blackhat250 Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 Well the DVSA figures show in year 2013/14 only 353 17 year olds sat the A1 module, In 2012/13 the figure was 3294 . A drop of 90% ,,,, so I see Motorcycling being like the dinasaurs in 20 years time,, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slice Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 That is a sad fact mate, tho perhaps they should make the car driving test as strict then we might get the angry - mono maniacs & completely insane drivers off the road? Just a thought mind cos BMW / AUDI drivers will still be able to afford their Germany Kampfpanzers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ojmiddleton Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 Why is this then? Any ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slice Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 I Imaging because it's so expensive to get a full licence for a bike whereas if you want to drive a car it's about 10 hours with your Dad in the car and the price of a test !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captf Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 Well, the A1 - as it stands - was introduced in January 2013, I believe? Before that, it was the automatic upgrade to unrestricted cat A after 2 years at 33BHP? When I sat my test last month, my trainer told me they'd put 1 student through the A1 test since the law changes. The benefits of getting the license just aren't worth it, compared to sitting on L plates for a couple of years, then doing the A2 At least in the UK, that is - mainland europe, I'm told that there is no CBT equiv, so you have to sit the test before getting out on the roads unsupervised. For the UK, it's a money grab attempt that failed. As an aside, how do the figures look if you merge in the A2 license with the A1. Then compare that to the 2012/2013 number above? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captf Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 Some more figures for you. From this document Apr -> Jun '14 [chart appears to have the wrong months] Mod 1 tests: ~15,127 change from previous year: +17% pass rate: 70.5% change: +1.4% Mod 2 tests: 13,531 change from previous year: +17.4% pass rate: 69.5% change: -.4% Looking through other documents, at random, from https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/driving-tests-and-instructors-statistics Figures actually look up for the tests being taken and passed. I think it basically shows that the A1 is a waste of time - no-one is sitting it. They'd rather wait. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackhat250 Posted November 25, 2014 Author Share Posted November 25, 2014 That's encouraging " the figures I quoted were in my local Cassic M.Club news letter,, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slice Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 Thank God for that, it was going to get lonely out there with just old farts for company! Not that they are not good guys and all but new blood makes the whole thing exciting and fun. Plus we get to laugh at the antics the noobs get up to and feel important for about 10 minutes when they ask for advice on stuff we know. With my memory if I can remember the time of day I'm lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ttaskmaster Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 Who ya callin' an old fart, Slicey? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meatloaf Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 I don't care what the date is on my birth certificate I'll never grow up, never grow old 18 till I die. Bollocks just saw my reflection in the mirror and the guy looking at me looks a fucking lot older than 18, in fact he looks remarkable like an old fart, oh shit how did that happen. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator DirtyDT Posted November 26, 2014 Moderator Share Posted November 26, 2014 Interesting what the trend is. My youngest (30 next year) has just done his CBT and plans to do his DAS next year. He has been a car driver for over a decade. Is there a shift to bikes being a hobby for older people and not a form of transport after a, possible, moped at 16 dabble? I had a full car licence at 17 before I brought my first bike at the same age. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slice Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 Interesting point DT, I wonder if it might be to do with the cost as much as anything? Cheaper tax and better fuel consumption. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captf Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 Could be rising fuel costs are pushing people in that direction? [well, apart from the slight downward shift recently] But other costs... there's a lot more initial money involved in bikes now. Gear, CBT, insurance and a bike - it's not as if you can really get insured on your parents' [should they have one] unless it's a 125. So, it's taking people longer in life to be able to even get started. For age: driving since I was 17. Now I'm 36, and only recently got my bike license. It's not a hobby though, but a mode of transport [primary now, since I sold my piece of shit car]. Costs were one of my main motivations. And traffic jams. Mentally going "suckers!" to people stuck in queuing traffic as you sail between them is.. luxury Social media could be a bit to blame too for the shift in age - parents less willing to let their kids start [when the parents don't ride], due to a perceived increase in accidents. Accidents that they wouldn't know about if it wasn't for how easy it is to share news on t'interwebs these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iandouglas Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 i go across london regularly, yes it is potentially dangerous and uncomfortable in rain but give me a bike rather than a car any day, at least on a bike there is a sporting chance of getting through the jams/gridlock by filtering carefully, - cars get snagged in cities Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slice Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 Funnily enough I was thinking the same thing Ian, went down to the south coast last August and filtered for about10 miles on the A43 and M3 going into Southampton never seen so much traffic and the only things moving were me and 2 other bikers. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iandouglas Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 not quite on thread but about statistics last w/e i saw the results of a survey of 50 year olds,- they asked them whether they had any regrets and, if so, what they were, an amazing 20% felt they had chosen the wrong partner, now that's sad isn't it - and they are the ones that haven't got divorced 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mailee Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 I think it is mainly down to the fact that a 17 YO can only ride a 125 anyway so it's must be a waste of money to take a test when you can just keep doing a CBT after two years. They will probably wait until they can take the full test and get a bigger bike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neversaydie Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 I really now go out of my way to avoid going anywhere in the car, no matter what the weather, it takes an age to get anywhere. Returning from the Queens Hospital Nottingham recently 3.30pm on a weekday in car to home (7 miles) took 1hr Next day, same time, same traffic, on the yx600, 20 minutes. Its a no brainer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meatloaf Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 I Imaging because it's so expensive to get a full licence for a bike whereas if you want to drive a car it's about 10 hours with your Dad in the car and the price of a test !! Must admit that I made all 3 of mine buy me a couple of pints as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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