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CBT Renewal And Stunts On Roundabouts
Blog Date - 06 August 2015
So If you read my Theory Test Blog you already know that I decided not to go ahead with a full bike test due to the fact my future employment status is hanging in the balance at this present time.
However my CBT was due to expire on the 19th August and with some bike trips holidays planned I had to ensure I was not without legal paperwork to ride my bike. This meant only one thing ... I had to renew my CBT.
Now with 15,000 miles under my tyres and various nights spent on slow manoeuvre practice with U-turns and figures of 8s you think this would feel just fine to me. Unfortunately not, I was still bloody nervous at the prospect. I hate being watched and assessed, but needs must so I did the deed and booked myself in.
I booked myself in with Mike Williams where I completed my first CBT. The cost regardless of whether you decide you take the CBT on your own bike or the schools is as of time of writing £90. I decided to use my own bike because after 2 years together I know my bike and its characteristics very well.
As it was a renewal I was not required to come for an early 8.30am start as on my first CBT but 10am instead. I decided to stay over at the boyfriend's house the night before the CBT as he lives closer to Bolton than me. He could also ride down with me to the training centre for that all important moral support. The weekend ride out prior to my CBT had been through torrential rain. I very, very almost came a cropper on a roundabout that day. For whatever reason the bike slipped away from under me and I was pretty sure I was going down. However my right leg had other ideas and worked completely independently from my brain. Like a crouching tiger my leg raises up from the peg, lifts up high to ensure maximum thrust then shoots out to hit the tarmac with my foot and with such force that the bike was jerked back upwards. Ok the force employed was a little too much and the bike came too far the other way but with a lot of wobble and legs flaying about the balance was restored. Whether by my own skill, sheer good luck or an angel with long legs riding pillion I survived the wobble and safely exited the roundabout. My friend behind me said it was like watching some kind of stunt show .... Haa think I scared him as much as myself. But like with most near offs and wobbles we find our confidence a little shaken for the next couple of rides. Unfortunately I had no such rides to restore my own confidence before CBT day.
So that is the background and now for the day itself ...
The last day of July proved to be what most of our summer has been so far. Grey and threatening a mix of sun and showers. As such I duly loaded up the bike with a mix of English summer essentials, sunglasses, sun-cream a extra jumper and waterproofs.
On arrival at Williams I find my instructor for the day will be the same lovely Karen whom I did my first CBT with. We had a chat about how time flies etc and I scowled a hello to the still in residence cat who ate my lunch 2 years ago. Not that I am one to bear grudges or anything but we are talking food and if you know me you know how much I like my food.
I am joined by Jake, another CBT renewal on his own bike. We sit around for a little while waiting for the the DAS trainees to finish their time on the pad and go out on the road. Sitting around gives me time to get more nervous. I feel somewhat more pressured to perform well because I do have 2 years experience. Making a mess of an emergency stop, or dropping your bike on a u-turn is upsetting if you are a new rider but not unexpected. To do so now would be shameful. Urghh.
Finally it is time to start up the bike and begin slow riding around the pad. Karen can see how bloody tense I am and tells me to get my shoulders out of my ears. Pfft why did I get myself so worked up? I know I can do this, I can ride this bike I do it every bloody week but still my teeth are clamped tight together and I am sweating a lot. So much so I have to stop to peel of my long sleeved top and swap to just a t-shirt. T-shirt under my protective jacket that is just to clear that up :-)
First u-turn I make a hash of. Arrgghh !!! Why oh why after all that practise am I so s#1t. Karen tells me I do not turn my head around enough. I know this I discovered it during those many hours of practise and I thought I had corrected it. But no under pressure I go back to being a numpty. Ok try again ... better this time and the next but hardly smooth and perfect. Good enough to satisfy CBT criteria but not good enough to satisfy myself. I want smooth and flowing and confident. I get vice like grip and sweat.
Karen advised me while turning that as well as turning my head I should tuck in my elbow which I was not doing. Wow! Thanks for that little gem of advise Karen. It really helped me turn better.
So with my new tuck of the elbow trick the Figures of 8s were done successfully from the first go. Not - err - super confident but better than I felt with the U-turns. Definitely prefer the 8's than the U's.
Next up emerging from junctions and the correct use of indicators, mirrors, shoulder and lifesaver checks. Then the emergency stops. All goes smoothly for both myself and Jake. The pad work is completed quickly, in around a hour and half. I guess that my 2 years riding experience did count for something after all. My first CBT pad experience took my a full day to complete so there is hope for me yet (My First CBT)
After a quick break it is time to go out on the road. My hearing is not great when wearing earphones as my own unique flaps in my ears can act as ear plugs when I do not wish them to. So I tell Karen to put my radio on high and I am happy to find that I can hear her clearly. I surprise myself by actually volunteering to go in front at first. Regular readers of my blog will know I much prefer to follow. But deciding to take the bull by the ears I find myself up front leading with Karen behind and Jake following. Apart from my usual fudge of going to turn left when instructed to go right all goes well on the ride. In fact its not as bad as I had feared. I would not go as far as to say I enjoyed it but neither was it too stressful. Karen was happy with my road positioning and said I made good shoulder checks as and when required. She did suggest I may check my mirrors a little too often but I doubt this is a major fault. Only other slight criticism was that I went around some corners and bends a little too quick. Haa haa indeed what a difference 2 years makes now I will have to control my speed by reigning it in for a test.
Jake then takes a turn in the lead with me following and the ride goes well.
We finally stop for the on road emergency stop and U-turn. We stop at the exact same place I binned my bike last time on the U-turn.
I look at Karen, she looks at me. I ask if she recalls what I did here last time she confirms she does indeed. I tell Jake about me mounting the kerb and although I have a laugh about it I am trying not to stare at the kerb in question and have it transform into a menacing monster ready to leap out and bring myself and the bike down again. Jake is first up and executes a perfect U-turn. Ok no pressure then - Gulp ... Ok start the engine shoulder check and ... dah dah U- turn success! I am not sure who is more relieved me or Karen. Either way it is smiles all around. Emergency stops also done and dusted. I take the lead again for the ride back to the test centre.
Both myself and Jake successfully completed our CBT again. 4 hours it took, a lot less than the 2 days it took me first time around.
Although initially I was reluctant and unhappy to have to retake my CBT, after the event I found it to be a very worthy experience. It confirmed that I had indeed made a lot of progress in the 2 years that I have been riding. I got a couple of pointers and a very useful tuck the elbow in trick from Karen my instructor. It also made me realise that although it is something I do not like - being assessed and going for training - it is something that I can do and do so successfully if required. It has not quietened down all my fears about taking my full test but it has at least dampened some of those fears down. Also with both a Theory test as well as a CBT just completed I now have a whole 2 years to get my full test done. Hopefully it will be sooner rather than later but at least no clock is ticking at present to add to the pressure.
I am not a natural rider. Everything I achieve on the bike is through practise, miles under the tyres and determination. But in 2 years I have made considerable progress and I have had a hell of a lot of fun. May my riding get even better and the smiles even wider.
Reader's Comments
Paul S said :-
Well done Sharon. Did my DAS with Mike Williams and got Sharon for my CBT.
She's a lovely person. Very knowledgeable and patient. Now come on, get the full licence done. :-)
Paul
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
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