Where to go next?

[Sean]

Hey there guys and girls,

I'm just curious about how far I can take my driving at my age. I am currently 18 and I have passed the full UK Driving Test and have also undertaken and completed the Pass Plus Scheme. But I'm wondering how much higher I can go - and what is the hierachy of "driving ranks".

I've looked around briefly and seen that there are many different 'qualifications' you can gain (ADI, IAM, ROSPA, HPC).

I don't plan to persue a career in instructing learner drivers - I just want to do it to further improve my skills as a driver, so which would be the ideal level for me to move to? If I need to improve my level at all that is.

Thanks for your time reading this.

[Custom24]

IAM or ROSPA would be the logical thing for you next. IAM you need to have 3 months with a full driving licence before you take the test, but you can prepare before this, so you can be ready for the test. ROSPA not sure about - probably on their website.

Age shouldn't be a problem with either - IAM at least are currently encouraging younger drivers.

If you don't want to teach then you don't need ADI (and it's a very expensive and dedicated road that way anyway).

HPC I don't yet know much about, but IAM or ROSPA is probably more cost effective where you are.

[Porker]

Hello Sean, and welcome.

You have a number of options. A useful first step might be to see if you can attend one of the AD-UK driving days which are posted in the members' section of the forum - you'll need to sign up to get access to these, but that and the drives are both free.

If you like what you see, you might be inspired to join a local RoADAR (RoSPA Advanced Drivers and Riders) or IAM group. Both provide inexpensive coaching culminating in a test. RoADAR is perhaps slightly preferable in that they provide a graded test but ultimately the quality of the coaching you receive will depend on the individual Observer/Tutor who's allocated to you rather than whether the group is affiliated to the IAM or RoADAR.

You could also consider joining Clubdriving (http://www.clubdriving.co.uk) which has a mentoring system for members.

Feel free to ask any questions that you have.

regards
P.

[ScoobyChris]

I'd agree that the next logical step is IAM or RoSPA as they teach you the fundamentals of advanced driving and then everything after that simply builds on that foundation.

IAM is a pass/fail exam and RoSPA is graded into fail, bronze, silver and gold with a retest every 3 years but both cover very similar syllabuses. Worth contacting your local group and maybe popping down to a local meeting and finding out what it's all about and maybe getting a demo drive.

ADI is something slightly different and that is a teaching qualification designed to enable you to prepare people for the driving test. The only other benefit is that it enables you to charge people for your teaching time, irrespective of what level of driving you're teaching.

Good luck and let us know what you choose

Chris

[7db]

Hi Sean - whereabouts are you based? Come along for a drive with some of the enthusiasts here and see what takes your fancy.

[Sean]

I'm from Middlesbrough in the North East - I've been looking through some of the IAM groups and the Middlesbrough group page has a 404 Error. However, I have not looked any further to find a page for it.

What is the layout for the IAM / RoSPA? Do you get driving 'lessons' like when you are studying for your standard driving test? Or is it based more on you as a person, you have to go out and use your own independance and learn the new skills that you require?

Thanks for all the help so far, it's been very helpful.

[daz6215]

Hi Sean, what your tutor will do is provide feedback on your driving and offer advice on other things like limit point , brake gear overlap, observation and smoothness of the drive etc. the more YOU put in the more you will get out of it.

[ScoobyChris]

The syllabus is basically outlined in Roadcraft and the typical format is that you're allocated 6 1-1 1/2 hour observed drives. Your observer/tutor will likely give you a demo drive of the standard and then guide you to test standard (or beyond if you're lucky) in as many drives as it takes. I think it's fair to say that if you practice between sessions you probably won't need all 6.

Once your observer thinks you're at test standard, you'll then go out with a senior observer for a 2nd opinion (mine was run as a mock test) and then you can put in for your test.

Depending on how long the waiting list is to be assigned an observer, you might want to pop along to an ADUK day (if there are any running near you!) in the meantime to get the ball rolling...

Most of all, enjoy it

Chris

[ROG]

the typical format is that you're allocated 6 1-1 1/2 hour observed drives.

Leicester group does drive times starting about 30 mins and they get longer each time with the last being about 90 mins - the test is 90 mins

I think both ROSPA and IAM groups vary a lot in waiting times. The Bristol group are fortunate in having 35 observers and no associate waits longer than 4 months for the start of the next course.

I sympathise with the smaller groups some of which have < 5 observers. Perhaps there are too many IAM groups (220) and the smaller ones should merge?

Maybe, but sometimes the problem is that potential Obs are already too far away from the associate, or can't do the times the associate wants, and therefore merging might not help.

Leicester IAM group is lucky
We have a one to one allocation system for the duration of the observing runs ( no switching of obs ) and a brilliant observer co-ordinator
I don't think any associate waits more than 3 to 4 weeks before having their first run.
No set number of runs either as everyone learns at a different pace.
my average is 6 runs (run 6 is usually a pre-test run) over 6 months for associates - based on 80+ over 10 years. - the average 4 week gap between runs allows the assoc to practice
These are averages and some take less time & runs whereas others take more.

[Sean]

Ah right, thanks for the information. I'll pick up a copy of Roadcraft, and the Cleveland IAM Site said that I should also pick up a copy of Knowing your Road Signs - so I'll get both then decide what to move onto from there.

Thanks for all the information that you have provided, it has been really helpful in helping me make a decision.

[Robserver]

Have just come across your post.

I recently observed a chap, age 18 and not long passed his test but with enough time to 'qualify' to do IAM. Passed after 10 sessions of 1 to 1.5 hours.The shortest amount of drives I've observed(have observed for 15 years) What did help was that he had obtained a copy of Chris Gilbert's DVD 'Ultimate Driving Craft' Also a factor in his favour, he probably had not had time to pick up the detrimental things that we see so many 'drivers' doing.

There is a post elsewhere on this site about young observers(now theres a challenge! )A young person telling an 'experianced, i've been driving more years than you've been on this planet' type.

[ROG]

I recently observed a chap, age 18 and not long passed his test but with enough time to 'qualify' to do IAM. Passed after 10 sessions of 1 to 1.5 hours.The shortest amount of drives I've observed(have observed for 15 years)

That seems like a lot of hours observing for one associate

I've been observing for just over 10 years and have got about 90 asociates to test standard

My average is just under 6 runs over about 6 months but for 17/18 year olds it is about half that.

My thought is - are you doing the runs too often which is not giving the associate time to practice

If yes, then perhaps doubling the time between runs and halving the amount of runs would allow you to double your amount of asociates

[zadocbrown]

I recently observed a chap, age 18 and not long passed his test but with enough time to 'qualify' to do IAM. Passed after 10 sessions of 1 to 1.5 hours.The shortest amount of drives I've observed(have observed for 15 years)

That seems like a lot of hours observing for one associate

I've been observing for just over 10 years and have got about 90 asociates to test standard

My average is just under 6 runs over about 6 months but for 17/18 year olds it is about half that.

My thought is - are you doing the runs too often which is not giving the associate time to practice

If yes, then perhaps doubling the time between runs and halving the amount of runs would allow you to double your amount of asociates

Or maybe he's setting a higher standard? I wouldn't object to that if the associates were happy.

[Porker]

I believe it's quite possible to get the majority of associates through the test in about 6 runs or so of 90 minutes each. However, I always coach my associates some way beyond this because I want them to have skills which will endure and which enable them to be reasonably self-critical, with a view to correcting any faults which creep in.

So far I have driven with about four or five a year or more after their tests and their driving has not declined to any appreciable degree, so I'm comfortable with this approach.

regards
P.

[ROG]

I believe it's quite possible to get the majority of associates through the test in about 6 runs or so of 90 minutes each. However, I always coach my associates some way beyond this because I want them to have skills which will endure and which enable them to be reasonably self-critical, with a view to correcting any faults which creep in.

So far I have driven with about four or five a year or more after their tests and their driving has not declined to any appreciable degree, so I'm comfortable with this approach.

regards
P.

I have given about half of my associates a check drive after 3 years of passing the test and so far none have gone below test standard - in fact, most have improved