3rd ECDL - bad news, please read and help!

[yambabe]

TO THE EMAIL ARMY

Issued 26th November 2006
Dear All
Below you will find an update on the 3rd European Driving Licence Directive, specifically the outcome from last weeks TRAN Committee meeting in the EU Parliament in Brussels.
After the report there is a lobby to Jacques Barrot, who is the Vice-president of the European Commission in charge of transport policy.
This is our penultimate stage before the Second Reading in the European Parliament on 13th December and we are preparing a lobby to MEPs at present.
A big thanks to all of you who have been keeping abreast of the issue and previously contacted your MEPs and the UK Transport Minister.
The feedback and responses received to date have been invaluable. We may not have been able to respond to every one who forwarded details but they have and will be put to further use leading up to the Second Reading.
Cheers
Trevor Baird
Public Affairs Director MAG UK
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3DLD - Objective Achieved – Battle Lost – War Goes On
23rd November 2006
Full report linked at https://www.network.mag-uk.org/dld/dld7.html
For those that have been following the saga of the Driving Licence Directive you will know that our objective in the penultimate stage in the TRAN Committee (Transport and Tourism) in Europe was to have the motorcycle amendments tabled and accepted for a vote in the committee on the 22nd November.
Our objective was achieved and the amendments submitted by UK MEPs were the result of the hard work of MAG UK members and riders who have campaigned relentlessly on the issue. At the same time, MAG Netherlands lobbied their MEPs to have amendments submitted.
On the 10th October 2006, Mathieu Grosch, the Belgian MEP, in charge of the Directive, called for the TRAN committee not to propose amendments and stated that an agreement had been reached between the Parliament and the Council. This was in spite of a strenuous intervention by Philip Bradbourn who spoke out against the Directive.
On November 22nd, Mathieu Grosch stated (English Translation) in the TRAN Committee that the directive was aimed to stop riders killing themselves – or if you read the Dutch translation - from self destruction. The directive does not even mention training for car driver even though they are the main causes of accidents and casualties to motorcyclists.
In spite of all our efforts the motorcycle amendments submitted by UK MEP’s Philip Bradbourn (Conservative) Gary Titley – Robert Evans (Labour) and Dutch MEP Corien Wortmann – Kool (Christen Democratisch Appel) were defeated and the whole directive was passed in the vote in the committee.

The TRAN Committee meetings were attended by representatives of MAG UK, MAG Netherlands, BMF and FEMA (Federation of European Motorcyclists Associations).
What was apparent from the debate in the committee meetings was that these EU MEPs who were deciding the future of motorcycling were completely ignorant about motorcycles.
MAG UK representative Trevor Baird presented Philip Bradbourn and Sir Robert Atkins MEP (Conservative) with the email petition from MAG UK’s website.
Mr Bradbourn then submitted the 2,500 strong petition to the TRAN Committee Chairman during the full committee debate in Parliament.
The petition highlighted the concerns of UK riders about the directive’s draconian legislation and that the European Commission and Council of Ministers have ignored the expert opinions of motorcyclists. It also argued that the rationale of the stepped access as outlined in the Directive was based on data that are misleading and biased.
The battle has been lost at this stage but the fight must go on to the bitter end to preserve motorcycling for young and new riders.
This last fight will be a lobby to all UK MEPs before the Second Reading in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, scheduled for 13th December, we are preparing this lobby at present.
Information will be posted on the campaign website and via email through the “Email Army”.
In the meantime:
PLEASE sign the petition, ( https://tinyurl.com/ko4cx)if you haven't already done so, that we will again present to legislators and the poll to register your view on how the directive will have a negative effect on the future of motorcycling.
You may also wish to send an email or letter (see below) at this stage to the European Commissioner with responsibility for Transport.
Trevor Baird
Public Affairs Director MAG UK
You may wish to read MAG UK report: “The Great European Union Stitch Up” (or How to Make Friends and Influence People) HERE ( https://tinyurl.com/wklkb)pdf 118kb

The “Everyday” Motorcyclists With Attitude Lobby
Jacques Barrot is the Vice-president of the European Commission in charge of transport policy.
Contacting the Vice President.
Although email is fast and easy, you can edit the text below try to send a letter.

The postal address is:

Jacques Barrot
Commissioner for Transport
European Commission
rue de la Loi 200
B-1049 Brussels
Belgium
Two email addresses for “Mr” Barrot
jacques.barrot@ec.europa.eu
cab-archive-barrot@ec.europa.eu

His website information is at https://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/barrot/index_en.htm



YOU CAN USE THE FORM ON THE CAMPAIGN WEBSITE TO EDIT AND EMAIL BARROT AUTOMATICALLY



LINK HERE ( https://tinyurl.com/yjjk58 )


Suggested Letter
Original format supplied by Pat Evans Farnborough MAG.

Usually we say that standard letters can get ignored and for maximum impact every letter needs to be personal.
However the letter below is a reflection of the “ordinary” motorcyclists’ viewpoint but you may wish to change the introduction in the first paragraph.


Please forward any responses to Trevor Baird at MAG UK, POBOX 750, Rugby, CV21 3ZR or email public-affairs@mag-uk.org

Commissioner Barrot

Dear Commissioner Barrot
I am an enthusiastic and uncomplicated motorcycle rider and I am forwarding you this letter, written by an ordinary motorcyclist, who like me is incensed at the anti-motorcycling clauses placed in the current 3rd European Driving Licence Directive that is being pushed and agreed through the EU parliament at present.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO MOTORCYCLING IN EUROPE IF THIS GOES THROUGH??
No-one, especially young riders will want to get a full motorcycle licence in Europe and everyone will have to drive cars.
That will cause even more congestion and pollution in our cities and motorways everywhere.
It will destroy the whole industry in one go!
You say you want to improve passengers’ rights... How about the motorcycle riders’ rights??
You say you want to fight pollution... More cars = more congestion = more pollution!
You say you want to improve road safety.... Then make car drivers take more tests as well as they are the cause of more than 70% of motorcycle accidents!
You say you want a transport policy focused clearly on our citizens' needs and expectations.
Did you even bother to ask the motorcycle riders and more importantly if you asked did you listen?
I do believe that I am a citizen of the EU and I would like my sons and daughters to have the freedom to ride a large motorcycle in the future without having to take multiple test and be restricted to smaller machines for 4 years and a huge cost.
Motorcycles do not cause congestion!
Motorcycle accidents are not as high as all the statistics are twisted to show!
Potential Motorcycle riders have rights.
Why do you not take notice of this fact?
I am asking you to influence the dropping of all the motorcycling sections in this policy, as I don't believe that you will want to be known forever as the man who destroyed motorcycling in Europe!!!
From your homepage:-
"I also want a transport policy focused clearly on our citizens' needs and expectations. The development of transports infrastructure must therefore be accompanied by a clear shift in the balance between modes of transport. Improved mobility throughout our continent should not bring new risks and difficulties for the people of Europe. Improving road safety will be one of my top priorities. In other areas of transport, I will be working closely with the three safety agencies (aviation, maritime and railway) that have been set up at European level. Moreover, I also want to address other well-founded concerns of our fellow citizens, such as the need to improve passengers' rights, to maintain the right to essential services, to fight pollution and to prevent congestion in our big cities."
My simple recommendations is that the Commission and Europe should help motorcyclist by giving regard to a true reflection of motorcycling facts and data, motorcycle awareness by other vehicle drivers, better training for car drivers, motorcycle friendly infrastructure and not to penalise motorcycle riders in the mistaken believe that even more rules and regulations make motorcycling safer.
Yours Sincerely
Your Name
Ends
Issued by:
Trevor Baird
Public Affairs Director
MAG UK
PO BOX 750
Rugby
CV21 3ZR
Tel: +44 (0)870 444 8 448
Fax: +44 (0)870 444 8 449
Email public-affairs@mag-uk.org
The UK's Leading Riders' Rights Organisation
www.mag-uk.org
____________________
Sod falling in love, I wanna fall in chocolate.

[queen of string]

sent email, link to the petition is down
____________________
"Eat food, not edible, food-like items. Mostly plants."

[ColdInsomnia]

Signed petition...

I know it sounds bad and all.. but I can't find anywhere telling me what EXACTLY the new legislation and rules will be?

Could anyone explain?
____________________
Yamaha YB100 | Yamaha TZR125 | Yamaha XJ600S | Suzuki GSF600
"Our society is run by insane people for insane objectives. I think we're being run by maniacs for maniacal ends and I think I'm liable to be put away as insane for expressing that. That's what's insane about it."
John Lennon

[yambabe]

If this attachment works, it's going to be like this......
____________________
Sod falling in love, I wanna fall in chocolate.

[yambabe]

Basically, you will have 4 tiers of licence (CBT, A1, A2, A) and you will have to do another test to go to each level.

[dainesefreak]

The link to the petition doesn't work, I found it HERE.

[ColdInsomnia]

Thanks baby
____________________
Yamaha YB100 | Yamaha TZR125 | Yamaha XJ600S | Suzuki GSF600
"Our society is run by insane people for insane objectives. I think we're being run by maniacs for maniacal ends and I think I'm liable to be put away as insane for expressing that. That's what's insane about it."
John Lennon

[SoND]

[Racheldawn]

I do think some changes need to be made to encourage young new riders not to get too powerful bikes too quickly having just lost my partner (He only had his bike 7months, very cruel bad luck).

Some people are sensible but others go too far too quickly and are out of their depth.

I dont think making it more costly and too restrictive is fair. Im not really sure what the answer is.

[syl]

Some bits aren't at all bad:

1) Moped licence at 14
2) A1 motorcycle licence at 16
3) Direct access to A2 licence (with increased power of 46 bhp) at 18
4) Test OR TRAINING when stepping up power

I think that increased training when stepping up a notch is not a bad thing - as long as it is reasonably priced (maybe a couple of days and twice the price of a CBT). Restricting 16/17 year olds to 125cc bikes isn't a big hardship as insurance prices mean most are financially restricted to those bikes anyway and realistically under the current rules not many people take their test until they are well on the way to being 18 anyway (by which time they could take the direct route to the A2 test under the EU rules and ride a bike of increased power output compared to what they would be restricted to under current rules). The UK and other member states might increase some of the ages, but that's down to them and not the EU, so hardly the EU's fault.

Personally, I'm surprised they haven't got rid of direct access to the full A licence completely (aged 24) and made A2 the last direct entry point with experience and further test OR training required to get an A category.

I think that MAG should be petitioning the UK government to use the minimum ages as proposed by the EU.

14 (+CBT) - moped
16 (+ training/test) - A1 licence (125cc / 11bhp)
18 (or two years at A1 + training/test) - A2 licence (46 bhp)
24 (or two years at A2 + training/test) - A licence (unrestricted)
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Current bike: Kawasaki Z750S