I am about to start my IAM advanced driver training and was wondering what other back roomers opinions are on pass plus/iam etc
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Temporarily not a student, where did the time go???
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I am training to become an observer with the IAM at the moment. I found the course very useful.
I found that it really makes you think while you are out on the road, and when you "break the rules", be these minor e.g. driving with one hand on the wheel and one on the gearstick, or more major e.g. going over the speed limit, you are aware that you are doing so. What i mean i suppose is that you drive less on auto-pilot, and are generally much more aware of both what you, yourself are up to, and also what others around you are up to, while increasing your car control
*rant mode*
I don't like comments such as it as "a lot of beardy men shuffling the wheel between their hands". Firstly since most of the people i have met through the IAM, have not only got extremely fast cars, but also a genuine enthusiasm for motoring and motoring safely. Secondly there are a lot of women doing the course and heading up regional IAMs and thirdly i have never "shuffled" a steering wheel since i did the course, i plan the corner, move my hands on the wheel in anticipation of the amount i need to turn and turn the wheel, hey presto; no learner driver style shoulder and hand antics with full control on the wheel.
*rant over*
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Passed my driving test in April 1986, passed the IAM test in June 1986. Since then and after covering hundreds of thousands of miles I've:
Never had an accident
Never had points on my licence
Never been stopped by the police for a motoring offence.
Take from this what you will.
I haven't paid my IAM dues for years, but what I was taught has stuck with me and is still as useful as it was then.
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Ouch, Davey:
You'll probably get flashed for speeding tomorrow, and the shock will cause you to swerve and cause an accident, and then the old Bill will have you.
Seriously though, to second your comments, and at the risk of inviting disaster, I had driven for 25 years without any points, then, with the advent of speed (sorry, safety) cameras, got flashed. It was a fair cop.
Did my advanced training, never been had since, despite driving 50,000 miles per annum; all sorts of cars and a motorbike.
A bright young thing on my course was telling me that he saves hundreds - nay, thousands - of quid on his insurance, having passed his advanced test.
For me, it seems that the only companies who give discounts for IAM are those which have higher rates to begin with.
No benefit.
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Took IAM test quite a few years back. When they introduced 'Skills for Life' package (few years ago) they predicted a big upturn in applications so I was persuaded to become an observer. Its over a year since I've been to any meetings or done any observations though (too busy).
Reasonable mix of local members (not many 'beardy's' and quite a few women). Done a few 'scary' observations - e.g. very old and nervous chap plus a lady returning to the UK after many years in NZ who couldn't cope with our traffic. Had one chap who was a manager at a local IT company who was the most obnoxious bloke I've ever met - argued with everybody about everything to do with driving. Nobody could tell him anything - fortunately he dropped out!
IAM members are, I suspect, often self-selecting safer drivers (i.e. if you are motivated enough to join then you are taking your driving a lot more seriously than the average and so are probably a bit more careful/take a bit more pride in it?).
Never found any worthwhile insurance discounts.
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I've really found it useful for discounts (i am 23 and did the IAM at 20), as long as you don't use their own insurance, norwich union gave me a discount as did elephant and nationwide
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I don't like comments such as it as "a lot of beardy men shuffling the wheel between their hands". Firstly since most of the people i have met through the IAM, have not only got extremely fast cars, but also a genuine enthusiasm for motoring and motoring safely. Secondly there are a lot of women doing the course and heading up regional IAMs and thirdly i have never "shuffled" a steering wheel since i did the course, i plan the corner, move my hands on the wheel in anticipation of the amount i need to turn and turn the wheel, hey presto; no learner driver style shoulder and hand antics with full control on the wheel. *rant over*
You have never "shuffled" the wheel? Isn't that the whole idea of what we are taught? "Pull-push", in my opinion that involves shuffling the wheel.
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I view shuffling as only moving the hands as fast as possible between 12 and 3 and 12 and 9 and not down to 6 on both sides if you know what i mean.
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Been regularly driving cars and riding bikes for 46 years without any accidents / points / convictions / cautions. I put this down to always taking pride in my driving ability; regular maintenance of my vehicles and frequent thumbing through the Highway Code and Roadcraft publications to keep myself up to date.I try my best not to make errors of judgement and make allowances for those that do. Passed my IAM test many years ago and keep my membership current. You have to make an annual disclosure to the IAM re any points / convictions / cautions that might have been accrued during the previous year and this gives added impetus to maintain high standards in order to'survive'the stresses of modern driving conditions.
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