$#@!&^% Figure Eight!

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waylander · Tue Jun 03, 2008 12:52 pm

Just finished day two of my safety course and boy are my legs sore!
Not sure if it's just not being used to that position or if it's because I'm 6 ft tall riding a bike made for a smaller frame. Anyhow I am now completely hooked.

All that's left is the test. I'm good on almost everything except for the dreaded figure eight. I know, I know, keep your head up and look where you want to go. Sounds simple right? WRONG. My problem always starts half way through when I have to switch directions I always end up going wide and can't recover.

I am still trying to bribe one of my instructors to distract the tester and that crucial moment but so far no luck.

Day three and the test starts 8 am Wednesday morning so I am going to spend the rest of the night relaxing and what comes tomorrow comes tomorrow.

Wish me luck.
Waylander

IcyHound · #2 Unread post by **IcyHound** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 1:06 pm

I could NOT get my figure eight the first day. I was in tears over it. I knew I was going to fail fail fail fail fail *bawl bawl cry*. My poor hubby was trying to figure out what to do with me. I wanted to ride so bad and I'd been waiting 9 months for class and my bike was in the garage and I was going to FAIL.

Anyway, fast forward to Sunday and poof I pass it first try. Not only that but according to the instructor I only used 1/2 of the box to do a perfect super tight figure eight.

So don't worry :)

Passed my test with 100%

Kibagari · #3 Unread post by **Kibagari** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 1:16 pm

You can still pass the course if you fail the figure eight, so no need to spend money on bribes unless you plan on failing the rest of it.

bearcat · #4 Unread post by **bearcat** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 1:31 pm

If I can do the dreaded 8 at 69 years old, so can you, Just do it!

Shorts · #5 Unread post by **Shorts** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 2:08 pm

If its MSF, play the numbers and give yourself goof room at the figure 8. Take the box wider, don't worry about going out of the lines, just do what you need to do in order to complete the box without putting a foot down or dropping the box. Just COMPLETE the run. Then ace your other exam drills and you're golden.

Brackstone · Tue Jun 03, 2008 2:37 pm

Feel free to send any bribes my way.

jstark47 · #7 Unread post by **jstark47** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 3:24 pm

Kibagari wrote:You can still pass the course if you fail the figure eight, so no need to spend money on bribes unless you plan on failing the rest of it.

+1. MSF riding test is scored on a points-loss system. You start with 100. Storysunfolding or LionLady will have to confirm, but I think 80 is passing, and the figure eight is worth 8. IOW you can totally blow the figure eight, and still have a 12 point margin before you fail.

#8 Unread post by **NWTrtle** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 5:04 pm

I went wide on the figure eight during my test and still passed just fine. You loose more points putting a foot down than if you just go wide. Don't worry, you will do fine.

RhadamYgg · #9 Unread post by **RhadamYgg** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 5:13 pm

NWTrtle wrote:I went wide on the figure eight during my test and still passed just fine. You loose more points putting a foot down than if you just go wide. Don't worry, you will do fine.

+1 - I screwed up the figure 8 completely. Didn't do the rest of it 100% either, but I still managed to pass. Now, I've got 700 miles down and I still haven't done a figure 8 since. I did do a couple of U-turns, though.

RhadamYgg

KingRobb · #10 Unread post by **KingRobb** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 5:29 pm

RhadamYgg wrote:
NWTrtle wrote:I went wide on the figure eight during my test and still passed just fine. You loose more points putting a foot down than if you just go wide. Don't worry, you will do fine.
+1 - I screwed up the figure 8 completely. Didn't do the rest of it 100% either, but I still managed to pass. Now, I've got 700 miles down and I still haven't done a figure 8 since. I did do a couple of U-turns, though.

RhadamYgg

I do them at the begining of every season...and I recomend you do too...along with some hard stops there isnt much better control practice than low speed figure eights getting progressively tighter.