Bikers' Banter

Browsing tinternet yesterday and came across a cancelled place on staffordshire’s Bikesafe course for today!

Rocked up to their swanky HQ at 8:45 and got let through the gates.

Should have been 7 of us, but two didn’t show up.
The classroom stuff was fine. The group gelled really well and the two coppers were great.
Lunch, then off for a ride out, being closely followed by a BMW in yellow and blue! This actually didn’t bother me at all - I figured that I’d paid to have him there!

Stopped twice while we were out for a de-brief. Made me chuckle, as everyone passing probably thought I was getting booked

Finally looped back to Uttoxeter, then home territory to Stafford. Even the policeman was smiling when we got back!

Another de-brief then home.

Got back, then went to run an errand for mum. Pushed the bike back, fired it up to move it forward... nada. Nichts. Nowt.
Fooked.
You couldn’t make it up!

Series of phone calls, and a battery is on its way. By 9pm, all fixed and working again. Can’t complain, the original was 9 years old. Just really odd, the way it went!

I love Bikesafe and anything similar. I take every opportunity to try and learn more and besides, it's always fun. In our part of Kent we often get to go out with a Firebike, rather then a Police rider. They seem to do a lot of the Bikesafe days alongside the Police. My favourite of all is going out for the day with Kevin Williams from Survival Skills. He's not cheap but sometimes, if he's doing a couple of days in Kent, we meet up, just for a ride and I get some free advice and training. I love it when I get to race round car parks and practice emergency stops and he once showed me how to filter like a courier through really heavy town traffic. I'm not doing that again! It was strictly off the clock and not something I fancy doing again, but an eye opener for me. I try and find the money to spend at least one day a year training with him. I like to know if I've picked up any bad habits.