Newbie with theory and hazard awareness problems.

[Stumpy Al]

Hi all, Alan here, just joined the forum, I'm along time biker with an enforced lay off due to family and medical issues. I never passed my test years ago, when it was a 15 minute tootle around the town. I've recently sat the CBT and passed, but the theory and hazard awareness is doing my head in.
I rode on the road for 9 years, then the interval started, I've had 30+ years of car driving without a hitch, but I cannot get enough points on the theory and hazard test, I've failed 4 times now and I cannot work out why, I've failed by one point every time, the last test was last Tuesday and I know for a fact that I scored 46/50 last time, but the paperwork showed 42/50, I'm wondering if I'm contributing towards a cash cow.
I've got a good brain and a propensity for remembering things, I've done plenty of studying and have passed 9/10 of every online test I've done, I'm not nervous when I sit the exam, but it amazes me when I hear 17 year old girls squealing with delight to have passed the test, when there's me, with almost 40 years of driving, can't catch a break.
I'm beginning to become very suspicious of the test centre I've been using and the next test is booked at another place.
Fingers crossed.

[NJD]

Theory / hazard DVD from the safe driving for life website for twenty pounds got me through first time and the questions on the proper test where almost near identical to the practice questions. I wouldn't bother with online free tests because you don't know how out of date their information is, could be confusing you and or leading you down the wrong path.

The hazard part is a game and shouldn't (IMO) be compared to real life driving / riding. Learn when the DVD wants you to click and then go by that. Take your time on the questions, no rush. I went through the questions at the end but didn't change many if any just because in exams I've always been taught to trust your first choice, hasn't done me any harm thus far.

I got bored recently so decided to put the theory test DVD in and see how I'd score. Did well enough but I found the questions I'd got wrong to be bollox. For example what would you do in cross / high winds "speed up and a constant throttle" or "slow down," (roughly the answers) naturally I went with the first one but they put the answer as the second one, oh bore off mate true fact is if I slowed down on my tiddler in cross winds I'd never get anywhere and you need to keep the thing wide open to maintain any speed. Couple of other ones, I give up, talking out their arse.

Just another hoop to jump through in my view.
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[JP7]

Welcome to the forum!

Is it the theory bit or the hazard perception bit that you're struggling with? The hazard perception test catches a lot of experienced drivers out simply because they are identifying the hazards too early (I failed it myself the first time, despite being an experienced driver and an IAM observer). Apparently the DSA believes that a hazard is only a hazard once it's in your path... I got round it by only clicking once the hazard was actually in the road, and seemed to get myself a pass that way. Stupid thing.

As far as the theory bit is concerned, you can't do much more than swot up on the highway code. The only other thing to do is make sure you concentrate hard on road signs and road markings when you're driving and make sure you know what they're all telling you, just to get you into the frame of mind of "best practice". When you concentrate on looking for them, it's amazing how many you see that you never noticed before.

[supZ]

[Shinigami]

you can click more than once on the hazard perception test per clip. As long as you don't do it rhythmically or with a pattern you can click a fair few times, think i clicked around 4-5 times each on some of them. It'll score you on the highest scored click you make and disregard the rest
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"Once you realize what a joke everything is, being the Comedian is the only thing that makes sense.

[andyscooter]

If it's the questions study more and read the questions properly

Sometimes you get the same question worded differently

With HP

The screen is big and it's now a slowed down cartoon so very simple to do
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[155mph]

22 years after first doing my theory test in the UK, I did mine again yesterday and passed. Like yourself, itch to scratch so CBT done and theory now out of the way. The trick is plenty of practice. There are plenty of free theory test on the web. Just keep going at them. Eventually you will start recognising the questions. Like others have said, HP is more like a game. It's all about knowing when to click. I click when I first notice a hazard and again a couple of seconds later. I have found this to work. Do it too quickly or in a pattern and you may fall foul. Good luck

[Tigerlea]

I had the examiner tell me I struggled with the HP portion of the test because I've been driving for so long - as previous posters have said, the test is designed for newbies.

I was recommended to click once when I saw the hazard, count "one", then click again. That way it wasn't a pattern, I wasn't clicking too often, and I either got the highest point because I already recognised it or a slightly lower point which was still high in the scores, but I didn't miss it completely.

You can of course click multiple times throughout the video if you think the hazard might be something else, but just don't click too quickly or in a row because the computer will think you're 'cheating'.

I did get an app for my phone to practice the HP on - it only cost a few quid. I got lots of time to practice and see where they were putting the timing slots in for hazard perception.


In regards to the theory side of things: I did a bunch of online bike-specific tests. I also picked up the Motorcycle Theory book with practice questions which was very handy.

[UncleFester]

[Azoth]

The test centre isn't your problem. I don't think they can mess with the computer program that sets the test and scores it, at all.

You need to find out whether hazard perception or the multiple choice is your problem. It's easy to do this. Just look at your letter with your test result on it, and it should tell you what your score was for each part. At a guess, your problem is the multiple choice part, as you mentioned that you thought you had a good memory, and as you're an experienced car driver you shouldn't have any problems identifying hazards.

The danger is, you can easily fail hazard perception if you don't know how the computer records your results. In general, don't click until the hazard is in your face. Don't be too good or you'll fail.

The learning part is just about studying and learning. How long ago did you have to pass any sort of test after book-learning? Probably ages, right? So that part is just about getting your head down.
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Safety in numbers

[techsnap]

Sounds like you need to have a look at these:
https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=4330924#4330924

I used these to prepare and got through theory and hazard perception first time.

The Hazard Perception is all about practice - it's like a big game.

[Stumpy Al]

Hazard awareness is fine, it's the questions, I've ridden and driven for long enough to know "whats what", but I still feel stitched up with the question part.

[UncleFester]

In that case you just need to study more / remember more.
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