Institute Of Advanced Motorists - A Member?

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I wondered who has passed the test/got the T Shirt (sorry, badge).
 
I am but I didn't need to pass their test due to my existing qualifications which exceed theirs by quite some margin.
 
Started the process for the 2 wheeled variety. Very quickly got p*ssed off with thei examiner's insistence at applying black and white rigidity to riding in what is an ever changing grey situation.

Things have no doubt improved since then, and I would have thought the idiot in question has now hung up his jacket (I hope!).
 
I did it many years ago. I do feel safer as a result. Their teaching on many aspects is excellent.

I don't like all their ideas, though, especially the complete ban on overlapping braking & steering, (contradicting teaching at Oulton Park) and insistence on push-pull steering in every circumstance, but I have picked and chosen the techniques that suit me.

It was finally my answer to my late father telling me how to drive - I suggested that he try and do the advanced test...
 
I've been thinking about doing it for some time but for now it remains on the round toit list. I completed a week-long ambulance driving course many years ago that I feel I learnt a lot from, and I have also done courses on skid control and track racing. I'm not that interested in the badges (and cheaper insurance?) that come with the IAM, but I'm always open to new ideas and qualified comments on my driving abilities.
 
I did it many years ago. I do feel safer as a result. Their teaching on many aspects is excellent.

I don't like all their ideas, though, especially the complete ban on overlapping braking & steering, (contradicting teaching at Oulton Park) and insistence on push-pull steering in every circumstance, but I have picked and chosen the techniques that suit me.

Pretty much where i stand. Although I didn't pass the test, I took it twice and they just said I wasn't holding the gear knob in the right way. I got bored after that so took a lot from the learning and techniques and called it a day. I'd like to go back and have another go, just to get that bit of paper...

I feel quite strongly that the standard of the advanced driving should be taught as standard, re testing every X number of years. But that's another discussion all together!
 
When my wife was learning to drive she kept pointing out the "errors" in my driving as she saw them. My route through that was to join the IAM and take the test - to get her off my back and introduce an element of competition - see who could pass the test first. Turned out that I did learn a few things. Like some of the above folk I wasn't in universal accord with their teachings, but I felt at least better informed and definitely a better driver by the end of it.

She still comments on my driving...
 
I did it a good many years ago , after doing two 'better driving courses' run by the local police shortly after passing my basic test at 17 . Went on to do IAM , then League of Safe Drivers ( since taken over by ROSPA ) , then went on to become an observer with my local IAM group , eventually going on to do the police TPO ( traffic patrol officer ) course followed by PI ( potential instructor ) course at Tulliallan , after which I was one of the handful who trained others to be observers for the IAM group .

I remained active with the group for about 10 years , before working long hours and starting a young family meant I had to drop out of things .

Since my recent employment with the Fire Service I have done a number of response driving courses , but I still regard my own driving as terrible these days , compared to the time when I had freshly completed the police advanced courses .

I do think that taking any kind of further tuition , at any time of life , but especially when newly qualified as a novice driver , is a good thing . This is because the 'L' driving schools , as a matter of business , have to train students to pass the basic driving test , and the real task of becoming proficient on the roads only begins when you are let loose on your own and you begin to develop an awareness of hazards and how to deal with them .

Getting proper tuition from a suitably qualified and experienced instructor can take you so much further and open up a whole world of greater awareness that won't even occur to many drivers who just think that once they've passed the basic test the need for learning stops .
 
Although I didn't pass the test, I took it twice and they just said I wasn't holding the gear knob in the right way.

Unfortunately , in Advanced Driving circles , the IAM are often criticised for undue pedantry - the above being an excellent example .

Another is BGOL ( brake gear overlap ) stemming from 'the system' dictating that you should finish with brakes before changing gear ( all great in theory , but not always practical ) , yet out on a drive with an instructor from Tulliallan recently I found that the police no longer teach this to traffic drivers , yet the IAM seem to still insist on it .

Another issue I have with them is that a lot of the IAM teaching comes from police driving and , as such , there is an emphasis on maximising speed and progress . While these things can be laudable in some ways , I don't see it as an imperative when teaching civilians and don't see that a drive by a civilian who is not in any great hurry , and perhaps wishes to be more economical with fuel as well as wear and tear to his own car , needs to be any less 'advanced' just because he perhaps doesn't wish to always drive at the maximum safe and legal speed or take every available opportunity to overtake .

There is competent instruction and there is dogma and pedantry .
 
I was an IAM member many years ago, also RoSPA (gold).

Another issue I have with them is that a lot of the IAM teaching comes from police driving and , as such , there is an emphasis on maximising speed and progress .

I have no doubt these courses improved my driving greatly. However, I had a very serious motorbike accident due to misjudging a bend on a country road. I wasn't riding stupidly and I know there is no one to blame but myself. However, part of me can't help think that my IAM training had encouraged me to drive at a speed where I had less safety margin than I otherwise might have. I think their emphasis on maximising progress had given me false confidence. I had only done IAM in a car - maybe the story would be different if I'd got around to doing it on a bike.

Saying that, no doubt other times thanks to my training I've spotted hazards sooner and therefore been safer.

FWIW I rate RoSPA far higher. My experience was the test was more challenging than IAMs though they still insisted rigidly on "The System". However, the actual training was far more pragmatic i.e. allowing, even encouraging overlap of brake and gear change or lifting off the throttle to prevent understeer, steering with fixed hands etc.
 
Started the process for the 2 wheeled variety. Very quickly got p*ssed off with thei examiner's insistence at applying black and white rigidity to riding in what is an ever changing grey situation.

Things have no doubt improved since then, and I would have thought the idiot in question has now hung up his jacket (I hope!).

LOL.

As usual, MBClub knows best...
 
LOL.

As usual, MBClub knows best...

But IAM believe they know best too… and they publish a magazine that says so, regularly.
 
t a lot of the IAM teaching comes from police driving and , as such , there is an emphasis on maximising speed and progress

Safe, smooth, system, progress (speed)…………the hierarchy of priorities for a police driver.
Certainly there is no need to drive at 9/10ths to gain benefit from the the first three S's BUT progress is necessary during training to improve the skills for the first three S's and to hone the bedrock of it all; observation. JMO.

I hope this thread doesn't become bogged down; if anyone wants pedantry and arguments about 'what ifs', take a look at the IAM forum and some of their 'debates'. We have it good on here, believe me. I stay well clear.
 
MBClub has a sense of self preservation...

Corrected for you.

If being "right" means deliberately risking your footing on an adverse surface (and subsequent half Nelson submission pin from your motorcycle), I'll take the coward's way out, ta. :thumb:
 
As with anything, there are some instructors that are less good than others.

It sounds like you may have had the same one as I. My instructor had done about 5% of the road miles than I on a bike and frankly had a lot more to learn. I hear that it is worth doing though with the right trainer.
 
My instructor had plenty of experience, no question. But it seemed that there was no room for common sense compromise.
 
My instructor had plenty of experience, no question. But it seemed that there was no room for common sense compromise.

Probably because the known knowledge, coupled with his experience, was more appropriate than your common sense...

Shame you didn't accept that.
 
I failed my test on some technicality and left it at that.

However, I feel I gained a great deal from the lessons, mainly anticipation, hopefully leading to much safer driving.

I too found the emphasis on making progress, holding the gear lever properly, feathering the steering wheel etc, a bit of a pain in the a**.

Overall, it was definitely worth doing.
 

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