On 27/03/2012 20:13, John Williamson wrote:
The Medway Handyman wrote:
On 27/03/2012 18:12, charles wrote:
In , ARWadsworth
wrote:
Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Mon, 26 Mar 2012 19:13:14 +0100, ARWadsworth wrote:

I think compulsory eyesight tests should be required if you are
caught by a visible speed trap.

I partially agree with you. Surveys suggest as many as 1 in 20
drivers cannot pass the basic eyesight test needed to pass the
driving exam.

I find it very odd that you can pass your test at 17 and not have
to do
anything to keep your licence, other than keeping your nose clean,
until your 70th birthday. And even then it's pretty much "self
assesment".

Seems very counter to todays cooton wool world that people are allowed
to be in charge of a leathal(*) bit of machinery with out regular
checks on their competancy to operate that bit of machinery.

(*) Around seven people *a day* are killed in UK road "accidents". If
virtually anything else under the control of people killed that many
there would be an out cry.

How many of those 7 are killed by speeding motorists in a village?

I had a friend who was killed by a motorist who knocked him off his
bike.
I had multiple fractures in one arm when I was knocked off my bike.

That's more to do with a bike being a bloody silly form of transport
surely?

Hides

Grins I'll happily ride a bike anywhere on mainland Europe, except
maybe Italy. I won't willingly ride a bike in *any* large British town
or city. It's (IMHO) the bad standard of driving in the UK that makes
bikes more dangerous than necessary.

Italy's ok. The traffic light grand prix amid the scooters in a big city
is quite fun, as is being able to get through smaller gaps than they can :-)

TBH Britain's ok too if you keep your wits about you. There's a fair
number of arseholes, but it's generally possible to avoid them.