I haven’t passed my test so please excuse the lack of intro and bike pictures!
My Mod 2 test is next Tuesday, at Enfield and I have a few questions regarding the test, if anyone can help please it would be greatly appreciated:
Are there are set routes and if so where I can find details of these please?I’ve had a look on Google maps but can’t fathom out the speed restriction after you come out of the test centre, turn left up to the roundabout (20mph) and then turn either left or right at the roundabout. Any ideas please?Someone mentioned in a forum about lamp posts being an indication of speed limits - how true is this and if so how does it work please?l
Many thanks
The lamp posts thing isn’t formal as far as I know - but the theory is 30mph in built up areas - and built up areas have lamp posts.
Are you getting any lessons? If so, they will know the routes - though there are a number for any test centre - so no guarantees but possible they would know the more commonly used ones by the motorbike testers.
Iggy - yep great advice too, many thanks! The reason for my question was quite simply that, as stated, there aren’t any visible speed restriction signs as you come off of the roundabout. Of course I have an instructor but I have forgotten what he said regarding this, again hence the question, and as I do not know the area at all I am thus unsure as to whether or not it is 30mph or 40mph …or for that matter still 20mph as there aren’t any signs.
Yup. Street view will help BUT the test route follows quite a few different routes so instructors can’t get to grips with it and “train” you to ride well on just 1 route to pass. Remember, if unsure just ride slower. Can’t fail you for 20 in a 30
Many thanks for all the advice in particular the stuff about if it’s in a built up area and the fact that they can’t fail you for doing under 30mph. Having already tried to google before questioning I’m now going to go for a drive around tomorrow anyway so will report back.
Jamie - Actually it can fail you or mark a minor for lower speed and lack of progress. (but thankfully I’m not examining drivers/riders)
In general, residential areas (lamp posts) 30mph, if you start ride and there is for example 40mph limit you are doing 30 up to next sign which showing 40 it will mean that you were not sure and that is technically good. (God I wish that make sense).
I found that 20mph is very often on roads with speed bumps, so in residential areas.
So please in general be careful of speed, check speedo and mirrors often, get use to it checking mirrors and speed together, that will help you. If you know the bike you don’t need speedometer after a while you will “hear” the speed.
You are expected to be confident and have full control of your machine remember that.
R
I was told to look down a side road as I go past and if i see a 20 down that side road im in a 30 mph road and if there is a 30 down the side road i am in a 40 limit.
One road has a stop sign and solid white line at the end where you must stop, treating like a give way and not fully stoping can fail you. Was told the sign is hard to spot and can catch you out. It isn’t and it can’t, it’s visible for about 200 yards! It’s Scotland Green Road, google it, it’s also a 20 zone.
There is a one way street where nine times out of ten you’ll be asked to turn right at the end of. Remember to go to the right lane.
The roads around the test centre are all 20. If you come out and turn right and immediately approach a roundabout, that road is mollison Ave and I’m pretty sure it’s a 40. Google street view it.
There are also quite a few 20s in that area, keep an eye out!
Yes they can fail you for going 20 in 30 as a matter of fact I failed my first car test for going 23 in 30 The dude was a total dick but they are sometimes so be careful. Motorcycle test inspectors tend to be nicer though
On my test I found myself on a road - wasn’t sure it was a 20 or a 30. I opted for 25 - knowing I would probably get a minor (I did) for going slightly to fast or slightly too slow - but 30 in a 20 or vice versa is probably a major.
Of course it’s better to spot the signs and then you know
Yeah in my case the car was equipped with two speedos - one standard and one digital in the middle of the dashboard in the sat nav/dash computer sort of thing. And that thing read a couple of mph below what the analog did so even though I did what I thought was 25 in 30, the inspector read it differently. Since then I never go 20 in 30
I did my 1st test there with a guy called Brian, he failed me for leaving my indicator on
If its the same as it was 4 years ago, I’m sure coming out of the test centre your still in the business park which was a dumb speed limit like 10mph or something.
best bet is to get there couple hours early and ride around yourself, I did that and my only mistake was the indicator -.-
I did my mod 2 in Southall, on a route with loads of 20mph limits…
Now, I failed my mod 2 the first time round, so the second time I stuck heavily to all the limits. Went through all the 20 zones at 20.
When I got back to the test centre, the examiner started going on at how ‘boring’ I was and that ‘25 is fine’ in the quiet 20 roads…
This is the same bloke that failed me the first time with 2 majors, and a bunch of minors, one of which was for 'not going in a bus lane that I was permitted to use, ie not using the left-most lane all the time.
I done mine in Enfield. I didn’t ride round test routes either. Roads are pretty self explanatory… If there’s a tricky turn that you don’t feel comfortable doing just go straight. You can’t be failed for going the wrong way the right way.
The dude was a total dick but they are sometimes so be careful. Motorcycle test inspectors tend to be nicer though 