Thank you very much for the kind words. Yes, this forum was a big help to me. I am very thankful.
To James: Well I was a bit nervous during the test itself and couldn't wait for it to be over and to get the result!
That's mostly because I don't really enjoy being scrutinsed on an oral examination. Thank you again for you help.
To Nigel: Yes, I will give something back by becoming an observer in due course!
Just once being an IAM MEMBER has sinked in!
I don't know how much it will encourage youngsters to join the organisation (I'm not your typical youngster - a bit boring) but I'll do my best. I have had some luck with a friend of mine, she is attending some of the monthly meetings which is something! I believe that she'll find herself as an associate sooner of later.
To Martine: However, I have to say, the exam was not too different from an observed drive. The only difference being that of course the examiner offered minimal guidance and that I had to on 2 occasions describe the sign that we had just passed.
Also, I had to do ONE manoeuvre (reverse around the corner) during the test. I think that the reason for this is that I performed a reverse bay park into the pub car park before the test. My examiner saw this and gave me a thumbs up before the test had started. I assume that he took this as one of the manouevres already performed?
After the test was over (which lasted just under 90 minutes) the examiner read out all my faults. There were quite a few, so I thought that I had failed at this point, he did seem quite annoyed about a few of my faults. Anyway, he then said "I have no hesitation to recommend you for membership to the IAM"... I then said, "Oh, I thought I had failed because of all the faults that you were reading out there!" He replied "they're only comments, no-one's a perfect driver".
When I let my observer know that I passed and I told him which examiner I had, he did let me know that this particular examiner was very hard to please and that I must've done well for him to pass me.
(To those who are associates...it is good practice to let your observer know that you have passed personally, as (in my group anyway) they have no other way of knowing apparently). That's it basically.
Finally, to any associates: There's nothing more to it, drive how you were taught to drive by your observer and keep the nerves at bay, don't feel that you need to do anything more or less to impress your examiner and you will pass!
Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 10:57 pm
