Choice # 1: Get a Learner's Permit, obtain a bike, then learn to ride on the road while accompanied by another rider - friend with bike. After 6 months, visit the local Department of Transport and go for a ride with Assessor in tow.
Choice # 2: Get Learner's Permit, visit an Q Ride Accredited Rider Training School, successfully complete their Q Ride course, receive a Certificate of Completion and take it to the Department of Transport for them to add the Motorcycle Endorsement onto my license. (Q Ride is a rider training program developed by the government.)
The second choice is, by far, the quickest. And, as the training is conducted by Skilled Practitioners in all the disciplines, any Bad Habits can be drilled out of you. Plus, the course is Adapted to the rider depending on their skill level. So I chose Option Two.
This is a Satellite Image of the initial training and assessing area (thank you Google Maps). The thing on the right that looks like a number 8, is where the Figure 8 training and assessing is done. Essentially, designed to teach sharp turning and change of direction with that sharp turning. Needed for, doing U Turns and other manoeuvres like in a car park. And to be deemed competent you must complete four full figure 8s in less than one minute without going too wide of the line or touching any witch's hats.Just to the left of the Figure 8 - more in the middle of the image - you can just make out two Slalom Courses. One with the witch's hats further away from center line than the other. This is designed to teach quick directional changes. The idea is, you ride around the outside of the track so you have some speed and then enter one of the Runs. You must complete the run doing a minimum speed - in this case, at Least 25kph (about 16mph). And while that is not fast overall, within the course layout, too much faster and you wouldn't be able to change direction in time for the next witch's hat.
About one third up from the bottom of the image and just to the left of center is a short diagonal line. This line serves two purposes and both deal with breaking. The first is, starting from the short line to the right of the figure 8 and just above it, you head towards the top of the image, turn and head right at the diagonal line - increasing your speed to at least 40kph (25mph). You then apply the breaks to stop before the line. This is designed to teach stopping at intersections and correct breaking technique. The second exercise is like the first but, this time you only apply the breaks when the instructor says to - and - you stop in as little distance as possible. This is designed to teach Emergency Breaking techniques.
On the left of the image almost half way up, is a small horizontal line. The idea here is, starting from that line you ride to the end of the dotted line (where the shade cloth is) as slow as possible, taking the longest time you can. Without putting your feet on the ground or wobbling too far to the left or right. This is designed to teach the ability to stay upright in congested traffic situations or slow traffic situations such as in car parks or toll booths. To make it more interesting, upon completing the distance it is suggested to accelerate and negotiate the slalom runs to get back to the start line.
The obvious track that splits and comes back together, has been painted over and a newer version now exists. This newer version keeps the start of the old one, but then varies with more obvious obstacles. The idea is, you ride around the track towards the top of the image, enter the narrow lane and head towards the Obstacle. Once you reach a set point you either suddenly veer left or right. Designed to teach Evasive Manoeuvres such as avoiding cars that poke out onto the road, debris on the road, pot holes, pedestrians, etc.
Besides these basic skills, correct technique must be used and the exercises done in both directions so the Learner doesn't just learn how to lean in one direction. And essential Bike Safety Check procedures are also taught.
It is Only after you are deemed fully competent in the above - and that you feel comfortable enough to do so - that you are taken out onto the road. And this part sees you negotiate highway merging, traveling and exiting, side road negotiations such as U Turns and P Turns. Hill starts. Parking on the side of the road. Congested roads and free flowing roads. Round-a-bouts. Straight roads. Winding roads. And you are under constant supervision by the lead rider and the trailing rider. Essentially employing the training area skills onto the public roadways.
In my case, we also stopped off for lunch. And garnered quite a few looks as a group of nine motorcycles rode into a shopping center carpark.
Contrary to what people think, these training people don't just run the numbers and send you on your way with a piece of paper. In my group of seven riders, only me and one other fellow had previous Experience before the course. One fellow, this was his fourth day of training, the two girls in our group both had their own bikes at home but this was also their second day of training - they had done the course, not passed, went home and practiced for a month, and came back for this second day of training (both their husbands wouldn't let them on the bike until they had done at least one day of professional training - which is a good thing). Another fellow had Never ridden a motorcycle before in his life, ever! And the other guy was like the girls, had done a day, not passed, went home and practiced for a month, then come again.
Before beginning, the instructors asked us about Any previous experience we had. And for any Motivations we might have had for getting a license. This is so they know what they've got to work with. And so, they could spend more time with the Complete Beginner than with me and the other fellow both with Dirt Bike Experience. And they could keep the beginner at lower level skills for longer until he Got It.
And in case you think, "I'll tell them I have experience so they won't watch me as much and I'll sneak through". Forget it. They know. Just looking at how someone gets on a bike, takes off, and rides around a basic oval in a left and right position, tells them plenty. How you stop tells them plenty. And they picked up my dirt bike habits - habits I didn't even know I had, and it had been Years since I'd ridden! So you won't Sneak through. And they won't pass you unless you are competent - and not Just competent, but properly competent.
The end result was, everyone in our class passed except the complete beginner. And while he was certainly disappointed, he could also see how it was important for him to do another day of professional training and how doing so would enhance his skills even more.
Oh. And best part was, we didn't spend endless hours in a classroom. We spent the vast majority of our time with our bums on the saddle. And it makes sense. After all, you cannot learn to ride a bicycle or motorcycle by reading about it and passing a multiple choice exam. You can Only learn to ride by riding and being given advice to correct your technique.
I did my Q-Ride at Pro Ride based at Pro Honda in Rocklea (Brisbane). And while I am biased to recommend them, I did my research before hand and found them to be the most adaptive to various experience levels, as well as the Cheapest in the city. And I found out they also offer Ride Events for their course graduates - graduate and then you can go on an organised ride with other graduates - Cool!
While there we also watched a video called Ride On. It's about identifying hazards, what kind of Actions to take and so on. And I recommend for both Riders & Drivers to watch it. This is available as a DVD from the Australian Government for $5.50 from their website at here (scroll down)
0 Comments:
Post a Comment