Getting a Driving License in Japan Part 4

I was thinking of deleting my posts about failing the motorcycle test. It's an ego thing. From an outside view, I look pretty incompetent. The first time I failed, I told someone at my guesthouse, and he replied, "You failed a driving test? Did you just learn how to drive?" Then, like when you tell a lame joke, I had to explain myself.



So, yeah, I failed for the 3rd time.



The guy from my last time was there, a seriously cool dude with a restored 70's Honda CB400, who is trying to get his 大型 (big size) license so he can buy a classic 70's CB750. This type of valiant effort deserves a license. I think my want to tour the Japanese countryside deserves a license too.



He went first and completely choked. Foot down at the very beginning. It was sad. The first thunder crack of what would become a torrential downpour sounded in the distance. I started the motorcycle.



At the beginning I stalled. Oops. Not an instant fail though. Start back up and continue. As before, I did fine on the 1st set of obstacles. But then I got to the section where you must make 2 90 degree turns on a street just wider than the bike. I watched in slow motion, floating above my body like an enlightened Buddha, as I took a turn too wide and plowed through about 6 cones. Nothing cute, like a light tap, but a full on mow down. If this test was to simulate driving into the parking lot at my Junior High, there would be 6 dead 1st graders in a bloody heap under my wheels.



In frustration, I gunned it and flew through the next set of cones at about triple normal speed, not touching a one... perfect execution.



This time, the instructor's advice was, "You need more training." Then it started pouring rain in the 35 degree heat and I rode my bicycle home.