Graduated Licensing System could be in our future.

[Dragonfly]

Just read this in a safety bulletin:

GAO: Motorcycle safety grants should be expanded

Washington – States should have more flexibility in how they use federal highway safety funding to reduce motorcycle crashes, according to a Government Accountability Office report (.pdf file) released Nov. 14.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration awarded $45.9 million in grants to states exclusively for motorcycle safety training and safety awareness efforts from fiscal years 2006 to 2012, the report states. GAO recommends these grants be expanded to allow states to fund other safety efforts identified as high priorities by NHTSA, such as increasing helmet use and educating law enforcement about motorcycle safety.

The report encourages additional research efforts aimed at implementing a three-step graduated licensing system for first-time motorcyclists that requires supervised cycling followed by restricted cycling before granting full licensure. According to the report, no states currently require graduated licensing for new motorcyclists. The Department of Transportation, which oversees NHTSA, agreed to consider the recommendations, GAO said in a press release.


From the National Safety Council.
Has anyone else heard anything about this?

[milesmiles]

So what are we saying here? what's "restricted cycling"...are we talking starting out on a smaller cc before you can go to a bigger bike?

[Striple]

So what are we saying here? what's "restricted cycling"...are we talking starting out on a smaller cc before you can go to a bigger bike?

Yeah, that is the European approach. You are forced to stay within a smaller displacement for the first couple of years, after which you receive an open license.

[milesmiles]

do you know how many squids we are going to lose!!!

[Striple]

do you know how many squids we are going to lose!!!

There is a way out for squids. Because of the licensing system, you can easily obtain and install these neat little gadgets that will bring the performance of a bike down to the appropriate kW/hp-range, thereby allowing squids to ride their R1s with 33.5 hp until they are past their initial period for the open license.

Throughout the EU, you are forced to stay within 25 kW (33.5 hp) and a power-weight ratio of 0.16 kW/kg for the first two years of being licensed, after you automatically receive the open license (i.e., no further exams or fees required).

[milesmiles]

Call me crazy, but i'm good with this idea

[Striple]

Call me crazy, but i'm good with this idea

Me deuce.

[WillK675]

I'm all for the graduated system of starting with smaller displacment. However, due to the wording I don't think that's what they have in mind. It almost sounds like they are going similar to getting your learners permit, and then drivers license with it. More over, you have to have someone following you, then you can only ride X type of bike, or X type of roads until 18, or some crap like that.

[shilka99]

Australia has had a tiered licensing system in place since the early 80's. The law required me to start out on a 250cc bike and ride it for a year before I could get a bigger bike. But back then the Australian DMV forgot to regulate 2-strokes so all the squids just bought 250cc race replicas and ended up killing themselves at about the same rate as they had before the tiered licensing was introduced. In 1994 they finally got smart and specified new riders were restricted to 4-stroke 250's. That was the year that used Japanese market 250's started flooding into the Australian market. They were everywhere. Dealerships would bring in hundreds and sell them all in a weekend. And this is when police started harassing me for riding a 250cc 2-stroke. Assholes...

I believe now the law in Australia also allows beginners to ride bikes with a specific power:weight ratio, so some 500cc twins and singles are learner-legal, in addition to many 400cc bikes. And they have a huge range of 4-cylinder 250cc race reps to choose from; ZX-2R, GSX-R250 etc.
It always made me laugh - seeing a 4-cylinder 250 screaming past at 19,000 rpm... and doing only 50mph.

[WillK675]

It always made me laugh - seeing a 4-cylinder 250 screaming past at 19,000 rpm... and doing only 50mph.

This made me think. If they are going to do a tiered systesm, we need to get other motorcycle laws in-line with those similar to other countries with tiered licensing. Things like lane splitting, allowing space at lights for motorcycles to go first, etc., etc.,

[DarcShadow]

So what are we saying here? what's "restricted cycling"...are we talking starting out on a smaller cc before you can go to a bigger bike?

I question this line more.

...supervised cycling...

That sounds sketchy to me and I bet it gets implemented in something like a week long school or some crap you have to pay to do.

[Rhino]

We already have supervised cycling, it's called your learner's permit. all we'd be adding is the middle step.

[DarcShadow]

When did Texas get a learner's permit? Hows that work exactly?

Indiana had one and all it meant was you had to
a) wear a helmet
b) only ride during the day
c) not carry a passenger

I violated all 3, at the same time. The Indiana learners permit was a joke and was just a means for you to legally ride on the street to get your practice in before taking the riding test to get your license. The riding test was a bit of a joke as well. It was just parking lot stuff, kind of like the MSF course, only easier.

[Telomere]

I did not have a learner's permit when I got my moto license. Court has a learner's permit because of her age but they will also allow her to get her moto license before she is 16. Go figure. Her test will be a street test not the parking lot test that all the "adults" take when they sign up for the MSF course.

[DemonDuck]

I am twisted on the idea of this. If we are talking about having to learn on a 250 or whatever then I am kinda against it. I guess I need to ride a 250 first to decide but I think a 250 would be hard pressed to push my 300 LB arse around... Let alone when I was 350 Lbs. As for loosing squids... That wont happen becuase a bunch of squids out there dont have a license at all. This will only affect the people who care about the law in the first place. Also would this be for all bikes? I mean if I am a beginner and want to ride a cruiser do I have to ride a Rebel? That thing would probably be a hazard on the road with many cruiser riders... Some of those guys make me look small..... I am sure the bike would top out at 45-50 or something. The last problem is you will have more people that get a bike and dont ride but once a month or something so they will end up being just as bad when they move up. I mean how are you going to tell the person stayed on a 250 for 2 years? And more important 2 years for some people is about 200 miles.... which is no experience.

I just need to know more about it I guess.

[Striple]

DD - yeah, the tiered system is not perfect either, but I think it does help people by curbing their ambitions a bit. And believe it or not, a 250 will haul around a big dude just as well, just perhaps a bit less gracefully than a ZX-14 or a S1000RR would.

I know that I would have learned faster on a smaller bike, it just would have been a bit annoying to do any super slab riding.

[DemonDuck]

At the very least they will need to make better looking 250's if it happens. I really dont care because it dont affect me.... lol. Other than getting pulled over even more because I am on a big bike and may not be licensed for it.

[Stardog]

Despite the good intentions I am pro liberty. If you want your first experience on a bike to be a helmetless highway jaunt on a VTX1800 with no schooling then more power to you. You are not likely to hurt anyone other than yourself.

[Striple]

You are not likely to hurt anyone other than yourself.

Well, I agree, except when government resources have to be used to scrape your limbs off the pavement, utilize emergency personnel, and deal with the emotional trauma to your next of kin. And that is assuming that you have the proper insurance that will pay for all of the health care cost involved.

[Dragonfly]

This is the report mentioned in the article.

[fixxervi6]

I like it, and I don't. I believe people should have the right to kill themselves by being stupid. With some simple mods the 250's will exceed 100mph, squids are going to be squids on 250cc's if that's all they can get.

[Dragonfly]

I agree with you, a squid will be a squid, doesn't matter if he/she is on a 250cc or a 1000+ cc bike. The problem I have with the tiered licensing system is, it doesn't address unlicensed riders, which let's face it would be the same squids. It also doesn't address the registration of motorcycles by unlicensed owners. Conceivably you can purchase a motorcycle, register it, and ride it without a license. As long as you don't commit a motor vehicle infraction in front of a cop, your good.

The other thing that gets me is it won't stop a dealership from selling you a larger displacement bike with or without a license. I know of a married couple who purchased matching Harley's at a dealership without either of them having a license.
I think stiffer penalties for riding unlicensed would be a better deterrent, for example impound your ride and you can't get it back,also the inability to register your bike without a license.

[DarcShadow]

Can you register a car without a license?

[mahart]

Will they also keep Biff and Muffy from driving high performance vehicles for their sweet 16? People need to make their own decisions, or don't make any vehicle that you can kill yourself on. A medical doctor informed me that you can easily get permanent brain damage from a bicycle fall at 10mph. Will we limit bicycles speed too? Fort Worth has a bicycle helmet law that I see broken in front of LEO's almost daily.

[Firewa11]

Can you register a car without a license?

Yep, because it's two separate worlds. Registration goes to the local tax assessor for your county. As long as they get their taxes they could care less by whom. Licenses are handled through the TxDPS (DMV).