Advanced Driving Hub

It’s nearly five years since I passed my IAM (plain pass, not f1rst), which had been something of a lifetime ambition that I only got around to in retirement. Since then I have grown older, with no evidence of growing wiser. I have started to receive state pension as well as occasional discounts in many places, from museums to barbers - all good stuff, which I highly recommend, and is worth waiting for.

I also qualify for a bus pass. That is of course useless as I live in rural Oxfordshire where there are no buses anymore, following cutbacks that I assume were needed to pay for all the wonderful cycling and walking infrastructure, and the cost of planning and erecting hundreds of 20mph signs.

… So I still have to (and enjoy) driving and I’m toying with the idea, this year, of going for a Members Assessment and just wondering what that would involve. Is it exactly like the full IAM advanced test, or are there differences? Same pool of examiners, for example?

Another Bill wrote:It’s nearly five years since I passed my IAM (plain pass, not f1rst), which had been something of a lifetime ambition that I only got around to in retirement. Since then I have grown older, with no evidence of growing wiser. I have started to receive state pension as well as occasional discounts in many places, from museums to barbers - all good stuff, which I highly recommend, and is worth waiting for.

I also qualify for a bus pass. That is of course useless as I live in rural Oxfordshire where there are no buses anymore, following cutbacks that I assume were needed to pay for all the wonderful cycling and walking infrastructure, and the cost of planning and erecting hundreds of 20mph signs.

… So I still have to (and enjoy) driving and I’m toying with the idea, this year, of going for a Members Assessment and just wondering what that would involve. Is it exactly like the full IAM advanced test, or are there differences? Same pool of examiners, for example?

Do you mean a Fellow Member? If so all explained if you go to the IAM web page and log in as a member. Then scroll down. Why not contact your local group and get a check drive. Cost you nothing then. If you like you can PM me and could probably be able to arrange something.

I mean this…

https://www.iamroadsmart.com/courses/me ... assessment

The description is a little vague, saying it “…will follow the format and structure of an Advanced Test”. That suggests it’s not quite the same as an Advanced Test, else why not say it is the same?

Another Bill wrote:I mean this…

https://www.iamroadsmart.com/courses/me ... assessment

The description is a little vague, saying it “…will follow the format and structure of an Advanced Test”. That suggests it’s not quite the same as an Advanced Test, else why not say it is the same?

Mmmm think I read it the other way "will follow...."

I'd suggest you could follow my suggestions and save your £65 or £45, depending on which test you choose. Personally I think this is probably just another way of the IAM trying to make money out of us. That £65 as far as I know mostly goes into their pocket. Many of the Examiners now are ordinary volunteers with a little bit of training. As volunteers they can not be paid. Some groups have members who can assess you for nothing who are far more experienced and knowledgable than many IAM Examiners. In my group we have a dozen or so members whose training is deeper and wider than is possible for advanced police driver training and they have decades of experience Observing as well.
You will find that many groups are far more interested in helping people than making money.

Another Bill wrote:It’s nearly five years since I passed my IAM (plain pass, not f1rst), which had been something of a lifetime ambition that I only got around to in retirement. Since then I have grown older, with no evidence of growing wiser. I have started to receive state pension as well as occasional discounts in many places, from museums to barbers - all good stuff, which I highly recommend, and is worth waiting for.

I also qualify for a bus pass. That is of course useless as I live in rural Oxfordshire where there are no buses anymore, following cutbacks that I assume were needed to pay for all the wonderful cycling and walking infrastructure, and the cost of planning and erecting hundreds of 20mph signs.

… So I still have to (and enjoy) driving and I’m toying with the idea, this year, of going for a Members Assessment and just wondering what that would involve. Is it exactly like the full IAM advanced test, or are there differences? Same pool of examiners, for example?

Have you considered a RoSPA advanced driving test? The test is almost identical to the IAM test, with many examiners conducting tests for both organisations. The advantage of RoSPA membership is that you are re-tested every three years. Also, your test pass is graded as bronze, silver or gold. Having passed the IAM test you should have no problem passing the RoSPA test.

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.

jcochrane wrote: Many of the Examiners now are ordinary volunteers with a little bit of training.

Treading carefully here to avoid unintended offence, especially to any forum members. It's my understanding - and correct me if I'm wrong - that there has indeed been a move in that direction, and away from a more traditional examiner qualification, such as Police advanced/training experience. I have no reason to doubt that the self-appointed IAM examiners are fully capable, and maybe even they are the very best people to do the job.

But I can't help feeling that a totally independent examiner, trained and qualified to Police or similar advanced standards, is just a smidgen more convincing?

PS, I don't think I'm alone in perception of benefit from police qualified examiners. From IAM's (at this moment in time) Wikipedia page...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IAM_RoadSmart
" , the IAM "test" provides the opportunity to gain assessment, guidance and tips from a police pursuit driver."
and
" The examiner is a serving or retired police officer who holds a Police Advanced Driving Certificate (or holds the Police Driving Instructor Certificate from the UK Home Office)."

Another Bill wrote:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IAM_RoadSmart
" , the IAM "test" provides the opportunity to gain assessment, guidance and tips from a police pursuit driver."

I wonder what 'guidance and tips'from that 'pursuit' background they would actually pass on? TPAC?

Another Bill wrote:From IAM's (at this moment in time) Wikipedia page...

There's the problem right there.

Horse wrote:

Another Bill wrote:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IAM_RoadSmart
" , the IAM "test" provides the opportunity to gain assessment, guidance and tips from a police pursuit driver."

I wonder what 'guidance and tips'from that 'pursuit' background they would actually pass on? TPAC?

I wouldn't trust that wiki page if it said "2+2=4"