California Motorcycle & Automobile Riding & Driving & Written Tests

"BrianNZ" > wrote

>> The assumption that the tests *must* be unfair because the poster
>> couldn't pass them gives us a snapshot of the current American attitude
>> towards life: "I'm entitled to be given whatever I want. I shouldn't have
>> to *earn* anything!"
>
> LOL......Thats not just an American attitude!
>
> It's the motto for the 'Me' generation........

It was no doubt unintentional on your part, but you just made me feel a lot
better.

On Thu, 6 Sep 2007 20:39:52 -0700, Jim Benson wrote:
> Let's be constructive and either organize a "contest" where everyone puts
> in 100 dollars and the first biker who genuinely passes the test gets to
> take the pot home .... or .... we figure out how to get the DMV to tell us
> the failure rates (which I'd guess to be in the very high nineties) for
> liter sized bikes.
>
> What do others think?

I think it's a great conversation! Keep up all the good opinions.

As for facts, here is a test in progress although on a much smaller bike.
http://img72.exs.cx/img72/6595/CA_DM...N_PROGRESS.gif

Notice that cars can drive and park and pull out where the DMV tester is
standing, right in the middle of the test. Try that for wrecking your
concentration on your last lap!

On the other side is a curb and a fence so you really can't stray without
hitting something. That will keep you in the circle for sure!

This guy did the whole test on a pretty small bike never out of second gear
with high throttle, a heavy left hand, and very heavy use of the right foot
as can be seen if you look closely.

"Jim Benson" > wrote in message
...
> On Thu, 6 Sep 2007 17:42:28 -0700, P. Roehling wrote:
>> The assumption that the tests *must* be unfair because the poster
>> couldn't
>> pass them gives us a snapshot of the current American attitude towards
>> life:
>> "I'm entitled to be given whatever I want. I shouldn't have to *earn*
>> anything!"
>
> Even people who passed or didn't even take the test all agree, to a man,
> the test is idiotic.

Uh, so what would YOU do instead, bright eyes? The State *can't* possibly
test for high-speed riding abilitys -the liability alone would be
impossible to shoulder- so they're left with a test that at *least*
demonstrates a rider's low-speed control of the bike and his or her
willingness to learn.

> What do YOU think of the test?

It's lot better than just turning newbies loose on the Freeway with no
training at all so that God -or Darwin- can sort 'em out.

Better yet, take the MSF classes. Both of 'em. Then you can graduate to
track days, and learn the high-speed skills that will *really* keep you from
becoming the hood ornament on an oncoming Peterbilt.

(Or do you have no clue what it is?)

You should *really* read the whole thread before sticking your foot in it: I
passed the California test on my first try riding a Honda VFR800 that's not
what you'd call a bike that's suited to low speed maneuvers.

I didn't find it particularly difficult.

On Thu, 06 Sep 2007 17:26:07 -0700, sqidbait wrote:
>>>http://home.earthlink.net/~sqidbait/offAxis.jpg
>>>http://home.earthlink.net/~sqidbait/start.jpg
>>>http://home.earthlink.net/~sqidbait/loop1.jpg
>>>http://home.earthlink.net/~sqidbait/loop2.jpg
>>>http://home.earthlink.net/~sqidbait/back.jpg

Great discussion and great input!

Here is one more picture - this one is a real test in progress.

http://img72.exs.cx/img72/6595/CA_DM...N_PROGRESS.gif

P. Roehling wrote:
> "BrianNZ" > wrote
>
>>> The assumption that the tests *must* be unfair because the poster
>>> couldn't pass them gives us a snapshot of the current American attitude
>>> towards life: "I'm entitled to be given whatever I want. I shouldn't have
>>> to *earn* anything!"
>> LOL......Thats not just an American attitude!
>>
>> It's the motto for the 'Me' generation........
>
> It was no doubt unintentional on your part, but you just made me feel a lot
> better.
>
>


I won't let it happen again!

After watching some of my (richer) mates parenting skills it seems
common to give the kids whatever they want, then if they 'play up',
threaten to take the toys away.

I was more of a "If you want it, you will have to be good and save for
it" type of father. Of course, it was still my money, but the boys felt
they had earned it and treated the new 'toy' with respect , rather than
just another thing that will be replaced.

I just work on the theory that parents should do what they can to make
their kids lives easier than their own upbringing, but just handing out
toys doesn't cut it. There has to be some work ethic involved....OMG
I've turned into my parents.....aaaarrrgggghhhh!

Jim Benson wrote:
> On Thu, 6 Sep 2007 21:41:36 -0400, J. Clarke wrote:
>
>> Why don't you just file a FOIA request for the data? But what
>> difference does it make?
>
> How does one do this?

Geezus, google "FOIA".

> The difference? The difference would be the truth.
>
> Or does the truth mean nothing to you?

The "truth" is that you're struggling to justify your own inability to
master the test.

--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

Outback Jon wrote:
> OK, having just looked at the pictures that were linked to, it
> really
> doesn't look that difficult. It looks like it simulates a u-turn on
> a
> street. Assuming I'm understanding the way the test works.

More than that because you have to do two complete circles without
getting outside the lane, then you have to repeat it in the opposite
direction after threading the cones.


--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

"BrianNZ" > wrote

> After watching some of my (richer) mates parenting skills it seems common
> to give the kids whatever they want, then if they 'play up', threaten to
> take the toys away.

Eh. That's akin to closing the barn door after the horse has run off.

> I was more of a "If you want it, you will have to be good and save for it"
> type of father. Of course, it was still my money, but the boys felt they
> had earned it and treated the new 'toy' with respect , rather than just
> another thing that will be replaced.

My mother had a different theory altogether: she had me open a savings
account when I was nine "so you can save up and buy a new bicycle when you
want one". So I saved up for two years, mowing lawns and the like, and
finally accumulated enough money to buy the new bike.

But when I went to withdraw the money, I discovered that I had to have my
mother's signature to take anything back *out* of the bank account, and when
I asked her for it she told me "You don't need a new bike! You should be
buying your school clothes with that money!"

I won't claim I didn't learn a lesson from that, but it wasn't the one she'd
had in mind.

P. Roehling wrote:
> "BrianNZ" > wrote
>
>> After watching some of my (richer) mates parenting skills it seems common
>> to give the kids whatever they want, then if they 'play up', threaten to
>> take the toys away.
>
> Eh. That's akin to closing the barn door after the horse has run off.
>
>> I was more of a "If you want it, you will have to be good and save for it"
>> type of father. Of course, it was still my money, but the boys felt they
>> had earned it and treated the new 'toy' with respect , rather than just
>> another thing that will be replaced.
>
> My mother had a different theory altogether: she had me open a savings
> account when I was nine "so you can save up and buy a new bicycle when you
> want one". So I saved up for two years, mowing lawns and the like, and
> finally accumulated enough money to buy the new bike.
>
> But when I went to withdraw the money, I discovered that I had to have my
> mother's signature to take anything back *out* of the bank account, and when
> I asked her for it she told me "You don't need a new bike! You should be
> buying your school clothes with that money!"
>
> I won't claim I didn't learn a lesson from that, but it wasn't the one she'd
> had in mind.
>
>


Mothers are always right. I bet you started a cash savings of your own
real quick!

I still have the old tobacco tin I used to stash my hard earned mowing
money into....it only has about $50 in it now, but thats handy to have
sometimes.

pinbob > writes:

> On Thu, 06 Sep 2007 20:57:15 GMT, pinbob wrote:
> If you have the REAL statistics of the percentage of riders who pass and
> fail the Ca dmv motorcycle test - please post as it is the general
> assumption more than 99% of experienced riders on super-liter bikes can not
> pass this ridiculous test.

I was surprised to find out that the R1 has a dry weight that is some
30 lbs lighter than the dry weight of my budget bike.

The secret to a really tight turn, like the MSF figure eight in a box,
is to look over your shoulder while turning. Also keep the power on
or your foot will go down. The best way to do that is to use your
clutch. You can also use your rear brake.

I was very impressed to see a full dressed big Harley do a perfect
eight in the box.

--
Ethics are so annoying
I avoid them on principle