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@rpm
despite being an advocate of proper cycle training, the novice riders rarely put anyone else in serious danger, so I don't think, at this stage, that anything should be compulsory.
For their own safety there are ways of improving skills and awareness which are either free or of little cost.
I would only think compulsory training would be acceptable if road law, and the enforcement of it, had a radical re-structure.
to use a blatant example: cycle feeder lanes, ASLs and associated problems.
why force people into using a road infrastructure in a way that's unsafe and likely to put them in mortal danger?
Ponder this:
when motorists break common road laws, the risk of danger increases, that's why we have speed limits and rules about paying attention.
when cyclists break common road laws, it's often to reduce risk (to get into a safe position away from traffic etc)
Nobody's perfect, and we all make mistakes and sometimes do naughty things, but to impose any kind of mandatory regulation at this stage would be an act of incredible stupidity.