About 10 years ago, I developed a slow riding course primarily for use by the Royal Military Police when I did their conversion course from the small Armstrongs to the full blown Police spec Pan European. This element of the course was a great success, and I subdequently used it on various other rider training courses to help riders develop their slow riding skills which has always been one of the elements that seems to unsettle newer riders.
So, the course is established, the procedures and marking is in place, it needs minimnal equipment other than the bike and does not need much space.
Then as some of you may recall, I developed the City and Guilds riding course and instructor course on behalf of a so called buddy of mine who owns an accredited school (not motorcycling) but wanted me to develop a motorcycle aspect for training official riders of various bodies. No problem, I did this with the intention of sellingthe course to compete with other recognised training courses and overseas where the qualification is recognised and can be exchanged for an equivelant qualification in their own country or they can use it on its own.
But, he became lukewarm after many meetings, even though I got all the accreditation in place, although he did say that he had never received such a response to a course as he had for this one.
However, although he wanted me to run the course and act as a consultant, all the leg work had to be done at my expense
An area that I knew would work, was in placeslike Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, who had already been looking for suitable courses in the UK which were accredited and they could use in their respective countries.
When I pointed out that our course would work for them, the reply I got was "Nah! It will never work!!"
Because partly of this attitude, I decided a few weeks ago to retire from instructing and then motorcycling altogether.
Guess what I found out today? This a so called buddy of mine, who knew that I had developed the course, has only won a contract for a weeks slow riding course in Singapore commencing next Monday!!!
He knew about the course before I made the decision to retire, and yet he has asked someone else to do it, who in fairness is bricking it, because there are 100 riders on TDM's and VFR Police spec bikes to be taught at the rate of 20 a day (which is not a problem), but he has no idea where to start, so he is trying to magic up some lesson notes before he departs on Saturday.
Now, the guy going out, I have no issues with, I have known him for many years, he is a good instructor (I trained him) and good luck to him, but this so called friend of mine who i have spoken to many times since he was awarded the contract, has not had the decency to tell me, and I have now missed out on an all expenses paid trip to Singapore as well as being paid over £200 per day. And he is staying in a top quality hotel BTW.
As I say, makes you wonder who your friends are?
