Advanced driving course?

[Darrell]

Can I book my 18 years daughter on a type of advanced drivers course? I’ve mentioned it to and she seems quite keen.

I’m quite impressed with her driving tbh.

 

[Chrishazle]

I offered my slightly more than 18 years old wife a driving refresher course, she was moaning that she'd only been a passenger since I retired about 20 years ago so had lost her confidence although she has always loved driving. Her reaction was immediate - and I was only in hospital for 2 days!

 

[E55BOF]

He's homosexual, and somebody nicknamed him 'Bumstorm'. Rather good, I thought at the time, and I still do...

As ACPO's head of road policing policy, he had rather an obsession with speeding, and as Chief Constable of the North Wales Police he it was who instituted the zero tolerance policy there.

 

[Pontoneer]

Hi , on the forum I think there is a current / retired police responce police driver, He may be prepared to advise you.
The police use to use a programme called road craft ( I think )

For a few years I drove cars testing tyres and I was given an advanced driving course that was based on defensive driving.

It was all based on obersevation !

The gentleman that taught me was an ex traffic policeman who , assessmented my basic driving and we progressed or not as the case maybe.

To start with I had to give a running comentry out loud for 15 minutes of when driving what I saw , dog , man about to open car door , woman pushing pram , car about to pull out , he would then ask me what the speed limit , what the safe speed to drive in that limit , what's behind me and the questions went on and on.

I was knackered the first time I did it , missed so many targets , but I did improve over time but it was for a couple of hours.

Could I suggest that you try what I went through to start with , ask a mate to sit in the car with you , I don't think race track driving would provide and benefit for road use.

I have given up talking to my self decades ago but I put an exclusion zone around my car everyday when out and about.

Ovberation is the name of the game.

No doubt all the information I out of date but it has served me well over the years.

Road craft is the police driving manual , although anyone can buy it via HMSO and other outlets ; like HC , it has been through many revisions .

As Boyband says , observation and planning are key , but there is more to it than that .

I also went through the various civilian advanced driving organisations , before going on to emergency response , with which I am still current . I also coached people towards the various civilian qualifications .

The most important thing is attitude ; the willingness to learn and not the pre-formed opinion that one is a 'driving god' .

as long as one can go into it with the mindset that there is something to learn , then gain is likely .

 

[Pontoneer]

Nice, lots of good recommendations from everyone. Thank you!

Looks like I’m buying the book and looking to book the IAM course.

I think I’m pretty observant already, especially as I cycle in London so am very road aware (have been hit before, by a hit and run! Police didn’t care to investigate despite this being on Holloway Road cctv central).
But would be great to have actual practice with someone pointing out the bits I’m missing.

Most local IAM groups will offer a free assessment drive , with no obligations . That is a good place to start , and if you like it , then go on from there .

 

[Stevo5]

I’d just echo whats been said on here to do an Advanced Driving Course-as for ‘tactical/defensive’ driving is that just for fun or some other reason? You have to be a very competent driver before getting into anything ‘tactical’ and also be very aware of the law and applications for defensive/offensive driving. Then you have the realities of whether you can actually use it-I was taught J Turns on a wet skid pan but try doing that in an urban environment such as a street with cars parked either side!

 

[Pontoneer]

Here are a couple of videos which may be of interest , the first is a run in my W126 which I did to show some aspects of 'the system' , observations and planning - it isn't a perfect drive but it gives an introduction to advanced driving .

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The second one is a training run in one of our fire appliances , under blue light conditions , no commentary this time , and I'm in the passenger seat filming , with a colleague driving , we also had some passengers in the back as they were spending a day with us and wanting to experience a blue light run

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[AnnasMerc83]

Here are a couple of videos which may be of interest , the first is a run in my W126 which I did to show some aspects of 'the system' , observations and planning - it isn't a perfect drive but it gives an introduction to advanced driving .

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The second one is a training run in one of our fire appliances , under blue light conditions , no commentary this time , and I'm in the passenger seat filming , with a colleague driving , we also had some passengers in the back as they were spending a day with us and wanting to experience a blue light run

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Those are great!! I only watched the first few mins so far but once I have some time will watch the full thing.

I haven’t booked my course yet, but I got the page one and pending, at the top of my to do list… too much life in the way right now and time is hard to find.

 

[Pontoneer]

Thanks , but please bear in mind the run in my W126 was done after a while away from AD , and there are some mistakes , or at least things i could have done better , in the drive . but in all honesty it is virtually impossible to do a perfect drive that cannot be criticised .

Do look at both IAM and Rospa , they are both very good .

Also check with your local police force , when i first got interested in AD , two local forces offered 'Better Driving Courses' which were FREE ! Each were 10 week courses , one evening a week , plus assessment drives part way through and at the end of the course .

I did IAM first , then Rospa ( at the time was League of Safe Drivers ) , which was the standard required to be an IAM assessor . Later I entered a contest to become an instructor within IAM SE Scotland Group , and was one of three picked to attend Scottish Police College and be trained to standard of Police Traffic Drivers , then to do potential instructors course , which allowed us to train assessors . later I became a civilian driver within Lothian & Borders police and , some years later , joined the Fire Service , where I am still employed .

For a time I dropped out as , having a young family , I had other priorities , but getting back into it , I can recommend it to anyone who cares about their driving .



Also , please bear in mind , I am using the 'old' six feature system of car control , where certain actions are called for in a particular sequence .

the current IPSGA ( Information Position Speed Gear Acceleration ) system is divided into phases which can overlap and be quite flexible . I personally like the structure of the old system , because it is what I learned , but both are equally valid .

Both comply with Roadcraft .

 

[C320]

When we got the W177 it was my wife's first front wheel drive car. We have always had RWD and AWD cars. I booked her in at Mercedes World - Brooklands. The water skid pan was scary but fun. Before I met her and became a Mercedes convert, I lived in Scotland and had a BMW M3... I booked in with Reg Local: Reg Local

 

[ALFAitalia]

Thats unusual ....my wife did a course when she got her SLK....Because amazingly she had NEVER driven a RWD car before then. I was most surprised when she told me that as we are only a few months apart in age and apart from the Mk2 Fiesta I'd passed my test in I drove nothing but old RWD cars for the first decade after I passed my test (Mk 2 Escorts, Capris etc)... I'm guessing, because she had richer parents to buy her newer cars than me!
So I sorted her a performance driving course to help to try and avoid her switching ends on her SLK at speed or in iffy conditions. She enjoyed the course. Never heard of anyone doing a course when going the other way, RWD to FWD....as FWD cars are inherently safer under normal road conditions and even a below average driver will naturally catch a bit of understeer in a FWD car, usually just by lifting off...exactly what you don't want to do in RWD car where balancing the throttle with a bit of opposite lock requires a lot more skill.

 

[Pontoneer]

Thats unusual ....my wife did a course when she got her SLK....Because amazingly she had NEVER driven a RWD car before then. I was most surprised when she told me that as we are only a few months apart in age and apart from the Mk2 Fiesta I'd passed my test in I drove nothing but old RWD cars for the first decade after I passed my test (Mk 2 Escorts, Capris etc)... I'm guessing, because she had richer parents to buy her newer cars than me!
So I sorted her a performance driving course to help to try and avoid her switching ends on her SLK at speed or in iffy conditions. She enjoyed the course. Never heard of anyone doing a course when going the other way, RWD to FWD....as FWD cars are inherently safer under normal road conditions and even a below average driver will naturally catch a bit of understeer in a FWD car, usually just by lifting off...exactly what you don't want to do in RWD car where balancing the throttle with a bit of opposite lock requires a lot more skill.

While I've driven plenty of FWD cars , I've owned relatively few , notable exceptions being my Audi 100GL ( also briefly had an LS ) , and SAAB 99 ; and when I did a bit of work for VAG they used to give me mostly Passat GL5s to travel round the dealerships in , and once a 200Avant Turbo Quattro which was used to tow a trailer with one of the galvanised body shells on it ; also got tasked with taking one of the original Rally spec Quattros around the dealers with the words " You've got a LHD car ; you'll be quite at home in this " ; quite enjoyable for the few weeks I had it .

 

[ALFAitalia]

Cool....I've driven most of those cars whilst in the employ of a VAG main dealer back in the day. The old GL5 Passat engine is one of my favourites....just enough power to be useful.....and silky smooth. This heavily tilted over 5 pot was quite underrated.

 

[Pontoneer]

Cool....I've driven most of those cars whilst in the employ of a VAG main dealer back in the day. The old GL5 Passat engine is one of my favourites....just enough power to be useful.....and silky smooth. This heavily tilted over 5 pot was quite underrated.
View attachment 160006

Yep , they were lovely , just as nice as a six really . Only thing was with the early Audis , and those GL5s , was the tendency towards understeer if you weren't careful with the throttle , and the steering could fight back if you were being too 'enthusiastic' .

The other vehicle they gave us for roadshows was a petrol LT35 van ; lovely smooth six cylinder engine , just burbled along the road from one petrol station to the next - best van I ever drove , much better than contemporary Merc vans , and waay better than any Sprinter that came afterwards .

 

[ALFAitalia]

Yes....that five pot is too far forward for serious drivers.....but that was not the target Passat driver!! So far forward in fact that there was not enough room to get the radiator in front of it.....see pic!!!

 

[Pontoneer]

A few pics of cars from back then

First the 1976 Audi 100GL in Titian Red ; that was a well loved car and it got passed around the family for around 20 years , before eventually being sold to a young lad .



My sister's Passat GLS



My W115 220/8 , which my dad handed down to me after I passed my test



and pictured with my mum's 350SL



My mum didn't keep that SL long because it only did something like 15mpg , on a good day , my dad then bought her the Porsche , and she can just be seen peeking out from behind it !
Can't remember who got the blame for the number plate !



Finally , after the 220 was wrecked when a drunk driver came around a bend on my side of the road and hit me head on , I got this 1975 W114 280E 5 speed manual - great car !

 

[AnnasMerc83]

A few pics of cars from back then

First the 1976 Audi 100GL in Titian Red ; that was a well loved car and it got passed around the family for around 20 years , before eventually being sold to a young lad .

View attachment 160009View attachment 160010View attachment 160011View attachment 160012

Holy moly, that Audi is nice!

 

[Mark9999]

I did a couple of defensive driving courses through work, which were very useful. For some reason they decided that practical courses were too expensive and watching an American based video would be sufficient. Sorry officer work said undertaking is fine on the motorway