...from a traffic cop!

Was great fun - he's taught me a bit about how to drive rather fast & smoothly round the local twisties and a quick visit to millitary road

I let him drive the Scoob as well and all I can say is I want to be able to dive like that as well (And he said that he'll teach me ) Doing the IAM advanced driving course has never been so much fun.

 

How much does this cost and does it reduce insuerance?

 

The IAM test costs £30ish, and there is a years membership package with it. IIRC it was about £70 (which my employer paid for as art of the training budget )

Passing an advanced driving course might help a bit with insurance, but don't bank on it too much. There are many other benefits though.

This doesn't cover tonight's fun - it was just a friendly IAM member traffic cop who offered to show me how to really drive...

 

Friendly traffic cop - pull the other one!!!

 

they don't exist!

------------------------
www.5ive-o.com Motoring chat.... with a "blue" tint

 

Don't try to do the same over the same roads, as he will now get the area speed trapped every night! lol

 

Worth considering RoSPA (which is the older of the two organisations), same principle but the test is graded Gold Silver and Bronze. Gold is on a par with a Police class 2 Bronze is on a par with an IAM pass and silver comes in somewhere between the two.

Some insurers offer up to a 40% reduction for a RoSPA Gold as opposed to 10% for an IAM pass, which is probably why I only pay £225 fully comp for a 3.0 Vauxhall Omega, although I suppose it does help the fact that I am an examiner.

This is not meant as a slagging to the IAM just to offer an alternative, and there are some very good RoSPA groups throughout the Country.

RoSPA for anyone interested can be contacted on 0121 248 2000 and ask for the advanced drivers association.

 

Thanks for the info - I'll look into that!

 

dnb,

When you say millitary road, I presume you mean the one that runs from the NE to Cumbria - if so, top road.....and quiet.

laters

stu

 

No, I mean the other Millitary road. Those that know me know where I mean...

As for the friendly traffic cop - he retires shortly, so I'm not worried about speed traps from that.

I have heard of the RoSPA course, but haven't done a lot of investigation - don't you have to keep retaking the test every so often?

 

With RoSPA, if you attain gold or silver grade then in order to retain your membership a retest is required every three years, if you attain bronze or ungraded then a retest is required within 12 months.

The good thing about this IMHO is that it ensures that standards are maintained, where with the IAM (and this is not meant to devalue the IAM test)once you have passed, and provided you pay for your annual subscriptions, at the age of 80 you can still call yourself an advanced driver even though you may not have taken a test for 40 years or more.

I have seen many a car being driven with the IAM badge proudly displayed on the front of the car, but the standard quite frankly is well below that of someone who is still on the ball.

The other aspect of the RoSPA test is that the report you get after the test is far more comprehensive than the IAM report. RoSPA examine on about 60 facets of the drive where the IAM examines on about 20, therefore the report is far more detailed.

Gold grade drivvers also have the opportunity to take the diploma which is primarily aimed at instructors, but it does go a lot deeper than just the normal drive, as you are also tested on your knowledge in depth, as well as instructuctional skills and many private individuals take the course as the final icing on the cake.

 

TC - I agree about the retest idea to keep you in practice. I've got plenty of time to do the RoSPA course - I probably will do it towards the end of the year (in time for 2004 insurance renewal...)

I'm only 24, and I could do with a bit of an insurance break now, rather than taking a bit longer to get through a "harder" course.
I have an IAM test very shortly - should be just before insurance renewal.

 

A few years back I had a day with the Driving School at Donnington Park and even in a day you learn so much about how to drive a car fast but safe and also how not to drive a car. Certainly felt my skills improved and also appreciation of speed and other road users. Advanced Driving Courses are defo worth doing as are fun but worthwhile.

 

I did some advanced driving and have attempted to keep up to speed by reading Paul Ripleys "Expert Driving," which is brilliant and Roadcraft which is also very good with the aim of making me a safer driver.

However, when I asked my insurance company what discounts I could expect if I did every course under the sun I was told it would make no difference at all. The reason behind this? I am young(22 but I was 18 when I started IAM training) and in a fast car.

I would have though that the fact I am young and in a fast car would have meant a larger discounts, but according to my insurance company, "Advanced drivers are still involved in accidents." No! Really?

Two questions for TC; Firstly I had been led to believe that the IAM test was roughly equivalent to the police class two certificate. Clearly this is not the case, but what are the differences between the two?

Secondly I once saw a documentary on the police class 1 training program. I was in awe at the driving talent exhibited (one police officer was able to identify a fighter jet at 10,000 feet while giving commentary at over 100mph). Is there any way I can take a similar course or does the nature of the course, ie. some fast driving on public roads redner it impossible for the general public?

 

Dave_GT; I will try and answer your question in order.

Firstly, insurance companies who are switched on recognise that drivers who have taken advanced training are substantialy less likely to be involved in accidents than those who have done nothing more than take the learner test. the trouble is that many insurers simply do not understand the market they represent. To give you an example, I was shopping around for some insurance a few years ago, and one firm asked me whether I had any advanced qualifications. So I gave her my list, Police advanced class 1 car, police qualified advanced instructor, Police advanced class 1 motorcycle, RoSPA advanced driving examiner, IAM advanced driving examiner (well at the time I was), ADI, RoSPA diploma examiner and, and, and. The voice at the other end of the phone said "Well we recognise the IAM qualification as it is the highest available, the rest are simply not up to the same standard" So I politely asked her where she obtained that information as to be an examiner for either organisation you had to hold a minimum of the Police class 1 and if the IAM was the highest qualification why were they not using IAM members as their examiners? She could not give me an answer but promised to do some research. I never did hear back and I took my business elsewhere. It sometimes needs a little bit of shopping around, but the discounts are there to be had if you don't mind spending a little time on the phone. Websites never seem to ask the question whether or not you have any qualifications do they? The other point is, that it is a proven fact that an advanced driver on average has an accident about every 2.5 million miles (remember this is an average) against the untrained driver having an accident on average avery 125,000 miles, quite a substantial difference I think.

About 2 years ago, the DSA decreed that the three main advanced driving organisations (RoSPA, IAM and Diamond Advanced) had to agree on a standard definition (which for the life of me I can't remember at the moment) as well as a minimum standard. It was agreed between RoSPA and the IAM (who work very closely together by the way) that a drive at the minimum standard required to pass would be equal to a RoSPA Bronze. The trouble is that because the IAM do not have anything other than a pass or fail, there is nothing to differentiate between those who have really worked to attain the highest possible standard or those who just scrape through. There are IAM drivers out there who are really excellent drivers (and riders for that matter) and many do go onto take the RoSPA test and pass at Gold or Silver level. At the end of the day, there is no way that an IAM pass can be construed as being a class 2 if someone is just scraping through, and as the Institute themselves admit they IAM is quantity, RoSPA is quality, and that is not meant to detract from the good work done around the Country by IAM or RoSPA groups.

As far as doing a Police course is concerned, unless you join the Police service and apply to go on traffic, or you are a member of someone like Customs and excise there is no way (unless you are very rich) you could afford the Police course. It is 4 weeks of 5 days a week 7 hours a day in the car with a refresher course every two years, on top of which you have to obtain an 80% pass mark on both your theory and Highway Code papers, 70% on the skid pan and the same again on your manouevering. The other advantage is that Police driving schools are exempt from speed limits so the pace is a lot hotter than it would be onm a civillian course, however, the principles taught by groups is exactly the same as on the Police course it just happens within the constraints of the speed limits give or take a few MPH.

Both the car and bike courses are the best I have ever done, which I could tell a few stories about on their own, and my class 1 certificates are the qualifications I am most proud of, but someone who attains an IAM or RoSPA qualification has every right to feel equally proud.

I hope that answers your questions.

 

Always be wary of a white Omega doing 120mph plus up and down the M1. Its a Police Training Car. Went past me a few months ago going very fast! Glad I use my rear view mirrors!

A question, do CID and Drugs squad have training as regulalry go past our office in Central London in unmarked BMW's and Fords all tooled up at speed!?

 

Some plain clothes departments will undergo advanced training, for example the Regional crime squad only use class 1 drivers and riders usually seconded from traffic but they do have some in house class 1 drivers, Serious Crime squad also have some training, but general CID officers hold only the Class 4 authorisation to drive certificate same as panda car drivers.

I think the Met have a slightly different approach with their plain clothes squads and they also use the area car system as well which requires a class 1 certificate to drive.

 

Thanks for the answers T.C - I think I might investigate the RoSPA course.