A call I dreaded making...

[azekeil]

I finally plucked up the courage to call Wayne, my motorcycle instructor. I arranged with him to pick the bike up - just as well as he's losing his garage in two weeks so he was needing to get in touch with me to see if I still wanted the bike.

Apparently the week starting September 16th is the best week for him - stuartl how are you looking for the Monday or Tuesday? We should be there between 8-9am to pick up. Apparently it's in pieces and will need to be thoroughly stripped down etc.

I asked him about the possibility of training a friend of mine up (kissycat1000) but he insisted that she would have to pay. I did say that I shelled out £1500 quid to get him back on the road, and that I was hoping he would be able to do me a favour. He also reminded me it was my fault as I was doing 70 in a 30 zone - true. However I reminded him that I did it as a gesture of goodwill and that he had insurance. He told me he was brassic and surviving off £400 a month.

The conversation didn't get unfriendly but he was quite firm with me and resisted my attempting to be assertive. I asked if he might give her a CBT but he said that she'd have to pay. He also reminded me that I'd had a 10% discount as I was going on the round the world trip but that I probably wasn't going on it. I told him I wouldn't as I'd had my bike stolen just two months after I passed my test, and it was only June I'd got myself my new bike and told him what it was. The conversation lightened up a bit as he made appreciative-sounding murmurs and asked if it leaked oil, which it does, a little bit. He also asked what year it was.

He did say that he wasn't going to do the 6-day guaranteed course after the last woman that did it took 3 months to do - but that he'd offer it to my friend for £650. I said I didn't think she'd be able to afford it but I'd mention it to her.

Anyway, my thoughts are to look into what I need to teach a learner rider legally and any additional things on top, then do a CBT and teach kissycat1000 myself if it's possible until she takes her full test. That's the only way I can see it would be possible.

Sorry for the style of post, I'm a bit shaken up by the call and wanted to record how it had gone. I'm off out now with goddesssnoweh who came in a few moments ago to go shopping.

Comments

[dylan.livejournal.com]

Don't worry, there are cheaper places around. My superb 8 week training plus mock up test cost me £40 in total as it had some Government/Council funding (but it was in Slough). Find out about local bike groups and they'll know who's good and cheap

[stuartl.livejournal.com]

Ok, loads of things:

Bike move
As far as I know I'm available for the week 16th, like you short notice is probably easier than attempting to arrange things. How many pieces is it in?!?

Wayne
I can kind of see where he's coming from, but being so rigid isn't winning any favours from you when you have a potential trainee ready for him. And since things aren't so sweet between you any more I'd suggest that you might as well shop around. Of course, you never actually *tell* him this :)

Teaching
Unlike a driving instructor you need to be qualified to teach a motorcycle rider. Learner riders must be accompanied by a qualified instructor when riding a motorcycle that they don't have a licence for (i.e. when doing their CBT and on a bigger bike learning for the Part II). There are restrictions about how far away the instructor can be and communication mechanisms between the pupil and tutor. Of course the pupil can ride the bike (s)he is licenced for (125 on CBT only) and you can follow, but this is of limited use since (s)he can't qualify for the full unrestricted licence unless (s)he rides a bigger bike.

To qualify as an instructor you need to have your full licence for $LONGTIME (3 or 5 years from memory) and go through a similar course to the Part II and for a similar price.

In my opinion this makes it impractical to teach someone to ride a motorcycle unless you already have the qualification.

Let me know what you think...

[diffrentcolours]

Please, please, tell me what a CBT is...

Re:

[azekeil.livejournal.com]

Compulsory Basic Training - it's the test any motorcyclist must take to ride on the roads legally. It entitles the rider to legally ride a motorbike of up to and including 125cc.

To ride bigger bikes you must then take a further Full Access course to pass your full test. You have to have been riding for 2 years or be 21, whichever comes first, to ride the full range of bikes regardless if you take the full test or not.

[happygoff.livejournal.com]

my friend Llie is a motorcycle instructor. she's prolly a bit far away to teach kissykat but she may have contacts and/or advice that may be useful. email me and i'll send you her details.

Poor You...

[sinders.livejournal.com]

Who does this guy think he is? Accidents happen when you train beginners to ride, don't they, and his insurance should have covered the damage. He ought to be sodding grateful that you just bought him a new bike (which you didn't actually HAVE to do, after all...)

BTW, where did Dylan get the cool flying y-fronts? I want some too, LOL!!

Sin xxx