*sigh* So I had my test today and I may have set a record for the quickest fail ever. After stressing all morning because the forecast said rain and possible hail (and I have never ridden in any rain at all), the rain stopped 30 minutes before my test and the sun came out. Hung around the testing centre for a bit, then the tester came out and we were all good to go - except I couldn't find the damn key! Frantically searching every pocket, getting more and more freaked out with every sigh from the tester and, finally, I dig it out of my back pocket. (I have no idea why I put it there.) So, off we go, around the corner, down the road and then some clown decides to park at the next corner. I pull up behind him waiting to see what he's doing and the instructor beeps his horn (loooong beeps) a few times and the guy moves. And I'm thinking "Crap! I should probably have been beeping, not leaving it up to the tester" and I go around the next corner and the tester says "So, now you're doing 50 in a school zone." And that's the end of that. 0 to fail in about 3 minutes. Oh, well, at least I got to go for a ride These days, with all the trouble I have getting a shadow, I'm more happy that I got to go out on the bike than I am bummed about failing. Booked the next test within an hour and we'll give it another go in a month
That's pretty harsh in my opinion. I think the most important thing to remember aside from all the minor things is to not break the law. I would tune everything else out. I actually lane-split in my test when the group went for a ride. The teacher let it slide but could have sent me home (he did go off at me though). I smashed everything else though. The teachers are human sadly, they tend to pick on some people more than others. no names or places mentioned. I wish you the best of luck on your next run dude. It really does feel good to get through it though ^_^ #youcandoit!!!
Did you do your test at Midland by chance? Get an appointment at Welshpool... they're all pretty good there that's where I did both my tests. And if you're struggling for a shadow, go to perthstreetbikes.com and join their rides. Used to do it all the time and shadowed for a few... bunch of good people in there (amongst some arrogant jerks but you always get that)...
No, @joker, Kelmscott and I mean no disrespect to the tester at all. It was my ****-up and mine alone and, frankly, knowing I could have been fined if the cops were there (and it was a good chance given it's the first week back to school), I consider just failing my test to be a pretty light penalty for what I did And, honestly, I'm not really bummed about it. I mucked up and paid the price. I'm pretty happy to have failed like that; it would have bugged me much more to sail through the whole thing and then stuff something up on the way back to the licence centre
Well trust me, the welshpool location has some distinct advantages over uhh... the calibre of the areas like Kelmscott and Midland... But hit up PSB I'm sure you'll get plenty of help and practise there.
