Passed full test - new LTNZ info?

[90s]

Hi,
took the full 6 licence yesterday at Westgate Auckland, converting a Cook Islands holiday special licence from a 6L direct (see my other thread for details of this process).

First thing - front brake light was not working. Luckily was just a loose connection on the lever and he let me fix it - worry!

I asked the AA when I booked the test if I had to ride on the conditions of a full CI or 6L licence. They said 6L = 70kph. I phoned LandTransport and they said the same thing - must take test at 70kph and stick to 6L rules.
It said the same on the info sheet at the AA office.

So when I took the full test (total time - 25 mins, half on motorway) I was suprised that the instructor asked me why I stuck to 65k on the SH16. I told him - confused at first - the the RG series has a very dodgy speedo (threads on this here!) and I was at indicated 80k, which I was sure was 70k. He said but why was I not travelling at 100k? When I answered that I was keeping to the conditions of my licence he said that this was incorrect, and that from now on BOTH RESTRICTED AND CONVERTING TESTS WOULD NEED TO OBEY THE 100K LIMIT ON THE TEST.
He said this was fairly new, and I told him I had querried this.
The to my relief he told me that I had passed anyway, and that it was obvious that I had been riding for 20yrs!

I also did no hazard detection questions, maybe (just thinking here) that it was very obvious that I was detecting and reacting to hazards - it is possible to make this very clear by head movements, excessive mirror looking, very obviously moving the position of the bike on the road, looking theatrically over brows of hill etc. Or maybe because I was converting they leave this out?

Anyway, has there been a change? It would make a lot more sense to scrap the stupid and dangerous 70k limit altogether.

[Nasty]

Congratulations on passing ... I took my test a month ago and they did not take me onto the motorway .. and only in areas which had a 70 or 50 speed limit - which the AA defensive driving guy said they would do. So am unsure about that being a new rule .. it is unpublished and no one you rang said it .. so I guess clarifying with the test instructer is prolly the best idea for those who are yet to sit

[Spuds1234]

I took my full licience test down here in christchurch about a year and a half ago, and they didnt ask me for any hazards at all.

Just gave me a one way radio so he could yell in my ear to tell me where to go, and that was that, away we went.

Drove around for 30 minutes, 80km/h was the fastest we went. It was easy, and a bit of fun.

[Kittyhawk]

I finally sat my restricted, and sat on 70km/hr on motorway. The instructor said I could go up to 100km/hr on motorway, but I didnt, just wanted to be safe. Then she said "Im too safe!" So when I get around to sitting my full, Ill be a bit more dangerous but not too dangerous, still want to pass hehehe.

[Phenoix]

So let me get this straight.
Their testing you on your abiltity to go 100, even tho in THEROY you should never have had been at this speed so you would have no experiance at it.
Dam, a test that breaks the law to preper for.
Try using that one on the cops and see what they say

[WarlockNZ]

I had the same thing at westgate AA .. going for my restricted .. the tester took me on the motorway and I sat on 70K .. got back and I asked him what i should have been doing..

His response.

"If you had gone over 70k on the motorway, i would have failed you, you must adhere to the restrictions of your current license"

I think the simplest thing is to clarify with your tester what you can and cannot do during your test as it seems to vary.

[Phenoix]

Yip, those were the the rules that I knew of, otherwise you wouldn't need your L plate for the test either

[rwh]

I had the same thing at westgate AA .. going for my restricted .. the tester took me on the motorway and I sat on 70K .. got back and I asked him what i should have been doing..

His response.

"If you had gone over 70k on the motorway, i would have failed you, you must adhere to the restrictions of your current license"

I think the simplest thing is to clarify with your tester what you can and cannot do during your test as it seems to vary.

That's what I did, when I sat my restricted on the 29th. I was shown the letter they'd been sent by LTNZ explaining that there's an exemption from the 70k limit for the test. So unless your test was significantly earlier than that, I think your tester was wrong.

Richard

[Freakshow]

I am sitting my full test tomorrow and besides making your head movements and looking obvious, and Itentifing the dude yelling in your ear as a hazard, do you have any other tips??

[Jimmy B]

I am sitting my full test tomorrow and besides making your head movements and looking obvious, and Itentifing the dude yelling in your ear as a hazard, do you have any other tips??

Wear a rain coat

[LilSel]

When sitting restricted test... I asked the instructor licence guy before we left if I went over 70kph on the motorway if he would fail me...

He said that it was good thinking for me to ask that and that no it would not result in a fail and he advised to go as fast as I felt comfortable on the motorway... which I did 95kph's (to be safe... anything over 100kph prob would've failed me lol)... and passed the test no worries... I think it comes down to the individual tester and best to ask beforehand if you are unclear on anything at all....

[slopster]

Well when I did my restricted a couple of years ago I forgot all about my 70km rule (I'd never stuck to it anyway) and went 100kmh for the whole open road bit. The assessor told me off but passed me cos I got everything else right (and he looked pretty hungover too)

[Swoop]

Ask the person, conducting the test, questions!!!

Don't show up like an automaton and "go through the procedure". Show some intelligence and clarify points. Find out what the examiner is looking for because a situation might require a different action from what they might deem as "safe" to actually BE safe! E.g. "I was riding at 30kmh in the 50kmh area because of all the ducks on the side of the road that might have taken flight into my path".

[Kittyhawk]

Good call Swoop.

Be an individual not a sheep

[Deviant Esq]

I rode like an absolute nana when I sat my restricted. The examiner had me doing a fair bit of the test in an 80k zone, and since I'd made particular effort to have the L plate on the bike (), and since the test was only 30 minutes anyway, I thought there was no point even asking what was expected of me. I just stuck it at 70km/h and didn't get questioned why I wasn't doing 80. The whole thing was a breeze, just like going for a nice ride, only a bit slower. I didn't get asked about any hazards either.

Pretty sure the conditions of a learner licence have not changed. Taken directly from ltsa.govt.nz a matter of seconds ago:

Learner licence conditions

If you hold a learner motorcycle licence, you must adhere to the following conditions:

• You must carry your learner licence at all times when you're riding.
• You must have an 'L' plate attached to the rear of your motorcycle.
• You must not ride a motorcycle with an engine capacity greater than 250 cc.
• You must not go faster than 70 km/h on the open road.
• You must not ride between the hours of 10 pm and 5 am.
• You must not carry a pillion passenger.
• You should not drink any alcohol before driving.

Rules number 4 and 5, most people agree, are questionable at best. I feel it's safer on the road at 11pm on a motorcycle. It's no more dark than at 9.30pm, but the traffic is generally lighter. And no faster than 70km/h on the open road is a liability. Trucks, boy racers, mums in RAV4s overtaking you... just plain dangerous, no thanks.