers before they can go on the road on L plates. Has always seemed daft that a Learner can drive with an un-qualified person without prior tuition.

The issue most young drivers face now is insurance. Many are passing their test then not driving because they are unable to afford insurance. When a £500 Ford fiesta cost £2,500 to insure there is a problem.

There should be a scheme to encourage young driver to be responcible, drive smaller, less powerful cars (which incedentally will pollute less - one for the greens here...) and drive with care and attention which rewards the majority of good young drivers, and penalises the rotten few. This is in stark contrast to the usual call for MORE restrictions, MORE tests, MORE costs and to penalise ALL young drivers who are, of course, all total Chavs....

[Mark_Able]

reliant robin or smart car for 2 years

With spikes coming out the steering wheel instead of an air bag... [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

[Bonnielass]

reliant robin or smart car for 2 years

With spikes coming out the steering wheel instead of an air bag... [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

Nice!!

[Mark_Able]

reliant robin or smart car for 2 years

With spikes coming out the steering wheel instead of an air bag... [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

Nice!!

Might make them drive a bit more carefully... ;)

[ro]

Some more interesting numbers, this time from Wolverhampton. I had no idea the pass rate for bikes used to be so much higher than for cars - but it's not any more. :(




Period

Car
pass %

Motorbike
pass %

mod 1
pass %

mod 2
pass %

2007--2008

46.5

67.8

-

-

2008--2009

48.0

72.0

-

-

2009--Mar'09

47.9

77.5

-

-

Oct'09--2010

47.5

45.9

57.1

80.5

2010--

49.9

40.8

57.8

70.6


Looks like there was a gap from April to September 2009 when they did no motorbike tests, presumably because the new Wolverhampton MPTC wasn't ready in time.

Note that the combined pass rate for the new test is calculated as the simple product of the mod 1 and 2 pass rates - I can sort of see why that makes sense (because you can't pass overall unless you pass both), but I'm not sure it tells the whole story (some people may give up after mod 1 and not do mod 2 at all, while others may take mod 1 and/or mod 2 multiple times, but still count as only one pass overall).