Fucks sake. Just enforce the goddamn laws we already have on limiters and traffic
this post was submitted on 22 Jul 2025
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In a world where kids are already not getting enough outside time and exercise making it harder for them to ride to school seems a poor idea.
If it's becoming a problem they should be doing in person lessons on how to ride a bike and basic road manners rather than a online quiz that nobody is going to pay any attention to. Pity in person lessons have been made harder by everyone having to be so incredibly risk averse these days. For example there was that bit in WA recently where schools got told they couldn't use bikes without chain guards (i.e. most bikes) because someone managed to hurt themselves.
Bicycle licensing systems are horrible. They discourage riding and push people to unhealthy and dangerous forms of transport like cars and they give kids bad interactions with police (or in America, gets them sent to El Salvador).
That said, e-bike licensing for under-18's makes a lot of sense. If it applied to all bikes, or to all ages then I'd take issue with it. But under-18's on e-bikes should probably be licensed.
I do take issue with it being a digital-only license. Kids should not have smartphones in the first place, and just imagine losing access to your driver's license because you forgot to charge your phone (or your mobile data plan lapsed).
The government will LOVE this scheme...
- Make children obtain a government issued ID card.
- Increase the cost of the ID card from a 'nominal' payment to, say, $100 p.a.
- Require e-bikes to be registered for a nominal fee.
- Increase the registration fee.
- Make insurance compulsory for e-bikes.
- Require registration and insurance for ALL bicycles, including pedal powered bikes.
Then, in 10 years' time...
7. Spend a fortune on an advertising campaign trying to get people back on 'traditional' bicycles.
- Privatise BikeRoadsOz, lease the department to a foreign admin company.
It will fail miserably. Helmets are mandatory in Australia but you'd be lucky to see half of riders wearing them, even adults. Almost zero enforcement from police as they have far more pressing matters to attend to. This will be the same.
I'm not sure how I feel about this. Giving licenses to minors make no sense. But at the same time, bikes can sometimes be really fucking dangerous (for the rider. Everyone else is probably fine)