How I Almost Didn’t Learn A Learn a Lesson That I Really Needed to Learn

7pm. Thursday. September. The Partridge Car Park, Stretton, Warrington. Tony, the Advanced Biking Examiner, with a smile, reached out a confident hand to shake mine.

 “Congratulations, Gareth, you’ve passed your Advanced Motorcyclist Test”.

 Relief. I had done it. After six months of training, I had achieved the goal that I had set myself. That goal? To ride more safely. 

 On an early September day last year, I had collected my sparkling 800 Adventure bike from the Bee Em dealer. The most powerful machine that I had ever owned, looking across the autumnal Cheshire fields I rode it home, thinking of that famous saying:

 ‘With great power comes great responsibility.’

 My 800 definitely had power. ‘But do I have the responsibility?’, I thought.

 Since I had been last on the road, traffic had increased significantly and I knew that, even as a more mature rider, it was my responsibility to do something to make this all a heck of a lot safer. 

 Wind the clock forward two months and I’m at the NEC Bike Show, at the IAM Roadsmart stand, signing up to Advanced Biking Course. 

 My mission, I explained to Dave, the very friendly retired-police motorcyclist, was ‘To ride more safely’.

 Back to Tony’s handshake. Here’s the thing: the truth was that I was actually a bit disappointed in myself to only get a pass. Yes: disappointed.

 Let me explain …

 During my training, I had learned that a near flawless Exam Ride would result in something called a ‘First Class pass’. First Class. I do like the sound of First Class anything. As soon as my excellent trainer, Simon, had mentioned it, my inner competitiveness took over and I secretly set sights on that ‘First Class Pass’ as the only bar for satisfaction. 

 Let’s talk about my pass and the necessary debrief.

 By the way, Tony was one of the most graceful riders I had ever seen. There are some beautiful riders out there, but Tony had taken his craft to Torville and Dean Levels of grace and flow. Not surprising, when he shared with me his consistent decades of practice. Malcolm Gladwell’s 10,000 hours ? Easily over 10k hours of gliding on his KT.

KT; Check. Expert; Check. Experience; Check ... 10,000 hours: Check.

Back to Tony’s debrief.

 “Gareth, let’s have a coffee and I’ll go through one or two things. Mainly the reasons why you didn’t get that first.” A few moments later, Tony passed me my test sheet in all its glory.

 There were three errors! Three!

 I steeled myself for the challenge. My competitiveness surged back like Christopher Dean on his final triple salco whatsitsname.

 “Gareth what speed limit is through the first village?”

Me: “Twenty.”

 “Correct”. Pause. “You were doing 25 when I looked at my clock”.

 Me: “Never.”

 Tony “Well, that’s what I read on my speedo, Gareth”.

 Huh?

 “Gareth on left-hand bends you were not optimising your position for speed and view”.

 “Yes I was.”

 “No you weren’t. There were opportunities to SEE more and you didn’t take them.”

  “Yes I did.”

 “Gareth, you didn’t”. Tony calmly and professional pressed back. He wouldn’t budge. Tony was in his stride and I was skating on thin ice.

 Tony took out the Highway Code app on his phone. He’d got me.

 “Gareth what does this sign mean?” I had scanned the Highway Code but not studied it. The answer I gave was technically correct, but only after a whole lot of me working it out. 

 Through the ice. Over and out.

 “Gareth, I can’t give you a commended for your exam and so my decision is a pass. Congratulations, you’ve passed!”

 Through gritted teeth: “Thank ... you ... Tony”.

 Back in the car park. Climbing aboard my bike. It came to me. I realised it.

 Tony was absolutely right, in every respect. 

 Imagine if I had been scored my goal of that ‘first class pass’ and been left with no areas of improvement? What sort of rider would that have made me?

 Simple: an overconfident one. And an overconfident rider is just as dangerous as under-confident ones.

Feedback was a GIFT. He had provided me with important areas for me to focus on and learn more about. Three areas for me to practice and work on.

But even more importantly: the goal is not a ‘First’ and never should be. That goal is ego. The goal was and always should this.

To ride safely.

There are moments in life that you learn a lesson and must not miss them.

The biggest lesson here is not motorcycling safety. It is this.

 Be OPEN to feedback. Well meant and delivered by an expert. It is a GIFT.

 You are never good enough to not learn from feedback. Don’t ever let ego get in the way. Let feedback in, and it will help you achieve your goal!

Go safely,

Gareth

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