Editorial: Failing is galling but crash worse

Given the training I underwent to get a motorcycle licence and then a car licence, on paper I shouldn't be here.

I should have become a statistic.

Mind you, on one occasion I almost was because it's not recommended to get your motorcycle to come to a stop by hammering it into the side of a caravan.

But that was a case of me pushing a little hard and not acting defensively enough.

Bottom line ... my fault.

But I was, I believe, a better than average rider and still enjoy occasionally getting out at track days and showing the lads half my age that I can still run a safe and spirited pace.

Getting my motorcycle licence at the age of 16 was a case of riding up the road, doing a figure of eight, turning around and coming back. Done and dusted in about three minutes.

The car licence was a bit more involved but it was still pretty straight-forward.

If you wanted a licence you basically got one.

You'd have to have hit a tree or insulted the testing officer's wife to get the "no no" shake of the head back then. It wasn't difficult.

Today it is, and that difficulty has come under fire recently - to the point where a failed driver took the frustration out on the testing officer in the form of assault.

Is it too tough today to gain a restricted, then full licence?

Well, not for the 60 per cent who sat and passed the latter and the 51 per cent who passed the former.

But the "fail" statistics are accordingly high, and that clearly indicates the approach has got a whole lot tougher.

The old tests were too simplistic and I agree that they should be comprehensive and challenging, although some aspects do appear slightly picky. Thing is though, there is easier access to cars for the young, and many of the cars out there are quick. They need to possess the goods to stay safe.

The requirements of the tests are online so the focused applicant should know what's required, and the tutors will have drilled that home.

I have only been involved in one minor car accident, and it was the other driver's fault.

I have driven all over this land, in Australia, Japan and Europe. Never an issue and I think I've got it sorted.

However, about 15 years ago I took the full test as part of a feature I was writing - and I got the fail card.

The police officer was delighted to inform me of that...I just snarled and said something about "what do you mean I didn't look in the rear view mirror often enough".

Good wake-up call. Never too old to learn.