IAM membership fee increase...

[ipsg.glf]

I've just cancelled my IAM (HQ) and IAM (Local group) standing orders. I don't feel I get any benefit from memebrship these days anyway.

[Jack Russell]

I've just cancelled my IAM (HQ) and IAM (Local group) standing orders. I don't feel I get any benefit from memebrship these days anyway.

Well that's a pity, but it's not all about getting.

IAM members are also supporting others through what the IAM represents, and membership fees fund it.

Yes the IAM image is a bit pipe and slippers, but so what!! It's still a good thing to support, I am not saying it's the best or perfect but it's still good!

[TripleS]

I've just cancelled my IAM (HQ) and IAM (Local group) standing orders. I don't feel I get any benefit from memebrship these days anyway.

Well that's a pity, but it's not all about getting.

IAM members are also supporting others through what the IAM represents, and membership fees fund it.

Yes the IAM image is a bit pipe and slippers, but so what!! It's still a good thing to support, I am not saying it's the best or perfect but it's still good!

I don't think it would be right to conclude that Mr .glf was only in the IAM for what he could get out of it. It was my understanding that he'd been trying to help them to be more successful (especially with young drivers) and found them unwilling to listen and change their ways.

If that's not a fair statement of the situation by all means let somebody put me right about it.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

[Big Err]

Just received a letter sent to all IAM group secretarys confirming the membership increase to be £28 (or £30 for non-direct debit payers). This is subject to the IAM AGM in November but since the IAM council have already approved it, I'd have thought that's pretty academic. The price increase is from 1st Jan 2009.

If the £28 was to include a group membership of say £10, then it doesn't sound too unreasonable and not so different from what most group members currently pay (in total). However, if its purely to pay for the privilege of some admin work and a glossy mag, I suspect I'll be making a saving of £28 a year soon.

[Porker]

I don't think it would be right to conclude that Mr .glf was only in the IAM for what he could get out of it. It was my understanding that he'd been trying to help them to be more successful (especially with young drivers) and found them unwilling to listen and change their ways.

If that's not a fair statement of the situation by all means let somebody put me right about it.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

Agreed - I think that was about the long and short of it.

P.

[PeterE]

I've just cancelled my IAM (HQ) and IAM (Local group) standing orders. I don't feel I get any benefit from memebrship these days anyway.

Well that's a pity, but it's not all about getting.

IAM members are also supporting others through what the IAM represents, and membership fees fund it.

Yes the IAM image is a bit pipe and slippers, but so what!! It's still a good thing to support, I am not saying it's the best or perfect but it's still good!

That is true, and is why I've continued to pay my annual subs despite not being actively involved. However, increasing the annual fee by 55% (or 66% if you prefer not to pay by Direct Debit) is a bit much to ask of supporters, especially at a time when many people are having to tighten their belts.

I suspect I won't be renewing mine come next April either.

[rlmr]

It is sad IAM sub's must rise to meet rising costs and falling income.
It is also sad a number of folk will throw in the towel, using the rising fees as a major excuse.

Suffice it to say I still enjoy my involvement with Advanced Driving in all sorts of vehicles and I will continue my membership in the hope my small financial contribution will go a wee bit to keeping this major Road Safety organisation a float.

However if the IAM does ground and cease to be, I will be perfectly happy to give Advanced Driving assessments and advice on the basis of £250 per day plus expenses. Until then I will continue to give of my time freely, help local Groups, friends and friends of friends in return for coffee and cakes

To those who are contemplating opting out, I wish you safe driving and hope some others will continue to give of their time to try to ensure the other drivers you meet on the road can receive some Advanced Instruction so in turn they are less likely to come around the blind bend you are on, on your side of the road and not able to stop in the distance you can see to be clear.

[verty]

... To those who are contemplating opting out, I wish you safe driving and hope some others will continue to give of their time to try to ensure the other drivers you meet on the road can receive some Advanced Instruction so in turn they are less likely to come around the blind bend you are on, on your side of the road and not able to stop in the distance you can see to be clear.

Hi rlmr. Do you mean to suggest that we ought to thank the IAM that we hardly ever see people appearing on blind bends in our lane and unable to stop safely? Is it naive for me to think that anyone with common sense would avoid doing that? I'm fairly confident that only a small minority indulge in such behaviour. I don't imagine those without common sense would be terribly interested in advanced driving anyhow.

This is quite similar to the argument that we should thank the unions that we don't all work in sweatshops. I hope we can trust the common sense of the majority, for if we can't, we're doomed.

[rlmr]

All I mean is I am always pleased to "Recommend" a candidate for full membership of the IAM as I feel there is now one other who is less likely to come around the blind bend on my side of the road and take me out.

Sadly driving and common sense do not often appear in the same mind set.

Not wishing to get political (one party is as bad as the other). There certainly was a place for the Unions to represent those being exploited, but there were also some good employers in these bygone days.

I suppose I work on the principle, if we all just throw in the towel what will be left? There are neverltheless some die-hards who will struggle on no matter what.

I remember the day petrol it £1 per gallon... how could I continue to drive my MGB GT and now the £1 per litre was passed some months ago... but at least I now only drive a MG Midget

[verty]

I remember the day petrol it £1 per gallon... how could I continue to drive my MGB GT and now the £1 per litre was passed some months ago... but at least I now only drive a MG Midget.

Yeah, these high prices mean that buying a big car has little appeal, although celebrities don't seem to think that way just yet...

[Jack Russell]

I think the whole situation is sorry.

I don't wish to criticise anyone for having differing views to the IAM, provided your views basically align with road saftey and better driving.

It is sad however that some IAM members may cease their support of it, it's also sad that the membership fee is going to increase by such a large amount for whatever reason.

However compared to what I spend per week on petrol £££ the IAM membership isn't even a drop in the ocean so I shall keep my membership up.

... how could I continue to drive my MGB GT and now the £1 per litre was passed some months ago... but at least I now only drive a MG Midget

Golly! I remember when my dad used to fill his Hillman Imp up at 30 pence a gallon!

[7db]

...my dad used to fill his Hillman Imp up at 30 pence a gallon!...

Isn't that all that fits in one of those?

[TripleS]

I think the whole situation is sorry.

I don't wish to criticise anyone for having differing views to the IAM, provided your views basically align with road saftey and better driving.

It is sad however that some IAM members may cease their support of it, it's also sad that the membership fee is going to increase by such a large amount for whatever reason.

However compared to what I spend per week on petrol £££ the IAM membership isn't even a drop in the ocean so I shall keep my membership up.

... how could I continue to drive my MGB GT and now the £1 per litre was passed some months ago... but at least I now only drive a MG Midget

Golly! I remember when my dad used to fill his Hillman Imp up at 30 pence a gallon!

The first petrol I bought cost 13 shillings for three gallons. That was in September 1960.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

[ROG]

That was in September 1960

I was 2 years old that year - I've still got the same mental age - according to my Mrs

[TripleS]

It is sad IAM sub's must rise to meet rising costs and falling income.

Eh?

I can appreciate that their costs may be rising, but are they also suffering from falling income, and if so:

a) Why is their income falling, and
b) What remedies are being proposed?

If their income is falling, this implies that their membership is declining. To my mind it is bad enough that their membership is not increasing in a positive manner, but to find that membership is actually falling is even worse news.

Best wishes all,
Dave.