Theory Test

Instead of creating a new thread about the same thing I hope nobody minds a new user using this thread?

Before I start this is my plan of action:

Get theory test passed (booked for 27th Oct 07)
Book and pass my practical test
Pay off my existing bike (Suzuki [VanVan] RV125) ~£800 left I think.
Pop down to my local dealer to part ex my bike and get my dream bike, a new SV650 pointy if I can find a insurance company that will insure me.

My CBT runs out in May 08 so I've made sure I've left enough time to get my tests passed if I fail any of them.

The materials I've brought for my theory test that I've been using like mad:

Know your road signs book (144 page book)
The Official DSA Guide to Hazard Perception DVD
The Official DSA Theory Test for Motorcycles.

I've also been going through the online highway code.

Here are my stats from the Theory test CD-Rom I've been heavily using:




So far every mock test I've done I've passed which is a bit of a issue for me. The reason why it's a issue is because I've slowly memorized the questions and answers.

The CD claims "containing every question you could be asked in 2007/08". But what happens if I go into the test to find all the questions are not ones I've done in the mock tests? I'm pooped!

I'm slowly reading and re-reading the highway code and road signs book but it just isn't sticking with me.

Is there any specific things I should drum into me? Any tips on how to remember stuff as I read it?

If the questions are the same as what I have been doing and the pressure doesn't get the better of me I should pass.

The hazard perception part of the test is going to be a big unknown for me because I've seen the DVD a couple of times but like it said, it's only good the first time round. So I'm slowly practising while I'd riding by talking to myself with any hazards I see.

But my main focus is on the multiple choice part, if anyone else has used the same CD as me and found the questions to be the same please let me know so I know all these tests arn't going to waste.

Sorry for the lengthy post, I just wanted to make sure I got in as much detail as I could.

OT: What's the difference between a puffin/toucan/Pelican crossing? Thanks.

Seggons, my advise re: the theory test is that the questions which will catch you out are the ones that most drivers wouldn't be able to tell you; things like tyre tread depths, size/weight of trailers, stopping distances, etc. most of the other ones are reasonably common sense and you should at least be able to make an educated guess at any you don't remember, although in many cases they will be really obvious.

With regard to the hazard perception test, do you already ride/drive? If so, a big problem will (hopefully) be that you will click too early. As it was designed for complete novices, the timeframe in which you can click is often only quite a while after a more competent driver would have clocked it as a hazard. To counteract this (and to ensure you get at least some points), my instructor advised that I clicked as soon as I saw the potential hazard (eg someone walking on the pavement), then when it actually became a real hazard (IE the person steps into the road), then a third time when you would have to take avoiding action (eg when they person walks into the path of the car). This way you will get at least some points for each one. Don't worry too much about the "don't over click or you'll get no points" warning. That's largely to stop people clicking incessantly just to get a pass. So long as you're not clicking every second it oughtn't penalise you. One of my friends (who scored better than me, who could already drive) passed with a high mark my simply clicking every 4/5 seconds. This was 2 years back, so perhaps they've improved the cheat-spotting algorithm a bit, so I'd not recommend it to that extreme. Do bear in mind though that it will always lean towards leniency as you may simply be cautious and categorising every little thing as a hazard (which they don't want to discourage).

In answer to your question, I used a similar CD and the questions in the real test were all the same.

Thanks A LOT for that, it's put my mind at ease now about the hazard perception. Cheers for the tips about what sort of things to learn for the theory test, I'll start putting my mind to them.

Just to follow this thread up I took me theory test yesterday and passed! 49 out of 50 on the multiple choice and 60 out of 75 on the hazard perception.

The Materials And How Good They Were.

As you may of read from my above post I brought the DSA Theory Test CD, DSA Hazard Perception DVD and the Know Your Road Signs book.

The know your road signs book was great with every sign giving a very clear explanation of what it's meaning was and where it would be found. It's a pretty dull read but I read the whole 143 page book.

The hazard perception DVD was something that really did help. Before watching it I thought my hazard perception skills were good, but after watching it I released I needed to kick myself out of the tunnel vision I had developed.
When you get to the end of the DVD there is a mock hazard perception for a user to practice which really doesn't work. I gives you the general feel of what it will be like but that's all.

This could all be down to me using it on a PC rather then a DVD player but at times I would have to click 5 times before it picked up my click. When it finally did it was too late. It would've also been better if it had more clips so the DVD could be used more then once.
If I was to have made the DVD I would've made the simulation part a installable file and made it run off a .exe to give better results.

The theory test DVD was a good send. It has 822 questions in it and many different ways to challenge a user. You can make your own test up, work through all the questions in a specific subject or take a mock theory test. If you use the CD enough you'll ace the proper theory test because the questions on the CD are identical to the ones in the actual test. So in theory all you need to do is buy this CD, use it a lot and remember the questions and answers and you will ace it.

My Personal Experiences On The Day

I had a 10:30 am test booked via the internet at Stevenage. So I woke up at 7:45 am grabbed a coffee and started revising as much as I could using the Theory Test CD. My dad took me down there in the car so I didn't have to worry about the travelling part of it and got there at just gone 9 am. To calm me nerves a bit we took the time to stroll round the town until 10:05 am.

Got back to the car and instead of waiting I went right ahead and got to the sixth floor so I could be booked in and ready. When I got up there it was a empty room bar 1 person and the lady at the desk. Straight away she booked me in, give me a locker key and told me to take a seat.

No sooner had I sat down that she asked if I wanted to go in now or wait until my 10:30 appointment. I don't like waiting so I went and sat with another women who took me through the rules and regs rather quickly.

Once I entered the room all I could hear was *click* *click* *click* which wasn't the most reassuring sound. Once at the computer a quick wiggle of the mouse saw my name in big bold letters. After the 12 min tutorial on how to use the system and having the questions "What colour is grass" and "select the 2 triangles" put to me for practice questions I was on my way.

Imagine my delight when the first few questions I did were all the easy ones from the CD I used to practice with! As the test went on I didn't get any braking distance questions and only 1 easy traffic light question. I only used 15 mins of the time allowed and didn't flag any questions because I was that confident I had done enough to pass.

The worst part was the not knowing how well I had done after that part of the test was over. It moved swiftly onto the hazard perception part. After the tutorial video had finished it gives you 3 mins break if you need it before starting the first clip.

It gives 10 seconds before starting each clip, but in them 10 seconds you could already get a slight idea on what the hazard was going to be. On one of the clips the 10 second countdown showed a lot of images of lorrys all parked up. I had already guessed that it was going to be a lorry or car coming the other way that would make the camera car stop. Sure enough a lorry had come the other way and made the camera car stop.

A few tips I had picked up were to click in the first 1 to 3 seconds of a clip because of the road surface, put a random click when nothing seems to be happening and put in about 2 or 3 clicks when you see a hazard developing to make sure the computer noticed what you were clicking at. It can be a bit scary when you treat every thing as a hazard like I did when the film keeps running and you've almost filled the bottom bar.

After the clips had been shown it tells you to take your headphones off and walk out where the examiner will give you your results. So I walked to the main desk where the women asked if I had finished, told me to get my things out of the locker while she printed off the paperwork. Got me things and collected the stuff she had printed off from the desk and left. Took at quick glance to see the word "passed" and continued to the car to fully read the letter and certificate.

From there I got treated to a cheese burger and relaxed at home for the rest of the day. Next is to book the practical test.

Sorry for the long post I just wanted to make sure I got in as much information as possible for anyone in the same position I was in.

A little update on how things are going:

I went a spoke to the bloke that will prepare me for my restricted test and he said I'd only need 1 lesson due to my current experience on a bike. So he booked my test and lesson on the same day. So that will be 5 hours of practice followed by my test.

I've been searching google and only got generic answers, I'm really after personal experiences. I've tried searching this forum but I just get every thread that contains the words "test" "restricted" etc..

The sort of things I'm after:

Life saver diagrams.
Should I indicate to Maneuver around a parked car or approch the drivers side with no indication?
How are the U-turns preformed in the test, with the back brake applied or a simple slow speed turn? Can I fail if I don't keep my head pointed in the direction I intend to face?
Anyone took their test in Cambridge, how was it?

Thanks a lot!

Just for a little extra that I forgot to include in the above post:

The crossing cyclists can ride across is a Toucan, to remember this remember it as Two-Can cross (a pedestrian and cyclist).
To remember braking distances up to 70 mph work in the 12 times table. 12m = 20 mph, 24m = 30 mph, 36m = 40mph etc.. These are not the correct distances but normally your not far off the correct answer.
There's 2 types of braking distance question they could answer you, total distance and distance - thinking distance. Normally thinking distance is 15m, so it would be total distance - 15m to get close enough to the right answer.

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by Seggons

Life saver diagrams.
Should I indicate to Maneuver around a parked car or approch the drivers side with no indication?
How are the U-turns preformed in the test, with the back brake applied or a simple slow speed turn? Can I fail if I don't keep my head pointed in the direction I intend to face?

Life saver, you don't really need a diagram, just look at the space you're about to occupy.

Manauvering around a car, I'd say no as other road users will be expecting you to do this, but don't forget to lifesaver and move out in good time.

I don't think that they're too fussed as to exact technique, the U turn is more to show off your control of the bike, but the look where you want to go and trailling the back brake are good ways to get that control spot on.
Once again don't forget to lifesaver before you set off, when you begin the turn and before you set off back in the other direction.

I found the bike test a bit more relaxed and informal than I remember my car test being (17 years ago).

As long as you do the U turn in a way you know YOU can do it. you dont get extra points for style.

[yorkie_chris]

Rolling donut

You think they'd pass you?

Originally Posted by Seggons

A little update on how things are going:

I went a spoke to the bloke that will prepare me for my restricted test and he said I'd only need 1 lesson due to my current experience on a bike. So he booked my test and lesson on the same day. So that will be 5 hours of practice followed by my test.

I've been searching google and only got generic answers, I'm really after personal experiences. I've tried searching this forum but I just get every thread that contains the words "test" "restricted" etc..

The sort of things I'm after:

Life saver diagrams.
Should I indicate to Maneuver around a parked car or approch the drivers side with no indication?
How are the U-turns preformed in the test, with the back brake applied or a simple slow speed turn? Can I fail if I don't keep my head pointed in the direction I intend to face?
Anyone took their test in Cambridge, how was it?

Thanks a lot!

Just for a little extra that I forgot to include in the above post:

The crossing cyclists can ride across is a Toucan, to remember this remember it as Two-Can cross (a pedestrian and cyclist).
To remember braking distances up to 70 mph work in the 12 times table. 12m = 20 mph, 24m = 30 mph, 36m = 40mph etc.. These are not the correct distances but normally your not far off the correct answer.
There's 2 types of braking distance question they could answer you, total distance and distance - thinking distance. Normally thinking distance is 15m, so it would be total distance - 15m to get close enough to the right answer.

I assume you have been riding around with a CBT for a year or 2, as the instructor recommended only a few hours training. I also assume that he saw you ride, to be able to judge your level of ability, rather than just having a chat.

If he is judgement is decent, than that should mean that you should be pretty much good to pass immediately. The morning will probably be spent doing a mock test, brushing up on any aspects he thinks you need work on and a few u-turns/emergency stops.

In terms of following/braking distances, just use the 2 second rule.

With regards to passing parked cars, i was never instructed to indicate when passing them and behaved in the same manner on my test.

As for the u-turn, you merely have to turn the bike in a specified road in a safe and controlled manner. How you do it is up to you, just demonstrate competence.

TBH most of these questions are those that your instructor will answer. If you are unsure just ask him, as that is what you are paying for!

Originally Posted by ASM-Forever

I assume you have been riding around with a CBT for a year or 2, as the instructor recommended only a few hours training. I also assume that he saw you ride, to be able to judge your level of ability, rather than just having a chat.

I passed my CBT in May 06 and used a 50cc moped until Aug 06 when I got fed up on having to keep fixing the signs of age and mileage that kept coming up. So I brought a Suzuki RV 125 (VanVan) and have clocked up 9k miles.

He hasn't seen me ride and we did just have a chat. :X I personally consider myself a safe and competent rider and have only had 2 close calls.

I've fell into a bad habit which I hope my lesson will get me out off which is to signal before checking my mirror and blind spots.

Thanks a lot for your input ASM-Forever, Stumorrison and yorkie_chris it's a great confidence booster.