So there are a few posters here I've noticed that teach motorcycle riding which is a great thing, but I need to share my experience from my last "course" which was a college run "M2 Exit" training course, those who passed graduated on and got their full "M" license. The course was considered "part two" from the first introductory course which taught you all the basics. This "advanced" course was supposed to teach you the rest and have you road ready.
Keep in mind this is in Ontario, Canada, and courses, rules, laws and such may differ from region to region, country to country.
After taking the course which lasted three days I received my report from my driving test in order to get my full M license.
On my report, you are demerited for every "mistake" you made on your test, and if you exceed 18 demerits, you fail.
Here are some of the demerits I got:
There were others, but you get the idea. I came away from the course feeling like I had learned absolutely nothing. The demerits were ridiculous, and in my opinion, hazardous to follow. swinging your head wildly back and forth non stop while driving, Checking for traffic 200 feet before the intersection? When it's impossible to see if any traffic is coming? (unless you are out in the prairies) It's ridiculous. The instructors were terribly condescending as well. At one point she came charging up to me in front of everyone and screamed "I wanted to run you down! I hate people like you that slow down when changing lanes!" She was pretty rude to a few of the other students too. The young, cute guys she was always nice to and gave high marks, the older guys she treated like dogs. And the older guys were better drivers. Her "assistant" never said a word or contributed in any way the entire time.
I actually submitted a letter of complaint afterwards about how they handled the course to her area manager, but received no response.
I guess the purpose of this post is to say the government run training courses here in Ontario are terrible. I'd like to find better courses elsewhere and would happily pay for them.
Keep in mind this is in Ontario, Canada, and courses, rules, laws and such may differ from region to region, country to country.
After taking the course which lasted three days I received my report from my driving test in order to get my full M license.
On my report, you are demerited for every "mistake" you made on your test, and if you exceed 18 demerits, you fail.
Here are some of the demerits I got:
- Avoided a pothole -demerit (wobble)
- Driving on uneven pavement (in a construction zone where you had no choice) -demerit
- Failing to look left-right-left for every single driveway while riding through a residential section -9 demerits even though I swung my head wildly for every friggin driveway.
- Failing to look left and right while approaching an intersection. (I looked when 50 feet or so from intersection, they said that was too late) - demerit.
- Pulling up too close to the vehicle in front at a stop. (I was ten feet away!)
There were others, but you get the idea. I came away from the course feeling like I had learned absolutely nothing. The demerits were ridiculous, and in my opinion, hazardous to follow. swinging your head wildly back and forth non stop while driving, Checking for traffic 200 feet before the intersection? When it's impossible to see if any traffic is coming? (unless you are out in the prairies) It's ridiculous. The instructors were terribly condescending as well. At one point she came charging up to me in front of everyone and screamed "I wanted to run you down! I hate people like you that slow down when changing lanes!" She was pretty rude to a few of the other students too. The young, cute guys she was always nice to and gave high marks, the older guys she treated like dogs. And the older guys were better drivers. Her "assistant" never said a word or contributed in any way the entire time.
I actually submitted a letter of complaint afterwards about how they handled the course to her area manager, but received no response.
I guess the purpose of this post is to say the government run training courses here in Ontario are terrible. I'd like to find better courses elsewhere and would happily pay for them.