Masters - Journalist failed, then passed
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2018 12:18 pm
https://edition.pagesuite-professional. ... eed5155e1b
Posted on another board:
" . . . I picked up a copy of "Motorcycling Monthly" - a free newspaper from the Mortons Group. In it was an article where the reporter, Mikko Nieminen, described how he had undertaken the test for what the IAM calls "the highest UK civilian riding standard".
"I was really disappointed to read how the examiner failed the reporter on 2 aspects.
"One was his lack of use of what is effectively the Hendon Shuffle - always stopping on the rear brake then swapping feet. There are of course many instances when this is impossible or inadvisable, and to cite this as a fail seems ridiculous.
"The second was the fact that when meeting oncoming traffic, the rider moved to the left to maintain his safety margins. The examiner "wanted him to maintain the 60% position and only move for lorries etc as there may be someone behind them looking to overtake". In my opinion this is not only wrong but dangerous and ignores one of the major principles of safe riding - that of sacrificing position for safety. As long as not taken to extremes, eg riding in the gutter, a move slightly to the left seems to me to be perfectly reasonable.
"I had heard that the IAM was moving away from its strict insistence on rules and to more of a holistic approach but that report makes it seem that the bad parts of "the system" are still being promulgated in a rigid way that's likely to put people off rather than improve their riding.
"To be fair, another examiner was apparently puzzled by the first one's attitude and later passed the reporter but that doesn't make it right.
"The report can be read on pages 18-19"
Posted on another board:
" . . . I picked up a copy of "Motorcycling Monthly" - a free newspaper from the Mortons Group. In it was an article where the reporter, Mikko Nieminen, described how he had undertaken the test for what the IAM calls "the highest UK civilian riding standard".
"I was really disappointed to read how the examiner failed the reporter on 2 aspects.
"One was his lack of use of what is effectively the Hendon Shuffle - always stopping on the rear brake then swapping feet. There are of course many instances when this is impossible or inadvisable, and to cite this as a fail seems ridiculous.
"The second was the fact that when meeting oncoming traffic, the rider moved to the left to maintain his safety margins. The examiner "wanted him to maintain the 60% position and only move for lorries etc as there may be someone behind them looking to overtake". In my opinion this is not only wrong but dangerous and ignores one of the major principles of safe riding - that of sacrificing position for safety. As long as not taken to extremes, eg riding in the gutter, a move slightly to the left seems to me to be perfectly reasonable.
"I had heard that the IAM was moving away from its strict insistence on rules and to more of a holistic approach but that report makes it seem that the bad parts of "the system" are still being promulgated in a rigid way that's likely to put people off rather than improve their riding.
"To be fair, another examiner was apparently puzzled by the first one's attitude and later passed the reporter but that doesn't make it right.
"The report can be read on pages 18-19"