Essex Police Bikesafe

I've been riding bikes for ages, on and off through my youth and legally on the road for the last eight years. I've had countless crashes off road and a few on the blackstuff. Luckily i've escaped the NHS's finest.

About two years ago I was out riding with a husband of my wife's friend. Although a distant friend he was a biker and a biker who had dipped his toes in the advanced training waters. Brimming with confidence I was sure I could keep up or even pass him. Things were looking good as I flew past him on the first A road. My pride was swallowed when we got to the flowing bends, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't keep up.

I'm better than this, look he can't even get his knee down. I was dangerously close to binning it trying my hardest to keep up. I couldn't work it out, my lines were good, I was clipping apexex, braking hard, accellerating harder, still he was pulling away.

When he followed me, he was cheeky enough to give me some pointers "yeah, ok" I fobbed. When in my own company, I tried them and felt safer and faster. Finally, after 2 years of thinking about it, I spent £60 on an Essex police Bikesafe day.

£60 doesn't sound like it needed two years to think about, but when it comes to potentially saving you in a future crash that might not happen, I'd rather get pissed.