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General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Biggles on January 22, 2023, 12:04:52 AM

Title: Motorcycle licences in QLD
Post by: Biggles on January 22, 2023, 12:04:52 AM
The headline here is scarier at first glance than the facts warrant, which is the sensational way journalism works.
It looks as if the gummint is trying to get riders to quit their m/cs and drive cars.  In fact, as I read it, the idea is sound- get all those m/c endorsements that people got when they first got a licence "surrendered" (with a financial incentive).  Then if they later decide to return to riding, get properly trained.
https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/qld-politics/scheme-to-get-motorcyclist-back-into-cars-retrain-them-to-ride/news-story/8d303b95aecd72fcbdd4f1e9841e84a3 (https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/qld-politics/scheme-to-get-motorcyclist-back-into-cars-retrain-them-to-ride/news-story/8d303b95aecd72fcbdd4f1e9841e84a3)
Let me know if it's inaccessible and I'll try to reproduce it.
And if you think our TMR Minister is hard to look at, he's fairly typical of the rest!   :eek
Title: Re: Motorcycle licences in QLD
Post by: ruSTynutz on January 22, 2023, 09:43:51 AM
Can't access the story but it doesn't surprise me as agencies such as Vicroads here in Victoria have tried to discourage motorcyclists for years!
Title: Re: Motorcycle licences in QLD
Post by: West Aussie Glen on January 22, 2023, 11:41:05 AM
You need membership to access it.
Title: Re: Motorcycle licences in QLD
Post by: Wild Rose on January 22, 2023, 12:02:39 PM
Motorcyclists would be given a discount on their driver’s licence if they gave up their bike licence under a proposal that would get returning riders to train up again before getting behind the handlebars.
It comes amid an ongoing surge in motorcyclist deaths on Queensland roads, with the riders making up almost half of road fatalities in the first 18 days of 2023.

QUT Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety-Queensland professor Narelle Haworth has suggested a scheme that would encourage riders to give up their licence if they no longer wanted to ride.

Under her idea, riders would be given a discount on their car licence renewal if they gave up the bike licence – ensuring they would go through the necessary training if they wanted to take up riding again in the future.

“That I thought, for people who didn’t want to be motorcycling any more, OK. And then if they did then later want to come back again to motorcycling, then they would have to go through the system,” she said.

Professor Haworth suggested this would make it more likely that returning riders would have to learn about new motorcycles and refresh their skills.

She also pointed out the proposal – which she first floated some time ago at a previous road safety roundtable – would give the government a better understanding of who is actually riding motorbikes.

“We’ve got a wrong picture of who are motorcycle riders. And if we get a better picture then that will help to better tailor programs,” she said.

As of January 18, there had been 11 deaths on Queensland roads for 2023 – with five of them involving motorcyclists.

Transport Minister Mark Bailey will host a road safety roundtable next week, after Queensland last year recorded its worst number of road fatalities in more than a decade.

Mr Bailey said the increase in motorcyclist fatalities in recent times was “incredibly concerning”, as he pointed to a substantial jump in motorbike riders on the roads during the pandemic.

“In 2022 there were 74 motorcycle deaths on Queensland roads out of 299 deaths in total. This is a near doubling since 2018 where we had 43 deaths,” he said.

“I’m going into the roundtable with an open mind and will consider all proposals put forward from stakeholders.”

A Transport and Main Roads spokeswoman said Queensland had a graduated motorcycle licencing system (GLS) that is designed to help create safer riders.

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“The GLS, which has been in place since 2016, helps ensure novice riders develop skills and experience in lower-risk situations before graduating to higher-risk situations,” the spokeswoman said.

“The GLS was enhanced in March 2021, with the introduction of the mandatory motorcycle (hazard perception test).”
Title: Re: Motorcycle licences in QLD
Post by: Brock on January 22, 2023, 12:47:47 PM
The stats as presented mean nothing. What age were the riders, what were the circumstances of the accident, (IE hit by car/truck on wrong side of road, poor road maintenance/drainage)
Title: Re: Motorcycle licences in QLD
Post by: Gadget on January 22, 2023, 05:40:14 PM
The stats as presented mean nothing. What age were the riders, what were the circumstances of the accident, (IE hit by car/truck on wrong side of road, poor road maintenance/drainage)
I think I've noticed most of the news reports. Some were single bike accidents, most involved cars, trucks, and a bus.

The stats also don't say how many were returning riders, or how many were a new bike for Christmas, weather conditions, time of day, drugs or alcohol etc.

Sent from my SM-N986B using Tapatalk

Title: Re: Motorcycle licences in QLD
Post by: ruSTynutz on January 22, 2023, 10:21:29 PM
A Transport and Main Roads spokeswoman said Queensland had a graduated motorcycle licencing system (GLS) that is designed to help create safer riders.

A cynical person may come to the conclusion that this graduated motorcycle licencing system has been a massive fail...  :whistle
And speaking of, I could never understand why having to obtain a car licence before being able to obtain a motorcycle licence (Queensland only) is particularly helpful.
What I can see though is that that requirement would possibly turn some potential motorcyclists away from obtaining a motorcycle license due to the added costs and the time frame involved...which, I suspect is what Queensland Transport are ultimately hoping for.
Title: Re: Motorcycle licences in QLD
Post by: DaleAP on January 22, 2023, 11:29:26 PM
Of course the article completely ignored the fact that there are a lot of unlicensed and unregistered people having crashes and being included in the motorcycling statistics.
Title: Re: Motorcycle licences in QLD
Post by: ruSTynutz on January 23, 2023, 07:54:47 AM
Quite right, Dale...You only have to watch all the dash cam videos on YouTube to see how rife the problem of unregistered/unlicenced motorcycles (and their crazy, highly dangerous riding) is!
Title: Re: Motorcycle licences in QLD
Post by: ruSTynutz on January 23, 2023, 05:55:25 PM
Quite right, Dale...You only have to watch all the dash cam videos on YouTube to see how rife the problem of unregistered/unlicenced motorcycles (and their crazy, highly dangerous riding) is!

Perfect example is January's Dash Cam Owners video...https://youtu.be/fyY5kHqvOZY  :||||
Title: Re: Motorcycle licences in QLD
Post by: DaleAP on January 23, 2023, 06:00:09 PM
Perfect example is January's Dash Cam Owners video...https://youtu.be/fyY5kHqvOZY  :||||

And that's me in there at 9:09.  8)
Title: Re: Motorcycle licences in QLD
Post by: Dragonstaff on January 23, 2023, 06:49:46 PM

And speaking of, I could never understand why having to obtain a car licence before being able to obtain a motorcycle licence (Queensland only) is particularly helpful.


I would prefer that everyone started on a bike, so that when (if?) they graduate to a car, they know to look out for bikes.
Title: Re: Motorcycle licences in QLD
Post by: Williamson on January 23, 2023, 06:56:55 PM

And speaking of, I could never understand why having to obtain a car licence before being able to obtain a motorcycle licence (Queensland only) is particularly helpful.


I would prefer that everyone started on a bike, so that when (if?) they graduate to a car, they know to look out for bikes.

Whilst there's some merit in that, it's never gunna happen.

Having said that, although I'd been riding dirt bikes and minibikes from my mid-teens, I always thought I became a better driver after riding on road, getting a leaner's permit then a bike licence - in that order.
Title: Re: Motorcycle licences in QLD
Post by: STroppy on January 25, 2023, 06:30:40 AM

And speaking of, I could never understand why having to obtain a car licence before being able to obtain a motorcycle licence (Queensland only) is particularly helpful.


I would prefer that everyone started on a bike, so that when (if?) they graduate to a car, they know to look out for bikes.

That would probably mean we would have about 60% less car drivers, not a bad thing, but there is a lot of money in giving every TD&H a licence so they can buy vehicles, fuel, servicing, parts, tyres, contribute to fines etc too much revenue for Governments to miss out on!
Title: Re: Motorcycle licences in QLD
Post by: Bodø on January 25, 2023, 08:29:14 AM
To get your licence in Japan part of the course includes some basic riding as a car licence will allow you to ride a 50cc scooter.
Title: Re: Motorcycle licences in QLD
Post by: Biggles on January 25, 2023, 12:44:36 PM
To get your licence in Japan part of the course includes some basic riding as a car licence will allow you to ride a 50cc scooter.

In QLD a car licence lets you ride a 50cc scooter without any training!
Title: Re: Motorcycle licences in QLD
Post by: Williamson on January 25, 2023, 01:30:15 PM
In QLD a car licence lets you ride a 50cc scooter without any training!

Therein laid one of the problems, well in Victoria, but I suspect other States as well. 

This is the primary reason why in the early 80's the RTA (prior to our current VicRoads) in VIC introduced a requirement for motorcycle learners to pass a riding skill test, the MOST (Motorcycle Operator Skill Test) to obtain their Motocycle Learner's Permit.

Prior to the MOST, learners just needed to pass a written question & answer test.  And prior to that they just needed to pay their $15 (or so) to display their "Ls" (front & rear) on their motorcycle.  I had a few mates that "learned" this way, and learned pretty soon, some the hard way, that motorcycling was not in the blood.  Sometime through the 80's and 90's, a graduated permit & licence system was introduced.

There's probably no perfect system, but what we now have in Victoria is better than what we had, and perhaps, no certainly, there's even better.  A perfect system will be introduced one day, and then that'll be criticised  by the nay-sayers, and then a more perfect system will be introduced, and so on ....



Title: Re: Motorcycle licences in QLD
Post by: Dragonstaff on January 25, 2023, 07:08:31 PM
To get your licence in Japan part of the course includes some basic riding as a car licence will allow you to ride a 50cc scooter.

In QLD a car licence lets you ride a 50cc scooter without any training!

SA is the same...
Title: Re: Motorcycle licences in QLD
Post by: NTRebel on January 25, 2023, 10:11:28 PM
To get your licence in Japan part of the course includes some basic riding as a car licence will allow you to ride a 50cc scooter.

In QLD a car licence lets you ride a 50cc scooter without any training!

SA is the same...

same in NT.
Title: Re: Motorcycle licences in QLD
Post by: West Aussie Glen on January 26, 2023, 03:47:52 PM
I can handle being able to ride a 50cc scooter with a car licence but find it difficult to accept that you can ride a sidecar with a motorbike licence  :think1
Title: Re: Motorcycle licences in QLD
Post by: Brock on January 26, 2023, 05:01:56 PM
Remember Alana Mctiresomes statement regarding riding Trikes.. A fully Licence driver can ride/drive a trike, as long as they wear a helmet, keep a log book of travels, not carry a passenger and the trike must have not more/less than three wheels..
Title: Re: Motorcycle licences in QLD
Post by: Dragonstaff on January 26, 2023, 05:25:00 PM
Remember Alana Mctiresomes statement regarding riding Trikes.. A fully Licence driver can ride/drive a trike, as long as they wear a helmet, keep a log book of travels, not carry a passenger and the trike must have not more/less than three wheels..

 :crackup :crackup :|||| :|||| :rofl :rofl
Title: Re: Motorcycle licences in QLD
Post by: Dragonstaff on January 26, 2023, 05:27:23 PM
I can handle being able to ride a 50cc scooter with a car licence but find it difficult to accept that you can ride a sidecar with a motorbike licence  :think1

You have to have a motorcycle license for an outfit, don't you? No 'can' about it, more like must.
Title: Re: Motorcycle licences in QLD
Post by: ruSTynutz on January 26, 2023, 05:40:05 PM
I can handle being able to ride a 50cc scooter with a car licence but find it difficult to accept that you can ride a sidecar with a motorbike licence  :think1

What would you rather, Glen...A car licence?  :p
Or do you reckon the Government needs to introduce a "sidecar only" licence?  :o
Title: Re: Motorcycle licences in QLD
Post by: Bodø on January 26, 2023, 05:48:17 PM
And Spyder licences?
Title: Re: Motorcycle licences in QLD
Post by: West Aussie Glen on January 27, 2023, 12:40:47 AM
Sidecars, a separate licence but spiders and trikes a car licence or an endorsement on a car licence.
Title: Re: Motorcycle licences in QLD
Post by: ruSTynutz on January 27, 2023, 08:30:24 AM
I'm actually not a fan of drivers being able to ride 50cc scooters as, for one, if they have an accident the stats will be added to the motorcycle statistics and make them look even worse.
Of course there's then the fact that a scooter has little in common with a car...

Re a separate licence for sidecars..
There aren't that many sidecars out there and if yet another licence is required then I suspect there will be even less!
Offering a short course on their riding & handling characteristics would probably be beneficial but do we really need yet another licence?  :think1

That's my 2 bobs worth...  :p
Title: Re: Motorcycle licences in QLD
Post by: LindsayGT on January 29, 2023, 03:02:04 PM
Has anything been misreported here?

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-01-29/qld-dundas-fatal-motorbike-crash-lake-wivenhoe-police/101904660?utm_campaign=abc_news_web&utm_content=link&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_source=abc_news_web (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-01-29/qld-dundas-fatal-motorbike-crash-lake-wivenhoe-police/101904660?utm_campaign=abc_news_web&utm_content=link&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_source=abc_news_web)

Very sad!
Title: Re: Motorcycle licences in QLD
Post by: Biggles on January 29, 2023, 03:35:27 PM
Has anything been misreported here?

All looks legit.  Sad indeed.  I know that location well- was through there twice yesterday.  It just takes for one try-hard to go wide on a corner and there's a head-on.  Plenty of corners there on which it could happen, and no end of rocket jockeys.
Title: Re: Motorcycle licences in QLD
Post by: niftynev19 on January 30, 2023, 07:52:22 AM
What I would love to see in regards to Government intervention, instead of license changes is to allow more Bikes to be registered under the single registration, so you just have to move the rego plate to the Bike you want to ride on that particular day. I can justify owning more bikes then. Adventure Bike, Another ST, Goldwing, Sports bike, Scooter...
The Bike industry would explode from the increased demand for more bikes. Win, Win for everyone.