RoSPA Assessment

[cliff]

Hindsight is a wonderful thing and perhaps I should have gone out for a few observed rides prior to re-test. However, if you read the start of this thread you will see that 3 years ago when I was interested in advanced riding I had one observed ride with a RoSPA examiner. At the end of the ride he advised me to put in for my test. I did and was awarded gold. I didn't think my riding had changed that much over the last 3 years.

What you have to remember is there is no such thing as the perfect ride and however good you are or you think you are you never stop learning. You could quite easily go back within a month or however soon the examiner can fit you in and you can earn your Gold Award it all depends on how you feel that day (nerves etc etc) and the hazards you encounter on your test and how you deal with them. Just remember at the begining of the test you start with a Gold Award and only your riding plan can change your grade throughout the test.

Cliff

 

[Mike Frost]

Just found this thread...

... and have been under training with RoSPA SMART [Southern Motorcyclists Advanced Rider Training] for 12 months-odd. I must agree with all posters; despite 40+ years on and off two wheels, my game has raised considerably. While having a very old copy of Roadcraft from my twenties, which was a bit dog-eared when I picked it up again, the new addition has moved with the times!

Am being examined Saturday week (oooer!) - Richard ZB; thanks for the tip on pre-ride check as opposed to POWDER check; its one thing to do it (have just read appropriate page in Roadcraft 2005) almost without thinking, but quite another to demonstrate that you are doing so to the examiner - it somehow has not surfaced with my instructor sessions, POWDER is the mantra...

Cheers all for the input!

Will report back post - test.

Mike

 

[Richard ZB]

Good luck on Saturday.
POWDERY - works for me - adding the Y - YOU -are you fit to ride? Clothes, illness, medical drugs, alcohol from night before etc.

 

[Urban Rider]

POWER checks are fine and good to know and carry out before each ride BUT, on both of my RoSPA assessments the observers are more interested in the ride. Neither of my assessors were interested in seeing or talking about any pre ride checks.

 

[Mike Frost]

Managed a Silver last Saturday; initially a bit disappointed, but the assessment was fair. POWDERY - the assessor, retired Class 1 police rider, did flag this up and approved that I 'finished the sentance' for him, so to speak.

I shan't bother doing a re-take until the 3 years are up, as all of the points raised concerning the ride were old chestnuts; ingrained habits from 42-odd years of riding!

Lets be careful out there.

Mike

 

[cliff]

Managed a Silver last Saturday; initially a bit disappointed, but the assessment was fair. POWDERY - the assessor, retired Class 1 police rider, did flag this up and approved that I 'finished the sentance' for him, so to speak.

I shan't bother doing a re-take until the 3 years are up, as all of the points raised concerning the ride were old chestnuts; ingrained habits from 42-odd years of riding!

Lets be careful out there.

Mike

Well done Mike as silver is a very good grade.

 

[Mike Frost]

Thanks Cliff,

Been a bit busy so have not checked into this thread recently - I'm quite satisfied with the difference the training has made to my ride generally and would unhesitatingly recommend a RoSPA-oriented traing course for anyone on two wheels regardless of years on the road - I have been riding on + off since I was in my teens, and that was many decades ago!

Off to do the ACU national rally tomorrow, a lovely excuse to get out and ride the bike and, for a wonder, the weather is looking good.

Take care,

Mike