Theory Test

Early tomorrow morning, (by early I mean 8:30) I will be sitting the theory test for a motorbike. When I sat my car test, I had to sit a theory test. At the time, it consisted of 40 questions, based on the Highway Code, of which you had to get 35 correct to pass. It was done on paper and took just less than 2 weeks to get the results. I only got 1 wrong. Also, there was only 1 test for everyone, bar HGV and PCV learners and if you already had a licence for another type of vehicle, you didn't have to sit one.

Anyway, now the theory now has different categories, depending on the type of vehicle. So, for example, if you have a moped licence and want to get a car licence, there is another test to sit. However, if you wanted to learn to ride a motorbike, you don't need to re-sit.

The theory test now consists of 2 parts. The first part is more or less like the test I sat, but there are only 35 questions, of which 30 must be answered correctly to pass that part of the test. The DSA have also introduced a hazard perception test. This consists of 13 (I think) video clips played, which have, at some point, as developing hazard. During the course of the clip you click on a mouse when you see a potential developing hazard (e.g. pedestrians, cars at junctions, traffic lights etc) and click again when a hazard changes (e.g. a car indicating to pull out does). In order to pass this element of the theory test, a 59% rate is required. Again, see the DSA website for more info.

On Tuesday night I went to my motorbike training school for a hazard perception class, which went okay and made how the whole process of the theory test runs a lot more clear. For extra practice, I have also sat a mock test from a DVD the motorbike training school. Although the quality of that was quite poor (it's not made by the DSA) I still managed to pass. Also, I have re-read the Highway code and sat some mock tests for question part of the test online. So, fingers crossed, all being well, tomorrow I'll have got that part of the road to getting my motorbike licence out of the way.

Fortunately, as the test is now carried out on PCs, I will find out once I've sat the test whether or not I've passed, so no waiting. Watch this space to see how I got on.