Hazard Perception Test

[squirrel_hunter]

For my sins I am learning to drive a cage. And for this I have to do a Theory and Hazard Perception Test, I believe that new riders have to take this also, so I went out this weekend and bought the DSA DVD for it. First off I forgot how annoying Suzi Perry is and just how bad a presenter she is, I also forgot how condescending the DSA is to motorcyclists and how much of a bad light we are seen in. But thats not the point right now. This rant is about how pointless the Hazard Perception Test is.

From what the DVD has shown me I need to click on anything and everything that may and or may not be a hazard. This includes everything from empty junctions, to legally parked cars, to people stood on the pavement as at anytime something may happen.

We have a joke for this at work, its called 'the Gazelle in the Server Room', lets plan for every single eventuality as you never know when a Gazelle might break in an run a mock among the hardware. At some point you have to accept there there is some risk and this Hazard Perception Test fails to acknowledge this. At a guess I would say the writer of the test was Chicken Licken as they are obviously still waiting and are prepared for the sky to fall down.

I get all the real 'red circle' hazards long before they have made me stop as it were and I just acknowledge the fact that there is a warning sign or junction ahead. Its just like I'm riding, I take the information on board and use it, that does not mean it is a hazard, it is simply information. But I think I have developed a fool proof system to pass this test, and that is to click for a 'hazard' every two seconds as that seams to get me top marks.

[Bibio]

ermmm no.. the real test has a built in click timer in it...

and yes it is a piece of pish to pass...

Yeah it's pretty easy.. I think I got 63/70 something or whatever. Just click at anything you think will be a hazard. Click like 3 times each hazard.

Try the click every 2 seconds and it'll fail you, they have anti-cheat thingies and stuff.

[Richie]

problem is sice I've been riding bikes for longer than some of you have been breathing, everything looks like a hazzard to a bikers perception... only just passed when I did my coach D, D1, D+E.

as an experiencied driver/rider it is near impossible to pass because like you say you dont see it as an hazzard but as information, but in real terms it is an hazzard so my advice is keep doing the pratice tests (there are a few on line as well) but dont do the same ones over as it then becomes memory and not perception, a bit of pratice in order to know what they are looking for and youll p**s it

Originally Posted by Richie

problem is sice I've been riding bikes for longer than some of you have been breathing, everything looks like a hazzard to a bikers perception... only just passed when I did my coach D, D1, D+E.

I had to take hazard perception when I did bike test 2 years ago. After driving a car for over 20 years I completely disagree with what they think of as hazards. Besides, clicking doesn't indicate what you think is the hazard, you might be clicking for one thing (say a roadsign) and they wanted you to click because there is a kid on the other side of the road.
I don't object to testing hazard perception, but the way its done isn't good.

As to the questions, some of the answers you have to give are just plain wrong. Give 3 reasons why eletric trams are wonderful, and one of them is that they are quiet. I live in Blackpool and the trams can go over 90 decibels, which is not quiet by any definition. Also the last new electric tram they tested caught fire and closed the promenade down. Very eco friendly.

I struggled with it because I'd spot something, click for it, but the points weren't available for it. Got annoying!

You're not looking for actual hazards as such... you need to look for 'potential' and 'developing' hazards (hard to describe in text format without going on for pages and pages).

Everyone that has said they struggled after driving for x years before taking the test is right, it is aimed at beginners not experienced drivers/riders.

You should be clicking 7 or 8 times per clip with 3 or 4 of those clicks for the scoring hazard. Clicking rhythmically WILL get you a fail.

[Spiderman]

And dont forget that the hazard perception test is designed for those that have no real life on road experience either.
Any biker who oes on to drive a car is a better car driver than one who went to a car right away imho anyway.

[Sir Trev]

A colleague had to re-take her test when she moved here from overseas. She failed the hazard perception part as she clicked on all the right things but lots of times each. If the DVD has advice on that side of things take heed!