Police Response Driving - My experience
Discussion
Sgt Bilko said:
Really useful thread LG. At some point this year i'll be doing a five week Advanced course, and it's difficult to lay your hands on any real life end-uer experience.
Good luck! I've heard that going from standard to advanced isn't as big a jump as going from nothing to standard.LosingGrip said:
Sgt Bilko said:
Really useful thread LG. At some point this year i'll be doing a five week Advanced course, and it's difficult to lay your hands on any real life end-uer experience.
Good luck! I've heard that going from standard to advanced isn't as big a jump as going from nothing to standard.Its about the same as flying a Tiger Moth, then jumping straight into a Spitfire! It can be done, but the ability and concentration required is immense and not everyone has the ability.
It is very easy for the standard driver to become 'overloaded' whilst travelling at greater speeds. That's why there are gradual steps from the standard course upwards.
Its a bit like a Physics lesson.... If you double the speed you quadruple the drag....
On the advanced driving course, if you double the speed, you quadruple the concentration!! But first, you must have the ability!!
It is very easy for the standard driver to become 'overloaded' whilst travelling at greater speeds. That's why there are gradual steps from the standard course upwards.
Its a bit like a Physics lesson.... If you double the speed you quadruple the drag....
On the advanced driving course, if you double the speed, you quadruple the concentration!! But first, you must have the ability!!
Bit of a bump!
Things have changed since my OP. I’m now a PC and now on traffic. I’ve got my advanced course coming up in a few weeks.
Basically my standard course allows me to drive up to 180BHP. Advanced allows me to drive above that (which the traffic cars are).
I’ll try and update fairly regularly.
Things have changed since my OP. I’m now a PC and now on traffic. I’ve got my advanced course coming up in a few weeks.
Basically my standard course allows me to drive up to 180BHP. Advanced allows me to drive above that (which the traffic cars are).
I’ll try and update fairly regularly.
Losing Grip.
Congratulations on getting your job and getting onto Traffic , I hope you enjoy it.
I was in the Ambulance service for 26 years and when I went from patient transport to A&E we had a two weeks driving course which included Roadcraft but not to the standard of a Police driving course which includes commentary(as you know ).
We were allowed to exceed the nsl but on no account were we allowed to use blue lights and sirens and as a result the first time I had to do this was for real and I was cr&^^*ng myself and it was over 50 miles drive to the hospital.
I managed it but when at the hospital I could have taken my shirt off and wrung it out as it was soaking .
You do get used to driving on blues and realise when other drivers are going to just stop suddenly or do not realise you are behind them .
I thought I was a good driver before I did the course and realised I wasn't as good as I thought but improved enough to pass the course and upgrade my standard of driving a lot.
I wish they would make it that within 1 year of passing the standard driving test you must take an advanced course which would improve the standard of driving in the uk.
Enough from me .
Congratulations on getting your job and getting onto Traffic , I hope you enjoy it.
I was in the Ambulance service for 26 years and when I went from patient transport to A&E we had a two weeks driving course which included Roadcraft but not to the standard of a Police driving course which includes commentary(as you know ).
We were allowed to exceed the nsl but on no account were we allowed to use blue lights and sirens and as a result the first time I had to do this was for real and I was cr&^^*ng myself and it was over 50 miles drive to the hospital.
I managed it but when at the hospital I could have taken my shirt off and wrung it out as it was soaking .
You do get used to driving on blues and realise when other drivers are going to just stop suddenly or do not realise you are behind them .
I thought I was a good driver before I did the course and realised I wasn't as good as I thought but improved enough to pass the course and upgrade my standard of driving a lot.
I wish they would make it that within 1 year of passing the standard driving test you must take an advanced course which would improve the standard of driving in the uk.
Enough from me .
LosingGrip said:
Bit of a bump!
Things have changed since my OP. I’m now a PC and now on traffic. I’ve got my advanced course coming up in a few weeks.
Basically my standard course allows me to drive up to 180BHP. Advanced allows me to drive above that (which the traffic cars are).
I’ll try and update fairly regularly.
Quality.Things have changed since my OP. I’m now a PC and now on traffic. I’ve got my advanced course coming up in a few weeks.
Basically my standard course allows me to drive up to 180BHP. Advanced allows me to drive above that (which the traffic cars are).
I’ll try and update fairly regularly.
Did my advanced this year.
Different force to the one I did my standard in, so may have been the instructors on my standard sticking some advanced bits into the course knowing as ARVs we'd do advanced soon after, but wasn't a massive step up IMHO.
Good luck
So much for updating regularly!
There isn’t much to add more to my standard. It’s just polishing. A lot. Overtakes are expecting to be done whenever possible. Best way to describe it. On your standard course you are expected to justify why you overtook someone. On your advanced you need to justify why you didn’t overtake someone.
It’s a lot harder than I expected. Someone mentioned about speeds doubling and concentration tripling a few posts back. It’s true! I was falling asleep at 6pm most nights.
Lots of driving. Just under 3,000 miles between the two of us in the course.
Looking back it was good fun. At the time it was stressful! I enjoyed it mostly but some days I was ready not to come back as things just seemed to be going wrong.
But things eventually clicked towards the end.
We both passed which was great.
There isn’t much to add more to my standard. It’s just polishing. A lot. Overtakes are expecting to be done whenever possible. Best way to describe it. On your standard course you are expected to justify why you overtook someone. On your advanced you need to justify why you didn’t overtake someone.
It’s a lot harder than I expected. Someone mentioned about speeds doubling and concentration tripling a few posts back. It’s true! I was falling asleep at 6pm most nights.
Lots of driving. Just under 3,000 miles between the two of us in the course.
Looking back it was good fun. At the time it was stressful! I enjoyed it mostly but some days I was ready not to come back as things just seemed to be going wrong.
But things eventually clicked towards the end.
We both passed which was great.
LosingGrip said:
So much for updating regularly!
There isn’t much to add more to my standard. It’s just polishing. A lot. Overtakes are expecting to be done whenever possible. Best way to describe it. On your standard course you are expected to justify why you overtook someone. On your advanced you need to justify why you didn’t overtake someone.
It’s a lot harder than I expected. Someone mentioned about speeds doubling and concentration tripling a few posts back. It’s true! I was falling asleep at 6pm most nights.
Lots of driving. Just under 3,000 miles between the two of us in the course.
Looking back it was good fun. At the time it was stressful! I enjoyed it mostly but some days I was ready not to come back as things just seemed to be going wrong.
But things eventually clicked towards the end.
We both passed which was great.
Well done, There isn’t much to add more to my standard. It’s just polishing. A lot. Overtakes are expecting to be done whenever possible. Best way to describe it. On your standard course you are expected to justify why you overtook someone. On your advanced you need to justify why you didn’t overtake someone.
It’s a lot harder than I expected. Someone mentioned about speeds doubling and concentration tripling a few posts back. It’s true! I was falling asleep at 6pm most nights.
Lots of driving. Just under 3,000 miles between the two of us in the course.
Looking back it was good fun. At the time it was stressful! I enjoyed it mostly but some days I was ready not to come back as things just seemed to be going wrong.
But things eventually clicked towards the end.
We both passed which was great.
I'm sure you've had the 'talk' from your instructor about the fact that the next 3-6 months is the most dangerous time for you as you go out with little experience and try to find your feet. Don't rush into hazards. When I did mine (and my adv bike) I never really regarded myself as an adv driver until I returned for my refresher and maintained my grade 1 (I know we don't have grades anymore).
It's more important to actually get to where you want to go, than try and save 30 secs putting yourself and others at risk. That's your only job as an emergency driver, get to or deal with the task in hand safely. And I say all this with the best intentions and experience in my current role as a Police driving instructor. But well done again.
Stedman said:
Great to read.
Have they taught you about techo’s yet?
Why aren’t there grades anymore?
I’m quite envious of you lads and lasses. My dad was on traffic for a long time and delivered a lot of the courses too, I think I would have enjoyed following the same route.
The College of Policing got involved and people thought grades was too 'elitist'. I would say that's rubbish, but probably only because I got, and retained my grade 1, if I'd got a two, I may have a different view. Have they taught you about techo’s yet?
Why aren’t there grades anymore?
I’m quite envious of you lads and lasses. My dad was on traffic for a long time and delivered a lot of the courses too, I think I would have enjoyed following the same route.
They also did away with the standard improver and intermediate driving courses, removing the latter was a huge mistake imho, it was a great set up and 'weeding out' course for both students and the driving schools.
nordboy said:
The College of Policing got involved and people thought grades was too 'elitist'. I would say that's rubbish, but probably only because I got, and retained my grade 1, if I'd got a two, I may have a different view.
They also did away with the standard improver and intermediate driving courses, removing the latter was a huge mistake imho, it was a great set up and 'weeding out' course for both students and the driving schools.
Crikey! Both sound very silly and counterintuitive.They also did away with the standard improver and intermediate driving courses, removing the latter was a huge mistake imho, it was a great set up and 'weeding out' course for both students and the driving schools.
If you’d got a class 2 maybe you would have reflected you needed to improve in areas. Devil’s advocate..
Any participation awards?
Thank you for the reply.
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