CBT - What a Joke!

chesterstu · 31 Mar 2007 at 15:50

When i learnt to drive a car, my first 2/3 lessons where about learning how to control the car the next 25 or so were about learning to be safe on the roads and how to use road networks with there various junctions and roundabouts etc. I have been driving ~6 years and while i consider myself to be a good driver i am still learning everyday how to be safer.

But i was chatting with my girlfriends 17yr old bro and he is doing his CBT next week and then getting on a restricted 125cc motor bike. Now this seems retarded to me, motor bikers are more vunerable on the roads because they haven't got any little box arround them. However, you can jump on one with no road experience other than a couple hours with someone telling you to use the bike.

I am sure anyone who drives will tell you how appalling they were once they had first past there test and they had no experience other than with someone telling them what to do and thats after 30 lessons. Imagine how bad just getting the car the first day, someone showing you how to do gears then being allowed to drive arround by yourself it.

Does anyone else think this is a total rediciously state of affairs?

Rwac · 31 Mar 2007 at 16:02

It is quite insane i agree.

The thought behind it i would imagine is that the bike has the potential to cause less damage than the car? My guess anyway.

Tom|Nbk · 31 Mar 2007 at 16:03

I think its an absoloute joke, I had a scooter when i was 16, makes me think back and realise now though, certainly needs to be addressed, 16,17 year old scooter/ped/bike riders are a PITA also.

chesterstu · 31 Mar 2007 at 16:12

Goatyman said:
The thought behind it i would imagine is that the bike has the potential to cause less damage than the car? My guess anyway.

I can see that bit but motor cyclists are the most vunerable of all road users mixed in with late teens belief they can't die or be injured is just a recipe for disaster

calnen · 31 Mar 2007 at 16:31

Yes, it's insane. I did a CBT and got a scooter, and was in an accident after a couple of weeks due to not knowing the highway code (I hadnt even looked at it..) and messing up a roundabout. I promptly sold the scooter and started driving lessons!
Its a ridiculous system - a CBT doesnt even remotely prepare you to ride around on your own.
The idea is that (in theory) you do the CBT, then have lessons, *then* ride around by yourself. The trouble is that nobody does, because having the license doesnt make any practical difference anyway.

amx · 31 Mar 2007 at 16:47

I've just done my CBT, and compared to learning to drive, it was a joke.
Few times round the car park, 2 hours on the road and you get a shiny certificate :s

noob · 31 Mar 2007 at 17:08

What are the death statistics for under 20s with a CBT? Isn't it true the majority of bikers killed are people in their 40s with brand new R1s, ZX10Rs, etc?

MNuTz · 31 Mar 2007 at 17:21

think about it from another point of view.

You hit someone in a car and it can cause serious damage, you hit someone on a bike and your more likely to hurt yourself!

Plus, the CBT is designed to teach you enough to be able to go out on the road and be safe. Your then restricted, this restriction is the same as your driving lessons. Its about learning the road etc.

gareth.e · 31 Mar 2007 at 17:33

MNuTz said:
think about it from another point of view.

You hit someone in a car and it can cause serious damage, you hit someone on a bike and your more likely to hurt yourself!

i don't understand :S

moss · 31 Mar 2007 at 17:37

MNuTz said:
You hit someone in a car and it can cause serious damage, you hit someone on a bike and your more likely to hurt yourself!

I think I would rather be hit by a car at 30 than a bike at 30 tbh.

MNuTz · 31 Mar 2007 at 18:15

gareth.e said:
i don't understand :S

what im saying that a car can do a lot more damage than a bike and thats one of the reasons that there is more upfront learning to drive a car. Not to mention that you can jump in any car you like once you have passed your test as long s its insured.

Bike accidents are more likely to be fatal for the rider than a 3rd party, which is why they limit the power of the bikes when you first start 'learning' on your own after the CBT!

Scarfacé · 31 Mar 2007 at 18:47

moss said:
I think I would rather be hit by a car at 30 than a bike at 30 tbh.

Eh? Do you currently feel suicidal?

You'd rather be hit by a 1500kg car than a 125cc motorbike?

The chances of getting out of the way of a bike are much greater than a car. Plus, a 125cc motorbike is no match for a car in a collision.

The reason they let 16 year old kids whizz around on mopeds is because they're mainly endangering them selves. Let's not forget that 16 year olds should be restricted to 30mph. I've been faster on my push bike.

Then, at 17... after a CBT the bike should be restricted to 12.5bhp (roughly?). The rider has to have L plates on... so they can actually learn to pass they're Cat A bike test, which is a lot more like a car test.

CBT is basically you're provisional + gives you the basics to learn how to ride a bike, you can't have an instructor on the back of the bike with dual controls!

I think it's a pretty good system we have in place in this country.

Lets face it, if anyone is going to cause any fatalities it's the 35 year olds on they're GSXR-1000's, flying past at mach 4.

moss · 31 Mar 2007 at 18:53

Scarfacé said:
Eh? Do you currently feel suicidal?
You'd rather be hit by a 1500kg car than a 125cc motorbike?

The chances of getting out of the way of a bike are much greater than a car. Plus, a 125cc motorbike is no match for a car in a collision.

Lets asume you have no chance of getting out of the way and are going to be hit dead centre by both, I reckon you probably have more chance with the car than a bike. Many cars now are designed to be as pedestrian friendly as possible. My theory may be totally wrong, but I think I'd rather be hit by this...

rather than this...

moon man · 31 Mar 2007 at 19:16

When i got my first bike there was no training needed by law at all under 250cc and even at 16 you could get hold of a fantic 50cc and do 70mph (the law changed in 1977 but afaik you can still ride an unrestricted pre 77 bike at 16

chesterstu · 31 Mar 2007 at 19:31

MNuTz said:
Bike accidents are more likely to be fatal for the rider than a 3rd party, which is why they limit the power of the bikes when you first start 'learning' on your own after the CBT!

If it was my son/daughter at 16 who had no road experience and had the whole god complex late teens do. I would hate them to be out on a bike after doing a CBT for that exact reason

MouseMat2004 · 31 Mar 2007 at 20:10

When I did my CBT 6-7 years ago it was a few hours in a car park learning basic controls etc followed by an hour on the road and thats it you've passed!! I didnt feel safe at all!

However my wife done a CBT a few years back with a different school and they made sure she was upto to a pretty high standard, it was a full 7 hour day followed by a few 3-4 hour days until they were 100% happy she was safe on the road.

I guess it depends on where you do it, I expect theres no set criteria set up the government. 60-80MPH is fast enough to get into loads of trouble if you're not trained enough.

Hey it's better than the old days.... a trip around the block and you're allowed on any bike you want, they may not be as fast as todays bikes but the tyres/handling/braking was MUCH worse than todays bikes.

moss · 31 Mar 2007 at 20:14

MouseMat2004 said:
Hey it's better than the old days.... a trip around the block and you're allowed on any bike you want, they may not be as fast as todays bikes but the tyres/handling/braking was MUCH worse than todays bikes.

The roads were probably a fair bit quieter back then though, but aye, technology has come on loads since then.

PyroboyUK · 31 Mar 2007 at 20:18

noob said:
What are the death statistics for under 20s with a CBT? Isn't it true the majority of bikers killed are people in their 40s with brand new R1s, ZX10Rs, etc?

I could beleive that easily. I passed my test at 18, now i ride a 33hp Restricted Yamaha fz6, if i had passed my test at 21, providing i had the money for insurance i could jump on a full powered R1.

Mon · 31 Mar 2007 at 20:18

I dont think its a bad system your only in theory going a max speed of 30 on a relativily light vehicle.

As said before you need no road experience with a car to jump in one, you don't even have to have dual controls.

Mopeds / Bikes are allot slower (when restricted) to you used to the roads a cbt only allows you to ride a restricted bike!, To go unrestricted you need to be with a trained instructor for your training for a test which is allot harder than a standard car test.

Reppyboyo · 31 Mar 2007 at 20:28

CBT`s are abit of a joke.
Although I went through mine and went on to become a safe biker (currently riding a Triumph Speed Four), Ive seen plenty idiotic ped boys go by, although I cant see a better course changeing this.

Just to note, CBT`s are getting more intensive as of October this year (might be 2008, cant remember) to include more things to learn.

The best way to learn on a bike however is experience, as long as your not an idiot looking to get yourself killed (aka, most ped boys) you should be fine.