ADUK Archive

Tony aka Mr. Toad here is too modest to mention it but he passed his IAM Senior Observer test last week...so please doff your hats accordingly.

Well done Tony!

A very good driver, and well deserved recognition

Congratulations to you Tony.

kind regards
P.

Many congratulations, Tony. Well done.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

Great news, Tony!

Chris

Well done Tony

Did you find it really easy like I did

Well done Tony.

Go Tony!

Thanks all for the kind words. I don't think it's possible to overstate the influence AD-UK has had on the development of my driving, and I can honestly say I've learnt something from everybody else on this thread.

I should point out that the Senior test is more about the instructing skills than the actual driving though. In fact I had to spend several painful weeks weaning myself off overlapping and some of the more adventurous positioning, progress and steering techniques. At least I now have proof that at least once in my driving career I've managed 45 minutes without exceeding a speed limit.

I may be a Senior now, but my Observing obviously still lacks consistency. I took on two new Associates from our July course who've turned out quite differently. One texted me yesterday to say she wouldn't be continuing with it, while the other completed a course with Clive Jones in the same week as his IAM test and is now waiting to be accepted as an HPC member.

Actually my previous Associate (Hello Daaave!) is also on the way to HPC membership - I wonder how many recruits I need to refer to them to get a freebie for myself?

Good news, well done Tony, keep up the good work.

MrToad wrote:I may be a Senior now, but my Observing obviously still lacks consistency. I took on two new Associates from our July course who've turned out quite differently. One texted me yesterday to say she wouldn't be continuing with it, while the other completed a course with Clive Jones in the same week as his IAM test and is now waiting to be accepted as an HPC member.

Tony, maybe you are being tongue in cheek, but I think it's the associates who lack consistency, not your observing. I've had similar experiences (although no one's gone on to HPC, so far...) A text seems a bit flippant, depending on how many sessions you spent with her...

MrToad wrote:One texted me yesterday to say she wouldn't be continuing with it

Isn't it disappointing when someone gives up? Shows such a lack of appreciation for the effort you have made. Quite right to consider whether there is anything you could have done differently, but at the end of the day you have to accept that it happens. Was she young? I have had a much higher drop out rate from youngsters - which may be due to a lack of empathy on my part, but I think has more to do with their life-styles and motivations.

Custom24 wrote:Tony, maybe you are being tongue in cheek, but I think it's the associates who lack consistency, not your observing. I've had similar experiences (although no one's gone on to HPC, so far...) A text seems a bit flippant, depending on how many sessions you spent with her...

I guess to be more accurate I should have said lacking consistency in terms of outcomes - I try to vary my approach to find what works best for them, but I'm out of ideas on this occasion.

The text thing isn't significant - it's how we've been arranging observed runs as we both work odd hours.

waremark wrote:more to do with their life-styles and motivations

Yes - she's 19, was given the course as a gift, and has always struggled to find the time for our runs.

Well done Tony! All the best, Ursula

MrToad wrote:Actually my previous Associate (Hello Daaave!) is also on the way to HPC membership - I wonder how many recruits I need to refer to them to get a freebie for myself?

Top man Tony, glad you're now officially 'senior' rather than us all just assuming you were wrinkly enough

I've not done much about HPC recently, I've been a bit frustrated on a few drives on my own by not heeding Hugh's advice - too fast in the slow bits, etc. I need a good ADUK day to kick me up the arse again!