To leave the IAM or not, opinions ?
Discussion
Hello all
I've been in the IAM for quite a few years now, I've advanced to senior observer level.
I'm a bit pissed off with it to be honest, I'm grateful to the people who put the effort in to train me to the level I've achieved.
The IAM seem to do bugger all for the motorist, when you want them to speak out they don't, then they'll put some crap out about how we should hug a cyclists etc.
I have really enjoyed training others to pass an advanced test, I've enjoyed attending promotional events.
I was very pissed off when the IAM decided to increase my subs from £18 to £30, so I could continue to give my time free of charge, to allow others to recieve nice salaries.
I'm not into rospa versus IAM arguements, as I've found my local rospa people to be absolute cretins.
Any opinions ?, go or stay sort of stuff.
I've been in the IAM for quite a few years now, I've advanced to senior observer level.
I'm a bit pissed off with it to be honest, I'm grateful to the people who put the effort in to train me to the level I've achieved.
The IAM seem to do bugger all for the motorist, when you want them to speak out they don't, then they'll put some crap out about how we should hug a cyclists etc.
I have really enjoyed training others to pass an advanced test, I've enjoyed attending promotional events.
I was very pissed off when the IAM decided to increase my subs from £18 to £30, so I could continue to give my time free of charge, to allow others to recieve nice salaries.
I'm not into rospa versus IAM arguements, as I've found my local rospa people to be absolute cretins.
Any opinions ?, go or stay sort of stuff.
waremark said:
Stay; the IAM is contributing something to driving standards and road safety, so £28 a year is not that big a contribution to supporting it. And please don't let your senior observer skills go to waste.
I agree.'My' group offer free group annual membership to any observer who takes 3 associates successfully through the IAM test in the previous year - not much, but just a token of the group's appreciation of their voluntary efforts.
If you disagree with any of the IAM statements then let them know and ask for a response to your communication. If they don't respond after a few of your letters/emails then threaten to leave. If enough of us do this then perhaps HQ will listen to our views.
Edited by Glosphil on Sunday 31st January 01:39
I left, was joined on the bike side off things and was completely disgusted by the way everything became sanitized. Maybe it wasnt really there fault but the fear of legal issues if anything went wrong during a ride out.
The bizzare thing was it did, two seniors wiped out another one, they misread an overtake, they tried to cover it up, then tried to blame the unfortunate biker, then dissed the report from the senior who was riding at the back and watched it all happen.
This was the nail in the coffin for me.
I now offer help to peeps I see out and about, but also advise them to join the IAM if they are newbies. I still think its a great starting point, medium point but think to a certain point can be outgrown. I dont mean the learning aspect, but the social and club aspect, for me there is a limit to how much my bulls
t meter can take from others who think they know best when they know damn all!
You can still pass on your experience, you can still enjoy what you have learned from it, but only you know whether the good outweighs the bad for you to remain a member!!
Good luck with it!
The bizzare thing was it did, two seniors wiped out another one, they misread an overtake, they tried to cover it up, then tried to blame the unfortunate biker, then dissed the report from the senior who was riding at the back and watched it all happen.
This was the nail in the coffin for me.
I now offer help to peeps I see out and about, but also advise them to join the IAM if they are newbies. I still think its a great starting point, medium point but think to a certain point can be outgrown. I dont mean the learning aspect, but the social and club aspect, for me there is a limit to how much my bulls
t meter can take from others who think they know best when they know damn all!You can still pass on your experience, you can still enjoy what you have learned from it, but only you know whether the good outweighs the bad for you to remain a member!!
Good luck with it!
The IAM has evolved into yet another road safety charity & yet another potential source of employment for 'road safety professionals'. There really isn't much difference in the views of any of these organisations seeing as it's pretty much the same group of people enriching their CVs as they move from one to another through their careers. It would be nice if each organisation had their own 'angle' for instance the IAM championing the cause of drivers & better driving standards. Before I get shot down in flames here take a look at the current campaigns that they have running http://www.iam.org.uk/table/campaigns/ . Any one of these campaigns could easily be part of the focus of any other road safety charity (with the possible exception of the misfuelling one, but we're all advanced drivers so we wouldn't do that anyway 
). I guess (but would happily be corrected) that the IAM's main source of income is in selling its Skill for Life package. I just wonder how many observers would stick around if their efforts were funding one of the other road safety charities, let’s say Brake! or Roadpeace?
). I guess (but would happily be corrected) that the IAM's main source of income is in selling its Skill for Life package. I just wonder how many observers would stick around if their efforts were funding one of the other road safety charities, let’s say Brake! or Roadpeace?It depends upon whether you consider helping some more to be better drivers overrides your, in my opinion also, very valid criticisms of the organisation.
I've suggested before that organisations become like organisms, adapting to their environment, to ensure their survival.
The IAM is a good example.
They'd be promoting AD if the NSL was 20mph.
Which it might well become.
I've suggested before that organisations become like organisms, adapting to their environment, to ensure their survival.
The IAM is a good example.
They'd be promoting AD if the NSL was 20mph.
Which it might well become.
For me, it is very important that those things I spend my spare time on, are worthwhile and feel that I am able to contribute in some small way to the organisation moving forward.
If you stay how will they eever gauge the level of discontent with the membership?
I left the IAM when they increased the membership fee. That was necessary because the strategy to grow the organsiation was flawed and IIRC no-one resigned over it. Asking memebrs to foot the bill for the failures of the Management Team was, in my view, too much.
If you stay how will they eever gauge the level of discontent with the membership?
I left the IAM when they increased the membership fee. That was necessary because the strategy to grow the organsiation was flawed and IIRC no-one resigned over it. Asking memebrs to foot the bill for the failures of the Management Team was, in my view, too much.
ipsg.glf said:
I left the IAM when they increased the membership fee. That was necessary because the strategy to grow the organsiation was flawed and IIRC no-one resigned over it.
I thought that the man mainly responsible died, which made it rather difficult for him to resign.But tell us why and at what point you identified that the strategy to increase membership (and influence) was flawed? I suspect that many of us only realised that after the event, when membership had not increased and costs could not be covered.
waremark said:
ipsg.glf said:
I left the IAM when they increased the membership fee. That was necessary because the strategy to grow the organsiation was flawed and IIRC no-one resigned over it.
I thought that the man mainly responsible died, which made it rather difficult for him to resign.But tell us why and at what point you identified that the strategy to increase membership (and influence) was flawed? I suspect that many of us only realised that after the event, when membership had not increased and costs could not be covered.
7db said:
Seems you dislike it's political actions rather than its driver education angle. Is that the baby in the bathwater?
I don't think so. It was similar to when I decide to resign from the HPC in utter disgust. You'll remember that episode, David. You known when HPC activities were coming to the attention of the police, when certain people involved with HPC were claiming qualifications they did not hold. I wonder whether it was just Trading Standards that were made aware. I'm no lawyer but I wonder whether there was an attempted deception or even an attempt to obtain a pecuniary advantage by decpetion. For me, I need to be reassured that everything is above board, transparent and honest. I know one organisation that certainly failed that test big style for me.
waremark said:
Stay; the IAM is contributing something to driving standards and road safety, so £28 a year is not that big a contribution to supporting it. And please don't let your senior observer skills go to waste.
Given that Observers devote a good deal of unpaid time to the IAM, I think they ought to have been spared an increase in their subscriptions.In Nigel's position I would stay for the time being, but I'd be sending some strongly worded letters to IAM HQ whenever they seemed to be toadying up to the government and their anti-motorist policies. If that didn't persuade the IAM to mend their ways, I would then resign. There's a limit to how much crap you should be expected to tolerate.
Best wishes all,
Dave.
Vaux said:
p1esk said:
Given that Observers devote a good deal of unpaid time to the IAM, I think they ought to have been spared an increase in their subscriptions.
Observers were offered a £10 refund last year. None from my group took it.Its a shame in a way, but I think I'll just leave, the driving side is terrific, I've learnt a lot, and bloody enjoyed passing those skills on,........but..... the IAM, they do sod all for the motorist, and I think they should.
My time will be better spent at work, earning me money, rather than earning others money who seem to do little towards helping the motorist fight all the horrid restrictions this stupid government keep putting on us.
Nigel Worc's said:
Vaux said:
p1esk said:
Given that Observers devote a good deal of unpaid time to the IAM, I think they ought to have been spared an increase in their subscriptions.
Observers were offered a £10 refund last year. None from my group took it.Sorry, I thought it was £10.
Gassing Station | Advanced Driving | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff