The Student Instructor Course for motorcycle riding is the first of its kind organised by the Police Driving School and saw the recent graduation of Sergeants Chan Chun-yun and Lee Kwok-keung.

Traffic officers previously had to travel abroad to get expert motorcycle tuition. But with the new course, they can learn all about advanced riding in Hong Kong.

Born to be mild: The new recruits, SGTs Lee and Chan (left) alongside their safety instructors SSGT Lee and SIP Lau

The two new instructors received their certificates from Assistant Commissioner of Police (Training) Yip Kwok-keung at the PDS in Fanling on June 23 after completing the intensive four-week trainer.

The course was co-ordinated by PDS Senior Inspector Lau Fu-wah and Station Sergeant Lee Tat-keung, with SIP Lau conducting most of the theory lessons while SSGT Lee took the learners out on the road for practical training.

"By organising the Student Instructor Course, we would like to improve our quality of motorcycle training while at the same time putting the message of safe riding across to all students in our school," SIP Lau said.

"We've been looking for officers with considerable riding experience and that's why SGTs Chan and Lee were selected as both had been posted to traffic units before.

"Upon successfully completing the instructor course, they will join our existing 18 motorcycle instructors to teach officers enrolled in the elementary courses."

SIP Lau said the students received intensive training to enhance their judgement, anticipation power, and defensive riding skills which enhanced their understanding of the importance of riding attitude.

Apart from attending lectures, the two student instructors spent hours on the streets learning about different road conditions ranging from congested urban, sandy and/or muddy roads to footpaths and fields in the rural New Territories.

"This helped improve their responsiveness to changing road conditions.

"It was really tough training, and more often than not we were riding more than 200 kilometres a day, up to five hours," SSGT Lee said.

"We led or followed our students and gave advice via our radios to remind them of existing or potential road hazards.

"You really feel good seeing your students making improvements."

SSGT Lee attended an advanced motorcycle training course run by the Staffordshire police in the United Kingdom in 1995.

The new course also featured intensive training on presentation, communication and facilitation skills to make them caring and efficient instructors.

And SGTs Chan and Lee said they were impressed with what they learned from the course.

"I got a riding licence back in 1983 and used to think I was already good enough. It was only by enrolling in the course I realised just how much more I had to learn when it came to safe riding," SGT Chan said. "However, I am more confident of my skills now."

SGT Lee said: "What I gained most out of this course is good judgement and I hope I can pass what I've learned to my students some day."

SIP Lau said there was demand for more motorcycle instructors and was keen to recruit officers with riding experience to enrol in the student instructor course and become qualified instructors.

For more information call 2668-3015.



<< Back to Index >>