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Originally Posted by DDG1976
In Georgia they make you go through a pretty big course, stopping when a light comes on, swerving left or right when a light comes on. Turning right angles without touching lines, all while traveling at 12-18mph. The guy in front of me said he had failed 3 times on his Virago 1100, so he had brought a 150cc vespa style scooter, he didn't even get to complete before they made him park it. That made me nervous, I passed though. When they finish printing my new liscense I went outside to watch the guy drive his scooter up a ramp on the back of his truck and slam into the back of the bed so hard he shattered his back window out of the truck.(LMAO). I geuss some people maybe shouldn't have a liscense.
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Back in the mid-90's it included everything it does today, in addition to some other stuff weaving in and out of cones. When I took it back then, the very first step in the test was a motorcycle inspection. All lights and signals were tested, mirrors verified, horn tested...all that stuff. When I tested this year, none of that happened. I could have had "dummy" lights and passed, I think.
Now the test is only 3 parts -
Straight line and stop.
Negotiate a curve as fast as comfortable, staying within the lines, both directions, and the right angle turns after the curve in each direction
And finally, the "accident avoidence", "situation awareness" part...with the lights telling the rider to either swerve left or right and then stop...or just stop.
Georgia has also done away with the 'stepped' licensing. Back in the 90's when I tested, I was on a 250 and had I passed, I could only ride up to a 500CC bike. In order to be licensed on a larger bike, I'd have had to test on a larger bike....something 501cc or larger. Now it's just one license for any sized cycle.
I'm glad the test is easier and the license now applies to any size machine...but I am a bit concerned over the "skills" that some other riders might (not) have. I imagine someone just barely passing the test, then thinking they are Matt Maladin or Nicky Hayden...riding well beyond their own limits.
And to carry that one step further, it may shed a bit of light on an article I was reading (wish I could find the link) a few weeks ago. The article talked about the increase in cycle sales this summer, and an increase in accidents involving bikes. Unlike one might expect, however, the rise in cycle sales did NOT relate directly to the number of accidents. I don't remember the exact numbers, but an example would be - say cycle sales are up 20% over last year all across the board. The rate of accidents involving cycles went up 50%.
Again, those are just numbers I pulled out of the air, but the relationship is similar to the numbers in the article. While the number of cycles sold went up, the rate of accidents with cycles went up more.
Does this indicate the newer cycle riders have less skill? Or maybe it indicates that more cycles on the road give the "cagers" more opportunity to not see someone on a cycle.
Just something to think about...and possibly related (IMO) to the easier testing procedures.
Ride safe!
