On saturday I re-did my CBT as my last one had expired after 2 years. I went with a different instructor as on the last one the ear piece left me partially deaf for several days and unable to understand the instructor as the sound was so awful, so I was hoping for an improvement.

However, this was just as bad. I tried both ears, adjusted volume right down, and had the instructor play with the signal etc, but it was frankly rubbish. I missed instructions as although I could ‘hear’ the sound was so bad I couldn’t make out many of the words. Is this normal? I was hoping to book onto my full test soon, but I cannot see how I could possibly pass if this is the case. Not only was it extremely difficult to understand, but it made for a rubbish experience and my concentration wasn’t where it should have been.

I am now left 2 days later with ringing in my ears again. The instructor seemed suprised as ‘everyone usually has it on volume 4, but you are on the lowest setting’!

Any suggestions? Any recommendations for instructors in Kidderminster area?

Most are naff because they’re cheap. Theyre cheap because students often skip with them or find other inventive ways to break them.

It’s only pmr stuff so you could get your own radio or even just the earpiece.

The thing is, it’s quite a fundemental piece of kit. I was wondering about using a different earpiece, but was unsure if it’s that or the actual radio which was bad.

I just assumed it was part of the process, being able to concentrate and ride safely while some guy shouts at you incomprehensibly in Glaswegian.

Are you sure this isn’t come kind of transferal of anxiety ? Were you coping fine with everything else ? It’s a lot to learn at once, esp with some Glaswegian shouting at you incomprehensibly. Luckily mine needed to smoke 5-6 fags an hour so we had lots of breaks where I could speak with him directly and glean enough from context.

I wasn’t particularly anxious as I have been riding for 2 years. I had to concentrate so hard to just make out which direction he wanted me to go in and even then got it wrong twice (turning first right rather than second etc). I missed pretty much everything else he was saying.

His brummie accent probably didn’t help me much!

I made a couple of wrong turns because I couldn’t understand the guy. I kept calm and did it all safely, correct observations and indications and all that, then explained after. He said that was fine, I don’t think it was the first time he had been misunderstood. But I was in luck as the other guy on the course (who got clutch control in about 2 secs) was all over the road diddling along in the wrong place and changing lanes randomly and a danger to everyone, so he wasn’t that bothered about me…

My CBT was crap because the ignorant, arrogant, neanderthal instructor wasn’t up to much -The inter-com worked fine for his graphic letching over rough-looking female pedestrians, though

I went elsewhere for DAS.

monkeyp – Member

I wasn’t particularly anxious as I have been riding for 2 years.
Why not take your bike test?

I’m in the same position, have done my CBT twice now, really should take my bike test, but when I have the money I don’t have the time and when I have the time I don’t have the money. And nowhere to garage a nice bike anyway, so at the moment I’m keeping it simple.

Although the instructor last time was trying to say you will be forced to take the test soon which seemed a bit harsh, I think they were eyeing my expensive kit and assuming I had loads of cash and would buy a silly expensive bike off them… very wrong !

I think they must just be rubbish.
The one I was given whilst out on my test packed up so I missed quite a few turns before the instructor came hurtling past and pulled me in. It suddenly started working once he’d come over to talk to me.
He didn’t seem very happy about that so figured I was resigned to a fail.
Fortunately I must have ridden quite well as he passed me…

I only use my scooter for commuting and only got that due to the incredibly cheap running costs so to be honest I have no need or want to take my test at the moment as I have no need or want for a bigger bike.

I am sure I will do it at some point though, hence my concerns.

Ears are still ringing – maybe I need to pre-trash my hearing first!

On my fist CBT I got a bike with a false neutral, pull up to lights, stop, click it into neutral – light comes on, let out clutch, stall. Instructors voice in earpiece ‘make sure it’s in neutral before you let the clutch out’ GAAAAAARGH!

I remember a solid lump of plastic killing my ear through the morning.. then again in the afteroon. The break for lunch was a relief. 5 days of it.

One thing to remember… you can’t be failed for missing instructions.

If you miss the odd instruction but do what you DO correctly… you’ll still pass. It’s about your ability to ride a motorbike, not your ability to hear in a piece of crap earpiece.

Did my direct access test about 12 years ago,

Partway round the test i had to pull over and wait for the examiner to catch up. I could not hear instructions over the radio, chap had a play around, no real difference, we carried on, i passed 🙂

At the start i was told any bike or radio issues to safely pull over and await the tester to catch up, was still crapping myself i would fail for stopping mid test, but they kind of expect it i assume.

Then it was signal issues and battery issues, as the battery pack ran down the radio dropped in performance (no battery charge indicator)so it was quite possible to have a working set but battery failure part way round.
May be urban myth….you might pick up mini cab radio instead 🙂

Sounds like nothing has improved.