strikerPaul Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 I think Pass Plus is something you do soon after you take your driving test, and does things like motorway driving that you don't do in driving lessons, whereas the advanced driving stuff is more for people who've been driving for a while and want to make sure they haven't got into bad habits and suchlike (there isn't a set number of years you have to have been driving though, so in theory someone who'd just passed their test could do it). And how long and much is the course? Any idea? And why is it a pass or fail course? Is it something that you an include on insurance quotes? Would it help getting any particular jobs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DT Ralge Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 And how long and much is the course? Any idea? And why is it a pass or fail course? Is it something that you an include on insurance quotes? Would it help getting any particular jobs? I believe the IAM course is over 12 sessions/weeks. From memory (last year) £180-ish. RoSPA's sessions are open-ended as far as I can tell. Like any test worth anything it is pass or fail. Advanced driving qualifications can sometimes attract insurance discounts. Such a qualification and driving standard when maintained would allow you to "walk" through a pre-employment driving assessment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xt500 Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 I'm looking for advice from anyone who has done an advanced driving course in this area. For Christmas 2009 my parents paid for me to do an advanced driving course, as I have a long commute to work so want to be as good a driver as I can. I joined a local IAM group and have been going on drives with their volunteer trainers since Jan 2010, but I've now taken my advanced driving test twice and have failed both times - the guy who did my tests said I'm a very good driver and perfectly safe, just not at what is classed as an advanced level. I don't feel that I drove any differently in my tests to how I've been driving when out with the IAM trainers, but he pointed out several things that he said I was doing wrong or not doing at all, none of which had ever been mentioned by the trainers I've been out with on practice sessions. I also found that the different trainers had a tendency to contradict each other, for example one of them would tell me something I did was wrong, and then the next trainer I went out with would tell me the opposite. I'm pretty disheartened by the whole thing, as I really wanted to improve my driving but having spent a lot of time going out with trainers and having paid £200 for the course and two tests, I really don't want to pour endless amounts of money and time into this if I'm not actually getting anything useful out of it. Has anyone done the advanced driving course locally and found it to be useful? I'm definitely not going back to the group I've been going to, but I know there are several groups in S Yorks so I'm wondering if one of them would be better or whether they'll all be the same. Cheers for any advice you have! I think it should be compulsory to do more tests at least that way many will realise how rubbish they actually are. I like your style,your not good enough to pass the test but put the blame on others. Maybe you could find someone to pass you at your inferior level When your driving is up to scratch then you will pass,good on you for going for it though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarmOKnee Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 I'm looking for advice from anyone who has done an advanced driving course in this area. For Christmas 2009 my parents paid for me to do an advanced driving course, as I have a long commute to work so want to be as good a driver as I can. I joined a local IAM group and have been going on drives with their volunteer trainers since Jan 2010, but I've now taken my advanced driving test twice and have failed both times - the guy who did my tests said I'm a very good driver and perfectly safe, just not at what is classed as an advanced level. I don't feel that I drove any differently in my tests to how I've been driving when out with the IAM trainers, but he pointed out several things that he said I was doing wrong or not doing at all, none of which had ever been mentioned by the trainers I've been out with on practice sessions. I also found that the different trainers had a tendency to contradict each other, for example one of them would tell me something I did was wrong, and then the next trainer I went out with would tell me the opposite. I'm pretty disheartened by the whole thing, as I really wanted to improve my driving but having spent a lot of time going out with trainers and having paid £200 for the course and two tests, I really don't want to pour endless amounts of money and time into this if I'm not actually getting anything useful out of it. Has anyone done the advanced driving course locally and found it to be useful? I'm definitely not going back to the group I've been going to, but I know there are several groups in S Yorks so I'm wondering if one of them would be better or whether they'll all be the same. Cheers for any advice you have! As Rupert says, are you sure it was the IAM? The IAM don't charge for the course, you just pay for the test. They are not trainers either, they're observers. I did mine 3 years ago with the Sheffield IAM. There's no way any of the observers would put anyone in for their test if they weren't ready for it. Also I find it very strange that you weren't advised by the IAM to do a commentary on your test. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bullerboY Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 I think the op should tell us if she fails with RoSpa and the reasons given,could be interesting.She says that she is not bothered about the certificate but thats the whole point of the test to have proof that she has attained the high standard of driving required by the I.A.M.:huh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DT Ralge Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 As Rupert says, are you sure it was the IAM? The IAM don't charge for the course, you just pay for the test. They are not trainers either, they're observers. I did mine 3 years ago with the Sheffield IAM. There's no way any of the observers would put anyone in for their test if they weren't ready for it. Also I find it very strange that you weren't advised by the IAM to do a commentary on your test. IAM quoted me something like £180, so they do charge (and always have, haven't they?) for a set course. They allow no flexibility either on the length of the course if their their refusal to accept prior knowledge and experience in my case is anything to go by. I, too, find it incredible that OP was not introduced to commentary. Is it a case of volunteer observers needing a bit of checking and quality assurance? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisT70 Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 my only issue with the IAM /advanced driving techniques is that push-pull technique for steering was obsolete 30yrs ago and doesnt make anyone a better driver. observation, anticipation, correct speed for the conditions etc are far more important. i did 2 sessions a while back with an advanced IAM instructor and he kept noting "incorrect steering technique" as i wont use push-pull. rest of driving was marked very well, was quite an interesting experience but i wouldnt pay for it or take it any further as its far too anal for my liking. i'll stick to enjoying trackdays and sprints using crossed arms, if its good enough for lewis hamilton it will do me. learning to ride a motorbike would improve most peoples driving skills, anticipation and reading the road surfaces and other users plus the threat of being killed constantly soon sharpens you up. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosaespanola Posted January 31, 2011 Author Share Posted January 31, 2011 Yes, I'm sure it's the IAM ;-) My apologies if I've used the wrong terminology, I didn't realise it was that significant. I did read the manual and there no doubt it's a helpful backup to the IAM course, but it's one thing reading the theory of what you're meant to do and another thing to know whether or not you're putting it into practice as is required. When you're doing a practical thing like driving, it's a lot more helpful (for me, anyway) to have someone point it out when you do something wrong, because a lot of the time you might not realise you're doing it even if you know it in theory. Incidentally, the retest fee is £60, so it's not ridiculously expensive but it's not something I want to pay if my driving hasn't improved enough for me to pass the test. I'm not actually that bothered about the test itself, it's the improved driving that I'm interested in! You keep mentioning 'trainers'. Are you sure it's the IAM you've been going to? The IAM has observers who observe what you're doing, not trainers who train you to do something. Did you read the 'Pass Your Advanced Driving Test' manual? Did you follow the advice in that manual? The observer will (or should) point out your faults to you and before you were put in for the test, you should have had a thorough cross-check with another observer. 'Good driver and very safe' is indeed not what the examiner (who is a Police Class 'A') is looking for. The examiner will not require you to drive to Class 'A' standards, but your performance will be expected to be 'sparkling', you will be expected to 'make progress' and your standard of observation will be expected to be very high. By all means go to another group - it may be that you've had a 'personality clash' and they may be able to help you. You've already paid for IAM membership - so you don't have to pay for that. I've no idea what the current re-test fee is, but it's not that high. The observers don't charge you for their time (they are, after all volunteers) so you've no additional costs there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosaespanola Posted January 31, 2011 Author Share Posted January 31, 2011 I think it should be compulsory to do more tests at least that way many will realise how rubbish they actually are. I like your style,your not good enough to pass the test but put the blame on others. Maybe you could find someone to pass you at your inferior level When your driving is up to scratch then you will pass,good on you for going for it though I'm not "putting the blame on others" for me not passing the test, I was tested on my driving and it wasn't good enough to meet the advanced standard, and if that's the case then I wouldn't expect them to pass me. I'm simply stating a fact that the IAM people I've been out with had not mentioned most of the things that the examiner said I failed on, and if I'm paying for the privilege of going out with someone whose role is to point out what I'm doing wrong so that I can get my driving to the advanced test standard, and they don't do that, then there's not much point going out driving with them. Do you not agree? I'm more than willing to work on my driving to improve it, but I can't do that unless I know what needs to be improved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosaespanola Posted January 31, 2011 Author Share Posted January 31, 2011 I think the op should tell us if she fails with RoSpa and the reasons given,could be interesting.She says that she is not bothered about the certificate but thats the whole point of the test to have proof that she has attained the high standard of driving required by the I.A.M.:huh: Having the certificate won't benefit me in any way, so I don't need to prove to anyone that I've passed the test. You can sometimes get cheaper insurance with it, but I've done quotes for cover comparing with & without an IAM certificate and they've been no different. I know some people need the certificate for work driving or can get cheaper insurance, but for me personally the advantage to doing the course is simply to be a better driver so I'm hopefully less likely to be involved in an accident. For someone like me who spends upwards of 2 hours a day on the way to & from work, that's more important than having a bit of paper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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