Failed my CBT - Completely Lost Confidence
Discussion
GoodAfternoon Folks,
So this morning I had my first CBT however technically not my first time riding a bike (Well sorta) Last weekend I did an hours 'taster' session on a geared bike which was just really general basics. Anyways, going into my CBT this morning I wake up, feeling awfully Grotty from what I thought was just my hayfever that started yesterday but is just now a full on cold. But yeah I go to the CBT place and it soon goes underway. With it being f
king hot today I just feel like I'm getting worse but generally I am doing pretty well, there was nothing the instructor was worried about (his words not mine) regardless, as I'm on the very last bit of the carpark with T-Junctions and as I'm slowing down to where he was and about to turn I just flop on everything, I don't indicate, I brake hard and stall the bike. He was a very pleasant guy and just asked if I've had enough, which he thought would be for the best for me to call it a day. I still sat in on all the classroom parts before they headed off on the road and I went home. Even though he believes I can pass when I'm not feeling under the weather and when I asked if he thought I needed extra sessions (They do driving lesson type things, where you pay hourly) he disagreed and just said to get on a bicycle and keep doing figure of eights to not loose the awareness type skills before my next CBT. But I just don't feel confident at all, I'm questioning if I will actually do another CBT and honestly I just got off the phone from J&S accessories about refunds in regards to the helmet I bought on Tuesday. I just don't really know where to go from here, I have no idea how long my cold will last, as my most recent one lasted nearly 3 weeks and I have to rebook my CBT within a month to get a decreased price for it.
So this morning I had my first CBT however technically not my first time riding a bike (Well sorta) Last weekend I did an hours 'taster' session on a geared bike which was just really general basics. Anyways, going into my CBT this morning I wake up, feeling awfully Grotty from what I thought was just my hayfever that started yesterday but is just now a full on cold. But yeah I go to the CBT place and it soon goes underway. With it being f
king hot today I just feel like I'm getting worse but generally I am doing pretty well, there was nothing the instructor was worried about (his words not mine) regardless, as I'm on the very last bit of the carpark with T-Junctions and as I'm slowing down to where he was and about to turn I just flop on everything, I don't indicate, I brake hard and stall the bike. He was a very pleasant guy and just asked if I've had enough, which he thought would be for the best for me to call it a day. I still sat in on all the classroom parts before they headed off on the road and I went home. Even though he believes I can pass when I'm not feeling under the weather and when I asked if he thought I needed extra sessions (They do driving lesson type things, where you pay hourly) he disagreed and just said to get on a bicycle and keep doing figure of eights to not loose the awareness type skills before my next CBT. But I just don't feel confident at all, I'm questioning if I will actually do another CBT and honestly I just got off the phone from J&S accessories about refunds in regards to the helmet I bought on Tuesday. I just don't really know where to go from here, I have no idea how long my cold will last, as my most recent one lasted nearly 3 weeks and I have to rebook my CBT within a month to get a decreased price for it.GeneralSinn said:
I genuinely didn’t know you could fail a CBT, never heard of anyone failing it before.
I saw someone ride the wrong way around a roundabout and still get signed off.If the instructor fails them they will just go somewhere else for their next cert. I've never heard of it happening before.
GeneralSinn said:
I genuinely didn’t know you could fail a CBT, never heard of anyone failing it before.
Sounds like basic nerves either combined or excused with a sniffle.
A single failure and you’re done... Jesus man, grow a pair and get on with it!
You don't actually fail, but can fail to complete it.Sounds like basic nerves either combined or excused with a sniffle.
A single failure and you’re done... Jesus man, grow a pair and get on with it!
GeneralSinn said:
I genuinely didn’t know you could fail a CBT, never heard of anyone failing it before.
Sounds like basic nerves either combined or excused with a sniffle.
A single failure and you’re done... Jesus man, grow a pair and get on with it!
You don't fail you just get invited back for more training. It isn't particularly unusual.Sounds like basic nerves either combined or excused with a sniffle.
A single failure and you’re done... Jesus man, grow a pair and get on with it!
OP, sounds like you need to man up.
Sounds to me like you weren't on top form because of the cold, tense/nervous as most people are on the CBT, then something went wrong, and you just got flustered. From there on, the mistakes just mounted up. This isn't unheard of.
Re-book it when you're feeling better, get a bit of practice in in the meantime if you can, and start next time with a clean sheet. I know it's easy to say from here, but the CBT is really good fun if you relax and enjoy it. I did mine back in 2002, so it might have changed, but my instructor told me it isn't really about pass or fail, just about checking a set list of skills and demonstrating a level of competence so that the instructor is confident that you're going to be safe to ride unaccompanied. In his words "not a danger to yourself or anyone else".
I had a wobble on day 3 of my DAS course where I seemed to "forget" a lot of the stuff I'd learned, and over the period of about half an hour made a number of ridiculous mistakes. Riding 8 hours a day on successive days, and concentrating hard for every minute does take its toll. The instructor pulled us over in a layby, lids off, and sat and had a chat over a coffee and a bacon butty for half an hour. Got back on the bike and everything was fine again.
You'll be absolutely fine. Get well, and give it another go.
Re-book it when you're feeling better, get a bit of practice in in the meantime if you can, and start next time with a clean sheet. I know it's easy to say from here, but the CBT is really good fun if you relax and enjoy it. I did mine back in 2002, so it might have changed, but my instructor told me it isn't really about pass or fail, just about checking a set list of skills and demonstrating a level of competence so that the instructor is confident that you're going to be safe to ride unaccompanied. In his words "not a danger to yourself or anyone else".
I had a wobble on day 3 of my DAS course where I seemed to "forget" a lot of the stuff I'd learned, and over the period of about half an hour made a number of ridiculous mistakes. Riding 8 hours a day on successive days, and concentrating hard for every minute does take its toll. The instructor pulled us over in a layby, lids off, and sat and had a chat over a coffee and a bacon butty for half an hour. Got back on the bike and everything was fine again.
You'll be absolutely fine. Get well, and give it another go.
GeneralSinn said:
I genuinely didn’t know you could fail a CBT, never heard of anyone failing it before.
My 82Y DT50 failed my first attempt for me back in 94 - the indicators stopped working!The following Sunday, indicators now fixed, I tried again but got the lead on the ride-out and the intercom was crap. Barely got out of first gear. The instructor stopped us at the end, gave the other two their certificates, sent them home and told me there was no way he could pass me, he'd follow me home.
Thanks to knowing the way home I rode those few miles fine and, thankfully, he gave me my certificate.
Don't worry OP - give it another whirl when you're feeling better. Best of luck.
Limpet said:
I had a wobble on day 3 of my DAS course where I seemed to "forget" a lot of the stuff I'd learned, and over the period of about half an hour made a number of ridiculous mistakes. Riding 8 hours a day on successive days, and concentrating hard for every minute does take its toll. The instructor pulled us over in a layby, lids off, and sat and had a chat over a coffee and a bacon butty for half an hour. Got back on the bike and everything was fine again.
That comment really brought back memories - I did my DAS over the hottest days of the summer. Most of it was a doddle but practicing for the turn-in-the-road nearly killed me. Hotter than hell, sweat in my eyes, exhausted, no moving air, I must have dropped that fking CB400 1,000 times in an hour. Try. Drop it. Swear. Pick it up. Start it. Try again. Drop it. All in full black leathers, black helmet and 30 degree heat.
Even 20 years later, every time I see a black CB400 I want to f
king kick it over Riding a bike safely can be hard to do if you're feeling like crap. Learning to ride a bike safely if you're feeling crap is even harder.
Wait until you're feeling better and get it booked again... before you know it it'll be a story you tell when people are complementing you on your riding.
Good luck.
Wait until you're feeling better and get it booked again... before you know it it'll be a story you tell when people are complementing you on your riding.
Good luck.
Just listen to your instructor, try again when you're feeling better. Nerves of doing the cbt make it harder, everyone stalls it a few times, many still pass.
My first attempt I had to quit halfway through as I'd got a wrist injury and a cold snap wasn't helping it, halfway through the day couldn't work the clutch any more. Instructor was not as patient as yours either. Did it again once my wrist had recovered, rode a 125 for 2 years, did my test, with a better instructor this time, and have been happily riding since.
My first attempt I had to quit halfway through as I'd got a wrist injury and a cold snap wasn't helping it, halfway through the day couldn't work the clutch any more. Instructor was not as patient as yours either. Did it again once my wrist had recovered, rode a 125 for 2 years, did my test, with a better instructor this time, and have been happily riding since.
you didn't 'fail' it, you can't fail it as its not a test. It's called compulsory basic training, key word is training. It's a training course, for various factors not everyone will complete it in one day. My instructor was a bit apprehensive about letting me out on the road as I was just abysmal in the parking lot in the morning, due to nerves, but it turned out fine in the end. Just book another CBT course with them, its not the end of the world.
I did mine after a mornings training and I'd never sat on a bike before, I rode in the afternoon and was absolutely useless haha, got back drenched in sweat and the instructor just said well you've all passed !! I was like I can ride on the road on my own with L Plates now !! I would have been lethal it wasn't till having more lessons after that did I feel in any way ready.
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