Is driving getting more aggressive?

Has anyone noticed a change in the attitude of drivers over the last year?

When I’m on the bike doing lessons, whether it’s a CBT or a rider going for test, I’ve noticed that drivers will arras us by getting very close to the back of us, or pull out in front of the lead rider.

The other day I was on the road ride of a CBT with two 16 year old riders on mopeds. It was their first time on the road, and as you can imagine they were both a bit nervous.  

About an hour into the ride we came across a bus stopped at a bus stop on our side of the road.  I talked them through checking to see if it was clear to move out, they took the correct observations, moved position to pass it, all in all a good bit of riding.

We were all three wearing Hi-Vis jackets, marked up with the training school name on them. I could see the bus driver looking in his off-side mirror, he let the two lads pass him, then pulled out in front of me, THEN put his signal on. WHY?

This left the lads alone in front of the bus, the road was straight and no other traffic was following us. When I moved out to get a view passed the bus, and try to pass him, guess what? He closed the gap on the lads, he was about 15 to 20 feet from them. The posted limit was 40 mph, we were travelling at 30mph the max speed of the mopeds.

At 30mph according to the Highway Code, it takes an alert driver 30 feet to react BEFORE he would get to his brakes, never mind stop. What is the rider lost control and fell off? The bus driver would not even get to the brake peddle.

In this case nothing happened, the bus pulled off after about half a mile and the lads handled it well.

I rang the bus company and told them what had happened and go the usual of they would have a word with the driver etc etc.

So what’s the answer?

Well its so simple, back off, slow down a bit and relax. With a full face helmet on you don’t knows who’s riding, It could be your kid, husband, wife, brother or sister on the bike. 

New motorcycle module 1 test

The Module 1 motorcycle became safer when the test was altered. Since its introduction to comply with new EU rules in April 2009, there have been hundreds of injuries with riders crashing on the Module 1 high speed avoidance manoeuvre.
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The EU directive on licences insisted on a set of low speed handling, and two high speed manoeuvres being added to the existing bike test. Because the emergency stop and avoidance parts had to be taken at 32mph, they could not be done on road as it would be over the 30mph urban speed limit. This meant that the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) had to build special test centres with massive off road test areas. There was also no leeway given for wet weather when the proper advice is to slow down.

Although Top Run haven’t had any riders crashing on test, riders had to get to a minimum of 50kph then swerve off line between 2 cones before bringing the bike to a stop with the front wheel in a box only a few inches bigger than the wheel itself. With limited experience and training, new riders were braking as they swerved; they then lost control and crashed.

Since the introduction of the test, pressure from both public and the motorcycle industry has been brought to bear on the DSA to alter the test and reduce the risk to riders. With the change in government Mike Penning MP, Parliamentary under Secretary of State for Transport, called for an enquiry in to the reason injuries were happening and why millions of pounds had been spent on purpose built test centres with off road manoeuvring areas. 

The DSA are still considering ways the test could be further changed so all the elements could be done on road and the test delivered from all the old test centres. The changes that come into effect on Monday are intended to address the safety aspect of the test. With the splitting of the avoidance and controlled braking element along with a reduction in the speed it is a big step forward in safety.