Dear Mike, Got your video today, sat and watched......first roundabout you come to, down goes your right leg - the Examiner over here would fail you for that...then you continue throughout the video and never once use a lifesaver - he would fail you for that too, especially when you are preparing to turn left off a roundabout......I would have thought that a professional video would have obtained the highest possible standard and that any mistakes (such as being in the right lane approaching a r/bout when actually wishing to go left) would have been edited out. I bought the video with the intention of providing it to assist those who wish to become more advanced in their riding skills (I am an Instructor for the BMFRTS) and also to help those who wish to become Instructors. Now I will still use the video, because it is useful for showing the vanishing point, etc, but I will also be asking the viewer to note your simple errors as an example of how not to ride! take care out there. [From Mike] Thanks for the input. This video is about advanced riding and not DSA novice riders. I will qualify everything that you have pointed out. Which foot to put down. We put the foot down and I mean any foot which has an advantage. If I am stopping I would have finished my braking and so I hold the bike on the front brake. This allows me to have my foot over the gear stick so I can select neutral if required. Note it has been the DSA speciality to put left foot down to cover the front and rear brake. This is a nonsense and thought up by the DSA around a table. In advanced police riding it is in everybody’s interest to use the grey matter and not to stick to some civilian nonsense. As far as the roundabout is concerned, you are right about me being in the wrong lane. At that point of the film I was not aware which way to go, as the road was not familiar to me. As you can see I have purposively left it in just to show there is no perfect rider out there and even the best of us get it wrong. Lifesavers. You use a life saver if you are uncertain of the view behind at any stage. If rear view mirrors are up dated regularly in my opinion not required. I have written a document about advanced police riding techniques. Below is the advice I give regarding shoulder checks. 11.10 Shoulder checks Be a firm believer in extensive use of the rear-view mirrors. Shoulder checks should be used when one is uncertain about restricted views to the rear, or where a view has not been taken in the mirror for some time. Use them when you feel they are required. Shoulder checks for overtakes need not be used if the view has been cleared in the mirrors. Rear- view mirrors should be updated several times on the lead up to an overtake. If a rider wants to use shoulder checks that is no problem, but advise him regarding his mirrors. The danger of shoulder checks when in an overtaking position is that as the rider turns his head, the vehicle in front may brake causing problems. The rider needs his eyes up ahead. I am glad you found one or two items worthy of your instructional techniques. My advice to you is don't be so rigid in your approach. Motorcycling is fun and highly skilful. I wish you every success with you instructing. If you have any other points I will be delighted to give you my opinion. Kind regards, Mike

Colin Ratcliffe from Omagh
DVD Customer