Failed CBT due to attire

[Jemz]

So I booked a CBT as I've always wanted to ride a motorbike so it was the first step. But my instructor failed me before i even got on one cause apparently i wasn't wearing the correct attire. Their policy states denim jeans or trousers. I was wearing denim camo jeans.

 

According to the company when i challenged this, the instructor told them they looked "thin like leggings". I can assure you they were not! I even offered to let him feel them but he wouldn't. 

 

So now they are telling me the decision is final and I'm not entitled to my money back so I have to pay again. Now as far as I'm concerned I followed their policy and wore denim bottoms.

 

My partner has been riding for 30 years and he said they were fine to wear. He is very protective of me and would absolutely not let me on a bike without me being safely dressed.

 

Where do I stand? Is it just a matter of he's the instructor so he's right? Cause they were certainly not "thin like leggings". I feel like it was just a way to make money.

 

Advice appreciated, thanks in advance!

Edited September 6, 2022 by Jemz

[onesea]

I don’t know legal side, regarding getting money back. However there are more schools out there. 
 

I would also hit local social media not to name and shame but ask what’s appropriate, etc   If general view is on your side drop the name…

[Tiggie]

Definitely sounds like some kind of scam to me. Why wouldn't it be possible to go again a different day if they felt you weren't wearing the correct attire? They certainly wouldn't of heard the last from me if they'd taken my £100 and provided nothing for it!

[dynax]

Name and shame them, probably done it to others too.

[Jemz]

3 hours ago, Tiggie said:

Definitely sounds like some kind of scam to me. Why wouldn't it be possible to go again a different day if they felt you weren't wearing the correct attire? They certainly wouldn't of heard the last from me if they'd taken my £100 and provided nothing for it!

It was £170 which makes it that much worse. Even if they had offered to let me do another day half price I may have just sucked it up. But I didn't even get the chance to ride at all so why should I pay anything.

 

Their "rules" state wrong attire, no money back as its a waste of their time  

 

They also claim he was courteous cause he gave me a chance to get something different. He gave me 20 minutes to get to a shop which was 11 mins drive away, find and choose some bottoms without trying them on, queue, pay and get back (drive back is 5mins as its a one way system so have to take the long way round to get there). And he told them I didn't come back... when infact I did get back in the 20 minutes, just without new bottoms cause I couldn't find any that quick.

 

He's bloody lying about them being like leggings. That's what pisses me off the most! Even after I left the centre to get a new pair of bottoms (bare in mind I was willing to spend £50+ just to be able to do it that day) I phoned to ask about rebooking and he had already marked me down as failed due to attire... so he gave me 20minutes to get something else, but failed me the moment I left.

Edited September 6, 2022 by Jemz

[Jemz]

3 hours ago, dynax said:

Name and shame them, probably done it to others too.

I booked through what i believe is a well known website who handles the booking, but it's a 3rd party motorcycle training company who runs the day. 

 

Part of me is tempted to go to another location run by the same company, take the bottoms with me, and just ask out of curiousity if they are suitable. If they say yes then il ask why an instructor of theirs failed me. I have also emailed the DVSA and asked the same question. 

 

The instructor had even seen me 30mins prior to us starting the day, but he didn't say anything to me then. If he could tell by just looking at my jeans that they weren't suitable, why couldn't he tell me that when he saw me at 9:30 (session was to start 10am) and then I would have over 45mins to get something else

 

My partner reckons its a money making scheme. He's absolutely livid and wants to go punch the guy lol

Edited September 6, 2022 by Jemz

[onesea]

6 hours ago, Jemz said:

I booked through what i believe is a well known website who handles the booking, but it's a 3rd party motorcycle training company who runs the day. 

 

 

Contact the 3rd party site advise them take photos of your leggings.

 

Go to one of there other centers and ask about your trousers.

 

Oh and name and shame on here we want to know lol.

[Jemz]

1 hour ago, onesea said:

 

Contact the 3rd party site advise them take photos of your leggings.

 

Go to one of there other centers and ask about your trousers.

 

Oh and name and shame on here we want to know lol.

No no, remember, they were not leggings... lol 

 

To be honest I reckon it was that instructor. He was miserable from the moment I said hello. Part of me wonders if he has something against females cause the other 3 were guys. 

 

Oh I have no problem naming them! I booked through RideTo and it was Universal Motorcycle Training. It's RideTo who are telling me all instructors decisions are final and apparently they have worked very hard to resolve the issue for me.... and even offered me £10 off my next booking...

Edited September 7, 2022 by Jemz

[onesea]

46 minutes ago, Jemz said:

No no, remember, they were not leggings... lol 

My bad, although maybe I was trolling for a picture

if it’s any help your not the first regards clothing:

There is also one for someone who is said to of turned up in a tracksuit (or similar), although that probably doesn’t help.

 

There Facebook page shows and interesting story:

 

 

There is also one saying the good reviews where fakes for some reason.

 

Maybe  @Matt - RideTo might be linked and able to comment although in his defence he hasn’t logged on for a whilst.

Edited September 7, 2022 by onesea

[Jemz]

19 minutes ago, onesea said:

My bad, although maybe I was trolling for a picture

if it’s any help your not the first regards clothing:

There is also one for someone who is said to of turned up in a tracksuit (or similar), although that probably doesn’t help.

 

There Facebook page shows and interesting story:

 

 

There is also one saying the good reviews where fakes for some reason.

 

Maybe  @Matt - RideTo might be linked and able to comment although in his defence he hasn’t logged on for a whilst.

 

I knew I should have checked reviews first but I was so keen I just thought screw it!

These are what I was wearing:

 

 

How do they look like leggings!? They don't even stretch/cling!

Edited September 7, 2022 by Jemz

[onesea]

Re trousers, I ride to work in similar but that’s only a mile or 2 on slow roads.  I am not an examiner so don’t know the required standards.

 

What I would say is your not the first not to like a school, my first CBT I did ride but the instructor and I clashed he told me I would be dangerous on the roads. I thought he was aggressive and a poor instructor.
 

I did some homework on social media and the next guy was brilliant.

Its worth finding an instructor that you like your going to give them quite allot of money to get your full licence.

 

It might be worth contacting these gals as I met a couple of females who learned locally and they certainly had favoured instructors.

https://www.facebook.com/CurvyRidersMotorcycleClub/

[Stu]

If you paid by debit or credit card then approach your bank about reversing the payment 

[Fiddlesticks]

Also there's the option of small claims court online.

[S-Westerly]

52 minutes ago, Jemz said:

 

I knew I should have checked reviews first but I was so keen I just thought screw it!

These are what I was wearing:

 

 

How do they look like leggings!? They don't even stretch/cling!

Those are definitely not leggings. 

[fastbob]

[Jemz]

1 hour ago, Stu said:

If you paid by debit or credit card then approach your bank about reversing the payment 

Hmm I'm not sure how this works but I could give it a go!

[Jemz]

1 hour ago, Fiddlesticks said:

Also there's the option of small claims court online.

I'm tempted to take it to a financial ombudsman but I don't want to waste their time. I wouldnt mind if I had £170 to throw away but that was given to me as a gift for my birthday as I couldn't afford it myself. They have really insulted my integrity and intelligence - I'm really not stupid enough to choose something thin to wear on a bike. My safety and skin is worth more to myself than anyone else.

 

I'm also tempted to complain to the DVSA who govern their rules.

[KiwiBob]

I would be tempted to write to them asking for a refund.(Get everything in writing) If they refuse tell them that you will be taking them to the small claims court!

 

https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=611e8c218d29279bJmltdHM9MTY2MjUwODgwMCZpZ3VpZD0wMjI3MWY5MS05MTUyLTZiODAtMTlkZi0wZjcyOTBhOTZhMmEmaW5zaWQ9NTE4OQ&ptn=3&hsh=3&fclid=02271f91-9152-6b80-19df-0f7290a96a2a&u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubW9uZXlzYXZpbmdleHBlcnQuY29tL3JlY2xhaW0vc21hbGwtY2xhaW1zLWNvdXJ0Lw&ntb=1

Edited September 7, 2022 by KiwiBob

[keith1200rs]

If you paid by credit card, the card company are jointly liable for the goods or services provided. I got my flight money back that way when SAS were taking months to refund.  

 

Debit cards are different and have a 180 day time limit, I think, but either way I would be trying to get my money back. 

 

Credit card companies also don't want to waste time with trivial court cases. I once told a credit card company I would name them jointly in a small claims court case and the coughed up.

 

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/visa-mastercard-chargeback/

[Fiddlesticks]

16 minutes ago, Jemz said:

I'm tempted to take it to a financial ombudsman but I don't want to waste their time. I wouldnt mind if I had £170 to throw away but that was given to me as a gift for my birthday as I couldn't afford it myself. They have really insulted my integrity and intelligence - I'm really not stupid enough to choose something thin to wear on a bike. My safety and skin is worth more to myself than anyone else.

 

I'm also tempted to complain to the DVSA who govern their rules.

Good idea about DVSA,  Financial Ombudsman wouldn't help here though. 

Have a look here about small claims. The process is pretty straightforward and not too expensive.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/law-and-courts/legal-system/small-claims/making-a-small-claim/

[Jemz]

7 minutes ago, Fiddlesticks said:

Good idea about DVSA,  Financial Ombudsman wouldn't help here though. 

Have a look here about small claims. The process is pretty straightforward and not too expensive.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/law-and-courts/legal-system/small-claims/making-a-small-claim/

 

I suppose its whether or not I want to risk losing it and it costing me more. I'm just really pissed off about it! I've emailed the pics to the dvsa asking if they can advise me whether they are appropriate for CBT. Should they actually say yes, I will complain formally. 

[keith1200rs]

Small claims court is a last resort - try debit/credit card first.

 

The problems with court is that it doesn't get you your money back even if you win. If they ignore threats of court, they probably won't turn up and lose the case. You still have to get you money back! I speak from experience (more than once)

[Jemz]

5 hours ago, keith1200rs said:

Small claims court is a last resort - try debit/credit card first.

 

The problems with court is that it doesn't get you your money back even if you win. If they ignore threats of court, they probably won't turn up and lose the case. You still have to get you money back! I speak from experience (more than once)

 

If its reversed, will the company contact me to try and get payment again? I don't want them to try taking me to a claims court themselves lol

[keith1200rs]

I think the credit card company act as judge and jury in such cases. If the company took you to court they would lose and have to pay the costs.

[skyrider]

10 hours ago, fastbob said:

Have they been nicked off wallace and gromet Bob