RoSPA or I.A.M

[cpettifer]

I know there's loads for me to learn. I get stuck in a motorway rut with my commute to work being 95%ish motorway. So going on other roads I make all sorts of dodgy decisions and manoeuvres. :o

Have filled out the form, just need to find a cheque book. <- do they exist still?!

[Martin#30]

I get stuck in a motorway rut with my commute to work being 95%ish motorway.

Another benefit of the advanced training is that it opens up a new game on the motorway. It is called 'Spot the idiot' and anyone can play. In all seriousness, the training will mean that you spot car-driver based muppetry before it happens - so rather than being forced to brake hard or swerve across a lane, you just predict it, smile inwardly, and avoid using your vocabulary of swear words. Lovely.

Martin.

[Lonewolf]

As Martin has said above, it's like everything is happening in slow motion. Thats how I like to describe it anyway. Slow motion because you can see that that car is going to drift into your lane, you can see that your going to meet that wagon on the roundabout at your current speed, you can see that that pedestrian is going to step out into your path.....and the beauty is because you are seeing, planning, & predicting you have all the time in the world to re-plan and deal with each situation before it becomes a problem. There will be no frustration, no anger, just a pleasant ride. ;D

[O.C.]

I have also made a positive move regarding training...but according to RoSPA there's no training available in the N.W until next year (maybe), so I'm waiting for some contact from a representative in Liverpool, although that's too far to travel to and from for training...

We will see what happens when I hear from them.

[Kevin]

I try to do a couple of days training every year and I passed my IAM test in 2008. I didn't manage to do any training last year so, prompted by this thread, I've just signed up with RospaSmart.

I confess I'm a little nervous as pretty much all of my previous training has been with trainers who have been recommended to me or I've used before and that has generally worked well. Going with an 'unknown' is not my general MO although I think the best couple of days training I ever had was with North Wales Police which I booked based on the reputation of the organisation.

I once had a day with someone I booked based on the scribblings of the company's founder in a bike mag. and ended up with his local representative. I did get something out of it but despite me telling him that I was there for him to help me kick bad habits I'd picked up over the year and generally improve my riding he was very focussed on 'making progress' as we rode on his local patch. He wanted me to sit on the back of cars as they went into corners, far closer than I was comfortable with, and whack the throttle open if the road was clear after the bend to get past. As with nearly all of my riding I had Lyn on the back and I want to ride in as smooth and safe a way as I can. Sitting on top of the vehicle in front and yanking the throttle open thus making the journey uncomfortable for her just so I can get past someone I can probably get past more smoothly in a minute or so seems a pointless exercise to me and I did eventually get him to tune into the fact that I wasn't going to ride like that. I'm also pretty convinced that 'more progress' comes once smooth riding, awareness and position are mastered. I had a wry smile to myself as he went backwards in my mirrors when we encountered a road I knew and he didn't. I'm not a fast rider by any stretch of the imagination but I was very familiar with that road, something he acknowledged when we next stopped.

Anyway, we'll see how it goes. If it's not a good experience I'll blame you lot!

Kevin

[kwarrgtr]

Interesting comments Kevin. When I first joined my local IAM group, I was a bit 'concerned' that the focus 'seemed' to be progress over safety. NOTE - seemed to be and other riders (associates, at the time, did NOT think this from some of there observers).

However, although I have not been to many recent club nights I saw soem posts on the forum about a recent club night that was a talk on 'What the examiners expect'. The posters made a point of noting that safety 'seemed' to have become more of a focus.

i dont consider myself /slow/good/bad - just about average I guess, i enjoy riding (with a group) for that banter when you break, I always now ride within my limits and if I get blasted past by others I let em go. And wish em well.
Oh yes there does seem to be (or, maybe was) a bit of a 'badge of honour' culture for those that have had 'offs' - maybe its common in the bikers world?? But boy oh boy I do NOT want to join that club!! i ride pretty much every day, and maintain that commuting is COMPLETELY differnt to Sunday only riding, which is again completely different to track day riding.

I make mistakes like we all do, but what the training has given me is a (hopefully honest) critique of myself. I will now come out of a manouever or hazard and think, "sheeet, glad I wasn't being oberved then, cos the line was wrong, the overtake could have been better, or I was faffing around with my feet at those lights'!! (which whilst not dangerous (the last one) sure as hell didn't look smooooth!!!

[O.C.]

A point well made Kevin

You always have the option of saying "no more" if you don't like the training methods, whilst you are a pupil you are also the customer.

I remember taking my test (along time ago) and being "instructed" by this goon who kept on shouting at pupils and generally be-littling them    . ...To a lesser degree a simular situation arose when I did some HGV training ...mmmmm maybe its me 

When we stopped for a brew I had a word in his ear....amazingly things improved almost immediately   

[Ziderman]

In the same vain, Ziderman, you should never stop learning. 

That's life mate..you never stop learning..each time you go out you seem to learn something. Been riding bikes since 13 when had a Husqvarna scrambler. Your never too old to learn. I am 50 now & never been with out a Bike.
Like all qualifications , there are a lot of people out there who have more qualifications than you can shake a stick at , but dont make um good at it. That's down to experience.....

[Lonewolf]

Well I had my last RoSPA 'lesson' this morning in the bitter cold that is Yorkshire. I have a pre test assessment coming up shortly with one of the senior trainers and then apparantly I'll have the actual test within the next few weeks weather permitting. Took in some of Saddleworth Moor, Rishworth, etc. The trainer had just bought himself one of the new GoPro's and tested it out during the ride. Some good footage, anyway I stole a still from the video to show how dedicated I am.    Boy was it damn cold. 

[Ziderman]

What's the oven gloves for.....

[Lonewolf]

Not pretty but I believe they are effective.

[kwarrgtr]

Not pretty but I believe they are effective.

'Fraid mine arn't 
But... i am a southern softie....

[cpettifer]

Chilly! What temp was it?

-5 on my commute this morning, down the M5. Brrr.

[Lonewolf]

Chilly! What temp was it?

-5 on my commute this morning, down the M5. Brrr.

All I can tell you is that it was cold! Mines an older GTR it doesn't have a temperature gauge on it.

[100milesaway]

Well I had my last RoSPA 'lesson' this morning in the bitter cold that is Yorkshire. I have a pre test assessment coming up shortly with one of the senior trainers and then apparantly I'll have the actual test within the next few weeks weather permitting. Took in some of Saddleworth Moor, Rishworth, etc. The trainer had just bought himself one of the new GoPro's and tested it out during the ride. Some good footage, anyway I stole a still from the video to show how dedicated I am.    Boy was it damn cold. 

Used to live in the first village you come to( Greenfield ) as you drop down from Saddleworth moor, and it will have been like the Baltic up there in this cold snap that we are stuck in, different story in summer though, simply stunning. Any way you are my hero Mr Wolf top marks for turning out in that weather.