Another newbie

A place for new members to introduce themselves and give some background information as to their experience with driving, likes, dislikes etc. It is advisable to post here first before posting to other forum's on the site.

Postby skodatezzer » Wed Jan 21, 2015 9:32 pm


M6L11 wrote:
martine wrote:
M6L11 wrote:I do prefer the RoADA grading and retest practices but it appears IAM are better catered for around here after all.

Yes the compulsory ROSPA 3 year retest is a significant difference but of course there's nothing to stop you retaking the IAM test should you so wish. You may not be aware the IAM has graded advanced tests now...the normal pass and the higher-level, 'F1rst" pass - approx. equal to ROSPA Gold.

Whatever route you take I'm sure you'll benefit from driving with different people and picking and choosing what works for you.

Shame you 'up North' as there seem to be more ADUK driving days further South - they are a great way to develop your driving with a great bunch of people form here (TripleS excluded :wink: )


It seems the IAM has made some progress then. :) I'd love to attend but as you say I'm a little far away even if I do enjoy driving lol. Thanks again for the kind words. :)


Shouldn't be too un-doable. For example there'll be a horde of East Surrey-ites heading across to Cheddar at the end of March - overnight stop in a Travelodge the night before and Bob's yer uncle. There's even one dedicated type who regularly comes down to events in the M4 / M40 region from his University in Leeds. Hopefully there'll be a driving day organised in the Brecon Beacons at some point this year (hint, hint :D), and if you can only do one, that's the one!!
IAM National Observer. Chair, E. Surrey IAM.
skodatezzer
 
Posts: 224
Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2010 10:04 pm
Location: East Surrey

Postby skodatezzer » Wed Jan 21, 2015 9:33 pm


Oh yes, and, welcome top the forum!
IAM National Observer. Chair, E. Surrey IAM.
skodatezzer
 
Posts: 224
Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2010 10:04 pm
Location: East Surrey

Postby MrToad » Thu Jan 22, 2015 2:08 am


skodatezzer wrote:Hopefully there'll be a driving day organised in the Brecon Beacons at some point this year (hint, hint :D), and if you can only do one, that's the one!!


Your expression of interest has been noted. :wink:
Do less, better.
User avatar
MrToad
 
Posts: 583
Joined: Thu Jun 29, 2006 5:56 pm
Location: Bristol




Postby kfae8959 » Mon Jan 26, 2015 4:56 pm


martine wrote:Just in case you're tempted by the IAM - there are 4 groups that cover Liverpool...

http://www.wirraliam.co.uk/
http://www.seftonadvancedmotorists.co.uk/
http://www.shgam.org.uk/
http://www.warram.org.uk/


It slightly depends where M6L11 is based, but it's the Sefton group that covers central Liverpool.

M6 - I live in Liverpool, too. Would you like to meet for a drive some time? I'll send you a private message on the forum.

David
"A man's life in these parts often depends on a mere scrap of information"
kfae8959
 
Posts: 394
Joined: Sat Dec 20, 2008 7:52 pm
Location: Liverpool

Postby trashbat » Mon Jan 26, 2015 6:10 pm


Welcome :)

Another +1 here for the experience of feeling worse before you feel better. It's unusual in adult life to be told you're doing things all wrong, unusual again to have to change a learned behaviour, and unusual again to be left to your own devices to do that. No surprise then that it can be intimidating and full of self doubt.

However, at the same time or shortly thereafter, you can also start looking back and think, 'oh, that's where I was at before, and if I imagine going back to doing things that way... ugh, it's all wrong!' - in this case that it was clunky, rushed or even dangerous.

As others suggest, avoid worrying too much about stone-inscribed dogma of 'WE DO IT LIKE THIS', at least up to the point where you're in danger of taking on nothing, but try to be open minded and absorb different techniques.

The appropriate attitude really shines through in your OP and I think you're going to have a good overall experience with this.
Rob - IAM F1RST, Alfa Romeo 156 JTS
trashbat
 
Posts: 764
Joined: Wed Jun 22, 2011 11:11 pm
Location: Hampshire

Postby M6L11 » Mon Jan 26, 2015 10:34 pm


Thanks again for the kindly and helpful replies. David I've emailed you as requested, thanks! Rob, I think now the dust has settled I've been able to take on board the points raised during the RideDrive day and try to incorporate them into my daily driving. I wouldn't do another day though, I only got 5 hours driving on a course advertised as 8 hours. It was from 9.40am until 3.30pm with an hour for lunch and two 'coffee' breaks. That's 25% less time for full payment which hasn't left me a very enthusiastic customer. An enjoyable drive out nonetheless.
M6L11
 

Postby kfae8959 » Thu Jan 29, 2015 11:12 am


Thanks, Lee. Did you get my reply?

David
"A man's life in these parts often depends on a mere scrap of information"
kfae8959
 
Posts: 394
Joined: Sat Dec 20, 2008 7:52 pm
Location: Liverpool

Postby M6L11 » Thu Jan 29, 2015 5:44 pm


StressedDave wrote:
M6L11 wrote:Thanks again for the kindly and helpful replies. David I've emailed you as requested, thanks! Rob, I think now the dust has settled I've been able to take on board the points raised during the RideDrive day and try to incorporate them into my daily driving. I wouldn't do another day though, I only got 5 hours driving on a course advertised as 8 hours. It was from 9.40am until 3.30pm with an hour for lunch and two 'coffee' breaks. That's 25% less time for full payment which hasn't left me a very enthusiastic customer. An enjoyable drive out nonetheless.

On t'other hand, do you think you'd be able to work flat out at this for eight hours?

When I'm coaching, I tend to do 0900 to 4:30ish with an hour-ish (normally less) for lunch and a bit tacked on the end and beginning to work out what someone wants and how well it's been delivered.


Yes, but to be fair I'm well practised at distance driving. Your days are still an hour or so longer than I got for the money. It wasn't so much the time but the under delivery of what was advertised, if that makes sense. I was just getting into the swing of enjoying putting what I'd learnt into practice and the guy got out of the car! I was looking forward to an hour or two of town driving and he just left, two hours early. I had to shout him back to give feedback! :lol:

He also told me his ADI registration had lapsed (so he wasn't even legally able to teach for reward), missed several speed limit changes because he was on his phone a lot (and told me off for doing 40 when he thought the road was derestricted) and tried to convince me GATSO cameras can get you even when on the other side of the road and facing you.... As I said it was more the delivery of the day than the actual hours that irked a little.
M6L11
 

Postby M6L11 » Thu Jan 29, 2015 6:47 pm


mefoster wrote:That's fair enough... but it's not what you said first. Your original complaint was for 25% less time than advertised not the quality of the course.


Of course, I'm just filling in more detail. Is getting 25% less than you paid for not cause for grumbling these days? LOL The format was supposed to be a 9.30am briefing, and (bar lunch and comfort stops) driving until an end of course assessment at 5.30pm. Having 1hr 30 breaks and finishing two hours early with no word of explanation, no assessment and no feedback did leave me a little high and dry, yes.

My wife kindly paid for the day as a gift as she knew of my interest. I told her to expect me back early evening; she'd been shocked at the price but rationalised it was 8 hours of someone's time. To be back before afternoon tea shocked the both of us lol.
M6L11
 

Postby martine » Thu Jan 29, 2015 7:42 pm


That doesn't sound good - I wouldn't expect a coach to be on the phone at all during a drive and admitting he is not an ADI is bad but there is huge debate about whether it's a legal requirement for full licence holders. (can of worms: opened).

I would raise your complaint with the company - they need to know the good and bad of your day but I do agree with Stressed...8 hours driving might be counterproductive for most - perhaps they should be more realistic in their description of the course.
Martin - Bristol IAM: IMI National Observer and Group Secretary, DSA: ADI, Fleet, RoSPA (Dip)
martine
 
Posts: 4430
Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2005 3:49 pm
Location: Bristol, UK




Postby M6L11 » Thu Jan 29, 2015 7:51 pm


martine wrote:That doesn't sound good - I wouldn't expect a coach to be on the phone at all during a drive and admitting he is not an ADI is bad but there is huge debate about whether it's a legal requirement for full licence holders. (can of worms: opened).

I would raise your complaint with the company - they need to know the good and bad of your day but I do agree with Stressed...8 hours driving might be counterproductive for most - perhaps they should be more realistic in their description of the course.


You seem to have grasped the spirit of my message, thanks for your comments. I'd have been just as happy had they said it was a six hour day, because then I'd have received what I'd paid for. It was the relatively massive shortfall in the expectations they'd created that was disillusioning.

As I said the day wasn't all bad and I did enjoy it and learnt some new tricks, which was the whole point. :) I'm certainly not saying I had a terrible time, far from it! Just a few little points as already raised cast a bit of a shadow. The instructor was a nice guy and I have come away with a better understanding, so mission accomplished. It would have just been a better experience if he wasn't on his phone so often (though he did apologise) and the day wasn't so brusquely cut short without a word.

I did raise these points with Julian (the owner of RideDrive) but he avoided comment the two times it came up as part of other correspondence - sorting the accreditation etc. No worries, and not the purpose of this thread. It was just a hello with a bit of my recent experience thrown in. It certainly wasn't intended to become a bashing thread or similar. Just what I found so far, and my feelings on whether I thought it was worth £300.

Cheers. :)
M6L11
 

Postby TripleS » Fri Jan 30, 2015 11:16 am


martine wrote:
M6L11 wrote:I do prefer the RoADA grading and retest practices but it appears IAM are better catered for around here after all.

Shame you 'up North' as there seem to be more ADUK driving days further South - they are a great way to develop your driving with a great bunch of people from here (TripleS excluded :wink: )


OK, but maybe them of us wot live 'up North' had the good fortune to be nearer the front of the queue when natural driving talent was being issued, so we don't need to work on it quite so much as southerners. Having got that sorted out, I can it's a bit tough on you down there when you have to deal with folk swapping lanes on a (possibly) slightly dubious basis just because a coach is parked in a lay-by/acceleration lane. :P

Anyhow, I trust the above is some help, but please do not hesitate to let me know if I can be of further assistance at any time. 8)

Meanwhile, M6L11, welcome to ADUK, and don't take Martin's dig at me too seriously. He's actually a prominent member of my fan club, but just can't admit it. :lol:

Best wishes all,
Dave.
TripleS
 
Posts: 6025
Joined: Thu Oct 13, 2005 9:47 pm
Location: Briggswath, Whitby

Postby revian » Fri Jan 30, 2015 6:21 pm


TripleS wrote:OK, but maybe them of us wot live 'up North' had the good fortune to be nearer the front of the queue when natural driving talent was being issued...
Dave.

Ooo Dave... You're going up in my estimation day by day ... :D

Ian
Wirral
revian
 
Posts: 509
Joined: Fri Aug 02, 2013 6:37 pm

Postby fungus » Sat Jan 31, 2015 11:04 pm


martine wrote:That doesn't sound good - I wouldn't expect a coach to be on the phone at all during a drive and admitting he is not an ADI is bad but there is huge debate about whether it's a legal requirement for full licence holders. (can of worms: opened).


It's my understanding that any person giving instruction for payment must be either an ADI or a Licenced Trainee (PDI), at least for Catagory B. As for other catagories, I'm not sure that the law is the same.
Nigel ADI
IAM observer
User avatar
fungus
 
Posts: 1739
Joined: Sun Feb 17, 2008 8:16 pm
Location: Dorset

Previous

Return to Introductions

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest


cron