[sheerwater]

Have to disagree about motorcycles taking up less room on the road. As with cyclists they take up a length of road the same as everyone else and its only when doubled up at traffic lights or when parking they take up less room. Its not that I have anything against bikers as in fact I was going to get a scooter for my daughter. This is where we find the inequalities against bikers/moped drivers. Insurance is frightening. Why ? because a third of all scooters are stolen and never recovered. Its almost impossible to get anything but third party only for younger people. Bearing in mind what has been said above it seems that it is bigger vehicle drivers who hit the motorcyclist so why are the younger drivers penalised especially as they have to have compulsory basic training before venturing out on L plates. Congestion on our roads could be the topic of a whole new debate. Kids are desperate for independence but in the UK they have to wait until they are 16 for a moped. I understand that in France it is 14 so kids are tuned onto 2 wheels earlier and once they find the advantage of 2 over 4 wheels often stick to that form of transport. Here in the UK we encourage the theft of scooters and mopeds (no we are not sending somebody out to you, have a crime number instead) This brings me back to my first point. If car drivers are scrutinised by the new cameras which can check your speed, photograph you, check the details with swansea and then stealth tax you , then there is more chance of getting stolen , untaxed ,uninsured etc cars. This does not happen to motorbikes/scooters etc. Cheers Nigel