Queensland Motorcyclists to wear Yellow "L" Vests

All Queensland learner drivers and motorcyclists will have to display L
plates on their vehicles from January 31 under a three-year trial announced
by the Queensland government.

Queensland Transport Minister Paul Lucas said the move brought Queensland
into line with other states and territories.

Learner drivers in Queensland currently do not need to display L plates.

"From January 31, it will be compulsory for Queensland's 214,000 learners to
have an L plate properly displayed on all vehicles such as cars, motorcycles
or trucks when they are driving," he said in a statement.

Mr Lucas said that during the Queensland trial, all learner car, bus and
truck drivers were required to fit L plates to the front and rear of their
vehicles.

Learner motorcyclists would have to display an L plate on the rear of the
motorbike or wear a vest with an L visible from the rear and accompanying
drivers would be required to ensure the new requirements were followed.

"Accompanying drivers are usually parents or other family members or family
friends so we are saying they have to live up to their considerable
responsibilities to ensure learners do the right thing," Mr Lucas said.

Mr Lucas said the trial would provide important information to assist in a
final decision about whether to reintroduce L and P plates in Queensland.

"A full evaluation will allow us to determine whether displaying L plates
has a positive effect on accidents or behaviour among learners and other
road users," he said.

Learner drivers caught driving or riding without display L plates or wearing
a specially marked vest faced fines of $120.

Accompanying drivers also faced fines.

Driving schools and professional rider trainers, who are also required to
follow these new L plate requirements during lessons, can face a fine up to
$1,500.

Mr Lucas said a final decision on whether L plates would be made compulsory
on a permanent basis would be made following the trial's evaluation.

Young Queenslanders aged 17-24 years are over-represented in the state's
annual road toll.

Between 1999 and 2003, 402 people in that age group were killed with a
further 7,095 injured or hospitalised.

Last year, road accidents involving young drivers and motorcyclists aged
17-24 years cost the Queensland community more than $657 million.

 

Well, not _quite_...

------------^^

So learner motorcyclists will have the choice of L plates (like learners
in every other state in Australia) _OR_ an "L vest"...

big (I suspect Clem will get a garish yellow/hawaiian L-shirt anyway...)

 

about time you lot caught up with the rest of the sane world.

 

"Sane world?"

You looked outside lately?

Moike

 

The rest of the world is sane??

Have I missed something?

 

fark yeah
I'm insane and so are you!

 

Sounds like a good idea to me. When my wife was on her learners she did it,
even though it wasn't required. Personaly I think it made a huge difference.
Most drivers saw the big L on the vest and gave her plenty of room. Having
to follow her while she rode I always made sure everyone could see it.

Krazykol
ZZR 600
(Mrs Krazykol - No longer a learner)
(ZZR 600)

 

In Qld bike learners must be accompanied either by another bike or by a
pillion.
How much use would gNat's "L" vest be with me sitting behind her?!!?
Clem

 

We've never had compulsory "L"s but we used to have compulsory "P"s until
1976-ish when they were discontinued because they lead to young motorists
being unfairly targeted and victimised.
Sadly; it seems like the victimisation is due to be re-kindled!

On another note; I notice they use these non-specific statistics like

"Young Queenslanders aged 17-24 years are over-represented in the state's
annual road toll.
Between 1999 and 2003, 402 people in that age group were killed with a
further 7,095 injured or hospitalised."

Without actually saying how many of those people were 17yo "L" platers,
18yo "P" platers or 19-24yo full-licence holders who wouldn't have been
affected by this legislation anyway!!
Clem

 

Knobdoodle wrote:
would gNat's "L" vest be with me sitting behind her?!!?

But think of the wheelies she could pull with you as pillion.


Might need to occy strap a couple of blocks of concrete to the handlebars.

Moike

 

Strange place you live in Clem
Joh Bjelke Peterson victimised heaps of people yet didnt victimise p
platers


I don;t see a problem with l plates being displayed if only becuse it
can identify to others that the person is a learner and people arund
them exert extra caution.
P plates usually indicates stay the **** away from them as they are
capable of anything:-0
ymmv of course.
Interesting the read all this though,

 

Whatever *did* happen to corks?

Moike

 

He's channeling me

 

I've been riding around a very cute little VTR250 (for sale, you
know: http://zoic.org/sharkey/moto/vtr/ ) complete with big yellow
L plate, and I have to say it hasn't helped a bit ... people give
the bigger, louder bikes PLENTY more room ...

-----sharks

 

If she wore it over her head, she'd be saved the embarrassment of
being seen out with you!

G

 

Now, is it just me or is_stipulating_that someone who can, by
presumption, barely control a bike try to do so with another person on
the back a fair contender for one of the most asinine pieces of
regulation in the Southern Hemisphere?

(chances are Sef Efrika would've had something dumber during Apartheid)

 

It's a bewdy, I'll give you that. But then Queensland's only
got arfa gummint to start with, so what did you expect from
them?

Git orf dhe soide-work, kaffir.

G

 

Smee! Watch out for that... (thud)... never mind...

 

In aus.motorcycles on Mon, 06 Dec 2004 22:10:36 +1100

every state that required someone to be with the learner had pillion as
an option.

Presumably because "well, they do it in cars don't they?"

Zebee

 

Get this; she can double me to the testing centre but if she PASSES she
can't take me home again.....
....if she fails she can!
Clem