Well that's MOD1 screwed up again.. Third time lucky

[mx5tom]

Just got home from my MOD1 test, another fail.

The first time, I wasn't that gutted. I really wasn't ready for the test. That and a combination of nerves meant I made a stupid mistake and put my foot down on the U turn. No biggie, just re-booked it for today.

Well, todays test has come and gone. Just a tip for anyone reading this who's doing their MOD1 soon... If the examiner tells you to stop somewhere, don't go and stop somewhere else! I did everything perfect, felt really confident on the bike and had no issues and no minor faults.

...But I screwed up the controlled stop. And I'm kicking myself for it. I went around the circuit, and instead of stopping in the designated area, I pulled up alongside the examiner... (Short of the coned area by about half a bike length). If it had been an accident and I'd genuinely screwed it up, I wouldn't be that bothered. I just can't believe I was on the verge of nailing it and failed because I CHOSE to stop there.... :@

Anyway, rant over. Not much point in this but need to vent and no ones home. :P

Time to book the next one... this is getting expensive.

[RonJohnson]

Better luck next time.

MOD 1 is easy to pass if all goes well, but yet it can be easy to fail, as you've found out. At least you know you have the overall skills to pass next time (as you would have done without the silly error).

[Nigel Worc's]

Bad luck mate, better luck next time, keep your pecker up etc etc.

There'd be no point in having a test if everyone passed it first time, and I wouldn't like to place money on any of us, no matter how experienced, whether car or bike, passing a re test on every drive/ride we do !

[muon]

I know about Mod 1 nerves (passed mine about 2 weeks ago). I passed fortunately but got a couple of minors (front wheel on white line on U-turn + half of front wheel over the box on controlled stop in the box). However, you will get it don’t worry. For nerves try Rescue Remedy you get from Boots – helped me.

I have my Mod 2 coming up and I’m not so nervous but I’m sure I will be.

Good luck on your Mod 1 again at least it’s not TOO expensive (Mod 2 is more of a PITA on pricing). I’m more worried about booking time off work as have no holidays left and test centres don’t seem to like weekends…!

[happyWanderer]

Feel your pain mate, I've failed my first attempt.

Done everything perfect apart from doing 47 kph on the swerve..
I blame the weather, as it was pissing down, lots is standing water on the pad, and no matter how many times my instructor told me: "it's alright, the Tarmac is very grippy, you'll be ok" I still didn't feel confident enough.
Second time I done mod1 I made sure I won't fail on speed - 58 e stop, 63 swerve
Don't worry, you'll pass next time!

[RedTrident]

I was useless on my mod 1. Mod 2 was much easier though.

[mx5tom]

Thanks.

I still can't get over how stupid I was... If I had just 'ended up' where I stopped by accident then fair enough, but I was riding up to the cones and thought "Ah here will do".

Interesting that one of you got a minor for stoping just over the box whereas I got a major for stopping a bit short. Surely it's better to stop before the hazard than after, but there we are... :P

[RizzoTheRat]

My Mrs came back from the first day's training saying the space they give you for the u-turn is huge and how could anyone have to put a foot down and fail. She then failed after putting a foot down on the u-turn Failed her second one on not being quick enough through the speed trap and was quite pissed off about that. She found Mod 2 an absolute doddle compared to Mod 1 though.

[moanthebairns]

muon said:

I know about Mod 1 nerves (passed mine about 2 weeks ago). I passed fortunately but got a couple of minors (front wheel on white line on U-turn + half of front wheel over the box on controlled stop in the box). However, you will get it don’t worry. For nerves try Rescue Remedy you get from Boots – helped me.

I have my Mod 2 coming up and I’m not so nervous but I’m sure I will be.

Good luck on your Mod 1 again at least it’s not TOO expensive (Mod 2 is more of a PITA on pricing). I’m more worried about booking time off work as have no holidays left and test centres don’t seem to like weekends…!

Mod 1 cost me a fortune for a pointless test.

I failed it with a dab of foot on the figure of 8.

Nearest test centre was 45 miles away and booked solid for months
I had to hire a van for the day £40
Fuel £25
Hire a bike for 2 hours (lucky my instructor understood) £50
Test £15
£50 two hour practice before

£180 for a fking pointless test. I was a bag of nerves to think that this would cost me £360 if I fked it up and had to sit it again. Guess what I did, passed it the second time otherwise I would have gave up learning to ride bikes. Didn’t help it was pissing down plus I hadn’t rode the bike that day or for a few days and had to ride it cold.

£380 could have bought me advance riding lessons, the mind boggles as to how they think this is a good idea. Even now I put the odd foot down doing a U-turn or coming out a junction, strangely I never died after doing this in fact I stayed on the bike.

Mod 2 was a piece of piss.

[muon]

mx5tom said:

Thanks.

I still can't get over how stupid I was... If I had just 'ended up' where I stopped by accident then fair enough, but I was riding up to the cones and thought "Ah here will do".

Interesting that one of you got a minor for stoping just over the box whereas I got a major for stopping a bit short. Surely it's better to stop before the hazard than after, but there we are... :P

Yeah – if the whole wheel was over the cones then my instructor said I’d have failed. I nervously looked at the examiner when it happened and he stared for a short while before taking notes. I thought I had failed and was relieved when he told me to go around and do the emergency stop.

RizzoTheRat said:

My Mrs came back from the first day's training saying the space they give you for the u-turn is huge and how could anyone have to put a foot down and fail. She then failed after putting a foot down on the u-turn Failed her second one on not being quick enough through the speed trap and was quite pissed off about that. She found Mod 2 an absolute doddle compared to Mod 1 though.

I hope the Mod 2 is a doddle as got mine VERY soon… but on the U-turn thing I thought it was wide (wider than I practiced on) BUT when doing it I thought the fence was coming up rather quickly – that put me off – I felt that I made the turn sooner than I really wanted to.

moanthebairns said:

Mod 1 cost me a fortune for a pointless test.

I failed it with a dab of foot on the figure of 8.

Nearest test centre was 45 miles away and booked solid for months
I had to hire a van for the day £40
Fuel £25
Hire a bike for 2 hours (lucky my instructor understood) £50
Test £15
£50 two hour practice before

£180 for a fking pointless test. I was a bag of nerves to think that this would cost me £360 if I fked it up and had to sit it again. Guess what I did, passed it the second time otherwise I would have gave up learning to ride bikes. Didn’t help it was pissing down plus I hadn’t rode the bike that day or for a few days and had to ride it cold.

£380 could have bought me advance riding lessons, the mind boggles as to how they think this is a good idea. Even now I put the odd foot down doing a U-turn or coming out a junction, strangely I never died after doing this in fact I stayed on the bike.

Mod 2 was a piece of piss.

I *heard* that a ‘dab’ of the foot as in a quick touch down and up was okay but that is just what someone at the test centre said. Wouldn’t it have been better just to have it as a ‘lesson’ your test? My test centre is about 35 mins from where I do my lessons. I don’t know what it costs individually but my ‘package’ was 2 x 4 hour DAS sessions, 1 x DAS session with Mod 1 (had about 45 mins play before going down to the test centre) and 1 x DAS session with Mod 2 (will have about 20 mins play before going down to the test centre). Whole lot with bike + gear hire + insurance = £390.

[creampuff]

Mod 1 should be relatively easy: it is a controlled environment so you only need to demonstrate the required skills (of course you can go wrong due to nerves or OPs unfortunate mistake). The examiner should offer a second chance if the swerve or brake speed is not sufficient.

Mod 2 is on the road, so it is much less predictable.

[marky1983]

Mod1 took me 4 attempts. All silly things that I knew I could do but nerves got the better of me. I locked up the back wheel on two of the tests. I had the same examiner on all 4 tests and on the last one the instructor jokingly said to me " here comes your favourite bit, are you ready for this or are you gonna go for the longest skid again". I was busy laughing about it that I weren't thinking about the manoeuvre and got it spot on.

On mod 2 I passed it first time with 1 minor.

[Disastrous]

I found the MOD1 much harder than the road based test. I failed it first time for not doing a second lifesaver when doing the U-turn (had no idea I was meant to) and the examiner even said he was shouting at me to turn as I was doing it as it was the only thing I did wrong. Annoying!

Second time round, I clipped a cone on the swerve with the toe of my boot. My watching instructor said it was an absurd moment as it teetered thins way, then that way, then this way again before finally settling upright!

Load of nonsense anyway as I was all over the place the second time around and IMO, a 'fail'. The first time, I rode well and lost out on a technicality so not sure what it proves. On the day, I was a better rider when I failed than when I passed.

[joema]

I had 3 attempts at it without doing the test! Rained off each time. An hours ride from instructors place in the rain too. You'll pass, you know it better now

[Herman Toothrot]

I passed Theory & Mod 1 1st attempt were fine, failed mod 2 1st time as I miss heard the instructor on which exit to take on a roundabout (thought he said 3) and when he corrected me (2), I checked outside lane, indicated and pulled into it... apparently that's a don't do - I should have gone all the way round or just gone off at 3. Anyway sat it again and passed fine. Can be a lottery of luck on the day.

[mx5tom]

Well, passed MOD1.

No minors, although was probably only just short of a heart attack I was so nervous. Had to take a short break between each exercise because I couldn't catch my breath...

MOD2 booked for a about three weeks time... Never really ridden on the road before so not sure how nervous I should be. Hopefully won't take three goes at that one though.

[black-k1]

mx5tom said:

Well, passed MOD1.

No minors, although was probably only just short of a heart attack I was so nervous. Had to take a short break between each exercise because I couldn't catch my breath...

MOD2 booked for a about three weeks time... Never really ridden on the road before so not sure how nervous I should be. Hopefully won't take three goes at that one though.

Well done!

[Pearcy83]

mx5tom said:

Well, passed MOD1.

No minors, although was probably only just short of a heart attack I was so nervous. Had to take a short break between each exercise because I couldn't catch my breath...

MOD2 booked for a about three weeks time... Never really ridden on the road before so not sure how nervous I should be. Hopefully won't take three goes at that one though.

Well done, that's the most difficult part out of the way. I found MOD2 so much easier, just relax and enjoy the ride

[Golgarth]

I do think that the MOD1 is a little over harsh as there appears to be things that people fail on that have no significance in the real world. Then again someone would fail on a driving test for touching a curb during a three point turn, not a big deal in real life, but still a fail.

[MrKipling43]

Congrats man!

Good luck with Mod 2. Have a little chat with yourself before hand and try to enjoy the ride!