My IAM experience

[Scottie - NW]

[quote=Paul.B

Good luck with the driving and try and take advice from all directions. As you say, some may be discarded and some taken on board. Don't just discard something because it may be difficult, it may still be correct.

Paul.B
[/quote]

Thanks Paul.

I have recently been speaking to somebody from the local IAM group, and am seriously considering giving it another go, although it was many years since I last had some lessons.

Is it now ok to overlap as long as it is a well planned and executed manovure, the person I spoke to said the local group is not as strict on this as it used to be 15 years ago !!

Thanks,
Scott.

[gridgway]

It's certainly fair to say that non-overlapping is the preferred method. However ther are circumstances where it is not the optimum. One of which might be turning left off a main road in a 30 limit. There are lots of reasons that would make keeping on the brake whilst going from 3rd to 2nd a good idea. To my mind it's about using the principles in the right way and showing the proper thought, judgement and decision making process along the way.
Graham

[fergus]

Can someone highlight what is meant by 'advanced driving' within the context of the IAM? Is this merely a more hazard/perception awareness type training, combined with using more forethought as to vehicle positioning, etc, or is it heel and toe, trail braking, etc, which are often used to minimise the weight transfer dynamics of a vehicle when going quickly. Do you teach people about tyre slip angles and corrective inputs, steering, throttle, brake, etc? Curious.

Having done a few days with Don Palmer on his one on one car control course, I would consider this type of training more 'advanced driving'.

PS my caterham has a 'race weight' spring on the gear selector, which is considerably heavier than a typical road shift. I have never found the need to adopt a 'thumb bias' approach when racing it. This is often under a lot more pressure than is encountered in any road situation, esp. with a close ratio 6 speed box and a very peaky engine!!

[Don]

fergus said:

Can someone highlight what is meant by 'advanced driving' within the context of the IAM? Is this merely a more hazard/perception awareness type training, combined with using more forethought as to vehicle positioning, etc, or is it heel and toe, trail braking, etc, which are often used to minimise the weight transfer dynamics of a vehicle when going quickly. Do you teach people about tyre slip angles and corrective inputs, steering, throttle, brake, etc? Curious.

Having done a few days with Don Palmer on his one on one car control course, I would consider this type of training more 'advanced driving'.

PS my caterham has a 'race weight' spring on the gear selector, which is considerably heavier than a typical road shift. I have never found the need to adopt a 'thumb bias' approach when racing it. This is often under a lot more pressure than is encountered in any road situation, esp. with a close ratio 6 speed box and a very peaky engine!!

There are aspects of more sophisticated car control taught on the IAM course - but not to the level you are describing. Its more formulaic and the explanations of the physics involved kept to a very high level, really.

It is, indeed, more about hazard perception and forward planning - although chauffeur smooth driving *will* be required to pass the test...

[roryalsop]

From my experience, I can certainly confirm that although the stated techniques are recommended, there may be good reasons why you will be absolutely fine with other techniques, as long as the examiner is confident on the quality of your driving. I had an excellent discussion with my examiner regarding the relative merits of rally and track racing techniques as compared with every day road driving, and we both agreed that although heel-and-toeing while changing gear under heavy trail braking has its place, doing that during an exam may well make it very difficult for the examiner to conclude you were in full control and driving well within safe limits:-)

One nice spin-off of the IAM training is that my wife has become a much more aware driver - as she had to put up with my practice commentaries she started to notice more and comment on it. She feels much safer on the road practicing some of the IAM techniques.

[Paul.B]

Fergus - IAM & RoSPA type advanced driving is very much built arround the police drivers methodollogy using the Road Craft book. It is all about driving to a 'system' how you plan and deal with hazards, observation and awareness.

I would call the type of course you have done as advanced car control, or vehicle dynamics. How the car responds dynamically depending on the way controls are applied. Very useful info to have and would be very useful when push came to shove. It could be the difference between collision and miss! Difficult to practise on the road and expensive to buy the correct training and suitable venue.

Sounds like bloody good fun though!

Paul.B