Bikesafe - Met Police - brilliant

The Other PaulG

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Realising that it was 35 years ago that I passed my test - and therefore 35 years since I last had any training - I was aware that I may have developed any number of bad riding habits. So, I decided to enrol on a Bikesafe course.

For those who are unaware, they are organised by local Police forces by specialists who have all served their time as bike traffic officers.

The one-day programme provides some theory in the morning, followed by an observed urban ride, and then lunch and a longer rural observed session in the afternoon.

This turned out to be the best fun, and the most informative day I've had in ages.

The Met Police guys today were all very passionate bikers, so they had limitless patience and enthusiasm. It doesn't matter whether you've just passed your test or whether you're a grey haired warrior wanting a skills brush-up, they simply pitch their advice at exactly your level.

So it's a fun day, you get to meet some great characters and you leave with some really valuable pointers to allow you to improve your riding.

All in all, I could not recommend it more strongly. I just regret I didn't do it years ago. :thumb2:thumb2

Paul G
 

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Yes very good and useful day. They will pair you up with someone on a similar type of bike and try to match experience levels.
I didn't know until afterwards, but if you have a look on the Bikesafe website for London, you may be eligible to get a free place if you live, study or work in certain London boroughs.

http://bikesafe-london.co.uk/boroughs/index.html

Same goes for members of the emergency services iirc
 
Thanks for the heads up. Off the back of your review, I've just booked myself on the Herts session on Sunday 4th Sept. Starts at 08:30am leaving from Herts Police HQ. £40 for the day which seems good. 3 places left. Should be a good day out:thumby:

Thanks:)
 
I loved the day I had in London with them. Great excuse to ride fast....and then learn how to ride the same road faster!
 
I have done one up in Angus and it was very good.Unfortunately Police Scotland has cut the budget so as far as i am aware no more around here.

The copper I was out with was brilliant and upped the pace as the session progressed.Very good rider.
 
Thanks for the heads up. Off the back of your review, I've just booked myself on the Herts session on Sunday 4th Sept. Starts at 08:30am leaving from Herts Police HQ. £40 for the day which seems good. 3 places left. Should be a good day out:thumby:

Thanks:)

Well that's great news - if it's half as good as yesterday was, you'll thoroughly enjoy it.

£40 for a day's focus from a very experienced rider, including lunch - that's not bad value is it?!
 
If you work in a medium to large size company try a pitch to your HR people with an emphasis on reducing time off following a motorcycle related accident; get a few names together and they'll probably pay for it too ;)
 
I went on the London North Bikesafe with the Met a couple of weeks ago. I'd agree that it's a great value day out. Some decent classroom information but for me it was the 1-1 time out on the road with a police rider. I think I learnt a lot as a fairly new rider. Spent about 3 hours on road with a mix of being followed and following. Written assessment at the end and quite a lot of chat and feedback at stops along the way. You also come away with quite a few freebies - an IAM Roadsmart 'How to be a better rider' book, copy of the Highway Code, tyre pressure and tread depth gauge, decent lunch (ours was at Frankie and Benny's), visor cleaner, etc etc plus some tat to be fair.

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Agreed.

+1 from me. Done two of these days. One with the wife and daughter each on a bike of their own. The trip round the M25 with police escort was something else:) :bounce1
 
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It's weird, isn't it, riding quite quickly in the company of a Traffic Officer!

I turned left at one particular set of traffic lights. I was doing a decent pace and as I turned, waiting at the red light on the perpendicular road was a guy on a grey F800S. His eyes were massive, I could see the look on his face, he was thinking "Dude, you've no idea what's behind you"!! :D

I know that's not what the day's about, but that aspect really did add interest to an already interesting day.
 
What we really want to know is did they say you were shit at riding or not:Barclays

Seriously what did they pick you up on? Mine was mainly down to observation at a far greater distance and perception. An example he gave was 'oh there postman pats van, but where is postman pat, is he just about to step out from behind the van', that kind of thing, sort of think deeper about what could happen rather than just seeing and assessing the obvious. Good day and learnt a lot
 
Thanks for the heads up. Off the back of your review, I've just booked myself on the Herts session on Sunday 4th Sept. Starts at 08:30am leaving from Herts Police HQ. £40 for the day which seems good. 3 places left. Should be a good day out:thumby:

Thanks:)

You should enjoy it.
Is it programmed to be a full day with Herts Police inc lunch etc?

The met police one is out of the north London base near to Watford is all day and you end up at The Galleria in Hatfield for lunch after urban riding am, then you head out into Hertfordshire for the afternoons riding.
 
Hi
Did a day with sussex police couple years ago,great day,learnt a lot and most of all enjoyed it no end,£40 no brainer for fantastic day,and a lunch can't go wrong:D

Dave:thumb
 
Now that you've done Bikesafe concider following it up with either the IAM or ROSPA and sign up and do the Bikerdown course with the Fire bike team

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+1 for the IAM. I did the IAM then one of the members was a met police rider and organised an IAM specific bike safe day. My IAM training manged me to get an A rating on the bike safe day. I tried my best to lose the police rider, but damn they're too god!

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