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I believe these are the Camrider apps: iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/motorcycle-theory-test-hazard/id600089803" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.deepriverdev.motorcycle.hpt&hl=en_GB" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; The Camrider ones might be just the free versions of them though, that only cover half the topics. Although those ones also have a menu option for "Schools" which shows the Camrider locations on a map. I believe there are also desktop versions of them on the Mac and Windows app stores. I used the iOS one though and just doing all the practice questions was enough to get me through the actual test.

Phew. I thought just engine braking with back brake all the way into the apex, then carefully coming off it as I accelerate out was stupid. Now I can call it a technique! That is how I originally started, before changing to to do it more properly: come off the throttle and also braking, mostly with the front, if necessary, then coming back onto the throttle before the corner so the bike could pull into it. That way seemed faster and gave less fear the bike was about to stall. Loosing speed into the corner with some brake applied does not feel as pleasant. Moving past using my "technique" again seems the only thing left to to to recover from the loss of confidence after my accident. I would not recommend it, mind, but amazingly it always got me around despite the risks of doing something stupid. Incidentally, to nicklucey, I have not managed to do two finger braking, but downshifting and braking it still surprisingly easy. Pulling on the brake with four fingers you can tilt your hand slightly upwards. That way you palm pushed down on the throttle to blip it, but without changing the brake pressure.

That is the free version of the one I recommended. Admittedly it has more than 50 questions, but still only covers half the topics. If you were able to pass without needing to cover the over half of the test then congratulations, but personally I would not feel comfortable recommending that approach to others. To me is is better to waste less than £3 on an app than to risk another £23 plus the time and travel costs of having to retake the test.

There are, but all the ones I saw are demos of paid apps and only include around 50 questions. Could you recommend any free apps that actually have enough range to teach you what you need to know for the actual test?

I will disagree with everyone else and say get a camera. They are pretty cheap, and it is not like you need something broadcast quality for what you want so something cheap on eBay will do. The SJCAM SJ4000 is highly recommended (not any other brand with the same name). I have mine attached to the handlebars and just record 720p mode. It has the benefit of capturing anything that may happen, but the reason I got it was as a learning aid so I can go back and review things I through I did right and wrong. It was a great help so I would recommend it for that reason. Whilst I had heard it said that people see L-plates like a target, I thought it would mean people would be more careful around me. Nope, it is a target. I have a bike and get people dangerously overtaking me all the time regardless of my speed and position. Generally it seems anything less than 10mph over the limit and someone will want to impatiently pass you. Usually by pulling out just enough to pass, not the full way into the opposing lane as the highway code says, then start merging back as soon as the front of their car is in front of you, passing your front wheel by inches. Wind is not nice on small bikes, just have to keep your arms loose and watch out for breaks between buildings or trees. The other thing I would add, if possible, is to go out at weekends when it is less busy and you will not be needing to get anywhere on time. That way you can just take things easily and enjoy it, as nothing helps more than experience and time spent riding. At least that is what works best for me, getting used to what others will do and letting things gradually improve over time. After some unlucky falls over winter knocked my confidence I was struggling, but what helped me was to go right back to the beginning and redo that, starting out simply on local roads, then each subsequent time going further and on faster ones.

I bought the official book, and though it was okay the way the way it gives the answers to the practice questions was just so inconvenient I found it unusable. You have to keep referencing back and forwards, when it would be better to letter the answers so you can right down 1A, 2C, 3C etc. then cross reference that with answers in that form. Instead the answers show the full text but without any additional explanation so you have to do one at a time, flipping between front and back of a very thick book. So I gave up and instead ended up buying this app: iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/motorcycle-theory-test-hazard/id600089803" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.deepriverdev.motorcycle.hpt&hl=en_GB" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; There are questions about pollution levels caused by vehicles which I could not see mentioned in the non-test parts official book, but learned from just doing all the practice questions on the app. Cannot recommend that part of it high enough, especially as I got 50/50 on the actual test so it clearly worked on me. The hazard perception part was useful, but it scared me against over clicking which I think worked against me on the actual test. It does not help that they, and any other unofficial app, can only guess at the algorithm used to decide whether to disqualify an attempt so may have been more harsh than the actual test. Also the video quality was pretty low, especially given it was part of the app and not streaming, so seeing things like fuzzy distant people appear in small gaps between trees is pretty difficult. Especially when you are worried to not want to click unless you are absolutely certain. Yet on some of them you could also see a hazard before it starts registering as one. In the end I only managed 48/75, just enough to pass but could have been better had I felt more confident clicking. I know on one of the videos I messed up because I saw the cause of something which would develop into a hazard, so was already expecting what happened next and never thought to click on emergence of the vehicle that I am sure was technically the hazard. The app does not offer anything more than finding videos online but I think is still worth the few extra pence, even if to just watch to practice looking for hazards, to justify the version of the app with the videos.

An odd and unsettling thing today. I struggle a bit with roundabouts by being too slow on them, and was going around this one joining at the northwest and exiting to the south: I was in the position of the yellow blob and was indicating left to exit. When I turned off I was doing 15mph and looking ahead, going into the outside lane of the exit road. Only for a car to pass me by inches to my right. Admittedly I was far too close to the lane divider, but made sure to stay within that lane as someone could have turned from the first lane of the roundabout into the inside lane. Whilst I know I am rubbish at roundabouts, surely this was technically the driver at fault? Even if they thought I was going to change lanes — given my position I can only assume that is why they did it, and it turned out that lane was clear — I never strayed out of the lane so surely he or she should have stayed back and waited until I did leave it? But I mainly blame myself because of my poor positioning, as only I can be responsible for my own safety.

Although not off-road, some of the places I have ended up have been almost as good as. The problem with making routes on a map is that everything looks the same, and unclassified roads can just as easily be like A-roads or forest paths. Once, somewhere south of Gravesend, I even thought that is where I ended up as it was so narrow and covered in twigs and other debris. Doing something properly off-road does sound fun, though right now it is more confidence in my bike in difficult conditions that is the problem. The stock Chinese tyres are apparently known for being poor, and I am not even certain it is designed for going on-road. Coming home on Sunday I could only managed just over 30mph going uphill in a 40, whilst the first time I went on an unlit road I could barely see anything because the headlight is so poor. Those experiences are every bit as tense as poor roads when you get impatient drivers behind you. But while I keep looking for new quiet-looking roads to practice on there will be plenty more covered in mud, gravel, and whatever else. After originally learning on them I then got too carried away with collecting A and B-roads (hopefully I am not the only one to do that) that it is interesting to be exploring awkward narrow country lanes again. Thanks, there have been times the last few months when I have had to force myself to ride, but it was worth it as it has become fun again. One of the big things which changed that is when it went from feeling like I was 'driving' the bike and having to force it to do anything, to feeling like I was just guiding it while it glided along looking after itself. Not sure if that was due to being too tense before that I was feeling every movement then transferring that back, but I know what you mean.

Just an update to say going back to basics seems to have been a good idea. Still not fully there, but some of the time almost back to my old self. One thing I have remembered, it seems the most important thing to feel confident in corners is confidence in braking. I thought this when first learning but forgot about as it all became more instinctive. One reason why I was going so slow around them was because I was braking so far out. Being able to brake later means not having to lose as much speed before I can see out of them, if needing to brake at all, and being able to go faster for the distance I can see. Maybe it is just me, but that would have made for far better advice than all the usual talk of using counter steering. Something I think I may have only ever consciously done once. Useful to know about, but it will take care of itself with steering seemingly controlled more by the eyes than the hands. The other important thing is being confident that oncoming traffic will not do anything stupid. Which given how many drivers seem to feel the centre line is optional, even when a double solid one, is somewhat a challenge. Not sure whether my poor line on the road was a result of my speed or vice versa, and I am still getting them wrong too often, but they are getting there. And no more accidents. Although yesterday a couple of times the bike felt like it stumbled crossing a piece of patched up road, so I ended up taking it slowly worried the tyres might be a problem. I still worry about road conditions like that anyway if I cannot go straight over then, like the filled-in trenches that run along the road. Even at the best of times it felt unstable if my tyres ran up against them at faster speeds, something I always hoped was just because of my little 125 tyres. And in addition to that, for part of the ride my ankle started to feel stiff and I had trouble changing gear. I have arthritis but it had never affected like that before. When I got home (and let things cool) the rear tyre was a few PSI under. I always give them a squeeze before riding, but the last time that I thought it felt too soft I checked properly and it was the correct pressure. So that had been my benchmark to check before feeling the need to use a gauge, but which then always loses enough air in the process to guarantee they will be low. But the before and after squeezes were noticeably different so will hopefully be better at monitoring them in future.

You can take the A1 test on any bike that you can legally ride on a CBT. That level will only then allows you to ride up to 125cc, and if you take the test on an automatic then (unlike the CBT) it only allows you to ride automatics. But you will then be allowed on motorways, to take passengers, and not have to renew anything. As you can use your own bike, if you feel comfortable enough you can just book the tests directly and use that. As it only costs the same as a CBT (assuming you pass both parts first time) it will give you what you want without being too expensive should you want to upgrade your licence later.

That is something which never ceases to amaze me. It would have stopped me riding. It took me a month after completing the CBT to get a bike, a month later I became ill so barely got to touch it until the second year. Then things were going great, I was thinking towards the full test but had an accident (caught some mud) so a few more months off, and it had knocked my confidence so was not ready for the test when I got back on. Two years may be great for those who are commuting so riding every day, but I only got about ten months of weekend riding out of the two years of my CBT. Saying it is all or nothing in two years is too inflexible. Similarly restricting the CBT to 50cc. Some (most?) people are able to easily go straight for DAS training with no prior experience but I know I would not have been able to do that. But whilst 50cc may be enough for getting around town, if that is not your purpose then DAS would be the only option. For all my accidents (mud, black ice, puncture) and mistakes and being a somewhat slow learner, I know my limits, am not reckless, and not harmed anyone else. I do not see how changing the system to penalize those like me who do try to do things right and safe will help when those who are idiots will be so regardless of qualifications. I mount a camera on my handlebars though, so I can use it to learn from my mistakes, and one day someone came up to ask about it. He said he has been regularly renewing his CBT for years because he was no good at the theory. That sort of thing to me seems to me the bigger problem. When I first completed the CBT no one else in the class seemed to have read the Highway Code, yet they still completed it but were told to go away and read it. Who knows if thy did. So I agree with you and others saying the theory should be a prerequisite to the CBT. It may not be perfect on its own, but at least then requires an understanding of the road and applying common sense to it, which is usually the problem with bad riding. And those who will ride without care for anyone else on the road will, as you say, just ride for the tests than go back to not caring. As well as ensuring a better understanding of something only briefly touched upon in a 90 minute classroom section, it would then make sense for people to at least do the A2 test instead of retaking the CBT. It costs about the same, as you can do it on your own bike, but you only need to do it once and it also saves the cost and effort of retaking a theory test as that also expires after two years. At least I can only think the theory requirement is the reason people continually renew CBTs rather than take an A2 test. You get nothing but the certificate. With everything crammed into a day, and having no prior experience with bikes, I was struggling to remember most of what was said. So I ended up downloading copies of the RiderCourse Rider Handbook from the MSF in the U.S., and the Motorcycle Riders' Handbook from the Northern Territory Government in Australia. I know I am in a minority to have done that, but it shocks me that we have no equivalent and I had to rely on guidance from equivalent foreign schemes. It would cost practically nothing for the DfT to at the very least put together a similar PDF and print the link on the CBT certificate. And that way I would have remembered we drive on the other side of the road.

No accidents for me today, despite the help of a kind driver trying to make up for my competence. As I had other plans for the morning I decided to go back to basics and just get up at the crack of dawn to ride around locally to get comfortable. Just a shame the clocks had to go forward as right now what I need are some nice empty roads so I can work on the practical stuff without also having to worry about other traffic. At one point it felt like I was watching a hazard perception video as at two consecutive side roads a car pulled up and stop with its front sticking out. But on the way home I was in the middle of the lane, having just gone between some speed cushions and passed a parked car, when a white mini van stopped correctly at a side road to the left about ten yards ahead. I say correctly, but after less than a second it turned right in front of me. Thankfully a little swerve was enough, although I still need to learn where my horn is. Despite being a very bright morning, I had earlier felt blinded heading into the sun, I was coming from the north west, and wearing high-vis. I doubt it would have made any difference were I a lorry given how briefly it stopped, presumably only looking the other way, as the parked car made it impossible for anyone to look far enough down the road to not need to check again. Maybe my luck is changing! Otherwise though uneventful and boring, imperfect but helpful.

Thought I would give a quick update to say I had another little accident a few weeks ago. Maybe I am just cursed! Went to a nearby bit of quiet countryside where I always go to build confidence, and though it was a bit foggy when it got to higher ground everything was reasonably okay. But coming back it was unusually busy as I somehow had about five cars behind me, so between them and the fog I was feeling extremely cautious. As the road was too narrow for them to overtake when I saw a driveway to a farm I decided to pull in to let the cars pass. It was a bit muddy and gravelly, but I was going slow enough when I turned onto it for that not to be a problem. The sort of place where I have stopped when lost many times before. After getting the bike up and trying to work out what had just happened I noticed my rear tyre was looking a little flat (I had checked it was the correct pressure before leaving). It seems a small but sharp stone had earlier wedged itself in the tyre. I was able to get myself home, albeit very slowly and carefully, avoiding main roads, and at one point walking the bike on a closed road across a common. How unlucky am I? Not sure there is much to learn from that experience, other than avoid the narrower and messier country lanes I guess. I had the tyre repaired but have not been out since for various other reasons, hopefully will finally get back on this weekend.

So I have heard. But people saying how much more difficult a 125 can be to handle just made me think that was all the more reason to manage that first. Although, whilst I know many can, I am quite sure I would have found it impossible to do the DAS with no experience anyway. Besides, my main problem has been confidence in the moment and keeping to my line though, so handling is not an issue. But now I have the CBT out of the way though I can just take it easy without putting unnecessary pressure on myself. Which is why I stayed in this weekend after checking the weather even though I had been looking forward to it. That said, the way the wind was vibrating the upstairs flat's satellite dish was making a good argument for a bigger bike. Also a bit of a shame to stay in when last year I went out on February 8th then only missed one weekend of riding (because I was away from home) until the accident in October. Me and my wee bike had lots of fun then, though, and we will again soon, then can look into training later in the summer.

Thanks! At least I know I am still capable, and without the CBT deadline to worry about now I can just take my time and stay in if the weather looks bad. Forcing myself like that was probably doing more harm than good really.

Do I feel like a total pillock now. It was fine! One very stupid mistake though. Turning left at a mini roundabout crossroads I saw a car stopped opposite, looked right and nothing was coming, so turned. Somehow missing that the car had moved onto the roundabout and had to stop. Think I let the pressure of being observed get to me as I am normally very cautious waiting at junctions. But I was deliberately taken bendier ways to work on my line because that has been the main problem post-accident and it did improve the longer we rode. So overall the best I have felt for a while. I also learned I had my feet all wrong, a different way of braking, and I should not be afraid of dry manhole covers. Worst thing about it all is that tomorrow is not the weekend.

How badly do you have to perform on the road to fail a CBT? Going to retake my mine tomorrow, and fear I may be the first person in history to fail a retake. The playground stuff should be fine, but the last few times I have been out recently I feel like I have been getting worse. I managed to get so slow turning at one junction I managed to stall in first gear. When I originally took it I could not do U-turns so they booked me to come back a week later. I had so much self doubt I considered not going and just writing the whole thing off. It actually ended up being very simple (I had already worked out for myself what I had been doing wrong) but despite my experience I feel less confident now than I did then. Hopefully professional help will get me through it, after which I think It might just be best to hibernate until summer, although I am not sure yet of which year.

That is wrong. The only 'two year' rule is a short cut for a progressive access to a full licence. The rules are: AM: you must be 16 or older A1: you must be 17 or older A2: you must be 19 or older A: you must be 24 or older, or have held an A2 licence for two years if under 24. So you can go for the A2 test now, and you could have even with no prior experience. But holding that for two years will then let you test for a full licence earlier than the direct access age limit.

I do not disagree with just riding it out, it is just the combination of the current weather and CBT deadline forcing things a little or I will not be able to. Hence seeking advice as otherwise I am more than happy to let things come back in their own time.

I do have a road I consider my practice one, but what I really need is one that will be empty as the biggest problem is having to worry about what other people are going to do. Even in town on Sunday I felt like someone was going to ram into me as they decided to overtake on a bend when there was another car coming the other way. I knew I was too far inside on it, so was going to move further out into the lane but thankfully took a glance to my side first only to see a car already pulling in from only a few feet out. That is not just a current thing, I am so used to people making dodgy overtakes from just doing the speed limit. I once had a car follow me all the way from Horsham to Guildford and it was disconcerting because they never tried to overtake. But I totally get why people say an L-plate is treated like a target. But that is why I was heading for country lanes on Saturday, just to get some roads to myself even if not necessarily the most ideal ones for my needs. I did the same two weeks ago and felt and lot more confident after leaving the nicely surfaced B-roads to go onto the narrow lanes covered in mud and grit and with fields draining onto them. As much as I love my practice road in part because it is fairly quiet, it is still an NSL one where people will try to pass anyone doing less than that. Can you even buy non CE armour? But yes, mine is. And I have never washed my tyres, I did not know you were supposed to! They do get wet cleaning the wheel, which is just with water, but the only thing I do to them is make sure not to get any chain lube on them. The pressure I check on an ad hoc basis, although I did so a week or two before the original accident so was confident in them at the time. Having only dine around 6,000 miles they still have loads of tread too. Even the most recent accident was the fourth time out since I last checked the pressure, as I did it a month ago after bing given permission to use my arm (and ride) again after surgery.

But if you click back a bit on the opposite lane there is a newer image with a sign that says you can turn right from the right lane. I would guess from the layout that the middle lane from the Chippendale Waye approach keeps to the left around the roundabout, and the right lane becomes the middle one when it expands on the eastern side. It is notable that the northern approach on the B483 has a full (double) give way line rather than a normal roundabout (single) one like the other approaches. This is presumably to stop anyone waiting there from expecting traffic on the roundabout, and not indicating to exit, to be using the middle and right lanes. Otherwise they may think they have unfettered access to the left lane. That would make the correct routes around it as: And that extra third roundabout lane would only be used if turning right from the B483 in Chippendale Waye. I would guess the logic we are supposed to understand is that, unless indicated otherwise, if you are in the second lane then that is still your lane even if the road expands. So to have ended up in that right turn lane would have meant you changed lanes from the second to third lane. Although that would then make the instructor wrong, as their green line goes from first to second lanes. But as there are two right turn lanes on approach, two lanes on the roundabout when you join it, and two exit lanes on the B483 the idea that all traffic from both lanes has to merge on the roundabout to use the outside exit lane, which their green line suggests, is absurd. It could be a lot clearer though with a lane divider where it expands, you should not need to forensically examine satellite images.

This may be a dumb question, but do you think having a different helmet may be unsettling me? I decided I would still go to the car park yesterday, and all felt okay so I also had a little ride around, just on local roads, before coming home. Still wet, but no need to worry about ice. On one particular bend though I was worried I was going too slow for the gear and would stall, but when I looked down I was only just under 30mph so had plenty of revs. Before the accident last year I had a cheap helmet. It worked perfectly when it mattered but obviously needed replacing, and I got a Caberg which is much quieter. I think I am so used to judging my actions by the sound of the engine that without is making me feel like I have less control. Even before the original accident I was not particularly fast, just not too slow, but that sounds right for it, which was on the outside of this corner: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.25226 ... a=!3m1!1e3 I was going at 30mph, which I was told was okay when I asked for advice at the time, but there was mud across the inside half of the lane which I thought I had avoided. What I should have done is move closed to the centre, taking it tighter and slower, to give more space from it. I do have armour but my right elbow was sticking out slightly as I was pulling on the right bar. As I went down in a quick smooth movement I had no time to react, so it would have felt the initial impact. The armour is what came with the jacket so cannot say how good it is, but I am sure it helped as it could have been a lot worse. The consultant thought the impact itself only caused a dislocation, but the bone fractured as it went back into the socket as the fragment was outside. Saturday's accident was on this corner: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.22034 ... a=!3m1!1e3 I was going about 15mph turning left onto that road heading north. As it straightened the road was was worn smooth in the left car tyre position. It was smooth and black but just looked wet like everywhere else. Because of the weather having warmed up several degrees since last weekend's frozen conditions, and no sign of ice in any puddles, I never even considered black ice even though it is looked obvious in hindsight. I am not sure my speed would have made much difference but my position was bad though. There is a small grate in the middle of the lane at the junction, I think the black speck on the Google satellite image, so ended up too far inside and had to cross the start of the worn area as I headed to position myself into the middle of the lane. Although I did cross it, my front wheel turning left when I slid and it took me straight back onto the patch and ended up going over on the right hand side. I think I would have stayed up but for that second effort. But had I not been so tight to the inside I would have missed it completely. This is definitely the main problem I am having after the accident. Given the hemet example above I think my speed on corners is too slow for that reason, as I am taking them tighter and with poorer visibility. Although wet conditions definitely do not help, especially in town, as there are so many metal covers in the road I am slowing even more in expectation of them around bends, and almost always right. It feels more like an assault course. Yesterday on an S-bend there were even rainbow patches right in the middle of the road all the way around. As much as I know better, and feel more comfortable when I can stay outside, even when I consciously make sure to position myself properly in advance I still somehow end up on the inside too often though. And if that was not frustrating enough, it then encourages others to make dangerous overtakes.

Based on the forecast I honestly thought the conditions would be fine today, had I know it would be icy I would definitely not have gone out. Admittedly a bit dumb on how wet it would still be after rain last night. But as my CBT expires in about three weeks my plan was to see how things go this weekend then can contact the training school next week to see what they think I should do. Today I just wanted to get home, but was thinking to properly go back to basics tomorrow and visit a car park. It has been a while since practising figure-8s etc. and will have to do them again soon anyway, but to just spend some time feeling completely comfortable with the bike. After going out every weekend before the accident, including in rain, it had been so frustrating being unable to, but I think you all are right about waiting on the weather. It is just CBT deadline which complicates things (especially annoying as I was unable to use most of the first year of it due to illness) so will probably still go out as planned tomorrow (I can easily manage the car park and back) then just seek professional advice on my options. Thanks.

I think I may need to change my idea of a dirty horrible day. Last weekend I stayed in because of the freezing temperatures and smattering of snow, it did not look that bad in London but I knew it would not be so kind once in the countryside. So I went out this morning, feeling very cautious already because the road was wet. Then just outside London there was a patch of thick fog. But was through that when I turned left at a junction in the countryside, suddenly slipped one way, then the other, before going over on the right hand side. Thankfully it was immediately after the turn when I was straightening up so my elbow was not sticking out this time. No injuries, and I was able to pick the bike up so parked it on the side of the road. Whilst I was checking it and myself over a driver stopped and warned me there was black ice about. A tad too late! I guess I should have been more alert as the road looked obvious in hindsight, but between a big wet puddle on the junction and weather forecast I was not even thinking of ice and it completely took me by surprise. Managed to get myself home but it clearly knocked me even further, practically walking around corners or when approaching anything that looked slippy. Was much easier last time when riding with a shattered elbow! I only cut across the end of the patch and would probably have survived the first slip had it not turned me straight back onto it to throw me the other way. But it was bad positioning by me in the first place as I was too far inside on the corner, a combination of the effects of the last accident and avoiding a grate in the road, or I would not have crossed it at all. I am not sure whether I am just unlucky or should be treating all this as a sign.

Surprisingly the only pain I felt was later the same day as it stiffened up. But given I fractured the joint and now have a hole inside my elbow I have been very lucky. It has all been pretty painless and, other than the surgery scar, I have only lost a barely noticeable couple of degrees of straightening. The worst part of it all was the frustration when having to force myself to keep it rested. As to the armour and clothing, I did check and that all seems fine. I am sure it worked too as with the elbow bearing the weight of the initial impact the damage probably should have been much worse. The consultant thinks the bone must have dislocated, but the fractured caused as it returned. I needed help picking the bike up, but was even able to ride home safely, if a little uncomfortably. Had it not been for the way the swelling looked (which was nothing) I would not even have gone to A&E. Anyway, it sounds like the answers are just letting it happen naturally and seeking professional help. I was planning on training anyway though as I have not taken the tests yet. Unfortunately I was feeling confident about them before the accident, but wanted to leave it to the new year to get better on sweeping bends first. I regret that now as I no longer feel ready and with the time lost the CBT is about to run out. So am going to sign up with a school so I can retake that if it comes to it, but I guess I should just see what a trainer says I need overall. I was originally hoping a few weeks on my own would be enough to recover then could go for lessons but doubt that now. Especially if the weather starts to turn icy. Thanks everyone.