My IAM Trainee Observer "blog"

[SLine]

...please try to encourage your future associates to enjoy their cars and their driving. In my view, after far too many tests, examiners are left feeling frustrated that the candidate did not use their cars enough. Some people turn up with 200bhp+ cars and never exceed 2500rpm on test!...

I think I was one of those (where you my examiner at the weekend GS?), none of my observers encouraged me to get my foot down, and it's easy to forget that the examiner will be someone used to training B&2s and isn't afraid of someone accelerating and braking more than you would with your gran in the passenger seat.

[martine]

Driving is about enjoyment as well as skill and it would be very nice if more candidates showed a bit more enjoyment in their driving on test so please try to encourage this as well.

I quite agree but it's a difficult balance to get across to an associate. Don't forget most people on test are quite nervous as well - they know that breaking the speed limit by much will result in a fail and to be honest there aren't many places where you can use hard acceleration and stay within - if you do, it feels kinda false to me.

On my IAM group's 'meet an examiner' evening session where associates are given a chat, they are often suprised a serving traffic cop comes across as a real driving enthusiast who likes a 'progressive' drive.

[GS]

Hello SLine. I may have been, what do you drive??

Hello Martine. Believe me, I know all about being nervous for tests, I've had more than I can remember. (Including an IAM car test) I'm not talking about hard acceleration i.e. coarse or using maxinum revs, I'm talking about positive / firm use of the pedal. If the speed limit changes from 30 to 60, it's nice to be able to feel the car positively accelerating in the correct gear. Acceleration sense can then be use to reduce pedal pressure as the car approaches (say) 55 and by the time 60 is reached there has been a smooth transition from acceleration to just maintaining speed, rather than all then nothing. IAM examiners do not do the job for the money! I would suggest that an examiner has to be an enthusiast to be doing the job at all. I've just done a test with someone from JJ's group in a turbo charged car and his use of acceleration was far more positive than most and it was a nice drive which I enjoyed. I also now know more about how the car feels when driven like this, which I found interesting. I have to say that, from my all be it rather limited experience of the HPC, I do not agree totally with how they do things. But I often wish that all IAM groups had an experienced HPC member in the group's observer team. This might encourage the candidates to 'get on with it' a bit more.

[martine]

...I often wish that all IAM groups had an experienced HPC member in the group's observer team. This might encourage the candidates to 'get on with it' a bit more.

Yes that would be good...no there's a thought, I wonder if I can convince my IAM commitee for the group to pay for my HPC entry course...

[jibberjabber25]

I do fully accept what you are saying here GS. That is a personal dislike of mine, when the candidate "poodles along". Rest assured that I will not declare an associate ready for the test who still poodles along until that is rectified, while at the same time, not advising them to make loads of progress at too early a stage when they are obviously not yet ready.

Does that answer your question?

I do think that we have a few HPC members in my local group, come to think of it, but I can assure you, HPC members or not, a progressive drive is partly what gives the drive that "sparkle" which without, it cannot be a truly "advanced" drive (in my opinion and the opinion of many other observers in my group I would assume).

[SLine]

Hello SLine. I may have been, what do you drive??

Black A3 (S-Line obviously), Dunton Green Tesco Sat am

[ScoobyChris]

I was taught to "get on with it" on my DSA test so my observer was pleasantly surprised on my first assessment drive that I gave it plenty of firm acceleration at every appropriate opportunity My examiner also commented on my "use of ratios to good effect"

I agree though that a lot of associates seem to blur speeding and getting on with it!

Chris

[GS]

Sline, it wasn't me.

ScoobyChris, I agree.

[GIBBS]

Thanks JJ,
I am due to be tested just after Xmass so it has helped me to prepare for it.
Congratulations, well done
Jon

[jibberjabber25]

Thanks JJ,
I am due to be tested just after Xmass so it has helped me to prepare for it.
Congratulations, well done
Jon

Ooh, why thank you, good to be of use to someone.

Good luck with your test GIBBS (is that a play on my name? ).

[AdamW]

JJ,

Well done again, and long may this thread be a diary of a succesfull IAM observer.

Seasons Greetings Ad.

[waremark]

Thanks JJ,
I am due to be tested just after Xmass so it has helped me to prepare for it.
Congratulations, well done
Jon

Ooh, why thank you, good to be of use to someone.

Good luck with your test GIBBS (is that a play on my name? ).

JJ, is this your fist associate just about to take his test? If so, fantastic, it is a good achievement at any age, and you should be really proud of getting there while young.

If you are anything like me, you will be as nervous as your associate about the result of the test! I am still nervous on my associates test days even after many years of observing.

[GS]

Hi JJ

I would suggest that at some stage, you go on a test with an associate so that you can see the same drive as the examiner, then compare your observations with what the examiner has to say. I always try to encourage all observers to sit in on a test every now and again but very few do.

[crr003]

I would suggest that at some stage, you go on a test with an associate so that you can see the same drive as the examiner, then compare your observations with what the examiner has to say. I always try to encourage all observers to sit in on a test every now and again but very few do.

I've not sat in on a real test (maybe too much pressure for the Associate!), but our group likes the Observer to sit in on the "pre-test test" with a senior Observer to make sure any issues are noted.

[GS]

I have only had three, or possibly four observers / instructors sit in on tests in the last twelve or thirteen years, but after each one the observer / instructor said it had been worth it and the associate / driver said that they had forgotten about the extra passenger as soon as the test started. It would be nice if Senior Observers sat in on some tests. That way they would know how individual examiners conduct the test and get to know better what each examiner's 'pet hates' are. After all, if this does not happen, all observers are trying to prepare associates to do something they have only see once themselves! (Assuming that they passed their test the first time which quite a number did not)