View Full Version : I only went and did it...
jeannette
29-10-10, 03:39 PM
Eventually passed my mod 1 this afternoon. Accidentally pounced and hugged the chief examiner when he told me. Never thought it would happen! Now mod 2....there is light at the end of the tunnel :D
Went out on the SV to practice the swerve (my failure point) last weekend and had a bit of a moment! Seems that it's not very forgiving when using the back brake :eek: in comparison to the school's ER6.
barwel1992
29-10-10, 03:44 PM
well done the mod 1 is the hard part ;)
Does seem to be a big divider of opinions the ol' swerve test. At least thats out the way now though :smt041
Just remember "lifesaver" on your test and you'll do fine :D
husky03
29-10-10, 05:30 PM
Eventually passed my mod 1 this afternoon. Accidentally pounced and hugged the chief examiner when he told me. Never thought it would happen! Now mod 2....there is light at the end of the tunnel :D
Went out on the SV to practice the swerve (my failure point) last weekend and had a bit of a moment! Seems that it's not very forgiving when using the back brake :eek: in comparison to the school's ER6.
And i bet you he was pushing you off super quick:p (just like i would going by you avi pic-NOT):p.
minimorecambe
29-10-10, 07:35 PM
Congratulations :D
Im a bugger for using my back brake!
Good luck in your Mod 2 :D
andrewsmith
29-10-10, 07:39 PM
well done the hardest part is done :)
Jayneflakes
29-10-10, 09:05 PM
Hey well done, not much left to do and then you will be on the road.
The hardest part of the second test is the nerves. If you have that cracked, you will be fine.
Good luck Honey
XXX
missyburd
29-10-10, 09:46 PM
Big well done, any tips for me? should be taking it sooon :D
Booked the mod2 now then or are you doing more practice first?
jeannette
30-10-10, 04:47 PM
Big well done, any tips for me? should be taking it sooon :D
Booked the mod2 now then or are you doing more practice first?
Thanks all.
My tip is, carry on no matter what happens. Even if you think you have failed, you may not have done. I tapped my foot down on the U-turn, no reason to - I panicked. But because I recovered, he gave me a minor for it. I also had a fraction of a second back wheel lock on the emergency stop - again he gave me a minor because I recovered and handled it. I also know of someone who tapped a foot down on the slow ride, but it wasn't mentioned (examiner didn't see it) and they got a pass. Always, always carry on.
That's what I did when I hit the cone with my nearside toe - I thought that maybe I just would rock it as I touched it so lightly. Only to find when I did my u-turn the blue cone was nowhere to be seen and it had careered down the lot about 20 metres. Fail. Funny in some respects.
I got my mod 2 in a couple of weeks unless I get a cancellation. The road ride doesn't worry me so much because I have been driving for 20 years, so I know how to read the road and get all my checks in, avoid hazards before you have to deal with them...only skill I think I can potentially bugger up is the hill start. I just love my back brake. Doh!
missyburd
30-10-10, 05:13 PM
I got my mod 2 in a couple of weeks unless I get a cancellation. The road ride doesn't worry me so much because I have been driving for 20 years, so I know how to read the road and get all my checks in, avoid hazards before you have to deal with them...only skill I think I can potentially bugger up is the hill start. I just love my back brake. Doh!
Ah now I've only been on the road 6 months, still get silly stuff wrong on the road in city centres when I know I'm being scrutinized lol!
You'll find a world of difference between the back brake on an SV compared to the ER6's. I have a Versys with the same rear brake set up as the ER6 and it's not a patch on the brake fitted to the SVs I owned. Mine has ABS and I have to physically get my ar5e out of the seat and put my full weight on the rear brake pedal to make the ABS cut in when its dry - it's crap as brakes go, but is handy for keeping the bike from rolling backwards on hills. The front brakes are the opposite, I much prefer my Versys ones to the SVs.
Good luck with mod 2
jeannette
30-10-10, 08:16 PM
Ah now I've only been on the road 6 months, still get silly stuff wrong on the road in city centres when I know I'm being scrutinized lol!
You'll do fine...get mod 1 done and it's normal stuff from there. I am determined to enjoy mod 2.
@Lozzo: If a world of difference equates to my underwear change required after stamping on the bake brake of the SV - been there and have the undies to prove it - you are so right. I read some reviews on the ER6 and they all complain about the back brake. It works out quite well for me as I really favour it - don't know why (must teach myself out of it). Must not use back brake....
Poor DH - he was being so supportive taking me to the car park to practice on my bike, he was light a rabbit in headlights trying to work out where I was going to put the bike that day. It does make me chuckle :D
Many congrats, Ive now lost the plot of what licences you need to do and in what order, clearly shows that I am getting old.
Good luck for the next part.
-Ralph-
31-10-10, 09:44 AM
Well done! Good luck for Mod 2 (though I'm not sure I fully understand what's involved in this two part test)
congratulations and good luck. I too dont understand the difference between mod1 and mod 2 and how it all differs from das. I only did das 2001 but seems like light years ago.
jeannette
31-10-10, 05:18 PM
Thanks :D
Mod 1 =
MAnual handling the bike (push) from one space to another.
Slalom in and out of cones, figure of 8 at the end (2 circuits).
1st high speed test (swerve), which is a circuit of one half, attain 50kph or more between the cones, swerve through the other set and finish up in 4 cones at the end.
U turn
Slow ride (walking pace - though I would say depends on the examiner).
2nd high speed test (emergency stop), same circuit, but this time no swerve and no designated stopping zone. ASAP as safely as possible.
(You are assessed from the moment you get on your bike to the momen you get off again).
Mod 2 = "normal" road ride, there is a hill start, there is a new thing called "independent ride" (examiner shows you a map/diagram and tells you to follow signs for ABC and gives no instructions). No skills needed other than what you need for the duration of your ride. But they are watching for correct use of everything like all the checks, use of speed and all that stuff you guys do everyday that are allowed to go out without supervision. There are also some questions and it's either "show me" or "tell me" - always a question about taking pillions apparently (and my answer of I would never do that even if you paid me is not sufficient to pass).
Roughly translated = possibility for DSA to eek more revenue out of GP - instead of getting that contract back from Pearson, which is a mahoooosive con. ZOMG!!! You got me started.
Aaaaand relax.
Stonesie
31-10-10, 08:20 PM
Well done on the MOD 1, and good luck for your MOD 2 :D
The MOD 2 is the easy bit, I thought I had failed, WHAT??? were heading back already? What the fudge have I done wrong?.... Nope, I was out for over 40 minutes and it felt like 10, Passed with 3 minors all for silly things that I should not have done.
Forgot to indicate off a roundabout going straight ahead but remembered all lifesavers and good road positioning.
Hit a small lump in the tarmac when I pulled up at a junction, panicked, and put both feet down.
And hit a false neutral coming out of a tight junction, quickly got 2nd but the examiner noticed the slightly frantic foot action.
Mod1. Mod2..blimey, i turned up, rode a bike passed. Ah its great being old
Congrats though
jonny.boyd
01-11-10, 09:44 AM
They've already changed MOD 2 from what it was when I did it about 7 months ago!
I've heard about this reading off a map and having to remember the route, etc.
Personally I think that is one of the most unfair changes they have made to the test, the test is aimed to check that you can ride safely and with confidence, not to check that you can read a map and remember directions to get from A->B. I know with my memory and, if I was doing my MOD 2 test, nerves I would find it impossible to remember exactly what directions they had told me! I believe they've also made this change to the car tests aswell.... I wonder what will be next..... you have to be able to take the engine apart and put it back together!!!
I'm sure you probably don't have to REMEMBER the route. Just follow the signs for a destination.
jonny.boyd
01-11-10, 09:59 AM
Just read up about it:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/LearnerAndNewDrivers/PracticalTest/DG_189979
Okay doesn't seem that bad, I guess...
Fluffer
01-11-10, 10:29 AM
Congrats Jeannette!
Interesting little addition with the independant driving - luckily my mod 2 6 weeks ago didnt have that but the mod1 swerve was in there. My local instructors seemed to think it was more about putting people off doing bike tests and therefore making roads safer keeping nuts who favour two wheels off the road more than anything else - how much that is the truth you do wonder... Like the rest have said, and from recent experience, all about confidence and you'll be fine. With your driving experience you're sorted. i hope you get a nice sunny day for it :)
jeannette
01-11-10, 07:58 PM
I'm sure you probably don't have to REMEMBER the route. Just follow the signs for a destination.
No - and in fact, you can stop the examiner AS MANY times as you choose to get a reminder you where you are supposed to be going and they can't penalise you (unless you don't do it safely). However, IMHO - that is highly likely to royally p1ss them off and you can fail on something like 10 minors. So stopping them a number of times does mean you have to pull over, stop and start again - each time, you must do all of your checks etc....sooooo, although my instructor says (to be difficult) pull them over as much as possible, I'll be trying to make sure I don't and avoid any fluff-ups and clocking up minors - just keep riding :)
I don't agree with Swerve test - but I would say that wouldn't I? I hear the same as you, cccsssddd, that it's to keep nutters off the road. But my argument is the nuttier you are, the more likely you don't fluff that up (over-confident). For me it was the thought of hitting the cone that made me look at the cone and aim at it!
(A Bug's Life: "Stay away from the light. But, it's so beauuuuuuuudiful". )
For those of you that have mod 1 to do - it's not that bad - know you can do it and you will.
Just had an e-mail from the DSA saything that they're happy with independant driving and are planning changes to the theory test to match - you won't be able to learn the question bank by rote any more, as they're planning to withdraw it from publishing and you'll have to actually learn the theory behind the answers...
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