Some people argue that a competency test should be done before riding a bike on public roads. While this may introduce opportunities for the enhancement of road safety, I firmly disagree with this idea for the following reasons.
On the one hand, employing a mandatory test for bicycles can theoretically improve road safety. Such formal tests ensure candidates are educated with proper traffic regulations, road etiquette, as well as vehicle handling skills, which are essential for lifelong safe riding habits. For instance, the Netherlands, known for its popular public bike riding habits, has applied a mandatory cycling license test for its citizens in order to use their bikes. Therefore, this country is also famous for having the least number of traffic accidents in the world.
However, requiring a license for cyclists is often unnecessary and redundant. Bicycles themself are low-speed and safe vehicles that are often used for short-distance travel. For that reason, legislating such tests can be wasteful of the governmental budget. Furthermore, there are more effective alternatives in order to resolve traffic safety issues. As an example, the Australian government utilizes communication media to encourage people to be aware of their safety when using personal bikes through intuitive traffic scenarios.
In conclusion, while mandating a cycling test appears to be reasonable to promote road safety, it is still fundamentally impractical and excessive to be applied. Instead, a more efficacious long-term strategy, for instance, is to promote careful driving habits through communication platforms, as well as propagating safety awareness for people.