Lee ban

After my disastrous 1st attempt just before Christmas, I retook my mod 2 yesterday. Went ok, made 1 wrong turn but quickly got back on track. Arrived back to the test centre expecting to hear the same thing about positioning as the first attempt. NO passed with just the one minor for excessive speed, well chuffed. As stated by others never give up, I was close to jacking it all in. Nerves do play a big part, but if you can find a way to overcome them,half the battle is won. Completed mod 1 and mod 2 with just the 1 minor.....if I don't count the disastrous 1st attempt on mod 2

No right or wrong answer I'm afraid. Generally, yes take the principle position on the road, but if there are parked vehicles, then you may want to be more to the right. If the road bends to the right, then you want to be closer to the left. Best to avoid obstacles like potholes and speed cushions, but mirror check before changing direction (before and after) - but again, within the context of what is around you. This might . My instructor on a training ride.Cheers for the video, yes I've watched that one more than a few times lol. I've watched so many videos over the past month I even dream about them hahaha. The centre position is exactly where I've been riding and is the exact place where the examiner gave me a good talking too about. I've even asked my instructor and he said my riding is spot on! Think one of the problems is that I'm that busy forward planning the roads and escape routes (just incase) that I sometimes just go over manhole covers and stuff, I would rather do that safe that swerve like a moron. Also this rubbish about always reaching the speed limits on your test is ludicrous. It's a limit for a reason not a target, so why are people being given majors and fails for doing 35 in a 40??? I also got a dressing down for going over speed humps!! So what if I go over speed humps, I would rather go over speed humps at the appropriate speeds than keep swerving the bloody things. The curb side of humps are always full of rubbish and the right side puts you in danger of oncoming traffic... Why risk that? I enjoy going over speed humps hahahahaha. I honestly believe that the examiner took a bit of a dislike to me because I didn't crawl up his arse like a nervous wreck. I spoke to him like a human being, but maybe he is used to having authority over people and having them quiver at his every word. I'm not gonna give in I'm going to own this shit and make dam sure I earn that bikers nod from the rest of you awesome bikers that risk your lives every day.

So are you saying the best position is just left of the centre? I've been having it drilled into me from my instructor to ride in a dominant position, so that's what I've been doing....but to me the centre of my Lane was the most dominant position, seems I was completely wrong. Why hasn't my instructor pulled me up on this?? I kept to the centre of my Lane for my dominant position,,,, no wonder I f#@?ING failed. I'm a little bit pissed off with my instructor now. We can only be as good as we are taught. Thanks for the info

I would know if you were there or not because I have just passed a completely clear road doing 30, checked my mirrors and unless you were peddling like sonic the hedgehog on a hoop fest, it should be safe to turn Don't get me wrong, I understand the reasons but a lot of it takes your focus off the little granny crossing the side road your turning into. I've seen a lot of scooter riders riding to the left on a straight road and you can guarantee if I boy racer comes behind he will try an overtake on their right. Maybe I'm just overcomplicating my own riding, I've never really had to think about it before because it's all been about naturally riding to stay alive. Thanks for the input, it's much appreciated.

Can I ask a question from you guys? What position would you deem as the safest position in normal riding? I've been getting differing answers from different people! I was told by my instructor that the centre of your Lane is the dominant position (stops over/undertakers) But I have also been told and seen for myself that the centre of the lane has the most drain covers and crap left by vehicles. So which is best for test? If you don't ride dominant they pull you up on it, if you do ride dominant they pull you up on it!!! You could deviate your position everytime you feel the need but then they can easily pull you up for not doing rear observations every 5 seconds (to me more dangerous because your constantly taking your eyes off what's ahead and it effects forward planning, making it more chance of missing a speed sign. To be honest all this stuff is really taking the enjoyment out of what used to be an enjoyable natural ride. For which I have never had an accident in all my years.

Pointless complaining it would just look like I'm a disgruntled failure lol. Just gotta take it on the chin haven't I. It just feels like the whole test is a box ticking exercise that doesn't reflect real driving. Position 1,2,3 are all the positions that I was taught when turning at junctions. 1 left 2 centre 3 right. Use each for the corresponding direction you intend to turn. And don't forget all those lifesavers because heaven forbid you miss one, because if you don't look in that blind spot to your left when turning off left that articulated lorry may try to sneak up that one foot gap you have left along with 14 bicycle riders that you haven't just passed but will miraculously appear from a magic realm hahaha. Why do the examiners insist on talking to you like a twelve year old when doing the post test talk? Just a bit of info about me, I'm 38, been riding for 20 years but never got around to taking test. Passed mod 1 first time with no minors, 50/50 on theory and 71/75 on hazard perception. I'm not the greatest rider in the world, but know my stuff.......just feeling a little disheartened by the whole rigmarole and cost. Cheers guys....and gals

The radio kept cutting out so couldn't hear directions, ended up turning into a shopping car park because all I could hear was "crackle crackle crackle right turn" He had actually said "at the roundabout take right turn" I did mirror, indicate, lifesaver and began turning and he went off on one "NO NO NO NO NO" Why didn't he say something when I put on my indicator??? Because he was way back dawdling doing 20 in a 40 we kept losing radio signal. Then I overtook a truck doing 50 on a dual carriageway, just pulled back in doing all observations and he tells me LEFT to leave slip road when I was virtually on top of it. That was it then! He had a bee in his bonnet a little, and between the radio cutting out and late directions I knew I was gonna fail. The main faults he kept drumming into me was positioning, he said I stuck ridged to position 2 and didn't deviate around speed humps or manhole covers Even though all the speed humps had cars parked on left and cars coming towards me on the right. The manhole covers that I can remember were around a right turn on an island. Am I supposed to swerve around them on an island? I used all my 1,2,3 positions on all turns and junctions and completed all my observations. I would tell you how many minors and majors I had, but he didn't give me my results paper. So I've got a choice now, give up or waste more money.

After riding 125cc for quite a few years I decided to take the plunge and do my das. Hadn't rode at all for about 3 years due to a family break up. Did 2 days training just to get used to the bike again (Honda 600) but then had to wait 3 weeks for a mod 1 slot. I was reasonably confident on the day, a few nerves but surprisingly calm. I suffer from a condition called essential tremors that make my hands shake like an alcoholic without their fix, even though I don't even drink lol. When my name was called for my details I had to reach into my pocket to retrieve my wallet, my hands were shaking like always. At that point, one of the trainers with another school with his pupils started laughing at my hands shaking and commented in front of everyone when I signed my name, that I was gonna scribble all over the page. This put me on edge, and the more I try to stop my tremors the worse they get. We set out onto the mod 1 setup and the instructor says to me " I have got other tests after this one, but if you need to take your time because your nervous, you can" I explained that it's a neurological condition and that I wasn't too nervous. Then I set out on the test... Cut a bit of a long story short, I passed with zero faults in the hammering rain with speed of 62kmph on emergency stop and 58kmph on the swerve. Everything on the test felt like automatic, everything clicked into place, did the best U TURN I've ever done. The strange thing is that once I'm on the bike, it's the only time my hands don't shake.