Martin took a RideSafe riding assessment with a Bedfordshire Police Advanced Motorcyclist in August. Here he tells us how it went …
“It was with some trepidation that I headed for Bedford Fire station for my assessed ride appointment, the weather was dry warm and sunny, in fact perfect for a Sunday morning ride in the country, but I had an idea that this morning’s ride would be slightly different.
As I entered the car park there was an abundance of blue and yellow decorated bikes and I was thinking to myself ‘now would not be a good time to cock up the u turn required, and have to lay the bike on its side’.
With the necessary manoeuvres completed and the bike safely on its side stand I headed over to the registration desk, where I was greeted warmly, and my booking confirmed.
After a short form filling in session I was introduced to Paul my assessor for the ride, he looked over my bike as only the police seem able to do and asked questions about my riding history and the sort of rider I thought I was. So far so good, and he even had a sense of humour, which for riding behind me for any distance was a good thing.
A quick ‘can you read that number plate’ and we were kitting up for our ride. Paul advised me that he would stay behind me for the assessment and that I was not to take any notice of where he was on the road as he wanted to view my ‘style’ from all angles. I was to ride as I normally do but keep an eye in my mirrors for directions and instructions, he had a simple hand signal and indication process that seemed to work as long as I used my mirrors. Once I had gotten over the shock of a fully kitted up police bike swarming all over my rear, and the startled onlookers, who I was sure were thinking ‘there goes another biker being chased’ things started to settle down and I got into the swing of things. We were making good progress, even overtaking ‘The public’ as required. Sure I missed a couple of speed limit signs, I missed a couple of Paul’s direction signals, but after 40 minutes we arrived back in Bedford without incident.
Ok I thought this was the moment of truth, I had got back in one piece, Paul had not had to stop me and issue any warnings, and after all he had managed to keep up with me, so how bad could it be?
After a quick chat and some brief discussion about my approach to the ride, we both sat down to write down our thoughts, mine on a questionnaire and Pauls on the full page assessment report.
It’s amazing how accurate the report was, where I was marked down in an area it was backed up with a recollection of the exact point on the ride where the error had occurred, and how it might have been avoided. It was also pointed out where I could have actually ‘Enjoyed’ my riding further and not been held up as much, simply by being in a better position.
So was it worthwhile?
Without a doubt, even after 30 years of biking you never stop learning, a fair and very useful morning which above all is very good fun.
If you are thinking about going along and you just cannot make up your mind, I would say just do it, it’s a real eye opener into the way these guys ride, and boy can they ride! And what’s more you learn a lot about how you ride, and how you could ride better still.
Mind you I am not sure I will ever get used to riding with a police bike that close behind me. It’s just unnerving.
Thanks to all involved, a great morning, and time well spent.”