I like Ann's idea. Maybe a bicycle advocacy group could work with a statewide credit granting institution (such as the Wisconsin Technical Colleges - - MATC etc.) to develop such a program and provide the instructors (therby generating revenue for the advocacy group) and work with the insurance companies to provide the discounts for successfully completing the courses. DOT wouldn't even have to be involved. The classes could include getting participants out on bicycles to experience what it's like. Arthur
________________________________ From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Ann Freiwald Sent: Thursday, October 04, 2007 12:08 PM To: Dar Ward; [email protected] Subject: RE: [Bikies] Followup on Driver's Exam I have often thought it would be a good idea if the DOT offered defensive driving courses to licensed drivers so people could earn continueing education credits. I mean think about it, once you have a license at 16 you are free to drive til you drop, without any revisting of the rules of the road. To encourage people to take the courses the DOT could work with the insurance industry to allow folks to apply those credits to reduce the cost of their car insurance. During the defensive driving course one could ponder the rights and responsibilities of bikes, cars and peds on the road. Ann M. Freiwald, ASLA ________________________________ From: Dar Ward [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, October 04, 2007 9:28 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [Bikies] Followup on Driver's Exam Someone asked if the 3 foot law was on the driver's exam...that might have started the whole yard stick discussion. I just talked to Larry Corsi at DOT. The driver's exam has 50 questions on it that are selected by a computer from a list of 136 (two of the 136 are bike questions). So the odds of getting a bike question are pretty small. There is a subset of questions that are "required" on the exam, and Larry thought that one of the required questions involved visually impaired pedestrians, but he wasn't sure. The exam was probably last updated in 2002. Larry is talking to the people who update the exam about working more with bike/ped folks when they revise the exam. Also, I confirmed that close to 500,000 copies of a bicycle safety flyer have gone out with DOT mailings since 2005. In the winter, they will probably do one on pedestrians and then switch back to bicycles in the spring. I've posted the bicycle flyer currently being used at https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/dsward2/web/dot_bikeped_insert.pdf for those who would like to see it. I'll note that the driver's manual isn't half bad in Wisconsin. Bike info is integrated throughout and also at the end. It is posted at http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/drivers/drivers/apply/handbook.htm A recent late night discussion brought up the fact that most of the bike laws in Wisconsin changed in the mid 1990s, thanks to BFW and others. So changing the driver's test or manual doesn't do much for everyone who was licensed prior to about 1996. Those people don't know what the law even is...never mind whether or not they follow it. The same applies for drivers who come in from out of state and never have to take the exam. I think that is why Larry's handout for mailings (in registration and license renewals) is a good addition. Personally, I'd like to see better coverage in driver's ed (public and private) of bike/ped issues...or pre-driver's ed "bicycle driving" training in public schools. It is the kind of thing that can easily be rolled into a Safe Routes to School package, but it has to be institutionalized for long-term success. Texas has done great work training its teachers for this stuff. If that kind of thing was part of PE or other curricula, the next generation of drivers would be much better, I think. -Dar ________________________________ Pinpoint customers <http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=48250/*http://searchmarketing.yahoo.com/arp/ sponsoredsearch_v9.php?o=US2226&cmp=Yahoo&ctv=AprNI&s=Y&s2=EM&b=50> who are looking for what you sell.
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