XSeries-forum

Anyone done one? IAM or RoSPA? Any other providers? What has been your experience of the course (or courses) you did?

I did the IAM Course and found it very good as I learned more than I had ever done during basic driver training to pass my test. I think I had about 8 one-hour training drives before the final test.

I chose not to commentate during my 90-minute final exam however I believe that is now mandatory again. I have thought about the RoSPA one but don’t have the time.

So far though not a single mainstream insurance company has taken any notice of it. Those recommended by the IAM are significantly more expensive in the first place. I’m not bothered about that as it was the tips and techniques that I am more interested in.

You will need to get hold of the current Highway Code, a copy of the current edition of Roadcraft, and the IAM Handbook.

My work puts us on 1 week long intensive driving courses thereafter a one day annual refresher for both theory and practical
Overall it’s interesting, I recall the drive home afterwards was fast smooth and exhilarating.
We cover Desert, water, ice, off-road & tarmac so a good mix, the grand finale was skid pan training what better way to send a week on full pay!

I did the IAM course, and scraped a pass. My spoken thoughts came in for particular criticism. I can't get them from brain to mouth quickly enough. I can react far quicker than I can decribe.

To be honest, the course wasn't what I thought it was going to be*. But they don't give refunds, and I wasn't going to let the £149 fee go, so I carried-on with it. I must be a pretty-good actor because the examiner (ex-Police, as the majority are) didn't seem to notice that my heart wasn't really in it.

* I mistakenly thought it was a "safer driving" course. I'm already up-to-speed, if you'll pardon the pun, on accelerating straight to the prevailing speed limit, and taking the "right" lines on bends and roundabouts. IAM calls it "progress". It's all about getting from A to B as quickly as possible, but without exceeding speed limits. I can do that, have been most of my driving life. What I thought I was going to get was more in-depth training in observation/risk assessment etc.

They must have changed the course a bit then as mine included the ‘making progress’ bits but also covered how to ‘look’ at the road and surrounds as far ahead as possible in order to assess the risks and anticipate in good time in order to avoid needing to make late changes. May be different areas do different things? I didn’t pay for a course though, just joined the local Group and took a test when appropriate. I hated the commentary bit as it is just too distracting. I told the instructors/examiner that I was there to drive, not hold a conversation with them.

What you get from it depends on you but significantly also from the quality of the intructor/observer. I passed my I.A.M. a long time ago..... I had different observers. One was a HGV/LGV driver in day job...The other (who I changed to), was a then Class 1 Police Driver. The difference was night and day.

Roadcraft manual is used for I.A.M. Rospa and some other training establishments ...not least UK Police who alao develop students to drive at more progressive speeds.

If a sloe driver it may make you more progressI've. If you consider yourself a fast driver it may cause you to slow down, observe beter, anticipate, plan smooth things out a bit.....Safe smooth and sytematic

Done the police one. Class 1 Advanced driver and advanced police motorcycles. Retired now and work in engineering.
Two of the best courses I ever did. A lot of classroom work involved.