Advice Please: Direct Access Test this coming Monday

Hi,

I have my das test this monday morning, and am absolutely plopping it.

My experience of riding so far:
1. CBT (auto)
2. Two years on a Cub 90 (40 mins/day in London)
3. CBT (gears)
4. Two day 125 road rider course (1st day last week, 2nd day Saturday
(tomorrow)
5. One day 500 das course (Sunday)
then...test Monday morning at 11 ish so probably an hour's practice Monday
morning.

My fears:
1. I did my car licence up north in a town without roundabouts. It was hell
with the examiners being hard on exact distances when reversing, hill starts
had to be perfect etc.
2. Is the bike test the same sort of thing? As in really really hard and
exacting to the millimetre?
3. Because my Cub 90 is not exactly built for speed or manoevrability, I am
not exactly quick round roundabouts.
4. Lots more I won't bore you with

I would appreciate any tips for the test you can give me.

When all said and done though, I fully understand I shouldn't get a licence
unless safe and effective as a rider, and am prepared to accept a fail in
good spirit should it happen.

Anyone know the pass rate?

I am doing it in SE London by the way.

Thanks,

Joe

 

<snip>

Forgot to say I am 33 yrs old, and have been driving a heck of a lot since
age 17.

 

AOL. Don't crash.

 

Have you thought about what you're going to wear?

 

<snip>


Just like the car test it doesn't matter if you stall doing the emergency
stop. As long as you stop in a good reasonable time.

 

Hmm, not sure I believe that. My wife passed her car test in January
and was tol dby her instructor that should could fail by stalling on
the emergency stop because it showed failure to properly control the
car.

Same as when I took my test 10 years ago.

Skidding the back wheel was also a potential failure on my bike test.

 

Good luck on Monday. I did mine two years ago but hadn't previously done
much riding at all on the road. I suspect that the fact that you have
ridden may count against you in some ways as you may have picked up some
habits that you shouldn't.

So, try and ride exactly as the instructor has taught you but relax and
enjoy it. Ride with confidence and you should pass - I get the feeling that
the examiners aren't looking to fail people, if you look like you know what
your doing and aren't going to be a danger to yourself or others then
there's no reason to fail you.

Tim

 

joe wrote

No matter how tempted you are, do not make the internationally
recognised signal for "I am about to pull a wheelie" on your test. They
frown on you making signals and then not making the manouveur and as
they specifically don't take you past the local sixth form girls college
because of complaints from fundamental religious groups you won't be
pulling many wheelies. Overtaking on the bypass excepted of course.

 

Just go for it and enjoy yourself, otherwise you'll be a nervous wreck.

How are your ridden U Turns?

Gool luck and DFC

--
Dan L (Oldbloke)

My bike 1996 Kawasaki ZR1100 Zephyr
Space in shed where NSR125 used to be
Spare Bike 1990 Suzuki TS50X (Patio Ornament)
BOTAFOT #140 (KotL 2005/6), X-FOT#000, DIAABTCOD #26, BOMB#18 (slow), OMF#11

 

Definitely, my instructor told me that by and large, you'll fail the
car test if you endanger others, but you will fail your bike test if
you endanger yourself.

I left an indicator on going past a turn [1], and he failed me
immediately.

Cheers

Paul.

[1] Easy to do when you're a car driver, with the autocancelling ...

 

Some nameless **** wrote

I have had self cancellers on a bike, don't like them. I do miss some
of the extras that that all singing all dancing approved alarm thingy
that is on my Red GS though. I am a bugger for not turning off me
indicators, mainly cos I rarely use them but that really, really
annoying fucking beep beep beep..... is a dead 'andy reminder. I miss
it.

 

In my day (pre CBT by .... well you work it out) I was told that it was
no problem if you stalled, so long as you didn't skid and then kept your
cool when starting up and moving off again. This was in the pre-electric
start era and a Matchless G2 could be a recalcitrant little barsteward
when hot. Luckily when the examiner leapt out waving his clipboard
(those were the days) I managed OK and remembered my 'life saver' before
starting off again.

--

+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Voxan Roadster Moto Guzzi Mille GT/Squire RS3 Gilera Nordwest |
| Gilera GFR Moto Morini 2C/375 |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+

 

Its the same now. If you stall, you'll get a minor mark. If you lock up and
release/reapply and don't howl it to a stop, you'll get a minor. If you
don't check both blindspots before either waddling the bike to the kerb or
setting off, you'll fail.

 

Contrary to popular opinion, examiners are not ogres, in the main. Most do
not set out to fail you.

They look for a competant, confident, defensive and assertive rider.

The question they ask is 'is this person going to twat themselves or others
if I give them a licence?'

Know the answers to the maintenance questions.
Wear bike gear or good alternatives. First impressions can count.
Don't be a smart arse.
Have your docs ready.
Don't assume your instructor is wrong and you cannot do too many lifesavers.
You can. Unnecessary lifesavers can show a lack of planning and awareness,
plus, WTF are you doing them?
U-turns -are- easy.
Treat the rear brake pedal with caution during the emergency stop. You must
use it, but on a disc rear, imagine your right bollock has been
transplanted under your right foot. Now how much pressure are you going to
use?. Smooth and progressive on the front and a bit of rear. Clutch in at
the last second. At walking pace, kick your left foot out in preperation
for stopping.
Be smooth. Smooth as a pair of tits coated in margarine.
If you make a mistake, get over it.
CANCEL YOUR INDICATORS!

It really doesn't matter if you fail first time. Its a dry run. Next time
its real.

65% ish I think. 33 out of 41 of my riders have passed first time this year.
Those that failed, failed due to bottling it on test day and made silly
mistakes that they failed to make during training, including too many/too
few/ill timed/missing lifesavers and leaving indicators running.

 

I have the gear I use for my scooter commute:

Proper armoured gloves, proper armoured jacket, kevlar reinforced jeans,
stout military boots, hi-vis from the bike school, and my helmet.

Is that ok?

Joe

 

joe said...

You forgot the condom, you might get a little over-excited if you pass.

 

Condom is useful, Lozzo wears his all the time these days.
Almost as good as a colostomy bag

 

Don't lock up your front wheel and come this -><- close to dropping the
bike, while practising your emergency stops before the test. It does nothing
for your nerves - trust me on this.

Plenty of good advice from others in this thread, and I'd add-in thinking
about your road positioning - I've known someone fail for sticking rigidly
to the centre of the lane all the time, and I got marked-down for not moving
around enough to avoid obstacles, parked cars etc. The examiner wants to see
you modifying your lane positioning based on traffic conditions. You've got
a reasonable amount of biking behind you already, so you should be OK, but
it's an easy trap for people who normally drive cars to fall into.

 

Many thanks for the tips Monkey.

Joe