So, signed up for the advanced several years ago, great group, loved it all. They all agreed I was ready for the test. The examiner was retired policeman, I thought it went well, until he said I failed on a couple of minor points. The one that really ground my gears was motorway riding. Doing a steady 70mph on the motorway, slowly catching up the car in front, as I came to pass, the fucker did what they all do, started to speed up, so now in in the middle lane with him pulling away on the inside so I pulled back to nearside lane. Examiner said I should have accelerated around him going over the speed limit, I said that my training was to keep within the posted speed limits. To say I was pissed is putting it mildly. However, I might sign up again, maybe.
Almost the same thing happened to my mate. He was told early on if he exceeded the speed limit even by 1 or 2 mph it would be a fail. During the test, same as yourself, pulled out to overtake a car, car speeds up, my mate pulls back in behind him, fail. His examiner was a retired police officer. ???
That shouldn't happen again these days. They're under strict instructions from IAMRS HQ to not exceed the limit under any circumstances. Even to the point that they say you shouldn't overtake unless you can do so without going over limit. Means you can't overtake unless the car in front is well under 70 and you have a long straight stretch to ensure you don't go over. However, some examiners (the good ones) say things in the test briefing like "but we don't look at our speedo while we're overtaking", which means they accept that a good, clean, faster overtake is safer (and OK, if done properly) even if you go a bit over the limit - as long as you get back to the limit quickly after and don't cut up the vehicle you just overtook. They just can't say it blatantly up front.
My examiner is a retired police officer and i asked him about speed limits after the test, he said speed limits are there for a reason but added that when overtaking the primary concern is to conduct a safe manoeuvre even if exceeding the limit, and i did indeed overtake a car during the test and briefly exceeded the limit ,but made a conscious effort to move back in and resume correct speed asap, it seems there might be inconsistency in examiners opinions, he didn't comment on that aspect of my test but he did pull me up on my braking mid corner ,which i accept because it falls under the forward scanning and observation rule, and i didnt notice the wet leaves on the bend until the last minute and wrongly dabbed the rear brake...oops , still passed though.
I got just this and might have tickled an indicated 62-63mph on an overtake, still got a First though In fact I got more than a First but not going to blow my trumpet too much...
Final Final update...After passing my advanced test yesterday i have been looking at joining Lincolnshire NHS blood biker group, for those not familiar it is basically couriering medical samples between hospitals and med facilities by motorcycle, has anyone on the forum done it or is doing it?...if so i would be interested in hearing what to expect please, the only downside i can see is the choice of motorcycle that are used - Honda Deauvilles! , but seriously i would be keen to hear views.
A close friend is a regional co-ordinator for the blood bikes. I spoke to him about becoming a blood biker a while ago but was told his region already has a full compliment of riders and riders on a reserve list. I understand the first stage is you volunteer and wait to be invited for a riding assessment. If the riding assessment goes well, you start operational training which wasn’t discussed. Might have been last year or the year before but I remember one regional health authority decided to re organise how their medical products were delivered (more cost effectively) and unceremoniously dumped the (volunteer) blood bikers. Andy
Ok thanks, thankfully lincs has a flourishing blood bike group and the more I think about it the more i'm inclined to make serious enquiries.
I also heard Blood Bikes did very well out of the pandemic spare time. As well as blood bikes, I believe there are also local groups that deliver medication to patients who cannot get to the pharmacy. You also might consider if you wish to pass it on and train to become an observer yourself or try other advanced riding tests. While it is a skill for life, teaching others the skills you now value can help keep you from falling into bad habits.
An interesting comment. I have been observing for just over a year now and I strongly believe my riding has actually improved. My observation and planning have become second nature and my hazard perception has got sharper. Just sweating on my first associate taking his test shortly and another taking his cross check. Andy
Couple of friends do it. Lots of commitment, quite a lot of hoops to get thru (rightly) and a real value to the community. Anyone who does it deserves admiration as such
I have been observing for about 10 years now, and it is thoroughly rewarding,but after years of observing sometimes the way you used to ride is forgotten, so tuition is always worth it for me, and now I am doing CBT that has definitely helped observing, observing is a very much easier than doing CBT in North London.
How do you cope with delivering what is a very basic rider education in CBT in the knowledge that the techniques in the advanced riding course are more real world ? Andy
Andy, we have to deliver training in CBT that ticks DVSA boxes. About 3-4 hours of bike training and theory for (some) people who have never driven/ridden before. Then we go out in Enfield /Edmonton with possibly the worst drivers in London, certainly the most% driving without license/insurance etc in London who do not give a sh1t. Many CBT are young but the elders are much more difficult to progress with. I say no to taking about 10% out on the road ride which means they fail, I cannot have it on my conscience if they are a maybe. Some very scary moments but we have to deliver a program that alerts the CBT riders to the dangers out there and how best to survive. We stress that further training is recommended. You can only try your best, I am knackered after a CBT day. Hence observing seems like a holiday in comparison. The CBT is their real world.
Can’t decide between a ‘useful’ emoji and an ‘interesting’ emoji. My girlfriend has expressed an interest in becoming a CBT instructor but I’m not sure she’d be happy knowing the disparity between the skill sets and having to toe the party line. We have friends who do it and I admire your fortitude but I think not for me. Andy
I got into it as I wanted to do something that helped people, at one point I was looking at helping younger disaffected members of society, but I didn’t find a working structure I liked, so thought doing CBT could be useful to many and is, helps younger ones get to work and not be on TFL for 4 hours a day, they can get better jobs or do deliveries. I’m still looking for my loose screw.
I did enquire with a certain blood group, but quite frankly I was immediately put off with their internal politics and slagging off regarding the neighbouring blood group so I declined their invitation.
When people first start learning advanced riding, they often find they have lots to think about, throughout the training though this becomes easier and less conciously performed. Once you start observing you learn to extend that thinking to another person and this often lifts your own riding further. At some point you'll internalise all of this as "normal" riding and need to find other ways of improving yourself. Learners are normally using almost all their concentration to control the bikes, handle the road, traffic etc. For them the simplistic DVSA rules are easier to remember and do a decent job of balancing risk. Imagine how much longer it would take if you gave them all the advanced training at the same time, they may become safer riders, but I imagine many would quit from frustration or being overwhelmed.
