Learner riders I salute you.

[NickD]

Ok, it's confession time........Having had my license for 14 years, and now being well into my 30's I have for a long while considered learners to be a bit of a pain in the arse (it's easy to judge but eventually you will look at learners like this). Noisy, smelly, slow things, getting in the way all the time. Don't get me wrong, I've never been openly aggressive or nasty ('cos I'm not like that, and I remember that I was once a learner too), but I have for a long time been quietly irritated. This ends now..........

A friend of mine broke her wrist, preventing her from riding, so today I rode her RSX 100 from St Albans to Leicester, in drizzle, crap light and strong wind. I was amazed at how many 'small bike' experiences I had forgotten. The fact that other road users are completely oblivious to your presence, the mad vibration while flat out, the fact that other bikers ignore you (except the the guy on the old Bonneville, he must have psychically recognised a fellow Triumph rider). I was absolutely livid when a guy on a lowly GS 500 didn't nod back (bastard!). On top of this there is the rubbish brakes, and the lack of power, both of which require a level of 'planning ahead' that it's easy to forget on a big bike. And the experience of having to get a 'run up' for big hills, and then on coming to the top of the hill and having a gust of wind instantly take 10 mph off your speed.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that years down the line, when you don't have to struggle anymore it's easy to take power, brakes, reliability and respect for granted, I won't be doing this again. I now remember what you have to put up with, but I also remember why you put up with it. Because despite the 'culture shock' of having to ride a small bike again, and all the problems that it brings........... I still had a fucking ball.
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I was only doing what it said on my licence officer....
Tear along the dotted line!

[iCraig]

[palmer]

had fun reading that mate

palmer

[Frost]

Learners do get kind of a raw deal off all other road users. but then thats really the incentive to do your test, go faster and get more respect from other road users.

Its not really an L plates issue though, as when i rode a 125 without L plates i still got treated like shit

[NickD]

I had no L plates on either, and while I know I'm never going to live this down, I had a numberplate that said '0 to bitch in 3 seconds'.
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I was only doing what it said on my licence officer....
Tear along the dotted line!

[stryker]

Its a shame, esp for learners. Not only do they have to ride a 125, but they have to bear the brand of a noobie, that little innocent "L" that makes the red mist descend on many a fully licensed driver

[Dom_]

If someone on an 'L' plate nodded to you, would you nod to them back??

[Frost]

We've had this one before. general answer is yes of course provided they nod first.

[NickD]

Usually do it first, unless they're wearing a track suit.
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I was only doing what it said on my licence officer....
Tear along the dotted line!

[Sacarius]

Went from Shoesby to Warwick on thursday and back again on Saturday, had loads of nods from all sorts of bikes, was unusual though. I have an NSR125 and my mate has a DT125R, good long ride considering it was A roads only, most of the nods came first then we nodded back also a few "friendly" overtakes.
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The way your heart sounds makes all the difference. It's what decides if you'll endure the pain that we all feel. The way your heart beats makes all the difference in learning to live. Spread before you is your soul. So forever hold the dreams within our hearts. Through nature's inflexible grace I'm learning to live.

[cliff]

That brought a tear to my eye.
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Sweet reggae music.

[JonB]

Pah, you would get used to it. Being a learner sucks.
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Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it?s worth.

[mr jamez]

I have to go back to being a learner soon, didn't like it the first time round. Oh well at least I wont be as much of a newbie for the second L plate experiance

[mr.z]

I still remember takeing my cg to be sold ( poor old thing ) after rideing the big DAS bikes, thinking, how in the holy **** did i not get killed on this thing?

L plates are a rubbish idea imo(allthough i realise they need to be there ), in a perfect world people would give them more space, be more patient and generally be prepared for any silly mistakes weve all made at some point...

The fact is (and this is true of cars as well) people act like complete twats, overtake when its completely not needed (like your doing the limit, theres a big cue in front and no gap for them to go into, but they will barge past and cut you up so they dont have to be behind a learner) tailgateing all the time, assumeing they have priority when you have it... the list goes on...

I make special effort to nod to learners (not scooters or chavs though, i used to nod for scooters but not one back) because i remeber being a learner and rideing every day for a year on that scarey little bike, and every nod i got reminded me how bloody good it is to be a biker
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>RidingSkills<->Tech Tips<->MyBikes<

[mrchips]

I find that I have a bit more respect on the road now with having a two stroke 125 I have a bit of power to get moving. On the 50 it was like everyone was on a mission to kill you, especially when I had the slowest 50 around.

[roozor]

i hated being a learner, i hugged my instructor when i passed, seriously! and shook his hand.

im not gay... but i do love stan stevens

[stinkwheel]

Maybe something you pick-up with a bit of experience. I am sure others will agree is that you eventually learn to MAKE other road users treat you with respect, no matter what you ride. I used to ride a pedal and go moped round the centre of Edinburgh and people were not given the oppertunity to cut me up...a few tried and quickly learned the error of their ways or lost their wing-mirrors.

It is maybe something subliminal to do with the way you ride, I don't know, but many of my mates from the university bike club (who have been riding longer than I have) keep small bikes for playing about on. We don't have nearly such a problem with arseholes on the road. Maybe it is just because I am a six-footer, a fact which is emphasised by the tiny wee bike I am riding or maybe you start to show a certain air of confidence after you have been riding bikes for a few years. I have happily used the fast lane to overtake HGVs on the M6 in heavy traffic on both a C90 and an H100.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[pipnet11]

The most satisfaction i got as a learner was if someone overtook me i would make every effort to ride almost up there exhaust, even if it did nearly kill my bike and me!

I always nod at learners aslong as they dont look like chavs, I remember i was one of the L-plate people only a few month ago.

Phill
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I love the girls that do, I hate the girls that dont, I hate the girls who say they will and then they say they wont, but the girl I like most of all and I think youll say Im right, is the girl who says she never has but looks as though she might. - Max Bygraves

[zaknafien]

[mr.z]

[pipnet11]

Yer i was, Im not denying that. Iv got a rather large scar on my arm to remind me of that everytime i go out now. I learnt the hard way and make no effort to hide that.

Phill
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I love the girls that do, I hate the girls that dont, I hate the girls who say they will and then they say they wont, but the girl I like most of all and I think youll say Im right, is the girl who says she never has but looks as though she might. - Max Bygraves

[dodsi]

I find that riding a motorcycle instead of a scooter helps. As people just think that your some chav on a scooter with no sence

but most people not at me on bikes even though i have my L plates clearly on show (i really cant be bothered getting pulled by the police for something daft like L plates)!

[scott_hood_88]

I find you see people doing the most stupid and pathetic things on L plates,

I've been over taken just before a speed camera then had him slam the brakes on and drive at 30 for the whole lenth of the road.

I've been overtaken and had to do an emergency stop when a beemer decided he was gonna get infront of me before a roundabout about a foot from the curb and a foot from me.

Whilst on a single carrigeway a car ahead was in the center waiting to turn right, and some greatbig people carrier came flying past slammed on the anchors and made a tight swerve to avoid the car.

I get people overtaking me without giving me any space, sometimes even staying in the same lane, driving me into the gutter.

No one ever give way when I want to get into the right lane.

I personally think it would be safer if we were alloud a big bike to start of with, as people perception of L plated riders are 'slow inexperianced annoyances', not 'novices learning give them space'

Well at least at the end of it I'll still be expecting people to do the stupidest things

Scott

[stinkwheel]

I would happily drive the buggers off the road if they tried that sort of shit with me, only time I will give ground when someone is trying to squeeze past is if they are presenting a hazard to someone else. Thing is, they have seen you and will be watching you, whilst most of them are prepared to drive like a plonker, they are not so prepared to actually run into you.

I once forced a double decker bus back into his own lane when he tried to muscle his way into the position I was occupying in a right hand filter lane on my moped (he looked me square in the eye in his mirror then started to pull accross on top of me). Took a bit of kicking the shit out of the side of the bus with my steelies on that occasion though
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Sadie]

For the record regarding Nick's ride:

The RXS is mine, being lent to a mutual friend.
Nick apparently arrived in Rugby (journey's end) grinning like a cheshire cat.
He looked hilarious!

Tee hee!
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With experience comes age.