Becoming an 'Easy Rider' pt6

So after passing my Final Assessment with the school, which is basically seeing how you're doing riding out and about on the road, you can then put in for the Level 1 & 2 test with the RTA examiner. Now they only do this test on a Tuesday, so if you finished your classes and final assessment the week before, it's a long gab in between with no riding - unless you have a mate with a bike and find some deserted place to practice - so you're pretty much forced to book extra lessons in the meantime - money, money, money!

This morning I rocked up at 7 am, along with the other NINE people taking the test and the examiner. Rather than doing people individually, the examiner had two people on the go at once, which actually put me a bit more at ease as it was more like our normal riding scenario. In the gap between the cones and the 'slow ride' area I dropped a foot DOH! I was so nervous I wash shaking all over the place and just couldn't get my balance. However, much to my surprise the examiner saw how anxious I was and said he'd look the other way this time - phew! The rest of that test was fine and he passed me.

Level 2, however, was just horrible! I know that curving to the left, for me, is far more difficult than to the right - in fact it seems to be that way for the majority of people for some bizarre reason (note to self - must look into that!) - so of course you do the left curve first. That went ok, I was much better on the right, as I knew I would be.

Then the dreaded, dun, dun, duuuuuun, light box! You all line up and one by one ride towards the lights and see if you're going to get a left, a right or an emergency stop. My right swerve was ok, not the best, the first emergency stop was also ok, then disaster! I got thrown a second emergency stop, hammered on the front brake, went into a skid and lost the bike - when they start to fall it's all over, nothing is going to stop it from hitting the deck and you with it. Gutted! That of course is an instant fail.

But it's ok, just means I have to try again next week. The downside being of course, you now have to take an extra eight classes! Two weeks ago, it was an extra five classes - money, money, money!

I did feel sorry for one guy who failed for the fourth time and he was virtually in tears. There's quite a problem with language barriers and if you don't understand the instructions properly it can be a real issue for some.

I'll get there, I will!

Happy riding :-)