Riding too cautiously?

[H00dz]

My Buddy beens riding on his learners for quite a while and decided to sit his restricted license, Burrowed a 250cc bike from another mate (He rides a RF900R)...

He gets back from sitting his test to be told he failed for riding too cautiously and not demonstrating riding confidence........hes been around the south island a couple of times and eveywhere in between

He argued with the testing officer by saying that he was a confident experienced rider and was simply riding sedately to ensure he would pass safely.......


She finally accepted this but warned him not to do this at his next test or she would fail him again.

Is she (the Tester) taking the piss or was she being straight up....

He did say the at one point he was riding around 50 in a 80K zone, is this cause to fail him

Weird :no:

[BiK3RChiK]

They are looking for competence while riding and since someone has been on their learners for at least 6 months, it's natural to pick up confidence and ability in that time. I think it would be a fail if a certain level was not achieved during a test, but I have no idea what that level is. Probably up to individual testing officers discretion.

He did get his restricted though, right?

[BMWST?]

50 IN AN 80 ?Thats cautious!

[H00dz]

Yeah he did, but not without quite a discussion and only because he had been so insistent, I think he was losing his cool but held it together.

He 40+ and a competent rider.....

[Taz]

Doing 50 in an 80 zone is just dangerous and inconsiderate.

[howdamnhard]

Doing 50 in an 80 zone is just dangerous and inconsiderate.

And could easily be seen as lacking confidence. Was the weather , road conditions particularly bad.

[Lurch]

Inadvertently your friend was riding like he was insecure on the bike rather than taking it easy, I can understand where the tester was coming from.

[fireliv]

He 40+ and a competent rider.....

50 in an 80 is inconsiderate and could easily be seen as lacking in confidence. The other this is they may be targeting "Born again: riders which maybe he falls into, as they are statisticly more likely to have fatalities. I'm glad they passed him, but if he was sitting is full I would expect him to fail that for that kind of speed

[H00dz]

And could easily be seen as lacking confidence. Was the weather , road conditions particularly bad.


Inadvertently your friend was riding like he was insecure on the bike rather than taking it easy, I can understand where the tester was coming from.

Yeah I know, your points are valid, but to fail him, surely a note from her and a chat about it would have been ample, afterall he was sitting his restricted....

[Drew]

They are looking for competence while riding and since someone has been on their learners for at least 6 months, it's natural to pick up confidence and ability in that time. I think it would be a fail if a certain level was not achieved during a test, but I have no idea what that level is. Probably up to individual testing officers discretion.

He did get his restricted though, right?

Looking for competence? I can compitently wheelie most of the test route in lower hutt, not the round-a-bouts mind, but the rest of it without breaking the speed limit. Do I pass?

The test to get a restricted licence, should be to gauge wether the rider can compitently and safely employ the road code, while remaining in control of the bike. If that means the rider doesn't acheive the speed limit, but is not endangering themself, so be it.

[H00dz]

Looking for competence? I can compitently wheelie most of the test route in lower hutt, not the round-a-bouts mind, but the rest of it without breaking the speed limit. Do I pass?

The test to get a restricted licence, should be to gauge wether the rider can compitently and safely employ the road code, while remaining in control of the bike. If that means the rider doesn't acheive the speed limit, but is not endangering themself, so be it.


Yeah I agree (not with the wheelie bit) what if he had been younger and not so confident to argue his point, He would have to pay to resit.....

[H00dz]

Doing 50 in an 80 zone is just dangerous and inconsiderate.



I should mention that this was in kerikeri and traffic was moderate, dont know that this may have worked in his favour or not....











i

[howdamnhard]

The other this is they may be targeting "Born again: riders which maybe he falls into, as they are statisticly more likely to have fatalities.

I came across such a rider recently on a group ride(although he may have never ridden before) , noticed he was doing a strange ineffective hanging off manouvre around corners. At a stop I asked him if he had ever heard of counter steering-he hadn't ! Scary as he had been riding a 650 for 6 months. After explaining the principles he employed them on the next leg of our trip and afterwards thanked me for making such a difference to his riding. This just highlights the lack of training and knowledge required in getting ones motorbike license. If it where not for KB and other bikers I would have made so many stupid mistakes that a little bit of knowledge would easily prevent but is not a requirement to get a license.

[Mom]

I always thought that a restricted test was required to prove you are a competent rider/driver. You are no longer a learner, you can operate your vehicle in a safe and confident manner. It is beyond the "you did not fall off" so you are fine to learn some more stage.

Maintaining the speed limit is all about confidence, if you cant, then you should remain on your learners and practise more. Riding at 50 in an 80 is actually dangerous in some circumstances, and bloody inconsiderate the rest of the time.

Frankly I would have failed him too, unless the weather was absolute shit and he had to travel at that speed for safety sake of course. He sounds like a menace on the road and needs more time. I dont care how many trips around the world he has done, if he cant ride close to the speed limit then he should not be advanced further along the license track.

[Ixion]

But, but , but -- Speed kills. This I know, for the gubbermint tells me so.

So, obviously, the slower you ride the safer you are. 'S obvious.

[H00dz]

I came across such a rider recently on a group ride(although he may have never ridden before) , noticed he was doing a strange ineffective hanging off manouvre around corners. At a stop I asked him if he had ever heard of counter steering-he hadn't ! Scary as he had been riding a 650 for 6 months. After explaining the principles he employed them on the next leg of our trip and afterwards thanked me for making such a difference to his riding. This just highlights the lack of training and knowledge required in getting ones motorbike license. If it where not for KB and other bikers I would have made so many stupid mistakes that a little bit of knowledge would easily prevent but is not a requirement to get a license.

I totally agree :Punk:

[Marmoot]

He did say the at one point he was riding around 50 in a 80K zone, is this cause to fail him

Weird :no:

Sorry for being harsh, but I would've failed him too.
(assuming the condition did not warrant such overcautious)

Try remembering when you may have been frustrated riding behind a driver doing 80kph on the 100kph zone. Same thing here.


Yeah I know, your points are valid, but to fail him, surely a note from her and a chat about it would have been ample, afterall he was sitting his restricted....

Fail is a fail. Retest is a retest.
If someone fails the test and only get a warning then the test effectively become pointless.

When you fail, the officer would give you comments on how to improve your skill so next time when you retake the test you wouldn't fail

[H00dz]

hmmmm maybe yor right, I thought it was harsh but I see by the majority of the responses that the general consensus is that most would have failed him.

I guess he can count himself lucky and put it behind him and make sure he rides more confidently at his next test....

Thanks

[fLaThEaD FreD]

My Buddy beens riding on his learners for quite a while and decided to sit his restricted license, Burrowed a 250cc bike from another mate (He rides a RF900R)...

He gets back from sitting his test to be told he failed for riding too cautiously and not demonstrating riding confidence........hes been around the south island a couple of times and eveywhere in between

He argued with the testing officer by saying that he was a confident experienced rider and was simply riding sedately to ensure he would pass safely.......


She finally accepted this but warned him not to do this at his next test or she would fail him again.

Is she (the Tester) taking the piss or was she being straight up....

He did say the at one point he was riding around 50 in a 80K zone, is this cause to fail him

Weird :no:

I had the same recentley on my tests restricted then full.
They expect you to stay within 5k/phr of the speed limit. On my full at one point I slowed to 65 in an 80 area on a straight as 500 metres ahead a truck and trailer pulled onto my side off the rd so he could make a wide turn off. I was reprimanded...........Ferkin tester could'nt speak proper english as it was....good onya AA westgate. :2guns:

[awayatc]

examiner told me i'd instantly fail if I would go above speedlimit.
When I said something in regards to her and mine speedo's accuracy she got real snotty.
I stayed safely below limit, and got told off as well for being to slow.
When speedo argument came up again, she said I should ride faster and stay at limit of MY speedo....
Lost her everywhere after that....wait she catch up...lose her again etc....
She wasn't a happy unit but I passed, snotty thing calling me slow..!
Never been on a bike herself.....
Told her been riding bikes when she was in nappies in more different countries then she could count...Just never bothered with NZ licence...
Was very unimpressed with her as well.

[sunhuntin]

the guy that took me for my restricted wanted to fail me on the spot for having a chewed up l plate [well, hell! he woulda been chewed up to if hed spent over 30thousand k that close to a back wheel] i passed without any worries anywhere else though.

like others, i would have failed your friend for being that slow... at his age, one would assume hed done some riding when younger so should be confident. the fact he was acting like that on a learners bike makes me wonder how the hell he feels safe on a larger bike.

[p.dath]

I hate to say this, but just because your mate has been riding a bigger bike or done lots of km's doesn't make him a good rider. He may well be good - but just saying that the testing officer may still be right.

Has he done any advanced rider training? Or perhaps is he self taught and has taught himself some bd things ...

[PirateJafa]

Doing 50 in an 80 zone is just dangerous and inconsiderate.

Depends on other external factors - children close to the road, pets, all sorts.

Riding at 50km/h in a 80 zone simply for the sheer hell of it however, is grounds for beating with a baseball bat.

[CHOPPA]

He shoulda done a wheelstand when he left!

[Skyryder]

I once did those AA driver tests. Advanced driver course I think they call them.

Paid x amount of dollars and I had this 'prissy' matron test me. I knew something was up when she checked the WOF and rego. I can understand that but what got me was that she ticked her clipboard so there was obvoulsy a box for this. Anyway I just do my normal driving and I notice she marks her clipboard so we finaly get back and she proceeds to tell me all the things I've done wrong. One of them was changing gear while turning a corner and I had taken one of my hands off the steering wheel. Five times I had done this. To this day I don't know if I passed or failed as I thanked her told her to get out of the car (should have seen the look on her face) and drove off. It was her manner that pissed me off more than anything else. Supercillious cow. Never again.

Skyryder

[cheshirecat]

Took my cage test in Blighty in an ancient Landrover which is somewhat unforgiving at the best of times, reckon the tester was quite glad to get out of the thing but I passed. The bike test was taken in some God forsaken place called Bognor Regis in winter to guarantee an almost deserted village with no hills. Apparently quite a few biker learners figured this place out so the place was choko in winter with bikes doing their tests. The tester used to hide and jump out for an emergency stop, quite brave really considering the single leading shoe brakes we had at the time.

[H00dz]

I hate to say this, but just because your mate has been riding a bigger bike or done lots of km's doesn't make him a good rider. He may well be good - but just saying that the testing officer may still be right.

Has he done any advanced rider training? Or perhaps is he self taught and has taught himself some bd things ...

Good points raised. I've had a few mates who like to say their really good riders (they've also binned their bikes as well) and others who are the real deal........

Having thought about it for awhile I now think that despite him being a good rider he let his nerves get the better of him and it nearly cost him......:dodge:

[H00dz]

He shoulda done a wheelstand when he left!

I tell ya I think he wanted to do more then just wheelie LOL :2thumbsup

[mattian]

Doing 50 in an 80 zone isnt riding cautiously its silly...... You ride at the speed limit during your test.
During my restricted test I thought I would be ultra cautious and I came to a complete stop at every give way sign, before proceeding. The tester told me off for that! and said if I was in a car, he would have failed me for impedeing the flow of traffic.

[sinned]

I always thought that a restricted test was required to prove you are a competent rider/driver. You are no longer a learner, you can operate your vehicle in a safe and confident manner. It is beyond the "you did not fall off" so you are fine to learn some more stage.

Maintaining the speed limit is all about confidence, if you cant, then you should remain on your learners and practise more. Riding at 50 in an 80 is actually dangerous in some circumstances, and bloody inconsiderate the rest of the time.

Frankly I would have failed him too, unless the weather was absolute shit and he had to travel at that speed for safety sake of course. He sounds like a menace on the road and needs more time. I dont care how many trips around the world he has done, if he cant ride close to the speed limit then he should not be advanced further along the license track.

Gee Mom you don't take prisoners, however, I have to agree with you. The tester would have had good reason for deciding to fail the rider.

[MSTRS]

Each thing they test you on has a reason. You are taken into an 80kph zone to see whether you can handle that speed. At 50kph, your mate 'proved' he wasn't up to it.
BTW - as an L plater, he should (possibly) have only gone up to 70kph...that is the limit for L platers. All arguments about the sanity of this speed aside, it is on the minutiae of the law that we pass/fail...

[PirateJafa]

BTW - as an L plater, he should (possibly) have only gone up to 70kph...that is the limit for L platers.

Wrong. You are exempted from that by law during your test.

[MSTRS]

Wrong. You are exempted from that by law during your test.

Do the testers know that?

[PirateJafa]

Do the testers know that?
One would earnestly hope so. *tui*

[sunhuntin]

Do the testers know that?

mine did, as i double checked before we went got to it. only comment i got on that was that i should have started speeding up before the 100k sign, which technically meant breaking the law by going over 50k. i dont doubt that a cop would ping you for that.

[chrispy121]

while testing you are supposed to be with in +- 5km of the posted speed limit for that piece of road any variations to that and they can fail you.

I am pretty sure this is explained in one of the testing sheets land transport put out about the restricted test.

The only exemption to this is traffic or extreme road conditions that wil make you go slower

[MSTRS]

mine did, as i double checked before we went got to it. only comment i got on that was that i should have started speeding up before the 100k sign, which technically meant breaking the law by going over 50k. i dont doubt that a cop would ping you for that.

Nothing 'technically' about it. It would be breaking the law. Fullstop. Perhaps he was 'testing' you?

[sinfull]

Recon she was power tripping him !!! See what happens when ya give women the vote !!! P/T

[EJT]

Maybe the tester was a KBer in disguise and she read this post, put 2 and 2 together, and thought she should fail him as he is a disgrace for leaving his bike on its side.

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=101414&highlight=deck

I would have failed him:2guns:

I also would have made him ride on SH1 along with the logging and cattle trucks doing the open road limit. They would have made him speed up a bit:laugh:

[sunhuntin]

Nothing 'technically' about it. It would be breaking the law. Fullstop. Perhaps he was 'testing' you?

the comment came after the test. thought it interesting that he told me to go over 50k coming up to a high speed zone, but he was keen to fail me on a munched l plate. backwards logic. im hoping like hell i dont get him for my full.

[PrincessBandit]

mine did, as i double checked before we went got to it. only comment i got on that was that i should have started speeding up before the 100k sign, which technically meant breaking the law by going over 50k. i dont doubt that a cop would ping you for that.

You are right about being pinged for speeding up before the speed limit - can vouch for it!

[Xaria]

When I did my restricted and full tests I planned them for peak traffic, so I couldn't speed. With my full there was a bit of drizzle and I told the tester that I would be a little slower for that reason.

I had found out the approx route ahead of time and there is a section of road getting to the motorway that is still 50 km, going downhill that most people fail their licence on so I spend about half a day practicing staying at 50 on the way down and being at 50 by the time you hit it again on the way back up. Pretty sad though, about 3 km total of open road in a 60 min test.

[Ixion]

The cop at Kaiaua used to fill his quota that way. the 70kph limit extends for MILES out of the township. he'd wait just past the 100kph sign and ping all the bikes that opened up when they 9finally !) saw it. May still do - word to the wise.

[mattian]

Each thing they test you on has a reason. You are taken into an 80kph zone to see whether you can handle that speed. At 50kph, your mate 'proved' he wasn't up to it.
BTW - as an L plater, he should (possibly) have only gone up to 70kph...that is the limit for L platers. All arguments about the sanity of this speed aside, it is on the minutiae of the law that we pass/fail...

yup.... you're actually allowed to ride at 80kms an hour in an 80kmh speed zone for the purposes of your test.

[sunhuntin]

You are right about being pinged for speeding up before the speed limit - can vouch for it!

thought so. stupid tester.