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Re: CBT & A1 Licence - major problem :-(
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Think the main thing is, don't let it put you off riding. [long story about not being put off riding] It's the riding school which is at fault here, not the whole concept of riding bikes. When I was doing my das training I had a slightly near miss with a car who changed lanes but I hadn't done a lifesaver check either so I didn't realise he was there, so it was 50/50. The instructor more or less yelled in my ear then we pulled into a residential estate 2 mins later where he was furious at how close me & said car had come. In all honesty, I was close to tears. I felt disappointed in myself, and also that I'd nearly been rubbed out before I'd even got my licence... Anywho, instructor told me to calm down & compose myself, then we had a 10 minute chat about what went wrong and headed back out onto the road. The last hour of the tuition went really smooth and when we got back, instructor said "well, I think that was exactly the sharp learning curve you needed - you're doing lifesaver's left, right and centre at exactly the right time...." [/end of long story] Use this as a bit of a learning curve :) you might feel a bit dismayed by the whole situation and possibly even wondering whether riding is for you, but compose yourself, pick up the phone and call round some riding schools to ask if they can accomodate you. Explain the bits you're worried about, any special requirements etc. and you'll be able to judge how understanding they are by the response you get. Then when you've found an instructor/school who says "come on down, we'll sort you out", you'll be back on form again :D |
Re: CBT & A1 Licence - major problem :-(
Only just seen this. That's outrageous that the training school were so rude to you, so unnecessary!
Hope you find an alternative school. Just a quick question.. why are you doing your A1 test? The A2 test is the one that'll give you 33bhp for two years and then anything after. IIRC A1 only lets you ride a 125. I could be mistaken though... |
Re: CBT & A1 Licence - major problem :-(
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Re: CBT & A1 Licence - major problem :-(
Yes A1 keeps you stuck on a 125 license ... a bit like a permanent CBT.
What you want is the A2 test :-D |
Re: CBT & A1 Licence - major problem :-(
As everyone on here has stated, absolutely outrageous of any riding school treating you in this manner.
I would write a big long nasty letter to them, and then I would also write a nasty letter about them to a certain motorcycle journal too ;) Please don’t let it put you off, there are some fantastic riding schools out there, let us know how you go with shop addicts suggestion. |
Re: CBT & A1 Licence - major problem :-(
thats quite shocking for someone to be treated in such a way and i would take my custom elsewhere.
on another note as someone has mentioned would it not be possible for you to remove a section of your helmet to allow you to wear your hearing aid. and then for the audio head phone, may i suggest these (upper left). they are much flatter and thinner than the picture suggests and you could place these in the near vicinity of your ear (maybe just in front of your ear lobe). i suggest this because when shadowing a doctor once for work experince i lost count with the number of people who had hearing aids and complained they where too loud/sensitive and didnt know how to adjust them. (I am assuming yours can also be adjusted in some way) i really hope you can find a way to train and if its anyhelp there is a nice bike school in wimbledon (elite motorcycles training). i did my whole bike test with them in 5 days and while im not sure on how they would cater for your needs they were extremely helpful when i was booking my test so maybe worth a shot. hope it works out for you. atb |
Re: CBT & A1 Licence - major problem :-(
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Also try these guys, http://www.ride2freedom.com/ , they used to be based in the card park behind the J&S in Watford which isnt really in watford but just off the A41. Its only about 5 mins from Apex corner so Matt will know how close that is. Nice bunch so i hope they can provide the trainging you require. Good luck hun :D |
Re: CBT & A1 Licence - major problem :-(
Very sorry to hear about all the kerfuffle. Training school sound very unhelpful. :mad:
Carrying on the discussion of helmet modifications etc, could you not just get one of them p!ss pot lid / army style helmet things to use for your training? The ones that don't cover your ears? I admit they may not offer the best accident protection but it would get the job done. (to be honest I don't even know if they're legal here, just thinking out loud) I saw loads of people in Japan wearing them. I don't want any 'you can't wear one of those, they don't offer adequate protection' type posts - I'm just trying to offer an alternative; and certainly one that I'd consider if it worked and got the job done. Obviously you can wear a 'proper' lid without your hearing aids after you've passed :) |
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What's going on :lol: Must be something in the water |
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And God knows, thats a hard job :) |
Re: CBT & A1 Licence - major problem :-(
have you asked the DSA what there stance is with someone who is hearing impaired for taking the direct access motorcycle test?
you might find they have an answer to your problem. |
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You're right.. I really should get my water softner checked out :lol: Anyway, back on topic :mrgreen: |
Re: CBT & A1 Licence - major problem :-(
I don't know anywhere in London because I did my training out in Bedford but I can give you my instructor's details if you're willing to go out that far.
I have a cochlear implant and can't wear it under the helmet, meaning I couldn't use the intercom system most places used. It basically came down to one-on-one sessions - the instructor would lead me out to the roads she wanted to use, pull over and brief me through a series of 5-6 turns. I'd then lead off, follow the route she described then she'd overtake, pull over where she wanted to and debrief. When she was leading, if she wanted to tell me about a turn in advance of her indicating, she'd just wave the relevant arm (right for right turn, left for left turn, pointing ahead for straight on etc). It was a lot more time consuming than the normal way of doing it but I do think it was a lot better because it helped me get to grips with forward planning as well as getting feedback in bunches rather than having it drip-fed to me while I was trying to concentrate on riding. She used to charge a flat fee per session, which was then broken down by the number of people she had out with her (ie. divided in half for 2 people, in thirds for 3 people etc). I just ended up paying the full sum for each session, which was pricey but I do think I got way better tuition for it. Test-wise, the instructor just said he'd treat me as if I were a normal candidate and the intercom system had broken. That meant I rode where ever I wanted to ride and he'd overtake me and indicate with his arms if he wanted me to follow a specific route. It worked well and I don't think it penalised me in any way (only got 2 minor faults). If you've got any questions on how to cope with riding while deaf, just toss me a PM and I'll be happy to give you my experiences. edit: finally read the thread past the first post. I wouldn't bother buying a new helmet and trying to fit your hearing aids underneath because it's probably not going to work - the skin around your ears will be pulled slightly and that's enough to break the seal between the mould and your ear, so you'll get that horrendous high-pitched squeaking noise. |
Re: CBT & A1 Licence - major problem :-(
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Re: CBT & A1 Licence - major problem :-(
Too distracting. You're trying to remember to do all your obs, balance the clutch/brakes/throttle, get your indicators on/off and then look down at a piece of paper to see where you're going?
I know it sounds like you're not getting the experience of continuously riding without stopping but it really did work well for me - I was covering 5-6 miles between stops for instructions out of town and going through several set-pieces in town before stopping. e: when I say turns I don't mean bends in the road, I mean left/right turns and roundabouts. |
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Re: CBT & A1 Licence - major problem :-(
when I did my cbt and das, intercoms were not used. on CBT we had a discussion about what we were going to do, watched instructor and then did it. any problems the instructor had a word with us. We then went out on the road one at a time. My sense of direction is horrific. I did my training in an area I did not know but managed. Went the wrong way sometimes, the instructor just overtook me and told me. As long as you dont do anything dangerous, its about learning to ride a bike not read a map or remember directions.
I would not go back to nasty people. Find another riding school and speak to them in person. Maybe they just panic when you say you have hearing problems, perhaps meeting you they would realise you can lipread that things are not impossible. no reason why you need to use intercoms. good luck. let us know how you get on. |
Re: CBT & A1 Licence - major problem :-(
Sooo I made some phone calls to the given training places, and some local ones; one place I rang had come the dark side Norton Motorcycle Training before - specifically the dark side of Mr Nigel Norton himself. Turns out this bloke is quite quick to have a go, and also advertises himself as being higher-trained than he really is. I had a good experiance with norton motorcycle training, but then I suppose i wasnt a "special case", nor did I have to make an emergency cancellation.
Spidey my love; maria was never sent any paperwork in the post, just an email confirming her booking. I feel stupid now for paying for the CBT...I just thought it was one of those things you do, like when you miss a dentist appointment and have to pay, that kinda thing. We didnt get told about cancellations etc etc. We'll have to see what we can do, but we paid with a debit card - not a credit card :( Still, maybe that fubar'd starter solenoid on my trusty yellow curvy was telling us something. Oh, maria does want to do the A2 test; she dosnt want to be on a 125cc bike forever, one day she hopes to be out gettin' her knee down with all the other cool kidz on her very own Yamaha R1 with a crossplane crank. Rooooaaarrrrrr! Cheers guys for all your replies and help so far; ranathari, i think maria will PM youn or message back here. Your right about helmet mods though, and it dosnt avoid the safety issue of the hearing aid pushing into her ear if she had an accident and landed on that part of her head. Matt |
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Re: CBT & A1 Licence - major problem :-(
Just caught up with this.:(
Maria, don't let this upset you too much. You'll get there, and if the guy was that unpleasant on the phone, what would it have been like when you were doing your training? Chin up, girl. Next time Pete and I see you I have no doubt you'll be on your own bike.:D |
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Re: CBT & A1 Licence - major problem :-(
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iff they were that rude you shoulda told them to kiss their butt and not pay the councilation fee, they proberly had a lovley day off with £90 extra in their pocket for free. |
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If the fella feels he's due it let him chase you for it. If he had been nice about your suituation and said you still need to pay for the CBT i'd have probaly sided with him and said he shouldn't be out of pocket for it....but his behaviour makes me want you to get your money back and see this ass out of business, especially if he's passing himself off as being higher qualified than he is. What a piece or work! Mate i'd still send him a letter and tell him you were never advised about cancellation charges and would lie you money back as you paid under duress. See what the ass has to say. But contact the card issuer/bank first mate. |
Re: CBT & A1 Licence - major problem :-(
My CBT and A2 training was involving ear mikes, but to be honest, because they were voice activated, they weren't hugely reliable. Someone in this thread made a good point-it's not a navigation test, and you will gain just as much experience even if you couldn't follow directions, and just rode with an instructor. I remember being nervous at my acutal test, in case I didn't hear an instruction, and the tester said the same, it's about your riding.
As Lissa says, it's actually good you haven't trained, if they are this rude, nasty, and generally unhelpful, you could have ended up with zero confidence anyway. Once you find a NICE training centre, you will be over the moon, and I'm sure you will. Best of luck, am so angry you were treated this way. |
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Ah, no, that's definitely true - deaf people tend to be much quicker on the uptake to visual stimuli but it's not really a heightened sense so much as it is better situational awareness. We can't hear what's going on so we're always alert for something.
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Re: CBT & A1 Licence - major problem :-(
I dont know if its been sudgested yet maria, but look up "advantage wimboldon".
lovely bunch of people and even the receptionist girls ride bikes so are quite handy to ask question. there only based in south wimboldon which i wouldnt have thought was to far. best bet is to avoid the nigle place who were utter c***s and start ringing around places. good luck and dont give up. |
Re: CBT & A1 Licence - major problem :-(
Wow... So sorry you were treated so badly.
Keep trying!!! I know you will find an suitable and affordable place. Best of Luck!!! Just don't give up!!!! |
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Re: CBT & A1 Licence - major problem :-(
Intercoms were unreliable all through my DAS training, so more often than not I was given a set of directions/instructions, then when the instructor flashed his lights and indicated left I pulled over and stopped for a de-brief then more instructions. On both my Category A tests the intercoms failed and I was given directions to a place for my manouvers, then the examiner followed and flashed his lights indicating left or right for me to turn, if nothing then I was just to carry straight on. I failed the first test, passed the second and don't feel the lack of intercom made it any different as they're checking to see you keep looking in your mirrors anyway. I went the wrong way sometimes, but they just adapt the route to get you back where they wanted. Good luck in finding somewhere, maybe your local test centre could give you some advice on a reccommended instructor?
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Re: CBT & A1 Licence - major problem :-(
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Its to see that even hearing people are sometimes taught using other methods - makes it all the more encouraging to find a place willing to train me :) Fingers crossed I shall be out on the road soon, although I'll probably be looking at a few months time now since money is tight and I cant quite afford it for a while Maria |
Re: CBT & A1 Licence - major problem :-(
ok i'm thinking that as maria has had such a bad deal out of this is there a way we can set up a small fund to get her the money for her training/test, cos i'd chip in a few quid and i'm sure a lot of others would as well, over to you.
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Re: CBT & A1 Licence - major problem :-(
Youve probably already been recommended some training schools, but ill add my input.
The Cardrome Upper Rainham Road, Hornchurch, RM12 4EU 01708 449797 Theyre a nice bunch, would be patient and give you a 1-to-1 with a bit of notice im sure. |
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