Ok, so I took my road test the other day and was told I failed it. Right from the start the examiner came off like a complete jerk with a chip on his shoulder!! We walked to my bike for the safety check where he immediately scoffed and said "great another sport bike to make our roads safer". I did not say anything but I did give him a look as if to say...I am not some 18 yo looking to fly down the roads with my hair on fire.....I'm 40, show a little respect.

After the safety check he started the test by telling me the following....

If you go 5k over or 5k under the speed limit, I'll let it go once but if you do it again I'll fail you for blocking traffic or speeding.
 
If you go 10 over or 10 under you will automatically fail....fair enough

Lane positioning, if your not in the proper position at all times Ill give you three strikes then I will fail you.

During the test he took me through 5 playground zones, 3 mini mall parking lots including 1 theatre so I could deal with all the pedestrian traffic, 2 hidden uncontrolled intersections and a few other major roads like Macleod Trail & Anderson Road. In the end, I was told that he failed me because

1. At one of the uncontrolled intersections I did not slow down properly. When I told him that I used the engine compression to slow down which should have been obvious since my speed was reduced by 15km. He told me that if my brake light was not on I was not slowing down.

2. Turning too fast. Apparently, when I pulled away from a stop sign, I turned too fast.     When I asked him what he was talking about he said, "Obviously you still need to read the manual, I suggest you pick one up". Not only was I well under the seed limit but I was unable to find anything about speed while turning or cornering other than obeying the speed limit.

3. Improper lane positioning....here is the reason for my post.

I was driving down roads like Macleod Trail, Anderson Road, Canyon Meadows Drive etc. On every one of them I remained in the left portion of the lane I was travelling in to bee seen by the vehicle infornt of me and to get a better view of what was infront. During his feedback he told me that I was not properly positioned at various times so that in addition to everything else is why he was failing me.

Then he had the nerve to say with a smug grin and a condecending tone "Keep your chin up though, I did not have an issue with your speed."  This was the point I felt like knocking him off his feet with a well placed uppercut.

My question is, how does lane positioning work. I read the manual and know that is says to ride in the left portion of the lane the majority of the time except when you are on a 4 lane hwy like, I assume, Macleod trail, Anderson etc.

What I don't get is if I am riding in the right portion of the lane on a 4 lane hwy, how is it that

1. I can be seen by oncomming vehicles more easily - If anything I am hidden to oncomming vehicles as I am on the right side of the car I am following.

2. See oncomming vehicles more easily - Again, I am on the right side of the car I am following, my view would be obstructed to oncomming traffic.

3. to see farther into, and be more easily seen from road junctions on the left - Same as above, my view is blocked.

I guess I can see where it would discourage others to share your lane IE; Lane blocking from anything on the left but now they can do it from the right if I an in the center lane.

I can see how it would help you avoid the slippery area that may be formed in the centre of the lane caused by leaks from other vehicles but so would the left portion.

I am confused and a little upset.....can anyone help me!!!
 
 



 


 

Thanks for the reply and the graph. That makes sence to me as you are blocking others from entering your lane. What I am confused on is when there are three or four lanes....Riding in the center would be a solution but I thought that was an absolute contraindication.

Looking back, I know I should have contested or tried to appeal his "position" as it was really stupid. At the time I as so mad at his initial comments, his continual barking on the radio and his feedback I was really ready to loose it. Now, several days later, I regret that I did not say something. Reading the manual, I am not sure how he could have failed me as road positioning is listed as a recommendation....not an absolute. Do these A**holes actually have that much power that they can fail you fo any reason???

Unfortunately, this now puts me in the position of donating another 120.00 for another road test. Now I am so uncertain of what I thought I knew, I am second guessing everything due to his attitude. I am afraid this is going to set off a pattern of failures due to me trying to concentrate so much on one thing that I forget about another and make a stupid mistake.

As for you feedback, I was under the impression that the center lane was basically a no no period.   

I know but you should not have to cater to the instructor's "Preferences" as the test should be static no matter where you go. You should have either passed or not. Failing because you merged too slow, unless you are going 30, is crap. If you look at the scoring sheet I can:

Dump my bike
Block the flow of traffic
Run a stop sign
Not be able to control it at slow speeds
Wobble like a Weeble
Etc,.

and still pass provided I do not accumilate more than 75 points. But when someone comes along and proves they have good control and judgement they fail because the instructor does not like how you interpret the "recomendations" or take a corner at 35 off a stop sign.....which is apparently too fast

Tough one Pepper,

I could see this situation coming as soon as they went to this kind of testing. I would look at taking your test through a different registry office in a different part of town (or even out of town).

I agree with Ryan on the lane position thing though it's a tough one and is dynamic as traffic changes around you.

Take the test again and don't over think things to much since the book describes lane position as a guideline ask the tester the question before you head out. My tester was great and answered any questions I had before heading out.

Good luck and safe riding.