The Motor Cycle Industry Association has launched a new online feature
to get bikers more involved in lobbying Government about important
issues relevant to the biking community.
An easy to use online campaigns feature allows people to lobby their
local MP by completing a brief, simple form and clicking a button to
send an email. The industry is also conducting online opinion polls to
source data that will build on its own political activity.
The industry is calling on people to get active and support its
challenge against the Third Driving Licence Directive which includes
proposals look set to make it much more difficult for people to take up
motorcycling after 2011.
The 'Third Directive on Driving Licences', a complex Directive which
covers many aspects of vehicle driving and riding licences. Proposals
for motorcycling are among the most draconian ever seen and discriminate
particularly badly against people who wish to take up motorcycling
either for commuting purposes or for leisure and touring. Key proposals
include:
- Minimum age for riding bikes larger than 125cc likely to rise from 17 to 19
- Direct Access to larger bikes not allowed until 24 (currently 21)
- New categories of motorcycle riding licences creating
several two-year 'steps' between bikes of different engine size
- Riders required to complete extra riding tests between 'steps'
Europe has proposed these wide-ranging changes in the name of road
safety, but has ignored road safety evidence which shows that experience
gained while riding -- and not the age of access to motorcycles -- is a
key factor. A second test of basic skills is also viewed as largely
worthless to a motorcyclist who has already gained riding experience.
MCI's Craig Carey-Clinch said; "Once again Brussels is ignoring road
safety evidence so that it can simply blame motorcyclists for motorcycle
accidents, while ignoring the deficiencies of other road users.
"These new proposals are unfair, unjustified, discriminatory and simply
not acceptable to the UK motorcycle community. The motorcycle industry
is calling on everyone to lobby their MP's and help to challenge the new
legislation that could eventually reduce the number of people who get
into motorcycling by half."
To join the campaign go online at www.mcia.co.uk and lobby your MP with
a simple click of a button.
