Motor-cyclists face some problems

Press, 7 August 1976, Page 10

Motor-cyclists face some problems

Under an amendment to the Motor Drivers Regulations which came into effect five days ago, applicants for motor-cyclists’ licences may reduce or avoid their qualifying periods for full licences if they take a course at an approved motor-cycle school; but apparently no such course is available in the South Island.

The amendment, the fifteenth to the Motor Drivers Regulations, 1964, was gazetted on July 29. It had been

recommended by two Parliamentary committees, which met in 1973 and 1975 to consider road safety. Under the amendment, novice motor-cyclists can be restricted for up to six months to machines of not more than 250 c.c. Such riders are limited to 80 km/h, and are prohibited from carrying pillion passengers.

As under the previous system, applicants will be eligible for eight-week pro-

visional licences if they pass oral and written tests. They will be restricted to 50 km/h as stated in the former regulations. When confident of their practical ability, they will sit a driving test, and be granted for six months a restricted licence which carries the three new conditions. After the expiry of this period, they will be automatically entitled to full unrestricted licences. Alternatively, they may curtail or avoid the restricted period by completing a course at an “approved” riding school, with a certificate of riding instruction. This is the option open to riders of machines larger than 250 c.c. but holding at present only a provisional licence, according to the Ministry of Transport’s Regional Secretary (Mr D. L. Hogan). They would be entitled to continue riding their machines until completing such a course, when, after passing the ministry’s practical test, they would be issued with a full licence.

Recent reports have indicated a lack of such “approved” riding schools in the South Island. Mr Hogan believed that this might be untrue, but said the Minister of Transport (Mr McLachlan) had the matter under consideration. The Dominion chairman of the motor-cycle division of the Motor Vehicle Dealers’ Institute (Mr D. N. Cresswell) said that no such schools existed at present. The Government would be asked to consider supporting community-sponsored motorcycle training schools, he added. This could possibly be done through the education vote.

He criticised the unexpectedness of the regulation changes. “Frankly we thought we would have had far more warning,” he said. “A few days was insufficient.” The Minister yesterday announced that standards for training schools had been approved. Existing - schools should apply for Ministerial approval. Mr Hogan was not sure of the fate awaiting riders without provisional licences who had recently bought, or undertaken to buy, larger machines. He said that the Minister was studying whether provisional licences should also be issued to such persons. If the Minister’s decision is that provisional licences not be issued in such cases, these riders will be prevented from riding their new motor-cycles until they have fulfiled either of the conditions for a full licence.

Local retailers are not concerned that the amended regulations will affect sales of larger motor-cycles.

Most of those consulted said that machines with an engine capacity of more than 250 c.c. accounted for only a small proportion of their sales. In addition there was an increasing trend towards small commuter-sized motorcycles.

Another reason for the lack of concern was that young or inexperienced riders were unlikely to be able to afford larger machines. A four-cylinder 400 c.c. Japanese motor-cycle cost more than $2OOO, one said.