Report: Restricted test in Northcross...terrible

[metalslug]

Did my 6r today at the Northcross, at the football club on Andersons Road. For those of you that might have heard, there are some a**hole examiners down there. I knew that because I sat my restricted and full car liscense there, but was years ago.

Anyway thought they might have changed since so booked my 6r there. But what a mistake I made.

The guy was alright to start with, did a brief check on the bike and bit of chit chat about rules / expectations...etc and then we moved on. This testing station uses a walkie talkie where u hang it on your neck and wear a single ear piece. And what a piece of shat equipment that was. It was loud and very unclear. Told the guy to turn it down at the beginning of the test but he refuses saying you will need it when riding with the noise...etc.

On the way I really had problem understanding what he is trying to say (the thing is just so loud and unclear), so had to pull over. He basically gave me a lecture upfront saying if he can't communicate with me then he will fail me...etc. The examiner's attitude was bad, almost felt like a guy telling his dog off for licking his own poo. So I snapped and argued back, didn't curse or anything but just told him it's the equipment problem. ( I understand him perfectly without the walkie talkie)

Then he became angrier and start saying very unprofessional things like "You arguing with me? Are you a lunatic (yes he used the word "lunatic)" "I can fail you for that blah blah blah; as if his right to fail me is like the smite of the almighty god. At that point I just don't care about the test anymore, I just had issue with his manner. At the end I just told him to turned the walkie talkie down.

And that worked out fine, finished the test without any problem. Guy passed me and said a few things to improve on...etc, which is helpful. Then just shaked hand and left.

Will I go there to do my full? Not in a hundred years. I'd ride all the way to Whangarei if I have to. I don't know what is the problem with some of the examiners. Paying $88 bucks to be treated like scum just doesn't sound like good customer service to me. I am looking at making a formal complaint.(but doubt anyone will care though)

Thought I would put this up for those of you who might be doing test there....Anyway ride safe and have a good one! :Punk:

[p.dath]

I did my tests out at Orewa. Highly recommend the AA centre their. Was good everytime.

[sil3nt]

Why are testers such shitty people? Is life really that bad for them?

[EJK]

Fuck what an asshole. I would send a letter to AA to inform the issue. I believe AA are happy to hear customer complaints.

[Leyton]

LOL! Yeah write in.

You are a customer, if they want business, repeat. They really should not be treating their customers like sh$t.

Those ear peices are hard to hear at times. I had issues both on my full and restricted and the testers even said.." if you do not hear or understand.. I will be signaling the turn anyway, you will notice my indicator in your mirror."

And that worked, for the most part :) And they were patient and breif, and friendly all at the same time.

5 Cross roads, AA in Hamilton.

Congrats on your 6R

Lifes full of assholes :) unfortunitly.

[sil3nt]

LOL! Yeah write in.

You are a customer, if they want business, repeat. They really should not be treating their customers like sh$t.

Those ear peices are hard to hear at times. I had issues both on my full and restricted and the testers even said.." if you do not hear or understand.. I will be signaling the turn anyway, you will notice my indicator in your mirror."

And that worked, for the most part :) And they were patient and breif, and friendly all at the same time.

5 Cross roads, AA in Hamilton.

Congrats on your 6R

Lifes full of assholes :) unfortunitly.When i did my restricted cage license i had a bitch of a tester. Hope i get a nice tester for my 6R in a few months!

[cheesemethod]

I did mine out of northcross. I got a woman, she was really careful to make sure I could hear and the radio was all secure before we left. Had a really good run with her. I guess it's a bit of luck of the draw.

[retro asian]

I had mine turned up full.
It's still hard to hear at times, and the radio picks up interference too.

My Northcross tester was a good dude though.

Might pay to discuss a hand signal before you go out...like point to helmet if you can't hear the instructions?

[Ixion]

What you need to take into account is that the tester may not have a motorcycle licence. May never have ridden a bike . Absurd? Sure is, but that's the way it is.

And, some testers may have "hate motorbike" issues. I know of a couple at least that genuinely believe that young people (in particular) should NEVER be allowed to ride bikes. And are really negative about the whole thing.

Such an attitude will inevitably cross over into the test.

[R6_kid]

You're complaining to the wrong place. If you want something to happen about it then lodge a complaint with the area manager.

[boman]

I did my full, with a lady out of Pukekohe. We also used a walkie talkie, it was clear and easy, took just over 30 minutes to do the test. I think that a formal written complaint should be the thing to do, so that they are aware they have a tester with an attitude. No body deserves to cop an attitude if you are being upfront and curteous. Pukekohe's tester used to be a male, apparantly with a large attitude problem. Quite a few people signed a petition to get him removed he was that bad.

[PrincessBandit]

I never got to sit either of my tests with an ear piece; had to do it (only a couple of years ago) the old fashioned way - sets of instructions upfront with pre-arranged stops along the way.

Is it possible to actually request that the test to be done that way? It's understandable that the ear thingy should make things easier - for the tester anyway. However it's a bit rough to get off to a bad start just because the supplied apparatus is either faulty or difficult to set appropriately for the test sitter.

Anyone had any joy asking to do it the old way?

[mattian]

I have read soooo many threads on here about how its just too easy for people to get there licence these days and then hit the roads and kill themselves........... all you did was bitch and moan the whole time about your test and he still passed you !! jesus !

[Patrick]

I never got to sit either of my tests with an ear piece; had to do it (only a couple of years ago) the old fashioned way - sets of instructions upfront with pre-arranged stops along the way.

Is it possible to actually request that the test to be done that way? It's understandable that the ear thingy should make things easier - for the tester anyway. However it's a bit rough to get off to a bad start just because the supplied apparatus is either faulty or difficult to set appropriately for the test sitter.

Anyone had any joy asking to do it the old way?

+1. Don't know about the earpiece thing. Every bike to bike communications I have tried have been useless. The guy who tested me just gave me a route, to keep checking that he was behind me and to stop at such and such to receive more instruction. Easy.

[SPman]

The guy in Browns Bay just yelled at me across the road from the Council Office as I did my 2 figure eights and hard stop, before he yelled OK and gave me my full.........

[Madness]

Howick AA has a short pommy git with the pre-requisite bad attitude. Don't go there if you're asian coz apparently "they've all had labotomies performed in China before immigrating".

After he passed me we became the best of mates, so he thought.

[ArcherWC]

+1 for Orewa, very friendly lady up here :-)

[ynot slow]

Perhaps they have quotas lol,more failings means more revenue for the AA or testering group.
My stepson completed his defensive driving course,then when his restricted time was complete applied to do his full license test.He was on time,car perfect(well less exhaust big bore crap),went and proceeded to do the test,got back and the Asian tester failed him for get this hazard identification rule.Apparently according to the tester an intersection without any people,car or pet is a hazzard.He was pissed off to say the least,came home chucked his defensive driving cd in computer,went to hazzards and you had to click the mouse to indicate a hazzard,he clicked at every intersection with no hazzards,computer voice said no hazzard detected,where a kid was present he clicked,and voice said correct.In the end he sat the test and passed,commented to the tester what happened,the tester agreed having a person not able to speak fluent english is hard.They sent a complaint in but nothing happened.My thoughts were the tester misunderstood his reply saying the intersection isn't a hazzard unless kids,pets,cars are present.

[Ixion]

They do actually have quotas. or, more specifically, expected pass rates. Each tester, and each site is expected to have Y% fails. Too many fails they get a "please explain". Too few fails, ditto.

Averaged out it's probably fair enough, consistency and what not. Just a bit of a bugger if you're a candidate late in the month and all the other candidates that month have been exceptionally good.