Anybody got info cycling course. Been told got to go on one and I ain’t happy!
Part of CPC nowadays…wonder is cyclists spend a few days in a truck too 
Part of cpc or not think I might be moving ship ain’t doin it
agusta58:
Part of cpc or not think I might be moving ship ain’t doin it
Pmsl it’s actually a good laugh half day class room half day on the bike it’s actually good fun 
tango boy:
agusta58:
Part of cpc or not think I might be moving ship ain’t doin itPmsl it’s actually a good laugh half day class room half day on the bike it’s actually good fun
Isn’t it also free? 7 hours CPC, with just the upload fee to pay?
Yes, they make you get on a bike and you’re expected to go and take part in one of the most dangerous activities known to man - they take you out into actual live traffic 
. Its supposed to be a “Safer urban driving” course, but it’s all about cyclists in London. 
Lots of video clips from YouTube, then they’ll explain that FORS certificates will not be given to companies whose drivers have not done this little gem and if you haven’t got a FORS sticker on your truck, the building-site etc you’re delivering to will be entitled to turn you away
“Shared space” philosophy will be expounded and you’ll be left in great admiration of a system where traffic (of all sorts) will travel around without lanes and right of way won’t exist. And all cyclists will be trained to take the middle of the road just before they turn left or go past a parked car and will only re-adopt their “Primary” position after they’ve gone round the corner… I’m bored now, can we talk about something else please…
There’s not many free ones still running.
Refuse to ride the bike and they’ll either have you walk along side or take you in a van/car to watch the others.
If you complain enough they’ll let you do the full day in the classroom - bit boring though.
Or - enjoy it!! It’s only half a day on the bikes the other half in the classroom. Most do actually enjoy it
We were told if we didn’t go out on the bike, we wouldn’t get the certificate. And the boss would love that…
It sounds like some are worried they may swallow the saddle! 
Kind of glad I dont drive HGVs anymore if this is required for a CPC
The last time I rode a bike I had to go to the free clinic…
We had to do this for our FORS silver (or gold, can’t quite remember). Wasn’t a bad day out to be honest.
Just a shame we can’t get members of the general public into a lorry to see how we work!
I did a cycling proficiency course at school years ago, and spent 13 years cycling to work in one truck driving job, and regularly interract with cyclists in Oxford so tell me how this crap will actually benefit me?
Thankfully the chances of me doing this course are slim and none as my boss refuses to have anything to do with FORS.
I did this 2 years ago as a freebie from Hammersmith & Fulham council as a 7 hour cpc thingy. As above really, half day in class then out on bikes, depending on your point of view/ attitude etc it can be interesting to see it from the other side, as long as it doesn’t rain! (which it did when I did mine).
The-Snowman:
Kind of glad I dont drive HGVs anymore if this is required for a CPC
The last time I rode a bike I had to go to the free clinic…
Worth reading this thread if only for this 
Sumsmeister:
The-Snowman:
Kind of glad I dont drive HGVs anymore if this is required for a CPC
The last time I rode a bike I had to go to the free clinic…Worth reading this thread if only for this
Didn’t they used to be called ‘special clinics’ years ago ?
agusta58:
Part of cpc or not think I might be moving ship ain’t doin it
Seems a little over the top? Jumping ship because of a cycling course? Or even if I’ve misread it and your moving anyway, but still refusing because of a ‘principle’…?
raymundo:
Didn’t they used to be called ‘special clinics’ years ago ?
And the best treatment was a little steel umbrella.
dunno if I would be keen having to ride a bike in a busy town centre, cpc course or not, I have seen too many nutcases in charge of vehicles over the years to be very trusting of any other road users so don’t like having to deal with more than one at a time.
Dun 32 mile last night down to Newcastleton and back, yep in that heat, was sweating buckets on the big climbs. Probably only seen about 12 vehicles in total three of which were loggers. First one was on a wider bit of road and he give me loads of room, second was on a single track section I could hear him lifting off the throttle but as I was no where near a passing place I just got off, he’s working I’m playing!. Third one, well I could hear this dafty coming before I could see him with his loud pipes, blipping on the throttle, looked over my shoulder could see an inbound scanny with one of those V8 neon signs in the back of the cab, thought to myself probably a nutter so stopped, as it turned out he gave me plenty of room but he sure was wellying it. LOL, he did look happy though, giving me a toot on the horn and a big thumbs up.
I just stick to quiet B and C roads and never really have any bother with anyone, the bigger the waggon the better it is usually driven, Sprinter type vans are a bit of a worry they’re often driven stupidly fast, but the ones I really don’t like are the horse box brigade, large 4x4, mobile pressed to ear and no comprehension that there is a large trailer behind them, they certainly don’t give cyclists the care that they demand when they are on the horse.
A friend of mine runs these courses on behalf of FORS. He can take up to 12 drivers out on bikes at one time and tells me they very often receive abuse and agro from car drivers for being a large group. They have had a good few near misses as well.
An auditor who assesses his training told him he must get the drivers to ride in pairs two abreast to stop the cars etc forcing their way past. This person could not see why he didn’t want to do it.
Some of the drivers haven’t been on a bike in many years. He takes them round some cones for half an hour then out onto the roads where they are supposed to find busy(ish) junctions and roundabouts to negotiate. Some can be very wobbly and some struggle with the physical exercise and have to keep stopping so they can end up pretty strung out along a road 
I often have conversations with him putting my point across that this is far too dangerous and should not be allowed. How can FORS justify purposely putting 12 drivers at a time in harms way in the name of training?
I note when FLT training is delivered it is in a closed/coned off area and not a real warehouse with loads of activity going on. Let’s be honest, most places won’t allow a driver to be anywhere near his vehicle to supervise the loading in case he is hit by a FLT etc - yet we can send them on a pointless/needless cycle ride on real roads with real traffic and virtually no control over the outcome. I would certainly like to see the risk assessments for this activity.
It would be interesting (but very sad) to see what happens if, one day, an HGV driver is killed or seriously injured on one of these FORS/TFL courses.
It would be nice to see some sort of scheme where cyclists spend an hour or so in a working lorry in a town centre, just to get the other side of it. But I suppose only a few would take it up.