Just filled out the enrollment forms for the IAM advanced driving course, and they'll be in the post tomorrow. :driving1:
First two dates are the 18th and 25th of April. Apparently, the 18th will be an introductory talk and video, and, I think the 25th involves an assessment drive. I'll try to remember to post something in this thread after each session, in the hope of giving others an insight into what happens, and to report on how I get on.
Oh, goody!
IAM Advanced Driving Course
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Django
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DaNgLe
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oddshoes
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IAM Advanced Driving Course
I have had my acessment and have my first lesson on wednesday it will be worth it.
Current - modified 265bhp PFL MR-S in Gulf Livery
Previous - Rev1 turbo, Rev3 turbo, Rev5, Rev3 V6, PFL Roadster
Previous - Rev1 turbo, Rev3 turbo, Rev5, Rev3 V6, PFL Roadster
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BLOODUK
Topic author
IAM Advanced Driving Course
How so? , it can only deal with your driving.. Don't think it deals with the other bad driving **** on the road
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dg0106085
Topic author
IAM Advanced Driving Course
I have been interested in this for a while. Give me a shout on what happens. Dont think I will do it in the 2 though. Makes more sense in the company car I think.
Dave G
Dave G
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Django
Topic author
Re: IAM Advanced Driving Course
It's not simply about controlling your own vehicle, but about controlling your vehicle in a manner that's appropriate to the conditions. Bad drivers are part of the conditions.BLOODUK wrote:How so? , it can only deal with your driving.. Don't think it deals with the other bad driving **** on the road
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Django
Topic author
Re: IAM Advanced Driving Course
Seems to me that it doesn't matter what you do it in. Advanced driving counts, regardless of the vehicle.dg0106085 wrote:I have been interested in this for a while. Give me a shout on what happens. Dont think I will do it in the 2 though. Makes more sense in the company car I think.
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Django
Topic author
IAM Advanced Driving Course
Day 1 - First meeting of the IAM associates and observers
Pretty much as expected, an introductory meeting to hand in forms, exchange names, etc. We got an overview of the format of the course, what to expect from it, and what the IAM expects from us. We also saw a short video of a police driver doing a narrative drive.
The basic format of the course is a second meeting in a week, which looks at some basic stuff in more detail (start and stop drills, approaching corners, other stuff as well, no doubt), plus a demonstration drive with an observer (the people that run the course are called 'observers' - the people taking the course are called 'associates' - because they are associate members of the IAM).
We'll also be assigned our observer for the next six weeks, during which we complete one observed drive per week. Each drive is about 90 minutes long, and is arranged at a mutually convenient time. After these, we get together again for another meeting to review progress. We then switch to a second observer for a couple more weekly drives. After this, we sit a mock test and do additional practice drives.
When the observers think each individual is ready, a date is arranged for sitting the actual test, which is done with a police driving examiner.
Some things to note:
You can sit the test when they think you're capable of passing - no need to do the whole course. In fact, a taxi driver did only two observed drives and passed.
The format is no longer one-to-one. Instead, the observed drives are done with one person driving their own car, with the observer and another associate as passengers. I piped up that I only have two seats, and they were happy to accomodate this (ie, I get one-to-one anyway). Since my position is different from those with more seats, I'm not sure if the observed drive alternates betwen one associate driving one week, and the other the next week.
Another thing to note is that you ARE expected to adhere to the speed limits. This is not about showing you can break the limits and still be safe. We were advised that it might be okay to slip over a little near the start of the test (eg, due to nerves), but consistent speeding will result in a fail.
We are also expected to do regular practice drives on our own, in addition to the weekly observed drives - two or three times a week, for 90 minutes or so. We are also expected to put what we learn into practice at all times when driving (ie, to work, the shops, etc).
Doing the narrative while driving is not a requirement for passing the test, but it is advised since it helps the examiner to get a better idea of what you're thinking and why you're doing things. For instance, you might be moving over to the crown of the road because you're crap at steering, or because there's a junction with poor visibility coming up on the left - if you *say* you're moving over to give yourself an extra safety margin, then the examiner will have a better idea of how good your driving is.
I fully intend to do the narrative driving from the get-go. I've already been doing it for a few weeks to get used to the idea. It also helps with assessing your own observation and anticipation skills - I've noiticed that I was checking the status of pelican crossings a little later than I'm happy with. I wasn't explicitly checking that they were clear and green (ie, actually saying something like 'crossing ahead - no pedestrians - lights are green - continuing) until I was close to an emergency stop distance. Note that I'm judging my time of checking by noting the time I *say* that I'm checking. I suspect this may be due to not seeing red lights when further away (which would have alerted me and caused me to slow down sooner). I'm working on explicitly observing and anticipating this sort of thing from a greater distance.
Tune in next week, etc.
Pretty much as expected, an introductory meeting to hand in forms, exchange names, etc. We got an overview of the format of the course, what to expect from it, and what the IAM expects from us. We also saw a short video of a police driver doing a narrative drive.
The basic format of the course is a second meeting in a week, which looks at some basic stuff in more detail (start and stop drills, approaching corners, other stuff as well, no doubt), plus a demonstration drive with an observer (the people that run the course are called 'observers' - the people taking the course are called 'associates' - because they are associate members of the IAM).
We'll also be assigned our observer for the next six weeks, during which we complete one observed drive per week. Each drive is about 90 minutes long, and is arranged at a mutually convenient time. After these, we get together again for another meeting to review progress. We then switch to a second observer for a couple more weekly drives. After this, we sit a mock test and do additional practice drives.
When the observers think each individual is ready, a date is arranged for sitting the actual test, which is done with a police driving examiner.
Some things to note:
You can sit the test when they think you're capable of passing - no need to do the whole course. In fact, a taxi driver did only two observed drives and passed.
The format is no longer one-to-one. Instead, the observed drives are done with one person driving their own car, with the observer and another associate as passengers. I piped up that I only have two seats, and they were happy to accomodate this (ie, I get one-to-one anyway). Since my position is different from those with more seats, I'm not sure if the observed drive alternates betwen one associate driving one week, and the other the next week.
Another thing to note is that you ARE expected to adhere to the speed limits. This is not about showing you can break the limits and still be safe. We were advised that it might be okay to slip over a little near the start of the test (eg, due to nerves), but consistent speeding will result in a fail.
We are also expected to do regular practice drives on our own, in addition to the weekly observed drives - two or three times a week, for 90 minutes or so. We are also expected to put what we learn into practice at all times when driving (ie, to work, the shops, etc).
Doing the narrative while driving is not a requirement for passing the test, but it is advised since it helps the examiner to get a better idea of what you're thinking and why you're doing things. For instance, you might be moving over to the crown of the road because you're crap at steering, or because there's a junction with poor visibility coming up on the left - if you *say* you're moving over to give yourself an extra safety margin, then the examiner will have a better idea of how good your driving is.
I fully intend to do the narrative driving from the get-go. I've already been doing it for a few weeks to get used to the idea. It also helps with assessing your own observation and anticipation skills - I've noiticed that I was checking the status of pelican crossings a little later than I'm happy with. I wasn't explicitly checking that they were clear and green (ie, actually saying something like 'crossing ahead - no pedestrians - lights are green - continuing) until I was close to an emergency stop distance. Note that I'm judging my time of checking by noting the time I *say* that I'm checking. I suspect this may be due to not seeing red lights when further away (which would have alerted me and caused me to slow down sooner). I'm working on explicitly observing and anticipating this sort of thing from a greater distance.
Tune in next week, etc.
Last edited by Django on 07/05/07 1:13, edited 1 time in total.
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DaNgLe
Topic author
IAM Advanced Driving Course
sounds good, seems to be an awefull lot of driving to do including practise during the week..lol must get through the petrol..lol
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Django
Topic author
Re: IAM Advanced Driving Course
Practice makes perfect, as they say. Something I've noticed with the commentary driving is that you have to drive a bit slower to get enough time to say all the stuff - it seems to take longer to tell yourself what you're looking at and what you're going to do about it, than it does to 'just drive'.DaNgLe wrote:sounds good, seems to be an awefull lot of driving to do including practise during the week..lol must get through the petrol..lol
This begs the question of how much observation and action is already intuitive, compared with how much hasn't been happening before because I didn't think about it. I'd have to say that, so far, commentary driving has caused me to observe and think a bit more - not a huge amount because I've already been doing it to some extent for quite a while (more like thinking the commentary to myself, with a recent progression to mumbling the commentary over the last month or so). Next move is to actually speak it as if the examiner as in the car with me - I want to be at that point by the time my first observed drive happens (in about a week and a half).
Anyway, my point was that the driving style is a bit less sporty in situations like country roads, so the fuel consumption isn't too bad (my town and motorway driving is all quite light-footed and sedate already).
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Django
Topic author
IAM Advanced Driving Course
Day 2 - Second meeting of the IAM associates and observers
This was the second meeting with all the associates and observers. The main aim of this week was to see how folks had been getting on in the last week, have a look at limit points, get taken out for a short demonstration drive, and be assigned our observers.
There's a road in my area - a high street about a mile long - that has a 20mph limit all the way along it. This was mentioned last week as being a popular choice for the test route amongst the local examiners. Those who had a try in the intervening week all agreed that it's surprisingly difficult to keep below the 20 limit, even if down to 3rd gear. Indeed, 3rd is about right for comfortable, controlled drving at 30 - if you're in a higher gear, it's too easy to slip over the limit, and there isn't really enough engine braking to feather the throttle back. In 3rd, it's much easier to hold 30mph. For 20, 2nd gear was often easier for keeping control of the speed (by using only the throttle, that is).
Limit points are not what you might think they are - it's not about finding out what the cornering limit of your car is. Rather, as you approach a bend, it's the point where the nearside and offside kerbs meet in your field of view - a bit like the vanishing point in a perspective drawing. The trick with limit points is to watch for the point moving. As you get closer to the bend, the road 'opens out' - you can see round the bend more. When this happens, the limit point moves away from the middle of your field of view (it started roughly in the middle of your field of view - the left or right edge of the road in the distance, and moves to the side as you get closer to the bend). The way the limit point moves - or doesn't move - allows you to guage how tight the bend is. Imagine you're almost on top of the bend, and the limit point hasn't moved - that tells you that it's a very tight bend. If the limit point moves quickly, it's a gentle bend. At the extreme, there is no limit point - the nearside and offside kerbs don't meet, which tells you that, although the road may be curvy, the curves are very gentle. By being able to guage the tightness or otherwise of a bend, you are better placed to decide what speed and gear is appropriate.
The demonstration drive was interesting, although I'd have to say that there weren't many surprises - it kinda went as expected. Something I noticed was much more use of mirrors than I currently do - I thought I was pretty good with mirrors (due to my paranoia/hatred regarding tailgaters), but the guy was even checking his mirrors when he changed up. Another thing was remarking on the lines on the road - I notice (consciously note during my commentary, that is) things like 'slow' written on the road, but he was also identifying whether the centre markings were the normal ones or the elongated hazard ones, and also when there was a hatched area between the two flows of traffic (and that he could use it if it was safe to do so).
We got back to the meeting room, and did some question and answer stuff, got contact info for our assigned observers, and went our separate ways. I took a 20-mile route to cover a 5-mile journey home, and, all of a sudden, found myself doing the commentary thing using actual, spoken words - first time I've done this in a sustained way, rather than the mumbling or silent mouthing I've been doing up to now. There were a few times when I fell silent, but I quickly picked it up again. Feel much happier now about doing this during the observed drives and test, and plan to do it as much as possible from now on.
Things I need to brush up on are the start and stop drills, and getting the hang of changing gear using the system (system of car control - police driving method). I need to do less gear changing while braking, and not doing block shifts when changing up. I dare say other stuff will come to light when the observed drives start, but, from the demo drive this evening, I don't think I'm a million miles away from things like hazard spotting, and positioning on the road.
More anon...
This was the second meeting with all the associates and observers. The main aim of this week was to see how folks had been getting on in the last week, have a look at limit points, get taken out for a short demonstration drive, and be assigned our observers.
There's a road in my area - a high street about a mile long - that has a 20mph limit all the way along it. This was mentioned last week as being a popular choice for the test route amongst the local examiners. Those who had a try in the intervening week all agreed that it's surprisingly difficult to keep below the 20 limit, even if down to 3rd gear. Indeed, 3rd is about right for comfortable, controlled drving at 30 - if you're in a higher gear, it's too easy to slip over the limit, and there isn't really enough engine braking to feather the throttle back. In 3rd, it's much easier to hold 30mph. For 20, 2nd gear was often easier for keeping control of the speed (by using only the throttle, that is).
Limit points are not what you might think they are - it's not about finding out what the cornering limit of your car is. Rather, as you approach a bend, it's the point where the nearside and offside kerbs meet in your field of view - a bit like the vanishing point in a perspective drawing. The trick with limit points is to watch for the point moving. As you get closer to the bend, the road 'opens out' - you can see round the bend more. When this happens, the limit point moves away from the middle of your field of view (it started roughly in the middle of your field of view - the left or right edge of the road in the distance, and moves to the side as you get closer to the bend). The way the limit point moves - or doesn't move - allows you to guage how tight the bend is. Imagine you're almost on top of the bend, and the limit point hasn't moved - that tells you that it's a very tight bend. If the limit point moves quickly, it's a gentle bend. At the extreme, there is no limit point - the nearside and offside kerbs don't meet, which tells you that, although the road may be curvy, the curves are very gentle. By being able to guage the tightness or otherwise of a bend, you are better placed to decide what speed and gear is appropriate.
The demonstration drive was interesting, although I'd have to say that there weren't many surprises - it kinda went as expected. Something I noticed was much more use of mirrors than I currently do - I thought I was pretty good with mirrors (due to my paranoia/hatred regarding tailgaters), but the guy was even checking his mirrors when he changed up. Another thing was remarking on the lines on the road - I notice (consciously note during my commentary, that is) things like 'slow' written on the road, but he was also identifying whether the centre markings were the normal ones or the elongated hazard ones, and also when there was a hatched area between the two flows of traffic (and that he could use it if it was safe to do so).
We got back to the meeting room, and did some question and answer stuff, got contact info for our assigned observers, and went our separate ways. I took a 20-mile route to cover a 5-mile journey home, and, all of a sudden, found myself doing the commentary thing using actual, spoken words - first time I've done this in a sustained way, rather than the mumbling or silent mouthing I've been doing up to now. There were a few times when I fell silent, but I quickly picked it up again. Feel much happier now about doing this during the observed drives and test, and plan to do it as much as possible from now on.
Things I need to brush up on are the start and stop drills, and getting the hang of changing gear using the system (system of car control - police driving method). I need to do less gear changing while braking, and not doing block shifts when changing up. I dare say other stuff will come to light when the observed drives start, but, from the demo drive this evening, I don't think I'm a million miles away from things like hazard spotting, and positioning on the road.
More anon...
Last edited by Django on 07/05/07 1:13, edited 1 time in total.
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firstmk1
Topic author
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Django
Topic author
Re: IAM Advanced Driving Course
I haven't read all of it yet, but it seems pretty decent, if geared towards drivers with less experience, or who haven't thought much about the craft of driving since passing their test. I read Roadcraft (police driving manual) cover to cover before I sat my test nearly 28 years ago, so much of what's in the IAM book is already familiar to me.firstmk1 wrote:What are your thoughts on the 'How to be an Advanced Driver' book?
On balance, I would say that it's well written from a practical and advice standpoint, but isn't particularly technical. In other words, it tells you the right things to do, but doesn't go into lots of detail regarding why. A plus is that each section has a summary of the main points covered, and a bit summarising what the examiner will expect from you. It's also quite easy to dip into - don't need to go through it linearly.
Certainly a good starting point, and the 'what the examiner expects' bits are valuable. It comes as part of the deal when you pay for the course, so not an additional expense. That said, if you feel you're some way off going for the course, but would like an insight into what it's about in terms of approach to driving, I'd say it's well worth getting (about 8 quid, I think).
I'll probably get an up to date copy of Roadcraft.
