Preparing for Rospa Test - Am I ready? RESULT!!!

[GJD]

But for the same road with and without paint, the risks are unchanged

Except that if you're on a bike, the road with paint has an increased skid risk.

Probably true. I presumed we were talking about cars...

[jameslb101]

...was great to see another Aduk'er appear out of nowhere like that

It's a magic trick we do...

[Hiijinx]

A big thank you to all here at ADUK for your support and advice, especially to Mark and John who very kindly offered their free time to help me fine tune my drive from which I learnt alot, thanks guys

Next question - I have been asked if I would like to become an observer in my area - which I would, but don't know just how well it would be taken from an older drivers perspective, taking advice from a 2 year old newbie. Past experience from family and older friends have not been taken too well, to say the least... "You learners are all the same, think you know everything, don't tell me how to drive.... I've driven for 30 years etc etc etc" My initial response was I should wait a year or so until I have more years under my belt.

What are your thoughts?

[martine]

Young Observer? Go for it! Most groups have very few Observers (if any) that are the right side of 25...you've proved you can drive to a good standard...the 'teaching' aspect may need some work but if your group are offering it you'd be daft not to. Once qualified if anyone is suprised by your age it's their problem not yours and you may just be allocated the younger associates - and that would work in your and their favour I'd have thought.

Speak to James (jameslb101) he's Bristol's youngest observer and while he's only been doing it a few months, I'm sure he'd have a view.

[Kevin]

Congratulations!!!!

I'd say go for the observer training and see how you get on. Technically, if you're good enough to help others,then you're good enough regardless of any difference in age or experience. But, there will be some who may either resent or feel uncomfortable about being coached by someone who is much younger or percieved as being less experienced then themselves. You won't know until you give it a go. Some you'll win over, some you won't. Their loss, not yours. They can always ask for someone else to coach them and, if they do, try not to let it bother you, that's just how some people are.

You might be able to attract younger members of the driving community to take up advanced driving if they discover that someone of a similar age will be coaching them, rather than some old geezer . No offence to old geezers out there. I consider myself to be one.

[jcochrane]

Well done. Knew you'd do just fine. Glad to have helped. Go for observing. Don't worry about age gaps.

[gannet]

congratulations

another go for it on the obsverer side from me too... remember that for someone (of any age) to be undergoing training for IAM/ROSPA they want to improve/change what they are doing. Age shouldn't matter...

[DJL]

Next question - I have been asked if I would like to become an observer in my area - which I would, but don't know just how well it would be taken from an older drivers perspective, taking advice from a 2 year old newbie. Past experience from family and older friends have not been taken too well, to say the least... "You learners are all the same, think you know everything, don't tell me how to drive.... I've driven for 30 years etc etc etc" My initial response was I should wait a year or so until I have more years under my belt.

What are your thoughts?

Firstly, well done on the test.

Secondly, don't let anyone give you that crap about "you're not old enough to know anything" or "I've been driving for 30 years". It's bollocks and it winds me up no end.

Unmoderated experience -- just driving day to day without intent of improving or the resources to do so -- is a very poor learning mechanism. Through immitation of others and trial-error-scaring-the-crap-out-of-yourself, people manage to work their way up to the average standard of driving. Which is dire.

Conversely, training and focussed self-improvement allows provides a completely different level of driving. I've just had two associates pass their IAM test, both in their 20s and I'd rather be in a car with either of them than 99% of untrained 50 year old drivers.

The problem is that they think they're better. They think that because they've binned all those "stupid" things from the driving test (like using mirrors or holding the steering wheel properly), that now they're doing it better. They've got away with it for 30, 40, 50 years, never had an accident. But going forward, their risk is far higher than yours.

Never forget that you've taken the exact same RoSPA test as anyone else. You didn't take a special "young person easy test". You've met the exact same bar. (This is what infuriates me about the fact that insurance companies won't recognise this. Even if I get a distinction for IAM Masters, I'm still classed as a £2000 a year risk, while some bumbling idiot pays 10% of that because of their age).

It's easy to get in a car with someone older and "more experienced" and bumble around with your words because you're worried they might disagree, and you might not have the "experience" to back up why you're right. But so long as you have the theory knowledge to explain why we do what we do as advanced drivers, you shouldn't back down. I don't mean that you should be agressive, but sometimes as observers we do need to be assertive and confident in what we're saying.

On the other hand, you might be pleasently surprised. My first associate was an older gentleman and the fact that he had been driving since long before I was born, he was quite receptive to my advice. The truth is, if people want to learn, they will, and if their prejudices stand in the way of that, then screw 'em.

Certainly, from a group perspective, it's always good to have younger observers, to prevent the group becoming an aging population.

Okay, rant over.

[Mr Cholmondeley-Warner]

Congratulations, Hijinx. Definitely try and become a tutor. If the tutor training is good, and you have the skills, it won't matter what your age is relative to that of your associates. The important thing is to have knowledge to pass on and the skills to do so.

@DJL - while we all accept, I think, that experience is not the same as learning, experience PLUS learning is a pretty powerful combination. I'm sure you'll find as you gain more experience your driving will attain more "depth", especially in the area of hazard anticipation. The feeling of "I've been here before and this happened ..." is something that is strengthened by experience, no matter how much theory there may be in your head.

[jameslb101]

First of all Hiijinx, CONGRATULATIONS. Other than the possibility of observing, any ideas of where you want to go next? It would be nice to see you at an ADUK day.

Speak to James (jameslb101) he's Bristol's youngest observer and while he's only been doing it a few months, I'm sure he'd have a view.

Yes, as Matin eluded to, I passed my Observer test in January. Unfortunately, my first associate dropped out due to personal reasons, but my second is processing nicely - I think she'll be ready for her test quite soon.

In terms of attitudes towards being a 'younger' observer, in my limited experience I haven't found it a problem. In fact, I get the feeling my current associate, who's quite young herself, responds better to having to having someone closer to her age than she would to someone considerably older than her. My personal belief is that it's easier for both parties to avoid having an excessive age gap between associate and observer. That's not to say that a large age gap can't work, but I think people close in age are, in general, more likely to 'gel'.

[ROG]

The public that come for advanced driver 'training' are open to your suggestions and advice

Its not like you have a 50 year old who has been forced to do it

[Hiijinx]

Very true, I forget that the likely people opting to improve their skills on a voluntary basis are unlikely to be the close minded type. I have spoken to my observer/examiner and are discussing how to go about it, perhaps doing a few practice runs with me in the passenger seat to see how it goes first.

Thanks again for all the comments.

[muggins]

G'day to you, ufortunately for me just about all the drivers I go with except for the very odd one are younger than me, so dont take a blind bit of blooming notice you go for it. Your only young once, as you will find out!!

[SeanP]

Hey, congratulations on the GOLD!

Go for the Observer training, there should be nothing holding you back (I'm also a very "nervous" trainee tutor, but the wrong side of 25, wondering just what the heck I do when it comes to my first associate!)

[fungus]

Congratulations on the Gold. Go for the Observer training. Both ROSPA and the IAM need younger observers to encourage younger drivers to take up advanced driving.