Didn't get my cbt... gutted

[DannyF1966]

Hi all,

First post here, and needed to rant and rave to someone, so you're the unlucky bunch I'm afraid. Went to do my CBT today (well, yesterday as it's gone midnight). I'm 41, been driving for 23 years, ridden a bike on and off all my life, but never ridden a motorbike before.

First problem I had was clutch control. I kept stalling the bloody thing, probably because I was too nervous about giving it too much gas and then flying off at high speed. So I was sent to the corner of the car park and told to practice setting off and riding straight into the kerb while the instructor concentrated on the other three riders he was dealing with.

After a few more stalls the battery started getting weak, and eventually I couldn't get it started at all. So I stood there like a muppet for 10 minutes while he finished with everyone else.

Then, he takes the bike over to one side, and gives me a scooter. WTF???

After swallowing my pride a bit and joining in the manouvres with everyone else I asked if I'd get a chance to ride a geared bike at all during the day. He said I needed more instruction on clutch control etc (duh) but since he had three other trainees he wouldn't have time to give me that instruction today. But, he said, a cbt is a cbt whether it's done on a geared or an automatic bike (2nd wtf of the day - does this mean that if I get the cbt on a scooter then I can just go out and ride a geared bike legally without any further training?? Seems bloody daft to me)

Anyway, I'm starting to get a bit pissed off with how I've been treated so far - he didn't ask me if I'd mind spending the rest of the day on a scooter, or tell me what he thought I was doing wrong, he just wheeled the bike back into the shed and wheeled the scooter out.

So anyway, we get out onto the road, and I must admit I made a couple of mistakes. I nearly hit the back of a car, and I ran wide going round a bend and crossed the white line, and that was enough for the instructor to tell me that he was a little nervous about my ability to ride safely.

I can handle that part of it, I know I made mistakes and wasn't good enough to get the certificate, but what really frustrated me was the way I was just given a scooter. It was almost like "I can't be bothered to teach you how to ride a grown up bike, here, have this toy one instead."

I'd borrowed a jacket and boots for the day as well, I looked like a right prat all dressed up for the part and then ending up on 50cc's...

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[druidsam]

hiya danny welcome to the forum..did you get the option to go back for more training or did he just say you were not getting your cbt cetrtificate?...maybe all thats needed is a bit more practice on a geared bike. when i did my cbt the clutch on the bike i was given was terrible and had no feel to it whatsoever,i only dropped the bike once but still got my certificate at the end of the day,

dont give up,go back and get the training you need to get the cbt out of the way. then gets loads of practice on a 125.. its much better fun when there's no one watching you



.....................Sam

[Bill CBF1000]

Hi Danny and welcome to the forums

That sounds sooooooo like a "training" school that maccy went to - not near Warrington are you ???? She nearly gave up, but instead went to a place called Valley Bike School (shameless plug again) and went from exactly what your describing to riding a geared bike in a couple of hours !!
So don't give up, just find a decent teacher who has got the patience and ability to teach you, and stick with it cos its worth it.

Oh n if you put your location in your profile, others who are in your area might be able to recommend good local schools, as well as being invited on rideouts once you have passed your CBT and got a bike

[davethemonkey]

there were six trainees and three instructors for the whole of my cbt as they said they cant teach more than two people each, personally even if they offer further training id look elsewhere as once that bad feelings there its not so easy to overlook come the second time

[grotbag]

Hello Danny, I've got 10 years on you and did my CBT in January with another 2 bike riders and 2 younguns on scooters with 3 instructors between us.

Was my first time on a bike and after my first off, one of the instructors took the bike to repair it while I carried on sharing a bike and using a scooter until it was repaired.

The school I went to told me that they charged just the one fee for CBT even if it meant I had to go back another day to complete it, why not find out if this applies to your school?

The DSA state quite clearly the fee for the CBT and say it's a 'course' here;- About compulsory basic training (CBT) : Directgov - Motoring

Where and how much?

The cost for the course varies typically from £70 to around £100. Most ATBs offer the loan of machines and helmets for the course. The cost of CBT may be incorporated into the cost of a full training course that leads to a motorcycle test.

I would find out about this from your instructor but only because he blocked you from completing the CBT course and £100 a lot of money, then I would find another riding instructor for your riding lessons / DAS course.

[DannyF1966]

Hi,

Thanks for the replies guys. Thinking about it this morning I realised that all I needed was more tuition and training on a geared bike - I can handle clutch/throttle no problem with my feet in a car, but doing it with the hands is a totally different skill!

I'll give them a call and find out if I have to pay for more training or if it's included in the fee I've already paid, I'm not going to give up on this!

I went to this particular school for two reasons: 1) it's near where I work, so handy for when I need to take half a day off for some more training, and 2) my flatmate passed her CBT with them last month and recommended them to me....

Just goes to show, doesn't it?

[deano]

well I have no idea on this but I woulda thought the word 'training' means precisely that - and it sounds like you didn't get much of it for yer dosh

[MaccyMoo]

Hi Danny, welcome to the forum!

Like Bill said, it sounds very much like my first CBT 'experience'. I spent all morning going round a car park in circles trying to learn clutch control and clutch control only. I didn't really feel confident at all and thought there was no way I'd be allowed out on the road, but in the afternoon he said 'right, let's go' and off we went. I'd not been taught anything about mirrors or signals ao maneouvers! Needless to say I fluffed it at the first junction because I didn't know what to do and so off we went back to the car park for more riding round in circles. He wanted me to go back for another half day (and another £85) to finish it. I finished it there and then and went somewhere else!

I didn't go there on any recommendation, but for me I find it's the way I'm taught. I knew there was no point in going back, so I found a school in Rossendale (a bit further away from home) but learnt more with them in two hours than I did in the whole day at the other place.

Good luck in finishing your CBT - don't give up. If they will let you finish it for no extra charge then stay there, but it might be worth looking round for someone else if you still have bad feelings about where you are now afterwards.

[Manky Cat]

"If at first Danny, if at first". Welcome to the Forum

[Scumdog]

Welcome Danny
I'd say he gave you the scooter to try and get you joining in with the rest of the lesson without worrying about clutch control, makes sense to me. The CBT is not about teaching you to ride the bike per se but teaching you road awareness etc. to allow you onto the road to learn to ride the bike. An auto scooter is also far more forgiving than a geared bike int he hands of a newbie.

Don't get pissed off because the instructor had reservations about your ability to ride a bike, it's his job to assess that. He should, however, have made it clear that any further training needed to pass would be free.

My advice to you (for what it's worth) would be to phone them and ask when you can finish your CBT (don't even mention payment as you've already paid for it) and don't go there with bad feeling as you'll just get even more nervous.