Advanced driving course?

[breamster]

Apologies if this has been done before but...

Brief history...driving 20 years with only one minor bump that was my fault.. However having been a passenger in another accident resulting in multiple injuries and broken bones for my lovely Wife my attention has been focused a bit. My confidence has taken a small knock but not too bad.

Like any PH'er I am a driving god. I can lift-off oversteer with the best of 'em. I can drive fast and focused etc. However in the family heap on a boring road my driving and observation skills could be better.

Would I benefit from an advanced driving course? I have seen the iam course for £129. Any good?

What about the rospa course?

I am interested in safety, hazard perceptions and good habits. Just feel like I need to lose a bit of the complacency I have adopted over the years.

Any recommendations? All personal experiences?

[Dr Jekyll]

breamster said:

Would I benefit from an advanced driving course? I have seen the iam course for £129. Any good?

What about the rospa course?

They're both pretty much the same. Good value though the quality of the 'observers' can be a bit variable. I'd go for whichever is most convenient.

Professional trainers do tend to be better, not just at driving but more importantly at instructing. Ideal for a refresher, but if you're new to this advanced driving lark there is a lot to be said for spending your money on a series of runs over several weeks with the chance to practice in between (which you get with IAM/ROSPA) rather than a one off day or half day for the same kind of price.

[R0G]

Most IAM groups offer a free driving assessment for non members so contact your local IAM group and see if they do

If you are in Leicester then email me for a free assessment

[7db]

Excellent advice above -- do eithr RosPA or IAM according to convenience (and if the Observer annoys you, bin out and do another one: there are great Observers out there who will inspire you).

In terms of value for money -- these groups are amazing. Just don't et suckered into believing that theirs is the one true way (TM).

To get even more out of your sessions first buy read and digest Roadcraft and to see what everyone is talking about before you sit in a car with them. It helps to learn the common language...

I did it the other way up and heard of Roadcraft after spending a day with a professional coach. That's highly effective, but a litte expensive!

[R0G]

If any observer/tutor says you MUST do it this way or that way then change them quickly for another

[BOF]

R0G said:

If any observer/tutor says you MUST do it this way or that way then change them quickly for another

I'm with ROG...if your Observer says;

'Try this, I think it will smooth out your A B C;'

Now - how did that feel to you?

BOF.

[SVS]

That's great that some of your staff have taken up the offer. What was the incentive? And what proportion of staff took up the offer?

[SVS]

That's a very good financial incentive. A 5% pay rise would have got my attention! 7.5% pay rise for anyone who gets a F1RST

How interesting that the uptake has been good with women, but not men. Any women ribbing the men about their driving?

How new is the scheme? I ask because I wonder if it will increas in popularity as the number of IAM full members increases.

ETA Many congrats on achieving HPC membership, which I just spotted on your profile.

Edited by SVS on Sunday 8th September 19:32

[breamster]

Thanks for,all the comments.

Roadcraft ordered and will go from there.

Very subjective but for those that have undertaken this how much benefit is it? Do you really notice the difference?

[SVS]

Personally, I notice a significant difference. Advanced training has saved me from drama on occasion in the car.

And on the 'bike, advanced training has certainly saved me from serious injury on at least two occasions (one recently!).

[tulloch]

fesuvious said:

Pay to put yourself through, and do so outside of work.

If you pass then IAM costs refunded and a 5% payrise valid for as long as you retain IAM membership.

Takeup slow from the males, but not females

I found this interesting and was speaking to one of our directors (no beard etc.) about it. He asked about the nature of the work done by the people in your scheme. Do they drive for you as their primary task or just as a means to do their job, e.g. as sales people would? Thanks.

[7db]

breamster said:

Very subjective but for those that have undertaken this how much benefit is it? Do you really notice the difference?

You are how you drive. Drive better. Be better.

[tulloch]

fesuvious said:

Many drive - yes. However, not more than @15-20 miles per day each on average.

Whereas I can cover 200 urban miles per day.

The reason for doing this is not just about the driving though. Professionally I have become acutely aware that you can give people training to as an employer you are blue in the face, skint in the bank and close to suicide, but if those people have no core skills stemming from a belief in themselves and a sense of pride, its all wasted.

I have picked 'driving' as it is something everyone thinks they are good at. In truth, few actually are!

Therefore, staff wishing to go on this first have to accept their driving just might be lacking something.

Then, they have to ensure they can fund the cost themselves, which only comes back if they are successful.

Moreover, they will have to do this under pressure from colleagues, cos everyone is gonna know when they do it!

This is about character building, about kindling the fire of self belief and desire to better themselves, by themselves, and for themselves.

You want it - you earn it.

It's a small step on from the unfortunate 'I'm entitled to it' / 'compensayshun' / 'not my job - im not trained for that' culture us employers seem to be saddled with at present.

If I'm breaking some discriminatory law somewhere - I don't care. This type of scheme works.

Oh, and the non drivers (all young - but 17 and up) have been told, bring me your theory pass certificate and the company will pay for the first ten lessons.

Its very different - getting employees to want to train up in something for their own benefit and wholly in their own time when 'the company' aint funding it up front, and/or there is no risk of loss, but good reward on offer in exchange for a little risk on their part makes it interesting.

It also at a much smaller level makes people understand that risk and reward are linked.

Thanks, most interesting. I'm passing your reply on to the director who as it happens did his IAM about 15 years ago. No chance of 5% though but perhaps he can get something going along these lines.

[Craikeybaby]

breamster said:

Very subjective but for those that have undertaken this how much benefit is it? Do you really notice the difference?

I did the IAM fast track course and although I failed the test at the end, I can tell that my driving has improved a lot. However, I found the IAM as an organisation a nightmare to deal with.

[Mr Grayson]

This will sound harsh craikeybaby but:

Nobody should FAIL an IAM test, who can drive, and keep their wits about them.
Fast-track courses may not be all they're cracked up to be.

Don't leave it there, please.

[Mr Grayson]

Hmmm you're probably right - badly worded. I've read craikeybaby's thread again and can see how it might happen. Still maintain that it probably needs longer to sink in and become second nature though, while OTOH, someone with some driving experience, who curbs any bad habits built up over the years and drives conscientiously should pass an IAM test (although probably the more formal parts - drills and theory will need some background - could be obtained by reading Roadcraft carefully though).

[Craikeybaby]

Mr Grayson said:

This will sound harsh craikeybaby but:

Nobody should FAIL an IAM test, who can drive, and keep their wits about them.
Fast-track courses may not be all they're cracked up to be.

Don't leave it there, please.

I've got a busy few months ahead, but will look at doing some more training with my local group early next year.