Should learning to ride a motorcycle be mandatory before driving a car?

[Shiprex]

Many people drive cars and a lot ride motorcycles, mostly men.
Bikes are a not always as fuel efficient as cars but the advent of electric bikes and cars will put them much cheaper to run.
There's also the space they take up and manoeuvrability of bikes that keeps the traffic jams much more compact and cleared quicker (probably less likely in the first place.

Most importantly though is the safety aspect. Motorcyclists biggest threat is themselves and other road users. So to reduce this risk should every car driver be expected to at least be able to ride a motorcycle so they can appreciate the space and risk they pose in their 2 tons of comfybox transport bubble?

Updates

2 mo

A lot of responses here ignoring the appreciation for bikers that most car drivers do not have and seem incapable of recognising the benefit of KNOWING how and what it means to be a biker make it a knowledge bonus to their own skill set.

[Sunrising]

Absolutely I think it should be a progression, people should learn how to ride a motorcycle, then they would be allowed to learn to drive a car.

Firstly though everyone should learn how to ride a pedal cycle for a required number of miles in a day for a period of time, to give future car drivers more respect for other road users.

But the main reason for cycling is for their health benefit, and if people were encouraged to ride a cycle this would also reduce pollution too.

[Sunrising]

Also if people were made to follow my progression, the roads would be much safer and quieter for cyclists with and without motors lol.

[andreasderjuengere]

Motorbikes are very diverse. Also their riders' temperaments. It wiĺl not help much in terms of safety.
To train awareness during driving school makes sense though.
It's helpful to understand typical risks, limitations and characteristics of 'the other ones'.

[Shiprex]

That's what I mean. If every road user is aware of what the more vulnerable users are going through they can be more cautious and drive accordingly

[andreasderjuengere]

But we can't force people to understand by putting them on a bike.
I rarely drive a car. I do see ignorance in many car drivers around here.
What they DO understand is when their mirror gets whacked if they get too close to me. It makes an impressing noise but without damage.
A rider's safety depends entirely on his/her own instincts and driving focus. No "law" or car trainer will change that, unfortunately.
If some car users get some background insights, they are free to contribute additional safety.

[Shiprex]

Car drivers though are largely ignorant of motorcyclists and are a major cause of fatalities because of this. It could be achieved by a stint of riding motorcycles to get an appreciation of the road and all users then moving on to larger vehicles as they are much more dangerous to others. Like nowhere would a firm hire someone to drive a truck or bus when they hadn't driven a car before.

[andreasderjuengere]

What if you need to cross a bridge? Do you now want a boating license? 🤔
I do understand your good intentions. But I find your conclusions to be impractical.
What happened, actuaĺly? Did you or a friend get hurt while riding a bike?

[FreyaRed]

Well, I make currently motorbike driving license and I need to repeat all theory BS together with theoretical and practical test, even if I own B class driving license (cars up to 3,5t in EU)
Bikes are rockets, a Honda CBR1000 accelerates in less than 1,5 sec from 1-100km/h and it reaches 300km/h faster than super sport cars. That's why I find only driver with car driving experience should be allowed to make a unlimited motorbike driving license.

[andreasderjuengere]

Who wants a CBR when Kawasaki builds the Ninja?
😛
And yes: learn traffic first before you step up.
However: especially here in Asia there are legions of smaller bikes in the 125 to 200 ccm range. Even teenagers use them.

[Masie]

No, because I have no intention of ever getting on a motorcycle or desire to learn. So, therefore, it would be pointless and a waste of time.

I am sure others that have no interest would feel the same way. That and they are dangerous as you have pointed out.

[Shiprex]

I pointed out that other drivers were dangerous as much as the riders themselves

[Masie]

That's true, but motorcycle riders do it by choice. They assume the risk that could have been mitigated by not riding one in the first place.

[Shiprex]

Sure but sharing the road with other road users you have low awareness of their situation makes it harder to notice them especially the new ones.

[AviatorTom]

No. Unless the person is going to ride a motorcycle, there's no reason to learn to ride one. Much more important to learn to operate a car safely and efficiently.

[Shiprex]

Having a greater awareness of other road users gives one a better understanding of road craft and makes a better driver.

[AviatorTom]

@Shiprex Not necessarily... A motorcycle rider could assume that, because car drivers have learned to ride a motorcycle, the car drivers might pay more attention to the motorcycle when, in fact, they might pay less attention since they understand it

[In_Trance]

No absolutely not.
Depending on where you live, just because the operating cost is lower does not mean the insurance cost is lower.
For some people that would be unattainable

[Shiprex]

Insurance on a motorcycle is always going to be cheaper than a car. That's not the point though. The idea is for car drivers who are a huge liability to bikers, to have better awareness of the other road users and thus drive better.

[In_Trance]

That's not the case at all. It's just as much, in some cases, more than a car. Mandatory licensing in the name of perceived awareness is absurd.

[katiesmuff]

Hell no as there is no correlation between the two and a good many people would never be on a 2 wheel death machine.

[Shiprex]

It's not about building skills though riding a bike gives better spatial awareness than a car.
It's the awareness of the road users

[exitseven]

No, motorcycles are not safe and the skills needed to drive a car are not really transferrable to riding a motorcycle.

[Shiprex]

It's not about the SKILLS but about the awareness of other road users. Loads of bikers are killed by car drivers being dumb and ignorant and not even noticing them. If everyone has experience of being that biker, they'll drive cars with more wisdom and awareness.

[DryGermanGuy]

Not sure what that would do apart from adding a few more fatalities in the process?

[Shiprex]

It's not meant as a way of life but as an awareness of other road users.

[DonaldDarko]

Ask cops and paramedics about bikes. The nurses in one hospital called them organ donor cycles.

[Shiprex]

One of the biggest killers of bikers is car drivers. How many have been knocked off their bikes and into traffic by careless and distracted car drivers is off the charts. The idea that by having experience of riding a bike in traffic, you gain awareness and competence to be better drivers.

[DonaldDarko]

I ride bicycles in LA but I know enough to get out of people's way. Of course there's all the motorcycle wrecks when no cars were around. There's a lot of those to.

[Sevenpointfive]

no. they are more dangerous. maybe an electric bike.

[Shiprex]

Why electric? They're heavier and harder to manoeuvre than conventional ones. They are also less noisy making riders less known to car drivers.

[Sevenpointfive]

scooters, mopeds, vespas... all of those i consider like e-bikes/scooters. slow moving but faster than a standard bike.

[Shiprex]

I spoke with a police officer who had an electric motorcycle, proper size and speed and he said it was weird that the silence was nerve wracking but the performance was epic. They are also heavy for their load capacity

[Alex-Snow]

No, but car drivers need to be far more aware of motorcycles and the extra dangers motorcyclists have on the road.

[Smegskull]

I think you could achieve the same by requiring them to cycle without the need for licenses etc.

[Veronika_p]

No, totally different

[Shiprex]

Building appreciation and awareness.

[alice55]

No that s stupid

[Shiprex]

Having an awareness of other road users is stupid? That's why bikers are victims of car drivers more than anything else

[jahaims]

Nope

[Shiprex]

Because?