You are here: Compass > Gypsyprincess passport > Tagged from Gypsyprincess with motorcycle test

Tagged from Gypsyprincess with motorcycle test

Travel blogs tagged with motorcycle test:

Boo Ya!!!!!!!!!

06. July 2008 | en

I did it, I did it, I did it!!!!!!!!!! Thats right boys and girls, I now have a German motorcycle license. Not without any small amount of pain now mind you – a brief overview of my last 3 days to illustrate: (with help from my 365 photo blog project, which I have been doing constantly, minus the blogging part, which is what I thought would keep me taking the pictures in the first place, but whatever.)

Anyway let the digression stop!

Friday: One week before anticipated departure date and I have my test the next morning. Should I fail I have to wait 2 weeks before I can take it again, meaning yes, our trip is delayed by at least one week.

More importantly. EVERYONE knew the date of my test. Under normal circumstances I would hide this information so no one would know of my humiliation should I fail. Except this close to leaving how do I hide that? Also at 250 Euros a pop the thought of failure made me want to vomit. That is 2 weeks on the road (minus gas).

I proceed to deal with it Sherrie style, over indulge in wine at the work summer function, and be pursued the entire night by my instructor who was riding a flaming motorcycle. Sigh.

Saturday morning: Oh God, I am going to vomit into my helmet.

I have never been so scared in my life. I don’t remember feeling this way before going for my car license. (However maybe I should have as I failed twice for that stupid test. The first time because I backed into a pole, whoops nerves! And the second time I made it out of the compound only to be told I was TOO cautious and therefore the instructor felt that I wasn’t ready for the roads). Wither it was the nightmares, the wine, the missed class, or just memories of trying to go for my car license in Canada, I was ready to vomit. Everywhere.

I had been told to expect about 45 minutes, and 2 of the compound exercises. Some instructors take you to the highway, others the back roads, usually in combination with some driving through town. But they COULD do whatever they felt like to you. 1 hour and 15 minutes later I had driven through town, through the side streets of town, the highway, and the back roads where they do that whole what the speed limit ISN’T. And of the 6 possible exercises on the compound, I did 5. The only thing not asked was circles in second gear, which is fine by me, as how useful is the ability to do giant circles around trees anyway????

Before you go thinking I can now drive however, I have to sadly state that this is Germany, and nothing is so easy! I was given a piece of paper that I now bring to the drivers license office, and they take my old license and give me a new one with the permission to drive a motorcycle on it. Originally I had thought this was fine, I would at least be driving on Monday. Now I check the office hours, and I had forgotten all about German bureaucracy, with its office hours as limited as the paperwork is extensive. 8 30 – 12 30 every day, where I work 8 30 – 12 15 ALL this week. Thursday is the only day they are open past 1 30, and that is the day I am suppose to have lessons with the landlord.

Hopefully they will let Patrick pick it up with my passport, as we leave Friday for 3 months of motorcycling through Eastern Europe into Greece and Turkey and back!