Should cyclists be required to obtain a licence for riding?

Jessica Leung, 16, Our Lady of the Rosary College

Bicycles have not only become a form of transport for us, they have become an exercise tool to make ourselves healthier.

Bicycles might seem safe, but surprisingly casualties from bicycle accidents are increasing. Therefore, cyclists should be required to obtain a licence.

First, a bicycle licence could lower the chance of an accident because the riders would have professional knowledge of how to ride a bicycle. This year, the police announced that the number of bicycle accidents is increasing.

Second, a bicycle licence can educate riders to wear safety gear, such as helmets and gloves.

Before a person can get a licence, he should learn how to protect himself and the importance of maintaining road safety. This raises the question of whether children could pass the test and get a bicycle licence.

The best solution to this problem is, if the child is under six years old, he or she has to ride with his parents, who have licences. Children more than six years old who have passed the test should be allowed to ride alone.

Some may say this is too strict and riding bicycles is just a leisure activity. But what is preferable - a troublesome inconvenience or a casualty? After weighing the options, most people will find that inconvenience is the better alternative.

I think, all things considered, bicycles riders should be required to obtain a licence for riding because it will result in fewer accidents on the roads.

Cathy Chan, 16, CCC Kei Chi Secondary School

Cycling has long been a popular pastime all over the world, and in some countries like the Netherlands and the mainland, it is also a major means of transport. But most countries don't require cyclists to obtain a licence.

The first and most essential point is that it is unnecessary. One of the key aims of the car licence strategy is to test the drivers to ensure the safety of both drivers and passengers. But the bicycle is much easier and safer to learn and control. There is no need to have specific tests to ensure cyclists can ride safely.

Some may argue that a licence is needed to make sure that cyclists are capable of riding on roads safely. Undeniably, busy roads which are crowded with motorised traffic are dangerous for cyclists because they are more likely to be involved in an accident. But would it really be safer for cyclists on busy roads after they have passed a few tests? I doubt it.

From my point of view, this is not a matter of tests but a problem of the cycling environment. The most effective way to ensure the safety of cyclists is to develop bicycle commuting. Some places, such as Germany, build cycle-ways in urban areas, keeping riders relatively safe from the hazards of motorised traffic.

In Hong Kong, cycling is just a popular form of recreation. We rarely see a bicycle used for commuting in an urban area. There is no point setting up a licence system for using bicycles.