Last weekend I failed my advanced driving test for motorcycles. My examiner was a police instructor. Why did I fail ?

Apparently, for not using the power available to get myself out of the way of other road users travelling at the speed limit on the dual carriageway. I was informed that as an advanced driver I should demonstrate I have the skill to use speed to improve my safety, given that the police will allow eight per cent over the limit, plus I have an inherent under-reading on my speedo.

Therefore surely the problem is not that of drivers using excessive speed, rather that in the UK driving training is insufficient. How can a laser gun differentiate between an advanced driver and a person who is not really skilled sufficiently to be in charge of a motor vehicle?

The answer I was given for not exceeding the limit due to police cameras, was that as an advanced driver I should be looking far enough ahead to see it. But the M4 police were on the radio saying that they have you before you are in sight of their cameras. Therefore they are reducing the overall safety as advanced drivers can no longer implement their skills.

G Perkins

Downend

Bristol