Thinking of doing some RoSPA instruction
Discussion
Hi everyone, i'm thinking of doing some RoSPA advanced driving stuff and have a few questions. I am 21 and have been driving a bit over 4 years so in the whole scheme of things not very long, but have been told by a few people, including some IAM members, that generally i am a good driver and have good observation. So, my questions...
- Is RoSPA the best first step into advanced driving, or should i be looking at IAM or something else?
- Is it expensive?
- How useful will it be to me day to day (i was reading another thread about IAM earlier and a lot of the members of the IAM commenting on it were saying that they pic and choose a lot of the stuff they are taught)
- Do any insurance companies take it into account?
jimmy306 said:
Hi everyone, i'm thinking of doing some RoSPA advanced driving stuff and have a few questions. I am 21 and have been driving a bit over 4 years so in the whole scheme of things not very long, but have been told by a few people, including some IAM members, that generally i am a good driver and have good observation. So, my questions...
Hi James,- Is RoSPA the best first step into advanced driving, or should i be looking at IAM or something else?
- Is it expensive?
- How useful will it be to me day to day (i was reading another thread about IAM earlier and a lot of the members of the IAM commenting on it were saying that they pic and choose a lot of the stuff they are taught)
- Do any insurance companies take it into account?
Welcome.
Before anyone else says it, I notice that you live in Surrey so why not try the Free Advanced Driving 'Taster Day' - Andover 10/10/09 - see Lower down on the list of topics, last posting 31 August 2009. I'm no good at putting in links so that's the best I can do I'm afraid.
These taster days are ideal for talking to and driving with IAM, RoSPA and HPC members. Hope to see you there on the 10th.
jimmy306 said:
Hi everyone, i'm thinking of doing some RoSPA advanced driving stuff and have a few questions. I am 21 and have been driving a bit over 4 years so in the whole scheme of things not very long, but have been told by a few people, including some IAM members, that generally i am a good driver and have good observation. So, my questions...
1 - No reason why it should not be. IAM nad RoADA teach from the same set of guidelines (Roadcraft) and the test is broadly similar with about 1 1/2 hours out in the car and covering around 50 miles of roads and a range of conditions. RoADA will grade (Bronze, Silver and Gold) and IAM give a Pass / Fail but the minimum standard is about the same. ***Insert flame war here*** The HPC will recommends an IAM / RoADA qualification before you go to meet their gatekeeper for an assessment.- Is RoSPA the best first step into advanced driving, or should i be looking at IAM or something else?
- Is it expensive?
- How useful will it be to me day to day (i was reading another thread about IAM earlier and a lot of the members of the IAM commenting on it were saying that they pic and choose a lot of the stuff they are taught)
- Do any insurance companies take it into account?
2 - RoADA is slightly cheaper, local group membership fees vary but are not that high (£10-20). You pay for fuel etc on the drives out and maybe some classroom time. The test fee is on the net and then then £17ish per year to keep the membership up if you wish to. IAM charge a one-off fee of £130ish which gets you membership and test plus their version of Roadcraft which is not a bad read anyway.
3 - Very. The idea of the advanced driving is to give you a method of dealing with hazards that is simple, safe and systematic. The emphasis will be on safe vehicle handling, hazard management and situational awareness. It's not about high speeds but you will find that high speed driving becomes more comfortable as your observation and perception skills will improve.
4 - Some do but don't expect that you will save money on this alone. You don't fit the agr profile that the insurers are looking for. You are more likely to save money through better fuel economy, reduced wear and tear etc. I personally have never had a discount for IAM / RoADA membership and in some cases have been told out right that I was too young to have passed an advanced test!
If you can find a local group (either RoADA or IAM) then ask for a check drive and see how it goes. Make sure that you ask for a younger observer, this does actually make a lot of difference.
In my oppinion, you have taken the hardest step and asked the question. Resistance to learning is the biggest obsticle to improvement and you have shown a willingness to learn.
Edited by Starfighter on Monday 14th September 17:23
jimmy306 said:
1. Is RoSPA the best first step into advanced driving, or should i be looking at IAM or something else?
Either or. Depends on your local group. Go along and see if you like it.jimmy306 said:
2. Is it expensive?
No. Houses and children are expensive.jimmy306 said:
3. How useful will it be to me day to day (i was reading another thread about IAM earlier and a lot of the members of the IAM commenting on it were saying that they pic and choose a lot of the stuff they are taught)
If you are a 21 year old man, then short of taking anti-depressants daily, it is probably the single thing that you can do which will increase your chances of living until 30. Do it properly and you will use it daily.You get to pick and choose when you can do it well and appreciate the alternative. Driving like a knob is not an alternative. Well it is, just not a good one.
If you don't do it, then you won't know what driving like a knob looks like.
jimmy306 said:
4. Do any insurance companies take it into account?
Some do. Check with yours. For young people it can make quite a big difference.Come and join in at Andover. I'll be there. It's a friendly day out and you'll get a much better idea of whether it's what you want to do (and it's free!). Just tell your mum you're off to meet your weird internet friends. She'll be fine with it.
Link to ADUK site
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