I want to deregulate more things

[Peppermint]

Private Flying would be the first thing. I'm a pretty good pilot though unqualified so it would save me a lot of messing about if it was de-regulated.

Motorcycling would be next. I passed my test when I was 16 but let my license lapse. Now I'd like to be a born again biker without the trouble of a test.

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[Gezzer]

I agree with the sentiment on the motorbike test, I did exactly the same thing and decided to take the direct access test at the ripe old age of 37, although I passed first time I have to say it is probably the hardest test there is, with a virtually zero tolerance policy on any mistakes.
Although this is probably a good thing, as they are giving you a completely un-restricted licence to go and buy a 180 mph machine (I did), although I did invest in further high speed tuition on race tracks

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[BlackSheep]

Yeah wot a brilliant idea! I'm pretty good at first aid (well, only 2 people I've done CPR on have died!) and there's a real shortage of doctors.......... It would be nice to help cut down the waiting lists for operations..... most of them certainly wouldn't need to come back for more treatment!

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[Twister_Ken]

Confused of Chiswick writes...

Private flying/general aviation is a good case study. Relatively few people have PPLs, but relatively a lot of them crash. Despite it being a pretty hard licence to acquire, having to be kept up-to-date, etc.

And then, we're told that the m/cycle test is hard. Yet motorcyclists are (according to the '999' style programmes) always going through dry stone walls, or losing contests with trucks.

So what point were you trying to make?

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[bigmart]

Nice try, but nobody seems to be biting yet.

Martin

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[BrendanS]

Peppermint, If you'd consider a debate, rather than an arguement about flying, there are several pilots on this forum.. I've flown sailplanes, hang gliders, and various powered aircraft, though I know members of this forum have vastly more experience than myself



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[snowleopard]

never mind, a few of us get the joke

let's abolish A levels and admit people to university according to their parents' income (oops, someone thought of that already)

or forget about exams for master's tickets and let small countries issue them for cash (no, that's not new either)



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[oldsaltoz]

G'day Tom,

Deregulation has been a pet cause of mine for some time, however, I don't think deregulation of proficiency is all correct: if your activity is likely to cause injury to others, I think a test is fair.

What we need to deregulate are the laws that assume we all idiots. The law dictates that we must have a helmet when riding a motorcycle, I'm not advocating that we should not, but as not wearing one does not endanger others, why the law, I could say the same for seat belts, 'J' walking, and my favourite, hard hats in some circumstances: have you ever tried working on an engine with a hard hat on? I'm sure the other forum users can add to the list, any takers

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[jimi]

Licensing hours for a start!

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[snowleopard]

Ah! sense at last nm

nm

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[Jacket]

<admit people to university according to their parents' income (oops, someone thought of that already)>

What a load of rubbish. I recently went through Cambridge, one of the more expensive universities, with no parental help. Its laziness that stops people being able to afford university, not parental income.

The student loan on its own is enough (just) to get by on, and if you're willing to take holiday jobs then you're laughing. The 14 grand debts a bit of a pain, but at least the repayment terms are reasonableish.

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[beancounter]

Umm...

I agree with your sentiment, but not the rationale. My son is just finishing his 4 years at Uni, where his (self-catering) accomodation costs have been 60% - 70% of his student loan. With his summer jobs he has, if not been laughing, then certainly OK. My daughter starts her 4 years in October, and it looks like her (self catering) accomodation will be 80%+ of the student loan (in year 1 - it will no doubt be more subsequently) - so her vacation work becomes a necessity, rather than a bonus. And I haven't mentioned tuition fees.....

However we look at it, finance is always going to be a factor in the choice of university, course (or even whether to go at all). Different people will have different attitudes to debt - I saw a comment recently that middle class people are more comfortable with the concept of debt (mortgages etc.) than lower income families (for whom it may conjure up loan sharks, bailiffs etc). So not all families will view the student loan with the same equanimity as you (or me & mine). Therefore the perception that odds are stacked against pupils from lower income families will be reinforced.
It's going to take some substantial social engineering to change this...


Cheers

John

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[Jacket]

My rent was somewhere between 65-80% of my loan, depending on the year. I found that beyond this, you can get by on just under £1000 a year if you're happy to live the "student lifestyle". Pasta's cheap, and if you carefully chose clubs that are sponsored by local businesses (Canoe club, football, rowing and hockey are often a good bet) you can normally get an evenings drinking once a fortnight paid for by them, so join enough clubs and that's the most important part of life sorted.

Money earned during a year out and during holidays is then free to be spent on buying and running a boat.

I agree its not easy, but then student life wouldn't be half as fun if it was.

As for the whole middle class/lower income stuff, I'm afraid I'm not convinced. Having spent some time helping out with an equal access programme, I can't help feeling that the main problem is the government, newspapers and so on telling lower income children that they'll be discriminated against.

After all, if you never earn more than £10000 a year, you never have to pay back the loan.

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[jimi]

I you eard less than £10K pa you'd never be able to afford anything ... equates to the princely sum of £5.30 ph!

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[webcraft]

£5.30 ph, Jimi?

Luxury, laddie! You just need to work more hours.

On the original topic, I want to deregulate accountancy and moonlight as a High Court Judge in my spare time.

- Nick


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[Jacket]

I'm very glad that the lower earning limit on paying back the loan is there given I'm earning less than £10K. On 11 hour days it works out at about £3 per hour- slightly depressing knowing I earned more when working weekends as a kid. Still, I'm little more than a glorified student, with all the plus points of student life, so who's complaining. It should keep me happy for a few years, or at least until I want a bigger boat.


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[milltech]

Re:Start with my local authority (1)

Refused my neighbour planning for a bathroom over his garage on the grounds that it was an area of outstanding natural beauty, which it is, but which a bathroom is hardly likely to change. Within months permitted a telephone mast 20m from his door!



<hr width=100% size=1>John
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.allgadgets.co.uk>http://www.allgadgets.co.uk</A>

 

[milltech]

Re:Start with my local authority (2)

Who sent round a lady from the local department of nosey parkers (Trading Standards) to fill in a large questionaire about my business and what that business was. Why? I'm all in favour of trading standards but they were not advanced by me wasting an hour filling in a form, nor all the others on whom this lady spends my money (rates) visiting every day, why not wait for a complaint first?

<hr width=100% size=1>John
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.allgadgets.co.uk>http://www.allgadgets.co.uk</A>

 

[milltech]

Re:Start with my local authority (3)

Whose Planning Department, (yes them again), have insisted a new house on 60 acres should be built within 30 feet of the road so the front rooms look directly into my next door neighbours bathroom. With 60 acres to go on you'd think they'd be a bit more flexible but apparently they like to squeeze all the development into little areas or something, so the rest looks more open. (I may have got this wrong but it's some kind of double Dutch, and anyway anyone who takes a walk round Wokingham can quickly see a beautiful old town ruined by a planning department so what more proof is needed).

<hr width=100% size=1>John
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.allgadgets.co.uk>http://www.allgadgets.co.uk</A>

 

[richardandtracy]

Same Here

Gun ownership.

Then laws on homicide.

So I can shoot the so & so next door next time their music is loud enough to hear in every room in my house.

Regards

Richard

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