It shouldn't be so unfair

The driving verses riding test becomes even more unfair today...

Today sees the introduction of Independent Driving/Riding, which means that the candidate will be asked to memorise a route and then follow it for 10 mins. The motorcycle candidate must be informed verbally - not via radio. This may add a significant time to the bike test with the examiner dismounting his machine and walking up to the rider to explain things. This could result in longer test times with consequentially less tests per day.

Also, as from today, the number of specific manoeuvres a car driver will be asked to perform will be halved - from 2 to 1. Bikers, with the introduction of the modular test last year, now have to perform 10 specific manoeuvres.

In addition to the above changes, the car driver has a 15 'driver faults' allowance (know colloquially as minors), whereas the biker only has an allowance of 10 on their road ride.

Since the introduction of the modular bike test, there are now 2 manouvres which are largly impossible to practice before test day - the car driver can practice everything he will be asked to do before the test.

There are significantly more car test centres than bike centres. Many riders need to ride over an hour to reach their test centre, only to be told they are not safe enough to ride a bike, and then they must ride the hour back home again.

The accident rate on test has soared for bikers, although the DSA seem reluctant to admit this. They appear to be in denial.

All this will see an increase in riders not taking a test and continuing to ride on 'L' plates without any check on their riding ability.

Anyone might think the government are attempting to drive bigger bikes off the road....