U-turning on a bike?

[nzwowpro]

Hi there, i am going for my restricted test in a few weeks and i was wondering what the safest way of doing a u turn is?

Yes this may sound like a silly question but i know they test you on this type of thing,

Do you Indicate left and pull over, wait for traffic to gap and then do a u turn like normal? Im quite confused and need to practice. Thankyou.

[Maha]

That is the correct way to do it when you have an instructor behind you.

[nzwowpro]

Thanks,im guessing you are meant to indicate right as you wait on the side of the road?

[haydes55]

Thanks,im guessing you are meant to indicate right as you wait on the side of the road?



You know it all already. Now do what I did. Find a quiet road and ride to the end, u-turn, repeat and repeat until it's so simple that the test is just a joke. I spent 10 mins doing u-turns and a good half hour just cruising around the testing area to learn where hazards might be and what speed limits are where (easy to miss a sign when you're looking for a hazard in the distance).

Relax, I've never heard of someone failing a license test who doesn't deserve to. My test started with "don't crash and you'll likely pass".

[Smifffy]

http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/roadcode/about-driving/turning.html

Bike, car, same same.

Unless you feel like turning the bars, locking the front brake and feeding it the gas then dropping the brake, but yeah nah, not on a licence test. :innocent:

[nzwowpro]

Thanks for the help and clearing that up. I will go ahead and practice tomorrow.

[rocketman1]

[QUOTE=nzwowpro;1130610096]Hi there, i am going for my restricted test in a few weeks and i was wondering what the safest way of doing a u turn is?


This may all seem fine, UNTIL... you have to perform a U turn on a steep hill.
My advice is to travel on until you reach a flat area then turn. If you have to turn on a hill make sure you keep your weight continually on the uphill side of the bike.
Fine if the road is wide enough to turn 180 degrees in one go, but if you have to do a 3 point turn, make sure you don't have to put your downhill foot on the ground, because depending on how steep the hill is you will not be able to put your foot down until the bike is almost horizontal falling down the hill with you under it.
It's like putting your foot down in a big hole.
I know, because I have been there done that, so will a lot of readers that have done a few kms.

Practice this on a light bike, don't try it on a 350kg Triumph Rocket or the like

[Erelyes]

I found this helpful.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-BDrAxjAFI

As well as practicing a lot around empty suburban streets, and a local R/C track.

Didn't have to u-turn in my test after all that, but it was still helpful.

[danchop]

for the life of me,i cant see why u turns are still legal.sure as hell more dangerous than riding with a bent number plate like i was ticketed for yesterday

[haydes55]

for the life of me,i cant see why u turns are still legal.sure as hell more dangerous than riding with a bent number plate like i was ticketed for yesterday


You're taking the piss right?

[danchop]

You're taking the piss right?
about the number plate? no im not, one fifty fine and a small chase with siren and lights.the small chase was because i wasnt thinking i was the target on my scooter.one side of the plate was bent

[Berries]

for the life of me,i cant see why u turns are still legal.
Something to do with turning around and going in the opposite direction I think.

[haydes55]

about the number plate? no im not, one fifty fine and a small chase with siren and lights.the small chase was because i wasnt thinking i was the target on my scooter.one side of the plate was bent

I haven't seen how your plate is bent so I'll reserve judgement on that. But seriously U-turns should be illegal? Mr. Perfect never missed a turn? Never been to a dead end street?

U-turns are as simple as a downy, and 100% safe when done right.

[Gianz]

well they're illegal in continental Europe if the line is continuous and you'll lose your licence straight away if caught. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw people doing it all the time here.

[haydes55]

well they're illegal in continental Europe if the line is continuous and you'll lose your licence straight away if caught. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw people doing it all the time here.


If you can see far enough both directions to safely do a u-turn without being in any vehicles path why would it be illegal.

"Sorry I'm late babe I drove past your driveway, I thought you were number 17 not 15, I'm just on desert road so I'll be about 20 minutes til I can turn around at Waiuru."

[Gianz]

If you can see far enough both directions to safely do a u-turn without being in any vehicles path why would it be illegal.

"Sorry I'm late babe I drove past your driveway, I thought you were number 17 not 15, I'm just on desert road so I'll be about 20 minutes til I can turn around at Waiuru."

"Sorry I'm late babe I drove past your driveway, was doing a uturn, a dickhead with a motorbike hit me he's dead. How could I possibly see him he was going so fast. what's for dinner?"

[haydes55]

"Sorry I'm late babe I drove past your driveway, was doing a uturn, a dickhead with a motorbike hit me he's dead. How could I possibly see him he was going so fast. what's for dinner?"

The motorcyclist should have easily seen a car ahead doing a u-turn. If you can't avoid that you shouldn't be riding. Secondly the driver should see anything around them or they deserve to go to jail.

[Smifffy]

The motorcyclist should have easily seen a car ahead doing a u-turn. If you can't avoid that you shouldn't be riding. Secondly the driver should see anything around them or they deserve to go to jail.

Unless the car is a police car.

[haydes55]

Unless the car is a police car.


And you do a U-turn just over the brow of a hill where you can't see 20m that U-turn is illegal

[Gianz]

The motorcyclist should have easily seen a car ahead doing a u-turn. If you can't avoid that you shouldn't be riding. Secondly the driver should see anything around them or they deserve to go to jail.

you should come to Auckland. At least once i have almost been swept by a taxi driver that made a u turn in a double carriage without looking. From the left lane he turned hard right in front of me without indicating. Could I do something? No it's only luck if I'm here it was so close I didn't even have time to react. It crossed my path and I missed the rear of the car by cm. Now if it was a banned move he would've probably done it anyway, but he would have looked at least to see if were was a police car around. And honestly, 250 millions Europeans can't be so wrong.

[Mom]

[It's like putting your foot down in a big hole.
I know, because I have been there done that, so will a lot of readers that have done a few kms.

I don't need to be on a hill to drop my bike like that, just a small, almost invisible camber can leave me unable to get my foot down and OOOOOOOOVVER she goes :pinch:

[russd7]

, 250 millions Europeans can't be so wrong.

and there in lies the difference, we only have 4.5 million to deal with and most of them are kids anyway:shit:

[kinger]

And honestly, 250 millions Europeans can't be so wrong.

Yes they can. It's the European Parliament, non elected self servers that are making the rules, often against the wishes of the electorate.
If you want to live your life along the lines of "In Europe they do this/that", then fuck off back and live under the alleged freedom enjoyed there.

[haydes55]

And honestly, 250 millions Europeans can't be so wrong.

How many millions of Europeans were in Hitlers army? They can't be wrong.

It's illegal to modify vehicles in Germany, that's wrong, if your bike has crap lights from factory you legally aren't allowed to add aftermarket lights.

I can guarantee that I will never put anyones life, property or body at risk when I do a U-turn. Why should it be illegal when the only people who risk causing damage are people who are obviously too retarded to operate any vehicle, whether they are U-turning or just driving in a straight line.

Should stairs be illegal as well. Every year people trip and fall down stairs and injure/kill themselves on stairs (darwin awards). So because some decrepit old lady dies on a set of stairs every staircase needs to be blocked off and replaced with a ramp.

[Tricia1000]

The U-turn on the test isn't about whether or not you can turn the bike around in the given amount of space. It is to find out whether you have are able to maintain basic control when the bike is going slowly, and if necessary (more often than not) have basic slow speed control...
If you need a pretest lesson, give me a shout. It's definitely worth every penny. Not just to get through the test, but to find out the stuff you don't know about.
And you don't know, what you don't know, until you don't know it. :yes:

Tricia1000
RoADA (Dip)
Consultant to NZTA
0800 4 LESSON


for the life of me,i cant see why u turns are still legal.sure as hell more dangerous than riding with a bent number plate like i was ticketed for yesterday

[Erelyes]

So because some decrepit old lady dies on a set of stairs every staircase needs to be blocked off and replaced with a ramp.

I like where this idea is headed.

287368

[arcane12]

I like where this idea is headed.

287368

Noted. *goes on the list for the new house*

[Gianz]

Yes they can. It's the European Parliament, non elected self servers that are making the rules, often against the wishes of the electorate.
If you want to live your life along the lines of "In Europe they do this/that", then fuck off back and live under the alleged freedom enjoyed there.


Cool. I had a few glasses and so i'm very happy to find some of this kiwi wisdom thrown at me.
Listen my love, I came here with the best intentions I work like a dog I pay a shitload of taxes to personally maintain at least a couple of kiwis like you on the dole.

Really pisses me off when some of your people dismisses good ideas/laws just because they don't come from here. The wheel has already been invented. As is hot water. The fuckin stupid kiwi left turn rule was just another example.
The european parliament is elected by the european citizens. retard. And it's got nothing to do with the road rules, retard.
And this "fuck off where you came from" thing is really boring.

[Gianz]

How many millions of Europeans were in Hitlers army? They can't be wrong.

It's illegal to modify vehicles in Germany, that's wrong, if your bike has crap lights from factory you legally aren't allowed to add aftermarket lights.

I can guarantee that I will never put anyones life, property or body at risk when I do a U-turn. Why should it be illegal when the only people who risk causing damage are people who are obviously too retarded to operate any vehicle, whether they are U-turning or just driving in a straight line.

Should stairs be illegal as well. Every year people trip and fall down stairs and injure/kill themselves on stairs (darwin awards). So because some decrepit old lady dies on a set of stairs every staircase needs to be blocked off and replaced with a ramp.

yeh flys love shit doesn't mean shit is good.


come on mate we had a civilized conversation before this don't put it to shit. You know it's a sign of wisdom to acknowledge one's mistakes.

[Berries]

well they're illegal in continental Europe.
And yet fucking a donkey isn't. Go figure.


Really pisses me off when some of your people dismisses good ideas/laws just because they don't come from here.
But I don't like donkeys.

[Tigadee]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-BDrAxjAFI&list=TLh74LNr4WAnQ

+1 Good clear instructions.


Hi there, i am going for my restricted test in a few weeks and i was wondering what the safest way of doing a u turn is?
Yes this may sound like a silly question but i know they test you on this type of thing,
Do you Indicate left and pull over, wait for traffic to gap and then do a u turn like normal? Im quite confused and need to practice. Thankyou.

You're going for your restricted and you don't know how to U-turn? :crazy:

Practice... practice a lot! 18 months now and you should already know it well, if not like second nature.

I had to do four U-turns on my R test because they had a couple of trainee instructors along for the ride [lucky me!] and I swear they must have been taking turns asking me to perform one U-turn after another! :rolleyes: :facepalm:

[george formby]

Bollocks. I have to bite. From personal experience Yerpeans give as much of a fuck about road rules as mouth breathing kiwis do. They do get hit a lot harder in the pocket than we do with compulsory insurance, stazi road cops, credit card ambos etc so probably think a fraction longer, but still often have no fucks to give. Moot point. The elected Yerpean rulers came very close to imposing a blanket 100hp restriction on bikes a few years ago.... Failed. Amen.
Any hoo, u-turns. Steady throttle, don't close it, apply back brake for control through the turn, release to smoothly stand the bike up. A bit of clutch probably as you practice but it's not compulsory. Look where you want to go. Practice left & right turns.

Sod the EU!

[kinger]

Really pisses me off when some of your people dismisses good ideas/laws just because they don't come from here.

"Something that takes the dumbest policies from every country and makes it European wide"....Your own description of European law making from a previous thread.
If the "......fuck off where...." is becoming boring, it kind of implies you hear it regularly. Maybe take the hint and adjust your annoying habit of getting on people's tits when you're extolling the virtues of a land you chose to leave and criticising the one that opened it's doors and invited you in.

[Grashopper]

You're going for your restricted and you don't know how to U-turn? :crazy:

Practice... practice a lot! 18 months now and you should already know it well, if not like second nature.


I didn't see anywhere that he said he's had his learners for 18 months already. :scratch:
Usually it's 6 month on the learners, then you can do your restricted license test. Although time on the license doesn't mean actual time on the bike unfortunately. That dude I bought my bike from had his learners for the last 4 years and did only about 1000 kms in that time. :eek5:

[Skiwi]

Hi there, i am going for my restricted test in a few weeks and i was wondering what the safest way of doing a u turn is?
Yes this may sound like a silly question but i know they test you on this type of thing,

Do you Indicate left and pull over, wait for traffic to gap and then do a u turn like normal? Im quite confused and need to practice. Thankyou.

Don't over think it, find an empty car park or similar and spend some time riding in slow figure eights, tightening up and slowing down as much as you can. Once you're comfortable doing that the physics of u-turns will be a non issue.
Bikes are like boats, it's easy to look cool going fast and staraight, finer skills are required when going slow and tight.

When I did my restricted, I indicated, pulled over to the left, checked for traffic, indicated again and completed the turn. The tester never even mentioned it at the debrief so i can only assume it was ok.
Relax a little , generally testers are not looking for an excuse to fail you, but if you flaunt incompetence or attitude they'll take it.

Good luck :2thumbsup