Moped Riders

[jbsportstech]

Should young lads be allowed to ride these things after demonstrating the can ride througha few cones??

999 out 1000 on L plates I see are driving very porrly often dangerously. Most young people on them seem to feel they are a toy and the road is there playground.

My rant is because I was involved in a collision with one last night. No matter how much I tried to put some road between me and these two lads on mopeds they where determinded to sit on my bumper and rev their engines unecessarily. Anyway pulled up v.v.very slowly at traffic lights and the slippery conditions where two much for one cocky moped muppet and he hit the back of mondeo demostrator. (Ford collected the car in the light of day and have noted the bumper is damaged)

Worst of all it amussed these guys it was a laugh for them wasn't all serious they where smiling . Wouldnt give me his details as he could see no damage took his reg of course. My daughter was screaming her head off and I didnt have a pen and paper in this car I didn't have my mobile either I had just popped out to drop something to my sisters.

I now have to go to the police station report it and they want to see all the documents for my car even though it happened on fords car and insurance.

[ROG]

I'm glad this has been brought up as I have a question or two -

At age 16 a person can ride what & with what training highway code training? - theory test?

At 17+ a person can ride what & with what training highway code training? - theory test?

I know nowt about bikes

[jbsportstech]

Basic theory test (I Think) and CBT basic training where you spend a few minutes riding through cones. Then your on yr own for up to 2 years.

16 > 50cc max

17-21 up 125cc

Its the mindset most males on a moped not a bike as the bike riders seem to be serious about their riding. The twist an go bridgade its just a toy like playstation to be played with.

When I was 18 I witness a moped rider who set himself a challange to overtake me mo-down a pedestrian. He was only banned for 14 months and fined £400 even though the women was left with life threatening injuries all because he was 16 yrs old.

He had been trying to pass me and when I stopped at crossing he took this as his chance unfornately the women who was on the crossing managed to time her crossing excatly with the position of the bike and I think the rider had glanced at me rather than the crossing whilist passing my vehicle.

I must admit my attitude to driving at 17-18 was not the most mature but I didnt try to overtake everything on the road, weaving in and out of traffic. I also didn't jump red lights as I was at least mature enough to make the distiction between a computer game and real life.

[ROG]

What does CBT involve - high code theory test etc ?

[jbsportstech]

I am not very knowledgeable on this but a basic theory test and 40 minutes of showing you can ride a moped through some cones. Stop and start in a control manor without faling off, they are very basic for what my motorcycle friends tell me and hardly anyone fails one.

[Oddball]

Here's some stuff on CBT:

http://www.smartrider.co.uk/CBT_training.shtml

Apparently it's not a test!

Seems like a little more than driving through some cones though: you have to prove you can do all the basics, that you understand the highway code and the law in a practical session and that you can do the 2 hour drive at the end.

But as you say....it's questionable as to whether it's satisfactorily effective.

[jbsportstech]

I have heard it described as less intensive than the cycling proficienty test which I took and passed at the age of 10.

bacially its proving you can ride around a car park with any other roadusers.

[Red Herring]

It's been a few years since I taught and tested CBT but at that time it involved a whole days training with a practical test on the road at the end. Yes it was an introduction to the basics of motorcycling, but it was a bit more than a wobble round some cones.

[ROG]

Once you have your certificate you are advised to take additional training to pass your theory and practical tests

INFO SOURCE

I don't believe this - let loose on the public highway without testing the theory knowledge of the rider

[Red Herring]

Just as a matter of interest what exactly do you have to do before you are let loose on the road for the first time in say a two ton Landrover?
I believe all you need is to persuade mum to sit next to you and 50p for a set of L plates.....

Personally I'd rather meet the moped rider.....

[jbsportstech]

Yes but the car learner will at least have someone over the age of 21 and have held a licence for at least 3 years supervising them so you have a fighting chance instead of some 16-18ish year twisting and going thinking they are in playstation game.

Forgive my distrust of the CBT but my best friends brother one day decided learning to drive a car was boring and went and bought a 6 month old aprilla 125cc rs with gears. With no training he wobbled off to his CBT and came back with less than two hours later with certificate. (Perhaps the Taunton Centre gove them away to anyone who turns up)

He fell off it about half and dozen times and decided to sell it and get on with his car test.

[jont]

Just as a matter of interest what exactly do you have to do before you are let loose on the road for the first time in say a two ton Landrover?

Or pass your test in a 1l corsa/micra etc etc before jumping in a 3t SUV.

I think it's got as much to do with juvenile behaviour as the lack of stringent training. We get kids buzzing around our residential street 2 up on mopeds, no helmets Would a stricter CBT stop that?

[ScoobyChris]

Would a stricter CBT stop that?

Unlikely, but there's always plan b ... natural selection

Chris

[jont]

Would a stricter CBT stop that?

Unlikely, but there's always plan b ... natural selection

I suspect these are the type that breed before they get as far as removing themselves from the gene pool

[Cie]

This style of riding drives me insane. What frustrates me even more is when these young lads move to a geared bike that'll go a lot faster, and they still insist on riding so poorly.

I have to admit to following the worst offenders and explaining to them how close to death they're living with their poor riding. Climbing off a KTM to explain helps to break down the inevitable attitude barrier, but even so, my advice is often met with aggression.

But what do you do? Tell them about Bikesafe and other training schemes? Have a chat with the local police about the individual?