Harts_94VR
Member
- Joined
- Jun 5, 2004
- Messages
- 109
- Reaction score
- 5
- Points
- 18
- Age
- 47
- Location
- Brisbane
- Members Ride
- 94 VR II
Driver training is awesome
I've got to 100% agree with you on this bit, VSTrev, I reckon it is far too easy for people to get a licence to drive, and the standards of the average driver on our roads reflects this.
The Qld Government has finally twigged to this in a small way, by starting up Q-Ride for people wanting to get their motorbike licence. Instead of the usual 12 months on a learners and then being restricted to a 250cc or less while on P-plates, you can now do a 2 day course at an accredited training provider, which in my experience was bloody awesome, and you have your open licence immediately. I had a dead set fear of getting on my bike for months after doing that course, and a much better understanding of its limitations and dynamics in all sorts or normal and emergency maneuvers.
That's only from a 2 day course.
They covered all sorts of stuff, from the basics like turns and stops, working the signals and mirrors, chicanes and all that basic kinda stuff on the 1st day, into things like emergency braking, countersteering, roadcraft, defensive driving and accident prevention, and finally a 30km trip on the road with an instructor at the front and back of our group. They would periodically pull over and offer some advice, constantly watching what we were doing and assessing our safety and attitudes.
Above all, the biggest impression I gained from the course was that if you are involved in a accident, it is always, in some degree, your fault. Because as far as motorbikes go, it really doesn't matter a hell of a lot whose fault it was, you are going to be in a real bad way if you collect a car or a truck, whether or not it was their fault or yours. Don't leave the prevention of an accident in the other driver's hands, cos it's you that's going to bite it!
The mindset that these 2 days of intensive driver training instilled in me 100% washed over into driving my car, too. Like always being on the lookout for potential hazards ahead, driving to suit conditions instead of just sitting on the speed limit, and taking full repsonsibility for prevention of accidents.
I haven't had an accident in over 10 years, and even so, this course was a massive wake up call for me.
Why shouldn't training like this be mandatory for all new drivers?
VSTrev said:When are the governments going to realise that putting all this money into driver training rather then these adds is going to save more lives. Sure speed is a contributor, but its not the main reason for most accidents.
I've got to 100% agree with you on this bit, VSTrev, I reckon it is far too easy for people to get a licence to drive, and the standards of the average driver on our roads reflects this.
The Qld Government has finally twigged to this in a small way, by starting up Q-Ride for people wanting to get their motorbike licence. Instead of the usual 12 months on a learners and then being restricted to a 250cc or less while on P-plates, you can now do a 2 day course at an accredited training provider, which in my experience was bloody awesome, and you have your open licence immediately. I had a dead set fear of getting on my bike for months after doing that course, and a much better understanding of its limitations and dynamics in all sorts or normal and emergency maneuvers.
That's only from a 2 day course.
They covered all sorts of stuff, from the basics like turns and stops, working the signals and mirrors, chicanes and all that basic kinda stuff on the 1st day, into things like emergency braking, countersteering, roadcraft, defensive driving and accident prevention, and finally a 30km trip on the road with an instructor at the front and back of our group. They would periodically pull over and offer some advice, constantly watching what we were doing and assessing our safety and attitudes.
Above all, the biggest impression I gained from the course was that if you are involved in a accident, it is always, in some degree, your fault. Because as far as motorbikes go, it really doesn't matter a hell of a lot whose fault it was, you are going to be in a real bad way if you collect a car or a truck, whether or not it was their fault or yours. Don't leave the prevention of an accident in the other driver's hands, cos it's you that's going to bite it!
The mindset that these 2 days of intensive driver training instilled in me 100% washed over into driving my car, too. Like always being on the lookout for potential hazards ahead, driving to suit conditions instead of just sitting on the speed limit, and taking full repsonsibility for prevention of accidents.
I haven't had an accident in over 10 years, and even so, this course was a massive wake up call for me.
Why shouldn't training like this be mandatory for all new drivers?