Institute of Advanced Motorists....anyone a member?

[JMC 0]

Been thinking that it may be time to address some of my bad habits acquired over the years behind the wheel. Is anyone on here a memeber of the Instiute of Advanced Motorists or one of the similar organizations? I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on whether it is worth it.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

I considered it a few years ago as you can get a discount off your insurance premium with some companies and they also teach you skid control, evasive driving (in your own car) etc etc. Quite cool actually.

 

I'd be interested in info and costs about it too.....

[mariojoshi 1]

i'd love to be... but I just can't deal with 'feeding through' all the time!!

[psiburr 0]

strangely not although I've taken my 1 month emergency blue light driving course (ambulance service). I've been told by a couple of people that if I contact the I.A.M. I can get an equivalent certificate though. (I've also got the oppertunity to have my C blue light fitted 8) )

[mic_VR 3]

I've been a member of the one here in Cambridgeshire for the last 18 months or so mate and they are very good. Its run by volunteers (usually ex-cops) who you arrange a time to get together with and they help you prepare for your advanced test, they also do help with the classroom stuff and all the admin etc and you just pay test fees/coursework cost as necessary.

 

I did my advanced car test years ago almost straight after my original test as I passed with only 1 minor (rule used to be - pass with 4 minors or less and you were automatically able to sit the advanced test within 6 months) and had the luxury of my dad who's been in the police for over 35 years to train me.

 

So I actually joined the local club to build back up my motorcycling skills after a long absence away from bikes. Although I'm still only using my dads bike it has been brilliant at building up my confidence and I feel both quicker and safer on the roads. On the bikes they usually follow you around on a ride out to see how you're getting on but I've no idea what they do for the car side, probably sit in while you just drive around.

 

Obvious advantage is insurance cost (£257FC on my standardish VR) but if anything I think the feeling of knowing I'm as safe as I can be is worth more than the financial savings.

 

Do it!

[Wendy 0]

Me too !

 

Although, my Membership has lapsed, due to me not renewing it.

 

I have never managed to get reduced Insurance Premiums for having it though.

 

I did mine in snowy conditions years ago as this was where i wanted to gain more experience.

You will especially be taught - to view much much further ahead, to being much more aware of everything around you and car care.

As for - 'feeding through' all the time!! That is not the point.

 

Tell them, if you have areas you want to improve on.

 

Everything else as Mic-VR says

 

I too would say it is worthwhile. Yes, do it

[corradophil 3]

I am considering doing an advanced driving course at the moment.

 

I feel at the grand old age of 33 I am more cautious, but less able at driving than when I was say 25, so I like the idea of sharpening up my skills.

[JMC 0]

Thanks for the input. Sounds like a good idea then, I'll look into it :D

[g60jaime 10]

I did the Institute of Advanced Drivers course when I was 21, some six years ago to initially to reduce premiums and thought it would be worth while after driving for 4 years since passing my test to sharpen up.

 

I think it cost £60, as I had a £10 off voucher and it was something like £70 for under 25's at the time.

 

Agree with everything everyone else has said has been worth while but it doesn't get you much off your Insurance premium (not more then the annual membership to IAM and your subscription to your local area group). If you do it, do it to be a better driver, not to lower insurance premiums, 1. it doesn't make it worth while and 2. you'll find out thats not the point of doing the IAM training whilst doing the training.

 

Did anyone find in funny when you had to do the running commentary on EVERYTHING you were doing, seeing, expecting for about 5mins when having your test?

[psiburr 0]

did you have to learn nonsense, parrot fashion like:

"acceleration sense is the ability to vary a vehicles speed in response to changing road traffic and weather conditions"

still got a bunch of these phrases stuck in my head and it has to be said they offer no help what so ever and really only proves you can memorise and regurgitate facts on command !

[Philuk 0]

its now about £130 ish to join. i have become a member and will prolly renew next year depending on what i think to it :)

[vagman 0]

I am a member, my company put me thro it for free in the HGV, means nothing, everytime i insure a vehicle there is never no discount offered and you have to pay every year to stay as a member so whats the point? Braging rights at the bar maybe, or maybe you will learn something?

[JMC 0]

Must admit, I'm not thinkng of doing it to get the insurance discount, more to help with some of the bad habits and frequent red mist that descends.

[StuartFZR400 0]

Very mixed feelings on doing it. But at the end of the day my conclusion would be Why Not? It doesn't cost much to join and might just help with one aspect of your driving that you find annoying, and you can quit at any time, if Im right?

 

Reason for mixed views is that its not a set rule book (but having said that, it is a mix of Highways code and common sense - so sounds good). As said by above, its often run by volunteers. I knew somebody who was an advanced instructor, ie the guy who tests the testers.

There comes a point where they need to pass the Testers, as it’s a given level of driving; in this instance it was the bike IAM. And thus you get varing abilities, many of which do just enough to pass, becoming an instructor. I've had much feedback that people often change instructors until they find someone they like; however if those volunteers don’t feel like giving up one particular Sunday afternoon, you're stuck with Boring-Bob. Also, I get the impression the BAM IAM bikes are of higher standard of driving than any of my local car IAM's, and thus very reluctant to join - especially if it conflicts with technique.

 

Not bothered about the insurance drop. But on the plus side, Im contemplating joning the bike IAM, to do a few things. Firstly to meet more folk who like riding, and riding quick, but not deathwish style. Learn how to rider quicker and safer at the same time - safer being the ultimate goal. Generally that catches it for me on the bike, but in the car I might learn a little from how to ignore. That’s to ignore the tailgating idiot behind, that’s ignore the flashing of headlights you get when you do a very clean overtake, that’s ignoring the pressure of doing 32 in a 30, although everyone else wants to do 38 everywhere - I seriously very rarely come across cars willing to do less than 35 in a 30; maybe its just Warwickshire, but it miffs me - if they're in a hurry, they should just overtake me. Maybe IAM would teach me how to ignore all that gruff. I just need to ignore the "I Am" badge you're tarred with and shrug off some of the 'feed it' ideas.

 

Would be quite happy to join, learn and leave before testing. It goes against the grain of thought that everyone should take the advanced test, but my reason to avoid the test would not be the standard to achive.

 

I guess joining, theres not much to loose.

[g60jaime 10]

At the end of the day any IAM member, or anyone with an interest in joining, enjoys driving and is demonstrating a desire to improve their driving. IAM members who wish to be instructors, and give up one Sunday a month, want to help others improve their skill for their benefit and that others. I can't speak for the BAM IAM but the focus certainly wouldn't be on riding/driving "quickly" certainly not "deathwish style". The focus is on "making progress" legally and driving to the suitability of the road and conditions whilst not holding up other road users. It is probably more accurate to to call IAM members driving technique enthusiasts rather than driving purely driving enthusiasts. It is unlikely you'll see many IAM hooning it round the Nurburgring "feeding the wheel" in their Toyota Avensis'. With this you can expect a few Boring-Bobs.

 

Whilst there is the whole feeding the wheel thing I think that is the focus of most peoples opinions because that is the what the IAM is all about. Using the best method at all times, you can not loose control with two hands on the wheel and feeding it.

 

The best advice is pay the fee, do the course, get the qualification if you don't like it you don't need to renew your membership and your qualification will expire 2 years after your last renewal. But you will find that you will get something out of it, I certainly did.

 

The training consisted of 3-4 Sunday mornings in consecutive months from 9- 12.30. The first half was in a Village Hall listening to speakers on subjects of IAM interest etc then the trainee/IAM guest takes out an IAM Instructor/obsever for practical training observations on all road types in the car they came in. I always had a different instructor every week, they do a report sheet - positives and negatives as you would expect and book you in for an examination with a current or retired A-grade Police driver when ready. The examiner does exactly the same as the Instructor/Observer does on any normal observation drive. If you cut the mustard you get the qualification. Mind you the Traffic Policeman examiner I had span the steering wheel in his right palm on entering the Tesco car park to meet me, needless to say I didn't pull him up on his lack of feeding, despite me having to do it! :nono: :brickwall:

[Shiver750 0]

I've held a driving licence for 39 years this year, and have never had any penalty points, or endorsements as it was in the old days. I do at least 25,000 miles a year, and my experience has been gained in the UK, but also from having lived/worked/driven in the USA for 3 years, and a short spell of living in France. Apart from a little mishap on some ice last winter, I have not had an accident in the past 30 years.

 

Two years ago, I did something I never thought I'd do - took up motorcycling! Originally it was to beat high fuel prices and ease the mileage burden on my car. After getting the CBT in June 2008 I bought a Honda 125 scooter. I was anxious to know that I'd reached an approved standard and so took my test on it as soon as possible - passed first time in Sept. 2008. But I soon wanted more! A bigger, faster machine. But I had to take the (new) test on a 500cc bike with gears before I could upgrade. Passed in July 2009.

 

I now have a 600cc Yamaha, whose acceleration is much faster than the vast majority of cars, ie 60mph in less than 5 secs. Being a relative newcomer to motorcycling, and in my mid 50s, I was anxious to further improve my standard, so paid out £130 to join one of the Sunday clubs with a view to doing the IAM test.

 

But is it worth it? Forget cheaper insurance - it's not always offered, and even if I got a 10% discount, that would only be about £20. For such a small amount, it would take years to claw back my IAM test fee etc.

 

Some of the training is good, but what purpose does the test serve? It only shows that you can ride/drive to a certain standard on that particular day. It does not mean you intend to continue riding/driving to that standard. That's why this country is carpeted with speed cameras, even though we've all had to pass a test during which we would have had to observe all speed limits. My Yamaha has only modest power compared to many of the machines I see on the streets. Some people turned up at last month's meet on bikes like the Yamaha FZ1 - 160mph, and 0-60 in 3 secs. Does anyone seriously believe that a rider buying a machine like this will ride at IAM test standard once having passed, and never exceed 70?

 

Much of the "advanced" material I've read in the book is common sense stuff that comes with experience. I make small mistakes on my Yamaha maybe, but I don't ride deathwish style, and have never had any close shaves. One tip in the book explains how you can anticipate that the bus in front of you is going to stop - if a passenger inside the bus raises his hand, as this might be because he's rung the bell to request a stop. Oh puhleeeze! Are "advanced" motorists going to be looking at passengers' arms inside buses? Besides, the passenger might have decided to hold on to the overhead rail because the bus is going faster...

 

I'll continue the training for now - have done two sessions, but if I don't pass the test I don't think I'll fret, and probably won't want to apply for a retest. My instructor would have considered me to have reached the required standard in order for him to have submitted me for test, and that's going to be good enough for me. Quite what impressing a "Class 1 police rider" on one particular day is designed to achieve is yet to be explained to me.

[MonkeyVR6 0]

I've also looked into this course, some of my colleagues have done it and said it was really worthwhile.

 

http://www.rospa.com/drivertraining/adv ... andriding/