ADUK Archive

I have just been told by an optician (not a forces advisor) that I will probably never become a police officer due to my eye sight (I have a lazy eye so only use one eye at a time, and surgery won't work) even though it meets the driving test standard, and my good eye is perfect.

What I wanted to do in the police was become a riding instructor for police riders, and generally do my bit to help reduce motorcycle casulties. As this is very unlikley to happen what can I do now to become an advanced riding instructor on civvie street.

I'm currently riding only on a CBT as I'm waiting for my 21st before doing DAS, but already use my interpretation of police roadcraft (I call it my interpretation as I'm self taught).

What are pay/hours and stuff like. Where would I be able to go for training (Ideally upto police standard), what are the likley costs of doing it all on civvie street etc

Many thanks
Mark

Is Google broken?

Short answer is that, currently, no quals are needed by law to teach 'advanced' (ie post-test) riding.




There is the DSA's RPMT qualification. Currently only a couple of providers. This may - in the very long-term - become a legal requirement.

There's RoSPA's Diploma. High standard 'r/c' type riding required, and reasonable instructional ability (AFAIK - I don't have one).

Pay? What do you want to charge - how many trainees will you get? Hours? Add that to the equation!!!

Daily rates go up to C. £250 for 1:1 road riding. Spend a few hours on Google and see what's on offer. Also, see how your expected level of knowledge, skill, and experience compare.

You may also need to factor in the 'unique selling point' - why should someone come to you instead of another instructor?

Also, look at bike sales and test application numbers . . . think carefully and guess what the future holds.

..

Horse wrote: There is the DSA's RPMT qualification. Currently only a couple of providers. This may - in the very long-term - become a legal requirement.

Meant to come back and explain further.

The RPMT - Register of Post-Test Motorcycle Instructors - can only be joined (now, there used to be a 'Grandfather Rights' access) by completing either an accredited course or taking a three-part test similar to the ADI system.

Currently there are only one or two accredited courses - and it's not cheap or quick.

However . . . it's only voluntary. Theoretically it will eventually become mandatory for any post-test training. Until then it's unregulated.

Something else to consider is insurance. It's worth joining the DIA for their liability cover.

I think you must apply for Hawks Eye since they are more fast than Police Officer........Ha Ha Ha

johnadi wrote:I think you must apply for Hawks Eye since they are more fast than Police Officer........Ha Ha Ha

Sorry John - I don't understand your post...but it's probably me...

The ideas completely change your life if you try manage things properly.Since an optimistic person finds positive things he observes and sees.

Hi

I think you need to get your eyes tested by someone who can tell you the requirements for the Police. A friend of mine came to do his advanced car course and the Occ health dept said he couldn't even drive response because he had a lazy eye! They took his grade off him and stopped his course. Then the driving school got involved and said if he can drive normally then there is no reason he can not drive a Police vehicle to advanced level and he had the course. So it’s worth checking.
Also just joining the Police to ride bikes and become an instructor might be a little bit of a high expectation. For a start no forces are recruiting officers for around the next 4 years. Then you would have to get onto traffic, around 5-10 years. Pass your standard and advanced divining course. Then a few years later do your standard then advanced bike course. Then move to the driving school, pass a 6 week instructors course for cars. Teach standard car courses for a few years then advanced car courses before doing your bike instructors course!
There maybe only a couple of bike instructors compared to maybe 10+ car instructors in a larger force.
So it’s no mean feat to do all of the above in less than maybe 15-20 years service.
So it’s something you would be looking at in around 20 years from now!
I’m not trying to put you off but not many people are up to it. My friend just passed his bike instructors course and he found it really hard. The other student failed. My friend is already a car instructor. He has a Grade 1 in both cars and bikes and he said it was the hardest course he has ever done!

Nothing wrong with having a goal but be realistic and have alternative plans. Some forces don’t even have their own motorcycle instructors and will send their students to other forces for training. With the budget cuts over the next 4 years, things like traffic will be scaled back as the Government concentrate on Neighbourhood Policing!
So it will be even more difficult to get on the bikes let alone be an instructor!

Good luck though!

I'm not too familiar with bike qualifications but if I read your post correctly:

You don't yet have a full driving licence
You're not yet 21
You've done no "advanced" training, but believe you understand Roadcraft

It sounds like you need to complete some basic training and then some publicly available advanced training before you can start thinking about instructing. There are lots of private companies offering instruction who might be interested in taking you on once you have, for example, a RoADAR Gold pass. I doubt if they'll be interested much below that. Also to earn money for instruction in a car, you need an ADI certificate. I'm not sure what the equivalent is for bikes.

Good luck anyway. No harm in having high ambitions!