Which organisation

[neckender]

Hi, I have passed Bike, Car and LGV advanced tests with IAM.

I was wondering which organisation holds the most credibility?

[revian]

The John Lewis partnership...

Shame they don't do AD...

[sussex2]

Personally I prefer Rospa as their tests need to be repeated in order to maintain the qualification. Ialso believe they set a higher standard.
Many people however may be more familiar with the IAM.

[martine]

Personally I prefer Rospa as their tests need to be repeated in order to maintain the qualification. Ialso believe they set a higher standard.

Of course it's true about the mandatory 3 year retest but why do you say ROSPA is a higher standard?

Our IAM staff examiner also tests for ROSPA in the Bristol area and he suggests:

ROSPA Bronze ~ IAM fail
ROSPA Silver ~ IAM pass
ROSPA Gold ~ IAM F1rst

And that's without considering ROSPA Diploma or IAM Masters.

In the end all driving with constructive criticism and an open mind is beneficial regardless of the piece of paper you may or may not get as a result. That's why I like ADUK driving days - without exception they are attended by people who want to improve, share ideas, coach and receive coaching in an enjoyable and friendly atmosphere and no one get a 'qualification' at the end.

[michael769]

why do you say ROSPA is a higher standard?

Because RoADAR claim it to be the case, and have never been effectively challenged on their claim?

Gold
This grade is recognised as the highest driving award available to the public.

http://www.roadar.org/drivers/info/car- ... e-2012.pdf

On a personal level, I feel the retests give a RoADAR membership greater credibility than IAM membership, having tutored folks who passed the IAM test many years ago I have some experience of how standards can drop, and the way the drop tends to be greater the longer it has been since they passed, when folks do not work towards maintaining and further improvement.

For folks who are not able to internalize the drive to maintain and improve the restests do provide an effective external drive.

[martine]

Because RoADAR claim it to be the case, and have never been effectively challenged on their claim?

Gold
This grade is recognised as the highest driving award available to the public.

Ohhh...I think they have...

"The IAM Masters programme is the ultimate recognition for a civilian driver or rider to attain".

http://www.iam.org.uk/drivers/motorists-courses/masters

But we both know both claims are somewhat spurious...HPC anyone?

On a personal level, I feel the retests give a RoADAR membership greater credibility than IAM membership, having tutored folks who passed the IAM test many years ago I have some experience of how standards can drop...

Absolutely agree but you are talking about the membership as a whole. If you're an IAM Observer then you are retested regularly as are IAM 'Masters'. The OP obviously does not fall into the category of IAM member you are talking about simply because he's on ADUK asked the question...he clearly knows there's more to advanced driving than passing the IAM test.

[Ralge]

Personally I prefer Rospa as their tests need to be repeated in order to maintain the qualification. Ialso believe they set a higher standard.

Of course it's true about the mandatory 3 year retest but why do you say ROSPA is a higher standard?

Our IAM staff examiner also tests for ROSPA in the Bristol area and he suggests:

ROSPA Bronze ~ IAM fail
ROSPA Silver ~ IAM pass
ROSPA Gold ~ IAM F1rst

And that's without considering ROSPA Diploma or IAM Masters.

In the end all driving with constructive criticism and an open mind is beneficial regardless of the piece of paper you may or may not get as a result. That's why I like ADUK driving days - without exception they are attended by people who want to improve, share ideas, coach and receive coaching in an enjoyable and friendly atmosphere and no one get a 'qualification' at the end.

Interesting view of a RoSPA Bronze as being equivalent, perhaps, to an IAM fail.
I have had no exposure to the IAM marking structure so can anyone explain what test elements would allow a low pass for RoSPA but a fail for IAM?

[sussex2]

Personally I prefer Rospa as their tests need to be repeated in order to maintain the qualification. Ialso believe they set a higher standard.

Of course it's true about the mandatory 3 year retest but why do you say ROSPA is a higher standard?

Our IAM staff examiner also tests for ROSPA in the Bristol area and he suggests:

ROSPA Bronze ~ IAM fail
ROSPA Silver ~ IAM pass
ROSPA Gold ~ IAM F1rst

And that's without considering ROSPA Diploma or IAM Masters.

In the end all driving with constructive criticism and an open mind is beneficial regardless of the piece of paper you may or may not get as a result. That's why I like ADUK driving days - without exception they are attended by people who want to improve, share ideas, coach and receive coaching in an enjoyable and friendly atmosphere and no one get a 'qualification' at the end.

I started my post with the word personally and it was my own experience that led me to find the basic IAM standard not equal to that set by Rospa.
It was many years ago and I was not impressed by the attitude of the examiner or indeed some of the comments he made.
I'd put the standard required to pass the IAM (as it was then)roughly equivalent to that required for a driving instructors licence which is not IMHO that high. I passed them both in the same year so there was an opportunity to properly compare.
Getting a Rospa Diploma and keeping it stretched me and spurred me on.

[Gareth]

Interesting view of a RoSPA Bronze as being equivalent, perhaps, to an IAM fail.
I have had no exposure to the IAM marking structure so can anyone explain what test elements would allow a low pass for RoSPA but a fail for IAM?

Do you mean to ask the other way around?

BTW, GS, who sometimes posts here, said he examines for both organisations and that, according to his understanding and how he makes assessments, the minimum IAM pass is equivalent to a RoADAR Silver.

FWIW I think a RoADAR Bronze is awarded when someone shows elements of advanced driving but not sufficiently to be graded as a Silver.

[Ralge]

The relativity of IAM v RoSPA assessments and grades/pass or fail leans heavily toward subjectivity on the part of an Examiner unless, as it is the case in my area, the RoSPA and IAM examiner is one and the same chap!

[Horse]

Because RoADAR claim it to be the case, and have never been effectively challenged on their claim?

Gold
This grade is recognised as the highest driving award available to the public.

Ohhh...I think they have...

"The IAM Masters programme is the ultimate recognition for a civilian driver or rider to attain".

http://www.iam.org.uk/drivers/motorists-courses/masters

http://www.driving.org/diamond/tests/whydiamond

When it comes to the art of driving, there’s nothing higher than the DIAmond standard.
The DIAmond Advanced Test is the ultimate way to measure your road driving ability, marking you out as a smooth, safe and efficient driver.

DIAmond Special Test

The DIAmond Special Test is aimed at drivers and professional driver trainers who want to take their driving or riding to the highest level.

Going beyond the DIAmond Advanced Test, and adding new elements such as commentary driving, it is the perfect springboard on to opening up your career as a driver trainer.

Perhaps the most demanding driving qualification outside of the emergency services, the DIAmond Special Test proves you’ve got what it takes.

[sussex2]

Perhaps you have to settle for where you feel most comfortable.
The very notion of attempting to improve your driving means thinking outside the box; good luck to everyone who tries it.
If you don't reach gold standard (or whatever it may be called) at very least you will be actively thinking every time you drive - well that's the plan in any case

[sussex2]

why do you say ROSPA is a higher standard?

Because RoADAR claim it to be the case, and have never been effectively challenged on their claim?

Gold
This grade is recognised as the highest driving award available to the public.

http://www.roadar.org/drivers/info/car- ... e-2012.pdf

On a personal level, I feel the retests give a RoADAR membership greater credibility than IAM membership, having tutored folks who passed the IAM test many years ago I have some experience of how standards can drop, and the way the drop tends to be greater the longer it has been since they passed, when folks do not work towards maintaining and further improvement.

For folks who are not able to internalize the drive to maintain and improve the restests do provide an effective external drive.

'For folks who are not able to internalize the drive to maintain and improve the restests do provide an effective external drive'

What?

[Horse]

Personally, I have my doubts about DIAmond - it's marked against the DSA criteria, so the standard test is the same as Part II for an ADI and the Special Test is the same as the Cardington Special Assessment. . . . it's just that the standard you're being measured to is not the same as the IAM/RoADAR measure against.

A mate of mine took the Cardington Special Assessment and just rode it like any other advanced test (he was fairly-well trained, from several organisations, and an instructor too). He passed. They didn't mark him down for any 'advanced' malarky

How do you understand the standards vary?