IAM lobbying

[martine]

Should the IAM do more lobbying and if so, on what topics?

[ROG]

Should the IAM do more lobbying and if so, on what topics?

Not yet - if they wait until the DSA wholly embrace them (& ROSPA) as a post training organisation and the DSA tell new drivers that this is their next step, then they will have more credibility.

[TripleS]

Should the IAM do more lobbying and if so, on what topics?

Yes.

They should be standing up to the government very positively on behalf of enthusiastic drivers and getting rid of their stuffy image, and I'm sorry but I think that's what it is overall, despite the efforts of some of the local groups and officials. The problem is at IAM HQ.

This means demanding early abolition of the NSL - at least for suitably qualified drivers - and then getting rid of it completely when appropriate measures have been installed to make such an environment adequately safe for the entire community of road user groups.

There you are, IAM HQ. Get on with it; now!

....unless you really wish to continue toadying up to the government, but if you do that you'll not be serving the best interests of driving standards in this country, which is a pretty dismal show after your 50 years of life.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

[waremark]

I don't think you would even get a majority of members in favour of abolishing the NSL, let alone the overwhelming majority which would be required to justify campaigning on such a controversial issue. Personally, I don't believe that abolishing the NSL would improve road safety, so I don't think it is a credible campaigning issue for a road safety charity.

Now, if you were to reduce your ambitions somewhat, and to shoot instead for resumption of the older guidelines for speed limit setting, and for encouragement of upward limit changes where safe, including an increase in the NSL for both motorways and DC's to 80 mph, you would get more support.

But IAM's natural area of expertise is road safety education. Personally, I would go for inclusion of road safety education as a compulsory curriculum area around the ages of 11 to 13 (I think attitudes to road safety are pretty firmly established before people start driving). My second preference would be for compulsory continuing driver education - a requirement for something like a day of tuition every 10 years.

[GS]

Should the IAM do more lobbying and if so, on what topics?

Yes.

They should be standing up to the government very positively on behalf of enthusiastic drivers and getting rid of their stuffy image, and I'm sorry but I think that's what it is overall, despite the efforts of some of the local groups and officials. The problem is at IAM HQ.

This means demanding early abolition of the NSL - at least for suitably qualified drivers - and then getting rid of it completely when appropriate measures have been installed to make such an environment adequately safe for the entire community of road user groups.

There you are, IAM HQ. Get on with it; now!

....unless you really wish to continue toadying up to the government, but if you do that you'll not be serving the best interests of driving standards in this country, which is a pretty dismal show after your 50 years of life.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

Rant, oooopps sorry, I mean dream on.

Perhaps the IAM should offer free membership and observed runs to all politicians in an attempt to show them that speed can be used safely. After all, I'm sure that at least some of them would like to get their photos in the local paper for being involved in trying to improve their driving standards. It might also help to convince some of them that by pushing for improved standards of driving rather than just lowering of speed limits, they could do their bit for road safety.

[vonhosen]

Should the IAM do more lobbying and if so, on what topics?

Yes.

They should be standing up to the government very positively on behalf of enthusiastic drivers and getting rid of their stuffy image, and I'm sorry but I think that's what it is overall, despite the efforts of some of the local groups and officials. The problem is at IAM HQ.

This means demanding early abolition of the NSL - at least for suitably qualified drivers - and then getting rid of it completely when appropriate measures have been installed to make such an environment adequately safe for the entire community of road user groups.

There you are, IAM HQ. Get on with it; now!

....unless you really wish to continue toadying up to the government, but if you do that you'll not be serving the best interests of driving standards in this country, which is a pretty dismal show after your 50 years of life.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

Rant, oooopps sorry, I mean dream on.

Perhaps the IAM should offer free membership and observed runs to all politicians in an attempt to show them that speed can be used safely. After all, I'm sure that at least some of them would like to get their photos in the local paper for being involved in trying to improve their driving standards. It might also help to convince some of them that by pushing for improved standards of driving rather than just lowering of speed limits, they could do their bit for road safety.

Surely they would see you make safe progress up to & not beyond the speed limit on your dem drive though. Why is that going to make them consider higher speed limits, rather than them saying that the limit was appropriate ?

[TripleS]

Hello, Mark.

As far as I am aware the IAM was not supposed to be a road safety charity.

It was supposed to be a group for Advanced drivers; people who were true driving enthusiasts, i.e. in a spirited sense, people who were accustomed to combining high speed driving with a very high level of safety. That, in my view, was a far more inspiring image and one much more likely to attract the youngsters than the image the IAM now appears to present.

If the IAM is now content to see itself as primarily a road safety charity, but also just making money from its fleet training activities, it might as well amalgamate with BRAKE and make some savings on office accommodation and general administrative expenses.

Quite honestly I don’t see how people like yourself and Martin, and the other proper driving enthusiasts at local group level, have the heart to carry on supporting such an organisation. It’s admirable that you do, based on your wish to help others to improve their driving, but IMHO the IAM as an organisation does not deserve to be the beneficiary of your generous efforts.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

[ExadiNigel]

....This means demanding early abolition of the NSL - at least for suitably qualified drivers - and then getting rid of it completely when appropriate measures have been installed to make such an environment adequately safe for the entire community of road user groups.....

Now I can see reasons for changing the nsl, particularly on Motorways and some dual carriageways but I'm not so sure about the abolition of it and definately not removing it from rural roads.

I can't see the IAM or RoSPA signing up to this one, this is the sort of rhetoric that tends to be spouted by the Association of British Drivers and that would be enough for me to have nothing to do with it!

Nigel

[TripleS]

...This means demanding early abolition of the NSL - at least for suitably qualified drivers - and then getting rid of it completely when appropriate measures have been installed to make such an environment adequately safe for the entire community of road user groups.....

Now I can see reasons for changing the nsl, particularly on Motorways and some dual carriageways but I'm not so sure about the abolition of it and definately not removing it from rural roads.

I can't see the IAM or RoSPA signing up to this one, this is the sort of rhetoric that tends to be spouted by the Association of British Drivers and that would be enough for me to have nothing to do with it!

Nigel

That's OK then.

You can cuddle up to Mary W at Huddersfield then. I think that's where BRAKE hang out. Bit of a disgrace actually, having a bunch like that in Yorkshire - but at least it's only West Yorkshire.

Edit: Incidentally, so far as I'm aware, the ABD isn't calling for removal of the NSL. They should be.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

[vonhosen]

Hello, Mark.

As far as I am aware the IAM was not supposed to be a road safety charity.

It was supposed to be a group for Advanced drivers; people who were true driving enthusiasts, i.e. in a spirited sense, people who were accustomed to combining high speed driving with a very high level of safety.

That's not what I've understood it to be about.

[TripleS]

Hello, Mark.

As far as I am aware the IAM was not supposed to be a road safety charity.

It was supposed to be a group for Advanced drivers; people who were true driving enthusiasts, i.e. in a spirited sense, people who were accustomed to combining high speed driving with a very high level of safety.

That's not what I've understood it to be about.

Well it does rather predate your goodself.

Bear in mind that the IAM started life about ten years before the NSL was inflicted upon us. I believe what I said was true when the IAM first appeared. Quite clearly it isn't the case now, and to my mind that is to be regretted.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

[ExadiNigel]

Why this hang up about the NSL? Surely advanced driving isn't about how fast you can go but much more about staying safe and not being involved in others accidents.

Nigel

[GS]

Should the IAM do more lobbying and if so, on what topics?

Yes.

They should be standing up to the government very positively on behalf of enthusiastic drivers and getting rid of their stuffy image, and I'm sorry but I think that's what it is overall, despite the efforts of some of the local groups and officials. The problem is at IAM HQ.

This means demanding early abolition of the NSL - at least for suitably qualified drivers - and then getting rid of it completely when appropriate measures have been installed to make such an environment adequately safe for the entire community of road user groups.

There you are, IAM HQ. Get on with it; now!

....unless you really wish to continue toadying up to the government, but if you do that you'll not be serving the best interests of driving standards in this country, which is a pretty dismal show after your 50 years of life.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

Rant, oooopps sorry, I mean dream on.

Perhaps the IAM should offer free membership and observed runs to all politicians in an attempt to show them that speed can be used safely. After all, I'm sure that at least some of them would like to get their photos in the local paper for being involved in trying to improve their driving standards. It might also help to convince some of them that by pushing for improved standards of driving rather than just lowering of speed limits, they could do their bit for road safety.

Surely they would see you make safe progress up to & not beyond the speed limit on your dem drive though. Why is that going to make them consider higher speed limits, rather than them saying that the limit was appropriate ?

I didn't say anything about them considering higher limits. I can never see the speed limits being increased again.

My point was to show them that a better standard of driving might help with casualty reduction in our current limits, rather than them try and use speed limit reduction to achieve this.

[vonhosen]

Should the IAM do more lobbying and if so, on what topics?

Yes.

They should be standing up to the government very positively on behalf of enthusiastic drivers and getting rid of their stuffy image, and I'm sorry but I think that's what it is overall, despite the efforts of some of the local groups and officials. The problem is at IAM HQ.

This means demanding early abolition of the NSL - at least for suitably qualified drivers - and then getting rid of it completely when appropriate measures have been installed to make such an environment adequately safe for the entire community of road user groups.

There you are, IAM HQ. Get on with it; now!

....unless you really wish to continue toadying up to the government, but if you do that you'll not be serving the best interests of driving standards in this country, which is a pretty dismal show after your 50 years of life.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

Rant, oooopps sorry, I mean dream on.

Perhaps the IAM should offer free membership and observed runs to all politicians in an attempt to show them that speed can be used safely. After all, I'm sure that at least some of them would like to get their photos in the local paper for being involved in trying to improve their driving standards. It might also help to convince some of them that by pushing for improved standards of driving rather than just lowering of speed limits, they could do their bit for road safety.

Surely they would see you make safe progress up to & not beyond the speed limit on your dem drive though. Why is that going to make them consider higher speed limits, rather than them saying that the limit was appropriate ?

I didn't say anything about them considering higher limits. I can never see the speed limits being increased again.

My point was to show them that a better standard of driving might help with casualty reduction in our current limits, rather than them try and use speed limit reduction to achieve this.

I apologise then, it appeared to me as your reply was to TripleS that in fact was what you suggested was needed.

Some MPs have taken part in some IAM publicity stuff.

http://www.iam.org.uk/pressroom/newsarchive/nr0604.htm

[jcochrane]

Hello, Mark.

As far as I am aware the IAM was not supposed to be a road safety charity.

It was supposed to be a group for Advanced drivers; people who were true driving enthusiasts, i.e. in a spirited sense, people who were accustomed to combining high speed driving with a very high level of safety.

That's not what I've understood it to be about.

Well it does rather predate your goodself.

Bear in mind that the IAM started life about ten years before the NSL was inflicted upon us. I believe what I said was true when the IAM first appeared. Quite clearly it isn't the case now, and to my mind that is to be regretted.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

My recollection is somewhat different. As I remember it the matter of having a higher test that the public could take after the basic test had been raised in Parliament. The conclusion was that an independent body should set itself up for such a purpose. A number of people, including Mrs. McCann (sp)... yes the same one from BSM who was behind creating HPC, took forward the idea and out if which was born the IAM in the mid 1950's. Its function being to provide an advanced test and to influence on road safety matters. At this time they were not involved in training. Skills for Life and Fleet Training came much later.

In the early days there were no groups to provide training. These came a little later as an initiative by the members themselves who locally got together to socialise and help others prepare for the IAM test. I think the first group was formed in the midlands but soon followed by the South of London Group.

I remain to be convinced that the close interest of IAM HQ, of today, in the training undertaken by the many volunteers at group level is for the long term good.