Just had the **** taken out of me, because I'm an IAMer :@

[whitevanman88]

Just had a rather embarrassing session at the pub.

Apparently us IAM types:

1. Are afraid of the brakes
2. Don't like people overtaking
3. Regularly hold-up other traffic
4. Generally drive erratically?

WTF!?

I can assure these trollops that I use my brakes on a regular basis (rather than overly using engine braking - in fact I was taught NOT to use engine braking that much when I passed my IAM test), I am usually the one doing the overtaking (to IAM standards, obviously), I only hold up traffic that insists on braking the speed limits & I certainly do not drive erratically.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Anyone else been subject to this?

</rant>

[V_tricky]

I've not started it yet, but I did buy a Skills for Life package from the IAM a few weeks ago.

When talking about it with some family & friends I was REALLY surprised at some views expressed - I would have thought that they would want me to learn more ASAP to help me be a better driver, rather than poo-pooing any further guideance and just learning (or not) by mistakes?!

Anyroadup, it's not a subject up for discussion anymore - I don't know whether they feel that I'll think that I'm better than them when I've done it .

When I was learning it was frustrating when some of them took me out and I would be doing manoeuvres text book, and they'd be going 'nah, you don't want to do it like that - NObody does it like that - when you get your licence you'll learn short cuts and THEN you'll become a driver, not because you've got some poxy slip of paper'.

I obviously had to explain that I have to do it the RIGHT way to pass my test, so going out for practice sessions would be worthless if I didn't practice the RIGHT way (I recall one memorable incident when I slowed to 20mph by a school, and had my passenger getting surprisingly irate - despite the big RED 20 sign on the road. They even said 'That's only during school, it's the weekend now' and still, I'm not sure whether they were joking, or whether they would have just said anything to have me speed up for that last 100 metres).

Driving is something that people take very personally - and like people have said on these forums before - there are some people who have scraped an IAM pass on a good day who stand no chance of passing again, and some people who have never done IAM who would fly through no problems - it doesn't necessarily make you a better driver than you would have been had you not taken the course every time you get behind the wheel, but I would hope that you would bear in mind the skills that you had learned along the way.

I've chosen to do it for my own self development, but have already decided that it's not something that I will be telling people about.


(PS, fwiw, the dissenters have all been middle class drivers who have been driving for many many years).

[whitevanman88]

That is exactly the mentality I'm talking about. I guess we just have to learn to live with it!

I have noticed some older IAM people at my local group taking a "high and mighty" approach to talking about driving with the "lesser educated" - I can understand someone getting pissed off at that too.

Oh well, atleast we're doing it so we can become more accomplished & safer drivers

I wish you all the best with your IAMing, it is quite good fun once you get into it!

[Six Fiend]

Many of my friends deem me to be either some driving god or utter lunatic because I know how to overtake and take corners.

They also fail to understand the difference between suitable progress and being fast.

Running commentaries often help them understand a little...

[LeoSayer]

V_tricky said:

I've chosen to do it for my own self development, but have already decided that it's not something that I will be telling people about.

I know what you mean, I am very selective about who I tell as I have had the piss taken out of me about being a member of IAM both to my face and behind my back.

I see it as being equivalent to kids singling out the brainiest kid in school. Makes me feel better anyway.

[BertBert]

However you look at it, the IAM has a reputation (positive and negative) both amongst people that actually know about it as well as those who don't. So you'll find some truth amongst the views of it and some falsehoods.

I wouldn't worry too much about it and just get on and get the best from it. As has been pointed out, in a way, the IAM system is as much a "method" that you need to follow to pass the test just as the original learning is for the first test. It's got a lot of learning and good techniques but cannot be optimal.

Ignore the ribbing and go for it. Don't get suckered into any institutionalisms or false-superiority though!!

Bert

[Allanv]

Don’t worry about it you did the right thing in the training so ignore the people that like to moan.

[Snake the Sniper]

The only people who I see with IAM badges on their cars round my way are usually driving too slowly for the conditions, and/or holding people up. Can't say about the brakes bit, as I've never seen a car with a rear IAM badge. They do tend to be older folk though, so it may give a biased view of the IAM "way". I'm sue not all of the IAM are like this, but as I say, the only ones with the badges are the doddery older type. It's also normally accompanied by an old style AA badge.

[WhoseGeneration]

Snake the Sniper said:

The only people who I see with IAM badges on their cars round my way are usually driving too slowly for the conditions, and/or holding people up. Can't say about the brakes bit, as I've never seen a car with a rear IAM badge. They do tend to be older folk though, so it may give a biased view of the IAM "way". I'm sue not all of the IAM are like this, but as I say, the only ones with the badges are the doddery older type. It's also normally accompanied by an old style AA badge.

Ah well, some of us never display a badge.
Mind, I'm not now a memeber.
Never had a badge though.
Discretion, see.
Formal and informal, like life.
The message is very relevant though.

[ROOODBOY]

I don't care what people (non - IAM members) think, it's a good thing to do and even ten years or more after doing my advanced test I still use techniques I learnt doing it, just go for it.

Any driving education can only be a good thing.




(Although they don't look impressed when you turn up for the first time and show a license only just returned to you after a ban for speeding)!

Edited by ROOODBOY on Sunday 12th April 02:50

[LeoSayer]

Snake the Sniper said:

The only people who I see with IAM badges on their cars round my way are usually driving too slowly for the conditions, and/or holding people up.

Have you considered that perhaps they ARE driving at the right speed for the conditions, seeing as they have had the benefit of training and experience?

[Snake the Sniper]

LeoSayer said:

Snake the Sniper said:

The only people who I see with IAM badges on their cars round my way are usually driving too slowly for the conditions, and/or holding people up.

Have you considered that perhaps they ARE driving at the right speed for the conditions, seeing as they have had the benefit of training and experience?

Well, if that is the case, everyone else sat behind them was also going to fast for the conditions. As I said though, I'm quite sure it's not every IAM member, just the doddery old string backed driving gloves type.

[S. Gonzales Esq.]

It often seems that those most likely to display a badge are the ones who scraped through the test twenty years ago and haven't given it a moments thought since.

I suspect this is part of the reason for the IAM's image problem, together with the the 'I did this test once so I have all the answers' attitude you sometimes encounter.

The RoSPA system of retesting weeds out (or at least identifies) the incompetent and promotes the idea that no matter how good you are, you can still be better. A culture of continuous learning and improvement would be great, but then you're battling against human nature.

[CommanderJameson]

Snake the Sniper said:

Well, if that is the case, everyone else sat behind them was also going to fast for the conditions.

That's not unusual. Just look at the driving on any motorway when there is the pissing rain or thick fog.

[rptsport]

Well I've just been out with an 18 year old relative who drives an Astra and his insurance is a couple of quid off £6,000...! He leans so far back he looks as if he should still be in bed and steers with his thumb. He thinks he is so cool flinging the car round bends and would do a handbrake turn without the slightest encouragement...!

It's because of young drivers like him that the IAM groups in the north east of England have set up the Young Drivers Group for the NE. We are in the process of setting up a web site and getting the IAM to produce some Young Drivers handouts for us. So if you are 30 or under and come under the following areas get in touch with your local group to get more information on our new IAM Young Drivers group. Durham, Sunderland, Hartlepool, Darlington & Newcastle.

[R3v 1]

rptsport said:

Well I've just been out with an 18 year old relative who drives an Astra and his insurance is a couple of quid off £6,000...! He leans so far back he looks as if he should still be in bed and steers with his thumb. He thinks he is so cool flinging the car round bends and would do a handbrake turn without the slightest encouragement...!

It's because of young drivers like him that the IAM groups in the north east of England have set up the Young Drivers Group for the NE. We are in the process of setting up a web site and getting the IAM to produce some Young Drivers handouts for us. So if you are 30 or under and come under the following areas get in touch with your local group to get more information on our new IAM Young Drivers group. Durham, Sunderland, Hartlepool, Darlington & Newcastle.

That's an excellant idea.

I am only 23 years old but I observe for the Barnsley IAM Group. We have people in our group from 18 year olds to 60+.

Is there any plans from the IAM to make this more of a main stream idea? It will improve the image and also assist younger drivers to learn better skills. Certainly something I would be interested in assisting with.

[Pugsey]

S. Gonzales Esq. said:

It often seems that those most likely to display a badge are the ones who scraped through the test twenty years ago and haven't given it a moments thought since.

I suspect this is part of the reason for the IAM's image problem, together with the the 'I did this test once so I have all the answers' attitude you sometimes encounter.

Nicely summed up. I think it's probably these people that have caused a build up of 'resistance' to 'Advanced' Drivers. In most walks of life I've found that if someone feels the need to tell you about their qualifications anywhere than in a formal interview then they probably have an inflated view of how good they are - which is rarely as good as they think - and definately feel they are superior to you. Why even mention you are a member of IAM or whatever? Do you wander around telling people you took a degree umpteen years ago? And us for badges - naff, naff naff.

Edited by Pugsey on Sunday 12th April 15:57

[LeoSayer]

Pugsey said:

Why even mention you are a member of IAM or whatever? Do you wander around telling people you took a degree umpteen years ago?

It sometimes helps to explain when people ask 'why do you drive so slowly' in a 30mph limit or 'why are weaving all over the road' on a country lane, or 'how did you know he was going to pull out'.

[Pigeon]

Pugsey said:

In most walks of life I've found that if someone feels the need to tell you about their qualifications anywhere than in a formal interview then they probably have an inflated view of how good they are - which is rarely as good as they think - and definately feel they are superior to you. Why even mention you are a member of IAM or whatever?

I tend to deliberately avoid mentioning "qualifications" - and in some cases have been known to pretend not to have some credit which in fact I do - precisely in order to avoid the "oh yeah so he thinks he knows it all" reaction. (In driving terms, all I really do have is the standard licence for car and bike; as I said when Ted opened this forum, I read it because I like to think and know about how I do stuff in order to do a good job, and the stuff posted in here helps me to do that.)

I much prefer to explain the logic and reasoning behind something from as low a level as necessary, without introducing any irrelevancies as to whether or not I acquired that knowledge through formal instruction, so that the other person can follow the explanation and genuinely understand it through their own knowledge, which is much more valuable than simply getting them to accept a fiat from the professor.

No idea how I'd answer "how did you know he was going to pull out" though Sometimes there are clues to cite such as how he was driving approaching the junction or possible factors affecting his speed/distance perception of your own approach, but an awful lot of the time it's "just something about him" and I'm buggered if I can define even to myself what it was

[Pugsey]

Pigeon said:

Pugsey said:

In most walks of life I've found that if someone feels the need to tell you about their qualifications anywhere than in a formal interview then they probably have an inflated view of how good they are - which is rarely as good as they think - and definately feel they are superior to you. Why even mention you are a member of IAM or whatever?

I tend to deliberately avoid mentioning "qualifications" - and in some cases have been known to pretend not to have some credit which in fact I do - precisely in order to avoid the "oh yeah so he thinks he knows it all" reaction. (In driving terms, all I really do have is the standard licence for car and bike; as I said when Ted opened this forum, I read it because I like to think and know about how I do stuff in order to do a good job, and the stuff posted in here helps me to do that.)

I much prefer to explain the logic and reasoning behind something from as low a level as necessary, without introducing any irrelevancies as to whether or not I acquired that knowledge through formal instruction, so that the other person can follow the explanation and genuinely understand it through their own knowledge, which is much more valuable than simply getting them to accept a fiat from the professor.

No idea how I'd answer "how did you know he was going to pull out" though Sometimes there are clues to cite such as how he was driving approaching the junction or possible factors affecting his speed/distance perception of your own approach, but an awful lot of the time it's "just something about him" and I'm buggered if I can define even to myself what it was

Good approach! IMHO