Test tips

Good morning all,

I went and did a wee refresher lesson last night. Now I know I've got alot of bad habits from riding the scoot for a few years and being in a car for nearly the last two.

Now we went through the basics, moving away from stationary etc etc. Did a few emergency stops. This was all in the confines of a small business park - small road network but not out on the open road. Now call me stupid or whatever but why is there so much to a turn?

Turning left. Look - indicate - position - look - right look- left look before turn - make turn, cancel indicator

Turn right. Same as above accept look are reversed obvioulsy.

I felt unless I was crawling I didnt have time to throw my head about that much

Am I over analysing this????

you may be over analysing a tad. if you do the turn at a steady speed, one you're happy with and in 100% control of the bike you'll have more time than you realise.

Originally Posted by linco

Now call me stupid or whatever but why is there so much to a turn?

It's so you don't wind up with a truck parked on your lid, with your head inside.

Try looking a LITTLE later, for example, in the case of moving out around a parked car, look then move immediately. Once you're out wide, cars will wait behind you for you to complete the move.

In general, I was told to only look both left & right when checking both shoulders when I'm moving from a complete stop. Eg, after an e-stop.

Originally Posted by Baph

It's so you don't wind up with a truck parked on your lid, with your head inside.

Don't worry I'm not saying that there is too much in it. Believe thats the last thing i'll want to happen. Its just get the sequence correct. If I can memorise it then I'll be fine. The actual riding was 100%. Just need to get into the right frame of mind of getting it all down to a t

The sequence I was taught was that basically you ride in the 'command position.' Right in the middle of the road, you hold the traffic back if they want to go faster, screw them. This was the teaching for my CBT. P*ss people off enough, and when they get the chance to come around, they generally will, and in the words of my instructor "they'll give you a wide birth."

My riding on the DAS started out no different, and I was told I had good road positioning. So now if I find myself riding with other people, I'll hold 'command' on behalf of them happily, especially if it's an L-plated 125 and they're sat left. I'll sit middle-right in the lane & f*ck the traffic.

As for sequence for observations, this is what I remember the theory of from my DAS:

When you're coming up to the turn (a few hundred yards away maybe) move from the 'command position' to either the left or the right as appropriate for the turn. This should ideally be pretty close to the turn, but when learning, give yourself some more time to do things. Before you move over to the side, lifesaver to make sure some chav isn't there in his nova. You're moving, you have to make sure it's safe to do so.

Next, indicate, let people know where you're going. Just before you turn in, another lifesaver is in order. Then turn. Complete the turn & cancel the indicator, ideally before changing gear. Naturally you should be using mirrors like a blonde on a night out.

Thats the theory, and whilst my riding mostly obeys that, it doesn't strictly. The way I ride, indicators can become optional (middle of nowhere, quite a lot of times there's no traffic around). Observations always get done, always. For every 1000 times you do a lifesaver, 999 times, it'll be clear. It's the 1 time that you do the 1000 for!

[SoulKiss]

Ok so sounds more like you just need a simpler way to remember this......

How about this

1) Hey theres that road I want to turn into

2) Is there anyone behind me moving up fast to overtake (mirror check)

3) Need to let them know what I am going to do so no-one tries to overtake me - better give them plenty of warning (indicators - on as soon as you know its clear.

4) Right now, did they see me? (mirror check)

5) Right, now where do I want to be - and how tight is this (position and speed)

6) Ok now is there any little fscker on a scooter trying to get past me before I turn (Lifesaver)

7) Now where am I going - oh yeah, there (look to where you want to be in after the turn)

Make the turn

9) Well there is no indicator for going straight on - s best cancel the one I have on.

Ok so its even more long winded than what you posted ,but as its in a "story" form, should be easier to remember and faster to work through.

This morning I got on my bike and it all just felt right - the bike did what I wanted it to do from the off, everything was in the right place etc. This meant that when I was out on the road, I had a great time - I wasnt worrying about operating the bike - ie throttle, clutch, that kind of thing, I was just riding it.

Its the whole "man and machine as one" thing - if you are not worrying about all the little things that really you dont need to, then you have more thinking time for the things you do need to worry about - like observation.

David

Originally Posted by Baph

So now if I find myself riding with other people, I'll hold 'command' on behalf of them happily, especially if it's an L-plated 125 and they're sat left.

Please take care if you do this, I took this "left" position when leading with Ceri & VB. Car passed these two but didn't see me (I was obscured) until very late, lucky to get away with it.

Originally Posted by Mogs

Please take care if you do this, I took this "left" position when leading with Ceri & VB. Car passed these two but didn't see me (I was obscured) until very late, lucky to get away with it.

I'm always very careful esp when riding with someone I don't know, due mainly to past experiences. The varadero rider last friday can account for that. Yes we were riding fast (70mph honestly! ), but more often than not, ther was at least one car between us, and that's the way I like it.

Sod the two second rule, when i'm riding with someone I don't know, it's more like a 3 or 4 second gap, hopefully blind car drives will have their eyes opened by my high vis coat.

I have also been known to pull out at notoriously bad junctions & help fellow bikers out just by stopping the traffic. Note though that I never wave the biker out, just hold my hand up to stop the oncoming traffic. They usually get the hint, and are very appreciative (the local dealership has a horrible junction to get out of).

Just do a shoulder check before you change lane, turn into a junction or pull out of a junction, in the direction you are turning. Its as simple as that!

Really, just relax. Those lifesavers are lifesavers because they can save your life! So dont think they are just to get you through your test - they should be becoming second nature to you.

Since I'va passed my test i only do mirrors all the time, and shoulder checks if someone is behind me, or if i have just passed a cyclist.

You'll be fine! Just relax, drop those shoulders and breath nice deep breaths.

Matt

Originally Posted by alpinestarhero

Just do a shoulder check before you change lane, turn into a junction or pull out of a junction, in the direction you are turning. Its as simple as that!

Really, just relax. Those lifesavers are lifesavers because they can save your life! So dont think they are just to get you through your test - they should be becoming second nature to you.

Since I'va passed my test i only do mirrors all the time, and shoulder checks if someone is behind me, or if i have just passed a cyclist.

You'll be fine! Just relax, drop those shoulders and breath nice deep breaths.

Matt

Cheers Matt, sound advice, and thanks to everyone else.

On a side note, MTS, the training school i'm with has an 8 out of 10 pass rate. Wether or not he's telling the truth i dont know. But i'm sure the national rate is much lower.