Thing.
I don't think I said "it's either a taildragger or a glass piece of plastic crap. I was trying to make a point that a number of modern pilots are not interested in tailwheel aircraft because they sometimes appear to me to be a little afraid of the perceived difficulty in handling. And these pilots would rather get airborne with all the bells & whistles than bother to learn something different.
I too believe that going solo on gliders first is a good idea. I did it myself, they teach you how to fly accurately, spins, full stalls etc and that does generate confidence and understanding of the bogey man/there be dragons there, problem.
As for the 172, nothing wrong with that, nothing wrong with 152 either, or PA28 etc, it is the pilot training that is at fault. How many buggered nose wheels are there on those a/c compared to ground looped, noseovered taildraggers?
I've watched PA28 drivers take 3 attempts to land on 620 metres grass & nearly run out of space, I watch 172/152s being wheelbarrowed on regularly. I don't see many taildraggers being landed badly.
I never found the tail dragging bit much of a fuss either. And I don't consider myself anything special by flying one.
The original question here was about training on tailwheel, or lack of. Not about what people should be allowed to fly.
Chuck.
Now see what a can of worms you've opened, great fun isn't it?