Bad experience with IAM - what to try next?
Discussion
I'd been vaguely interested in doing some advanced driving training for a while. Hubby decided to go for it, and got in touch with our local IAM bike group. He went through all the training, had some really good rides out and seriously improved his riding skills. Finally went through the test and was proud to pass.
Full of enthusiasm, I decided to try some advanced training in the car. Because hubby had already been through the course, he had explained some of the principles, and I was already starting to apply them in my everyday driving. I was, and still am, very respectful of 40mph limits and below. I try to be very observant of all road conditions.
I was assigned an Observer, who when I arrived to meet him at his house, was a gentleman in his ?early 60s? He asked me to show him my car (a Fiat Punto at the time). I had parked where he had advised me to, in a fairly narrow back lane, just about 2 cars wide. However I came in for contemptuous criticism for my parking, because I had parked about 12 to 18 inches from the nearside wall (so that other vehicles could pass) and so 'How could your passenger possibly expect to get in to their seat?'
A bit miffed and bewildered, I kept my mouth shut, hoping that I would come to understand where I'd gone wrong. We went out on our drive, and the only commentary I got was directions. No teaching or advice was offered. On our return, I was given a scoresheet of all the areas that are judged on the test, and EVERYTHING was scored very negatively. I probably would have been prepared to believe that I was just rubbish, but I noted that I had been scored down on speed control, which I was very aware of, and about which I had been vigilent.
I was pretty downhearted about the experience, but hubby persuaded me to carry on. Having done the m/c test himself, he reckoned that my driving skills could do with a little refining, but that I was otherwise very capable.
I went out for the next 'lesson' which went very much the same as the last, except that my Observer inadvertantly directed me into a dead end street. We sat for a minute of so, until he worked out where he wanted to be, at which point he asked 'Do you want me to turn you around?'
The final straw came on the last 'lesson/drive' He decided to take me out on what he decribed as a 'Demonstration drive'. Presumably to show off his IAM skills.
The skills he demonstrated were:
- sitting in the middle lane of a motorway, for no apparent reason
- approaching a corner too quick in 5th gear, stamping on the brake, then leaving the car in 5th gear for the laborious climb from 20mph to 60mph in one gear
-driving right through a country village at 40mph (30mph limit), then commenting that 'in the test they won't mind that, as long as you notice and comment that you're doing it'
-failing to notice that the car in front had been indicating for some time that it was turning left (into a garage forecourt), then being utterly surprised that it actually slowed down in order to do so, swerving sharply in order to avoid running into the back of that car, and causing oncoming drivers to brake sharply, thereby avoiding a collision.
As I got out of the car at the end of this demonstration drive, I smiled and said goodbye.
But I was thinking, if that's Advanced Driving
you can stick it up your arse.
Comments?
Full of enthusiasm, I decided to try some advanced training in the car. Because hubby had already been through the course, he had explained some of the principles, and I was already starting to apply them in my everyday driving. I was, and still am, very respectful of 40mph limits and below. I try to be very observant of all road conditions.
I was assigned an Observer, who when I arrived to meet him at his house, was a gentleman in his ?early 60s? He asked me to show him my car (a Fiat Punto at the time). I had parked where he had advised me to, in a fairly narrow back lane, just about 2 cars wide. However I came in for contemptuous criticism for my parking, because I had parked about 12 to 18 inches from the nearside wall (so that other vehicles could pass) and so 'How could your passenger possibly expect to get in to their seat?'
A bit miffed and bewildered, I kept my mouth shut, hoping that I would come to understand where I'd gone wrong. We went out on our drive, and the only commentary I got was directions. No teaching or advice was offered. On our return, I was given a scoresheet of all the areas that are judged on the test, and EVERYTHING was scored very negatively. I probably would have been prepared to believe that I was just rubbish, but I noted that I had been scored down on speed control, which I was very aware of, and about which I had been vigilent.
I was pretty downhearted about the experience, but hubby persuaded me to carry on. Having done the m/c test himself, he reckoned that my driving skills could do with a little refining, but that I was otherwise very capable.
I went out for the next 'lesson' which went very much the same as the last, except that my Observer inadvertantly directed me into a dead end street. We sat for a minute of so, until he worked out where he wanted to be, at which point he asked 'Do you want me to turn you around?'
The final straw came on the last 'lesson/drive' He decided to take me out on what he decribed as a 'Demonstration drive'. Presumably to show off his IAM skills.
The skills he demonstrated were:
- sitting in the middle lane of a motorway, for no apparent reason
- approaching a corner too quick in 5th gear, stamping on the brake, then leaving the car in 5th gear for the laborious climb from 20mph to 60mph in one gear
-driving right through a country village at 40mph (30mph limit), then commenting that 'in the test they won't mind that, as long as you notice and comment that you're doing it'
-failing to notice that the car in front had been indicating for some time that it was turning left (into a garage forecourt), then being utterly surprised that it actually slowed down in order to do so, swerving sharply in order to avoid running into the back of that car, and causing oncoming drivers to brake sharply, thereby avoiding a collision.
As I got out of the car at the end of this demonstration drive, I smiled and said goodbye.
But I was thinking, if that's Advanced Driving
you can stick it up your arse.
Comments?
EmmaP said:
I'm in Nottingham Wendy and would only be too pleased to take you out for a run if you are reasonably local (50 mile radius).
That's kind, but I'm a bit too far north, nearer to Newcastle (and no, it wasn't the Newcastle group!) Well, maybe I will give it another go. I probably would have stuck with the original observer a bit longer and assumed it was my fault if that 'Demonstration drive' hadn't been so bad.At least they'll have to assign me someone a bit less decrepit, as they'll have to be able to get in and out of the Elise.
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