IAM members assessment

[Another Bill]

Happy to consider RoSPA. Would a certain amount of training be encouraged/demanded, or could I just take the test?

I’m aware of the benefits of training and observed drives, before a formal test. But part of me just wants to know whether I still make the grade just as I am, five years on from the initial test, without any specific coaching. A f1rst, or a good RoSPA grade would be absolutely fantastic of course but that’s not my core aim - I’m more interested to confirm/deny my current day-today driving standard.

Per the three year retest, hmm, not so sure. If I were younger with a lifetime of daily commutes ahead of me, I’d see it as a huge plus. But I’ve reached an age where it’s hard to predict what I’ll be doing or thinking in three years, or six, or nine, and a but reluctant to commit long term, if that makes sense.

If you're still a member of a local group, I'm sure they'd be willong to undertake an assessment free - that's at least part of what the local groups are all about... Not just to train up initially but to help maintain skills... From that assessment (which could be carried out as e.g. Check drive performed prior to test for initial associates), then take a view whether you think you'd still want to pay for a test afterwards.

I maintain membership to both IAM and RoSPA and observe for both - the latter precisely because of the 3 yearly retest to keep us on our toes... (Observers in both groups require regular checks anyhow!)

Thanks, but tbh a formal retest is what appeals. My IAM course was all good, and I was chuffed to bits when my excellent observer eventually suggested I was ready for the test. But the ‘wow’ moment only came at end of the test, when told I’d passed, and ensuing debrief discussing good/bad aspects, best few minutes of my driving career. No disrespect to my observer, but it meant so much to have that discussion with an impressively qualified examiner who was completely independent of IAM, and of the local group. Fair to say my observer was chuffed to bits too, when I told him the outcome.

I don’t really want any tutoring/mentoring which, if the goal is a straightforwards retest, arguably constitutes a form of cheating. If I took that path then I’d never know whether I’d have passed without it, and whether training from my initial course still held good.

Payment/cost is no object not because I am wealthy but because let’s face it, on the grand scale of typical motoring costs, it’s peanuts. I’d be more than happy to pay a suitably qualified independent examiner for the test and in addition, make a separate ‘thank you’ charitable contribution to IAM (or RoSPA).

On balance, if I go ahead (my enthusiasm is waning) I’m thinking it’ll be with RoSPA, their focus seems to be on formal testing, in keeping with my own ideas.

[hir]

I don’t really want any tutoring/mentoring which, if the goal is a straightforwards retest, arguably constitutes a form of cheating. If I took that path then I’d never know whether I’d have passed without it, and whether training from my initial course still held good.

May I be so bold as to suggest that you might like to re-think this.

Additional tutoring/mentoring does not constitute a “form of cheating”. The mindset of an advanced driver necessarily encompasses the belief that any tutoring/mentoring has the potential to be beneficial. Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn’t, it just depends on one’s level of competence and experience vis-a-vis the tutor/mentor. But, what we never do is turn down the opportunity to learn.

You are concerned to discover whether training from your initial course still holds good. The problem you’ve got with the approach you have outlined is that without additional tutoring/mentoring your advanced driving skill-set is very likely to have declined. But, it still might be worthy of an IAM pass. So, you may well satisfy the IAM examiner on the assessment drive, but that’s not necessarily going to inform you of any reduction in competency. Advanced driving is a competence that invariably declines unless reinforced and maintained by regular tutoring and mentoring. It doesn’t have to be much tutoring, nor does it need to be expensive. RoSPA groups will always offer free check-drives to anyone about to take a three-yearly retest.

It’s important to remember that passing of the IAM test, notwithstanding the sense of achievement, is not, or should not be, the end of your advanced driving journey. There’s always something new to learn every time you drive the car.

[Strangely Brown]

I'll just leave this here...

[Horse]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/There_are ... n_unknowns

I thought that I was a smooth driver. Until my first AD Day, with Gareth & John.

But it took a full year of concentration and practice to embed it.

If £ really isn't a limiting factor, I'm sure there are some recommendations to be had on 'who' to visit.

You'll get that independent assessment and valuable pointers (at a minimum)

[Another Bill]

It’s true that £ isn’t a factor for me. I simply think that the cost of a retest, or even of meeting up for friendly advice, would simply be lost in the noise of most peoples’ annual motoring budgets. Time however, is a different matter, as I really find it hard to spare any. I’ve heard it said, and agree, that a problem with retirement is that you don’t have weekends any more, in which to indulge in other activities.

That got me thinking. I’m sure we all have other interests and priorities in our lives, separate to and additional to advanced driving. But Imagine we were to grade the importance of AD on a scale of one to ten, corresponding respectively to “paranoid obsession” to “couldn’t care less”. I’d put myself on that scale about a 6 or 7, but can’t help wondering of some of you lot might rank yourselves higher. That might possibly explain the evident gulf between my approach to skills review and retest, and the approach most of you’d like me to be taking?

I hope you’ll not be offended by me admitting that AD ranks so relatively low in my priorities. I console myself that for vast majority of population at large, I’m certain that AD doesn’t register at all. Hence why I joined the forum, AD is a genuine interest, albeit just a 6 or 7 on my made up scale.

[Horse]

That might possibly explain the evident gulf between my approach to skills review and retest, and the approach most of you’d like me to be taking?

I think that the advice / suggestions given have simply been to answer your requests.

Re
But the ‘wow’ moment only came at end of the test, when told I’d passed, and ensuing debrief discussing good/bad aspects, best few minutes of my driving career. No disrespect to my observer, but it meant so much to have that discussion with an impressively qualified examiner who was completely independent of IAM, and of the local group.

Hence my thoughts that there are assessors who are independent of the IAM who might be able to do an assessment for you. Superbly qualified people. One, if I remember correctly, one in Aylesbury. That's not far from you, is it?

I’d put myself on that scale about a 6 or 7

Interesting (well, to me) aside. In Sir John Whitmore's book 'Coaching for Performance' there's a suggestion that the person wanting to change should be asked to rate, on a scale to 10, how likely they are to take the necessary actions. An answer of '6' or lower means that they are unlikely to see it through.

Perhaps there should be a coaching review of potential Associates?

[Another Bill]

Superbly qualified people

Frankly I remain unlikely to take the bait. But without raising your hopes is it possible to divulge, in a general way and without personally identifying anybody, what the typical nature of their qualifications might be?

[Horse]

Bait? Trying to help find an appropriate solution for you. Happy to keep out of the thread if you'd prefer.

I was expecting that someone would have suggested the HPC 'gatekeepers' but no-one has.

As a result Carole completed two driving courses with the ambulance service-these were to ignite her passion in driving. In 2003 Carole joined Thames Valley Police as a standard response instructor before further training and achieving her Police Class 1 status in 2007; a few months later Carole qualified as an advanced instructor. Since then Carole has trained Police officers and outside agencies in advanced driving, and also trained potential new driver trainers. Carole retired from TVP in July 2022.

So a [retired]police trainer trainer. You won't get much better than that.

Wales, so further afield:
In 1978 he transferred to the Eastern Traffic Sector, Cardiff as a car driver and in 1979 as a motorcyclist. In 1986 he qualified as a Motorcycle Instructor; 1990 as an Advanced Car driver; 1992 promoted to Sergeant onto the Force Driving School and qualifying as a Car Instructor.

During this time he trained officers and outside agencies in all aspects of driver/rider training from basic courses to advanced including specialist VIP, Cat A and Surveillance. Clive retired from the Police in 2006, finishing as head of the Driving School.

http://www.high-performance-course.com/course-managers/

Or there's:
https://driving4tomorrow.com/

Metropolitan Police Class 1 Advanced Driver and Certified Police Advanced Driving Instructor
Police Advanced Driving Examiner and Staff Trainer
Former DVSA Delegated Driving Examiner for LGV & PCV
City & Guilds in Competences in Training & Development
Highest Grade DVSA Approved Driving Instructor (ADI-A)
Former RoSPA Advanced Driving Examiner
Instructor to several members of the royal family


Edit: you're 'car' and 'bike' is my area. For someone who was interested in 'more' then I'd usually recommend 'different'. The issue with the various IAM and RoSPA grades is that they all have similar grounding. Sometimes it's useful to get an alternative view.

[Another Bill]

Agreed, these are impressive qualifications.

Re ‘bait’ I simply meant that yourself and others are clearly trying to persuade me to change my views. I did’n want anybody to think that, by answering the question, You would necessarily convince me I was wrong.

I’m planning to lay the whole idea to rest, for a while. Immediate priorities are to complete some winter hedge-trimming, project-managing a new garden shed and patio, publishing a new mobile phone App (my most pointless hobby), fixing a slight plumbing leak, the list goes on. And biggest challenge of all, trying to hide all of these “works in progress” as we’re having some family guests arriving on Tuesday to stay a few days.

[Horse]

yourself and others are clearly trying to persuade me to change my views.

You would necessarily convince me I was wrong.

I don't think I'm actually clear what your views are!

So I would struggle to achieve your second point

Anyway, you've decided not to go ahead, so ...
[/end of thread]?