After going through the trauma of getting my license last week, I thought I would do the community service thing and do a little write up for those of you out there who don’t know what is required to get your license the K53 way.
OK, so you have managed to get a test date for your learners license (if not, keep on phoning, it is the only way). Go out to C.N.A. or another book shop if you choose, and buy one of those learners license books – STUDY – this test is not as easy as many people make out. Yes, it is multiple choice, but it can be tricky, there is a reason many people fail first time – don’t let it catch you off guard, it is not worth the frustration of having to get another test date.
Right, we move on. So you have made it through the learners license test and passed – well done – now you can get on your bike and ride (how weird and sometimes scary is that) – be careful, start out slow in your driveway or a quiet parking lot, then move on to quiet streets. Once you have built up your confidence, you can start to move between the traffic. You will soon learn the joys of riding on 2 wheels – the best thing I ever did. Be careful of cars, but mostly be careful of taxis. Most cars give you room, but all you need is one that pushes too hard, you will come off worse. And again I say, be careful of taxis – they don’t care, in fact most of them will laugh if they push you off the road, it just is not worth it, and the best thing if they push past you is that you will probably pass them at the next traffic light, if not – IT”S NOT WORTH IT – DON’T MESS WITH TAXIS. (Remember to carry your license with you).
Now we get to the driving test, the practical test. Your learner’s license is valid for 18 months, I waited for 8 months for my test date, and I only got that date because I got help from a helpful sales person from a scoot shop I walked into, and I wasn’t even going in to buy anything (thanks Debbie). My advice if you are not having any joy getting a test date is to find a driving school and ask if they can help, or try different shops, some of them have connections to get a date.
My advice once you have your test date is firstly, hold on to it – it is like gold (you have a limited time to pay to secure your test). Secondly, find yourself either a driving academy or driving school. I had private lessons and they paid off, it was worth the money and actually worked out cheaper than an academy. Thirdly, if you drive a 125cc or less, hire yourself a bigger bike. I drive a 125cc auto (twist and go) and originally thought that I would never hire a bike and would just take my test on my bike. Then I was faced with my test venue being 100km away (it was all I could get), I wasn’t going to ride my 125cc all that way. Then I also realised, that if you take your test on a 125cc or less, you can only drive a 125cc or less, and if you take your test on an auto (twist and go), you can only ride an auto. I hired a 200cc Honda with gears and now I can ride any bike I like – I am not sorry, when it comes time for a new bike I can buy anything I like. Oh, and another little tip, the bike I hired included a trailer, it helped with the nerves to have the bike on a trailer rather than riding all that way. If you decide to take your test on your 125cc or less twist and go, at least you are aware of the consequences.
A last little tip with the test – be careful. I had a really nice testing officer, but I have heard stories of guys being failed for not doing the proper checks etc between the license office and the yard – they can be nasty, ask if you are not 100% sure of the exercise they are asking you to do, and don’t just ride around the test ground (adhere to stop and yield lines in the yard). I spent as little time on the bike around the yard as possible so that they couldn’t catch me out. Remember to do all your mirror and blind spot checks and never touch a line or roll back.
All that is left to say is GOOD LUCK – with getting dates, finding a teacher and mostly with the actual test. If you have any questions, I will be happy to answer - reply to this post so all can benefit. And for those of you who think you can ride without a license because your bike has a small engine – you need a license for any bike that is not a bicycle on the road – it’s not worth getting banned for riding without a license (I am not sure of the exact penalty, but it can’t be fun).
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