IAM - Institute Adv. Motorists

[londonsean69]

Who here is a member??

I am thinking of going for this to improve my driving skills, and would be interested to hear from anyone who has done it.

So, if you have done the course, can I pick your brains??

Cheers

[dogwood]

The only advice I can give you is:

DON't hog the middle lane....:mad:
OOps sorry getting on my soap box there...:D

Good luck with it, it ain't easy....

[spud69]

Is there any advantage to doing this anymore, you used to get cheaper!!!!!! motor insurance but i don't think that applies anymore. Maybe good if you want to be a traffic cop but then you'd have to be a tw*t to......;)

[londonsean69]

Is there any advantage to doing this anymore, you used to get cheaper!!!!!! motor insurance but i don't think that applies anymore. Maybe good if you want to be a traffic cop but then you'd have to be a tw*t to......;)

I think you still can.
The IAM have their own insurers who knock off 10% for starters.

You also get a shed load of discounts from all sorts of motor related things.
Ah, found the list;
IAM Surety Car Insurance
20% of full IAM Members now insure their cars with IAM Surety - get a quote to find out why. IAM Associate Members receive 10% off car insurance premiums

IAM Surety bike insurance
IAM Surety beat competitor bike quotes in 90% of cases - ask for a quote today

IAM Surety building and contents insurance
Highly competitive quotes for IAM members

Breakdown & Recovery (AA)
At least 25% off AA all levels of AA breakdown cover

Garmin Satnav
Up to 35% off selected Garmin sat-navs units

National Tyres
10% off all purchases plus 50% off car MOT tests

Halfords Gift Vouchers
10% off Halfords gift vouchers

Car Rental - Holiday Autos
10% off all car hire bookings worldwide

Philip's Books
Massive savings on Philips Roadmaps for IAM Members

Haynes Books
20% off plus free P&P on all Haynes books

Airport Parking & Hotel Accommodation (APH)
10% off UK airport parking and hotels

Short breaks, hotels, theatre and event breaks (Superbreak)
10% off City and theatre breaks

King's Volvo Dealership
Exclusive discounts on new Volvo cars



I like the idea of doing it as a challenge, but was wondering if anyone on here has any direct experience of it.

As for wanting to be a traffic copper

I wouldn't consider it
They REALLY wouldn't consider me


When I was a few years younger than I am now, I was on first name terms with loads of the local Traffic coppers, and not for the right reasons either;)

[spud69]

I take it all back, except for the traffic cops. There is quite a benefit to it after all. Plus you're absolutely right the main thing is the satisfaction and experience gained from passing the test.


Andy

[flyerncle]

You are wrong about them being tw*ts,they are proper tw*ts with a touch of r sole !

[les g]

SEAN
go for it
i,m a plant engineer for a large plaant hire/sales co i do between 500/1000 miles a week in my service van
our company sent us on a driving course because we were so crap at driving and some of us even had accidents...
( yes vitos and sprinters even with amber light bars and worklights can do ...105mph so i,m told ) mine of course doesnt...
the training i received, i now put into practice everyday and it actually makes the day to day driving far easier
also there are financial advantages as well

that is an honest answer and not bulls..t
cheers les g

[londonsean69]

Cheers Les.

A friend of a friend is one of the Trainers for the IAM Motorcycle test, and am at a party with him tomorrow so will be picking his brains as well.

I quite like the idea of someone giving you a subjective view on your driving, especially as my practical test took all of 15 mins:D - Lanzarote, full EU licence though:eek:

Generally, the only opinion I get is;

Slow down before you kill us - mum
You didn't hit the apex right - SWMBO


And any reduction in my insurance is a bonus.

[les g]

I take it all back, except for the traffic cops. There is quite a benefit to it after all. Plus you're absolutely right the main thing is the satisfaction and experience gained from passing the test.


Andy

do not and i repeat do not!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
get me started on traffic cops
i have to work with them at times (road closures etc )
total t*****s
they will stand beside you for 4 hours n the rain and sleet and direct traffic around you then give you a bolliking as you are about to leave how they saw you speeding yesterday and you lucky they were busy or they would of nicked you (cocks i was going to a road closure they had called in )
or snidely mention you have a light out ......
wtf its big white/red covered from top to toe in yellow and black motorway stripes on the rear and with flashing lights all over if you can miss it you must be totally blind or daft
hey ho
cheers les g

[Matthew]

Hi Sean

I did most of the training for the IAM motorcycle test a while back (never ended up taking the test) and had a great time. The advice is good, and the guys doing the training were all enthusiasts.

Depending what sort of driving skills you are trying to improve I'd also recommend Andy Walsh at http://www.carlimits.com. He trains you in you own car and has some of the best car control I've seen

Matt

[AshG]

my dad did it and says it was worth it for the insurance discount alone.

[londonsean69]

Hi Sean

I did most of the training for the IAM motorcycle test a while back (never ended up taking the test) and had a great time. The advice is good, and the guys doing the training were all enthusiasts.

Depending what sort of driving skills you are trying to improve I'd also recommend Andy Walsh at http://www.carlimits.com. He trains you in you own car and has some of the best car control I've seen

Matt

Friend of mine is one of the Trainers/Assessors for IAM motorcycle, and he's not a traffic copper (IT geek in fact).
He is aggravatingly good on a bike, did a track day at Cadwell park and was taking all the sportsbikes in the corners, and a TDM850:eek:

He said it will do one of 2 things;

Make me safer
Make me faster


Then went on to explain that they are not mutually exclusive, to go fast, you must first be safe. He also gave me a gem of advice, which to be fair I remember from my bike days;

"Anyone can go fast, clever people know when to go slow"

I'm gonna wait till the new year but I quite fancy going for it

[HandyAndy]

i like riding at cadwell :cool:

sorry, day dreaming of my past hmmmmmmm:D

but that is a very good point.... to ride fast, first you have to ride safe, same in a car too, smoothness brings with it a natural increase in control/speed.

i,ll crawl back under my stone :o

andy

[londonsean69]

i like riding at cadwell :cool:

sorry, day dreaming of my past hmmmmmmm:D

but that is a very good point.... to ride fast, first you have to ride safe, same in a car too, smoothness brings with it a natural increase in control/speed.

i,ll crawl back under my stone

andy

I did the riding fast bit, but wasn't safe, and paid the price:)
It's very very uncomfortable for me to ride sportsbikes now due to the lump of metal holding my wrist together.
50/50 between me , and a woman pulling out of a side road. She didn't see me coming, I didn't see her pull out. Totalled her polo though, and my ZX7-R:(