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Failed Road Test (and a heads up for Richmond)

39K views 43 replies 33 participants last post by  Squint 
#1 · (Edited)
Failed my road test today...along with a few other other PRS students...

Surrey was overbooked so they got us in at Richmond...so wow...um...

Couple pointers for those going to Richmond:

1. They mark uncontrolled intersections. I scanned them (obviously..) but didn't bother to make obvious, stupid head movements, so occasionally he didn't see me look, and I got dinged once.

2. Not sure if they do the whole double shoulder check while doing ANYTHING, but I did it anyways and he mentioned he liked how I was 360 inspecting all the time, so I suggest doing it.

3. THE GILBERT ST BRIDGE onto RUSS BAKER WAY. Check that out before going to the test. This is where we all failed. You take a right off of Gilbert and merge onto Russ Baker. The lane you're in immediately turns into a bus only HOV with a solid white line. If you're in it and can't get over, you auto-fail. So DON'T go even if you have room in the lane, try to time it so you can force your way over to the center

I barely made it in, but I did. Two guys failed there. Anyways, about 10 seconds later he said "turn right at the first set of lights". You'll see the lights about 100m+ away in the distance...

Now, about 90m away from it (or more really, check google maps...) the bus only HOV BRIEFLY (for 3 white line lengths, so about 3 car lengths), turns into a normal lane, and then immediately back to an HOV. You MUST get into that exit lane (which you can't tell that it's an exit lane, hold that thought) in that tiny time or you're screwed, you can't get back over to make the turn.

Now, why can't you tell it's an exit lane? Because they put a giant plastic median from there till the lights where it conveniently ends. So it blocks your view, not to mention when you see it, you think "oh, that's the bus only HOV lane, the median is for the bus only lane". So you end up in the center lane, having to cut a solid white to make a right (I went back there later, and fucked up again trying to figure out where I went wrong, and then was followed by a bunch of cars who did the same thing...)

Anyways, other than that, no demerits. To those taking the test, best of luck, and watch out for it! Good luck! :cheers

I'm personally pissed off, and think it's basically a trap...but maybe I'm just whining..



 
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#3 ·
Don't sweat it. I made a similar mistake in Langley on my first test. The instructor thought it was a bad fail and even called the tester, but no go.
I was much wiser the next time a week later, and just ignored the command from the tester if I was not sure of where I was going. I only made turns and went where I was sure I was in the right and passed without any significant demerit.
 
#4 ·
I tested in Richmond, and it was a breeze. Entire test was 18 minutes from beginning to end! I mildly cut off 2 cars, hit 120 on the 99 south, and missed a couple of shoulder checks as well. Oh, and I was almost 10 over for the entire test. Was kind of a gong show, really. Tester told me I looked confident on the bike, and moved through traffic swiftly and easily. Couple minor points, and I was golden. Granted, I'd been riding in another province for a few years before that, and did the test on my own bike.
 
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#7 ·
The first scenario of coming from Gilbert and turning into Russ Baker is similar to Burnaby Test route. In Burnaby you come from hwy 1(going west) and take exit for Hastings. As you enter Hastings the right lane is a HOV lane, so you have to immediately move to center lane.
No you don't. Motorcycles are ok in the HOV.
 
#12 ·
That Gilbert Rd to Russ Baker route failed 2/5 of the students in my riding class and it is a tricky road if you are unfamilar with Richmond. It is painful that after an almost flawless ride, that one small mistake was the one to end it all :(

Only additional headsup to add to this thread is to watch for the "HOV Ends" sign in Richmond. I don't remember if it was painted on the road or if it was an actually posted sign along Russ Baker.
 
#13 ·
afaik you don't have to listen to the tester's instructions if you feel they are unsafe or are unsure of what to do. this is the same as normal driving. if you miss your opportunity to turn sdon't pull a rockford, simply continue on to the next available legal and safe opportunity to turn around and come back. they cannot fail you for not doing something you don't feel is safe but they can fail you for something you did wrong or didin't do like signal, shoulder checks, etc.

imo that's a bullshit move by the tester/icbc.
 
#14 ·
To be perfectly honest, I doubt I would have noticed this either in normal driving, and would have just done a shoulder check and crossed the line if safe to make my turn.

So maybe it's a preemptive failing for that? :devillook

But seriously, I'm annoyed because I thought I could play the game, and do the ICBC dance well enough, but I guess they got me on that one...next time I'll just go forward and try to argue my way out if they question why I didn't follow instructions
 
#18 ·
wow, i thought my richmond road test route was bullshit.

im guessin that u werent supposed to follow those right turn directions unless u knew the specifics of that intersection.

i ended up on the wrong side of a solid white on Ewan ave. Had to stop , signal, shoulder check, back on the road across the solid white.

thought i was failed fer sure, but the tester informed me at the end that it was an "error in road markings" and was thus not my fault.
 
#19 ·
You made me go look..... :D
First off, it's a bus lane, not an HOV lane. Here's the sign right on the corner as you're turning from Gilbert onto Russ Baker Way.



Secondly, I watched for the turnoff to get into the right turn lane for the next intersection and there's no doubt about it....it's a really shitty move to put into a learner's road test and is quite a trap. However, like anything else, you'll know better next time. It's a very good "heads up" to anyone taking their test in Richmond in future.
 
#23 · (Edited)
You made me go look..... :D
First off, it's a bus lane, not an HOV lane. Here's the sign right on the corner as you're turning from Gilbert onto Russ Baker Way.

[ IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v386/Mikey9/IMG_0595.jpg[/IMG]

Secondly, I watched for the turnoff to get into the right turn lane for the next intersection and there's no doubt about it....it's a really shitty move to put into a learner's road test and is quite a trap. However, like anything else, you'll know better next time. It's a very good "heads up" to anyone taking their test in Richmond in future.
Hehe, I'm glad you satisfied your curiosity though! And ya, my bad, I just say HOV when I see the diamonds. I'm a Toronto kid, the 401/400 doesn't have those anyways.

Edit: If I want to do another roadtest with PRS I'm booked for september 24th...do you think I should just do it myself? I really want this over with ASAP...I'm on a Ninja 650R, would that be okay for the uturns?

Also, if I'm already booked with PRS, and decided to book myself, would that fly, or would I need to cancel with PRS first? Not really sure how they book with ICBC...
 
#21 ·
that section of Russ baker way is a bit tricky, it's a gong show when someone is stopped waiting to merge,'cars behind going around them and right lane traffic trying to get into bcit parking lot.

What's ironic is that bus lane isn't or rarely used now since Canada line shut down the express buses.
 
#22 ·
I had what I think is similar...

Road test in Surrey... turn right at an intersection and the new lane is a right turn only into the complex there. Had to change to next lane right away... I just changed to curb lane and moved over asap. They said it was ok.
 
#29 ·
I just did my road test yesterday at Surrey. Prior to the test, I was advised by the examiner that if I could not hear the instruction clear or if I was too late to make a turn on the requested intersection, I could just do it on the next intersection when its safe and legal.

During the test, I couldn't make couple turns by his request and I just did them for the following intersections. ICBC have no problems with that at all.

The examiner told me he absolutely won't "trick" me. I suggest that you should just make the turn when its safe and legal (don't give a $hit which intersection). As long as its a safe and legal turn, they can not ding you for it.
 
#32 ·
I dug up this thread because I'm going for my road test in Richmond on Monday, anyone here knows the road test route? I want to ride around for a bit, I live in surrey I'm not so fimiliar with Richmond roads, so if there's a standard route you know of please share!!!
 
#40 ·
Heads up there is construction going on along Russ Baker Way (looks like they are dumping pre-load for a big new development) and they have put cones up along the bus lane until just before the turn off for Cessna Drive.

If you are taking your road test, make sure you take a dry run along there before hand. There is very little space between the last cone and the turnoff, and there are often big dump trucks hanging out in the bus lane.

I am very sympathetic to the OP on the grounds that I have been known to display some uncharacteristically bad behavior in that area during heavy rush hour traffic. :devillook
 
#42 ·
Just want to update the thread and pay it forward

Just wanted to update this thread for anyone who will be taking their road test at Richmond. I passed but would like to share my experience to benefit others. I encourage others to do the same. Pay it forward.

Rants:
1. Really need to update the equipment to include a viable 2-way communication device. There is no way during a test for you to fumble to press the button for the radio and even if you do for you to speak clearly through your helmet and wind noise. Many errors could be avoided if you can simply clarify their directions.
2. More testing times. Motorcycle riding is much more susceptible to the acts of weather than cars but more dangerous to ride. Either more testing sites or time slots.

Tips:
1. Book earlier and check often for cancelled appointments on-line. Extremely rare to line-up at the testing center and get an appointment because you need BOTH a car and motorcycle cancellation for it to work.
2. When in doubt, slow down, and tap your helmet. If you missed a turn don't force it and wait for further instructions.
3. Exaggerate your shoulder checks and keep your right turns tight to the curb. Wide turns are a cause for demerits.
4. Try the course below at least once and try to map out the near by school zones.

Map Line Ecoregion Land lot Plan
 
#44 ·
Nice post, very helpful. I agree on the radios, luckily I had a driver that would put on the car's turn signals really early so I could look in the mirror and confirm what I thought I might have heard.*

And nothing will fail you faster tha blowing a school zone. *My riding test was a playground and school zone tour of new west. Good tip to try and know the area for those zones. And if it's summer, confirm with the examiner whether you're slowing for school zones or not.*
 
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