ADUK Archive

Are they essentially the same thing?

I read about ROSPA gold and it says it's "the highest standard of civilian driving available".

I then read about IAM masters, and it says "it's the highest standard of civilian driving available".

or if they are different what are the differences between the 2?

Thanks

Ask DIAmond and they'll probably say there's is too

Rowley010 wrote:Are they essentially the same thing?

I read about ROSPA gold and it says it's "the highest standard of civilian driving available".

I then read about IAM masters, and it says "it's the highest standard of civilian driving available".

or if they are different what are the differences between the 2?

Thanks

In essence they are very similar tests inasmuch as they are both based on Roadcraft and the System, as is the IAM entry level test.

So, the pertinent question is... What is the minimum standard required to pass each of these tests and how do these minimum standards compare with one another? The first part of that question is impossible to answer on the forum, all one can hope to do is rank each test in order of rising minimum standard required to pass.

This is my take on the hierarchy based upon the minimum standard required to pass at these levels (others will no doubt disagree):

RoSPA Bronze
RoSPA Silver / IAM entry level
RoSPA Gold / IAM F1RST
Masters Pass
Masters Distinction

One other question that remains unanswered is how large are the differences between each of the minimum standards. In essence this is a rhetorical question and difficult, if not impossible, to set out in a written response.

And finally we can draw no meaningful conclusion from the candidate who passes RoSPA Gold in the morning and gets a Masters Distinction in the afternoon; other than he's a very good driver!

In short, ignore the hype put about by these two organisation when each of them claim to offer... The highest civilian standard etc etczzzzzzzzzzz. My suggestion is have a go at each of them and then you decide which you think you prefer.

... and those who have gone beyond either / both would say that there is even further / higher you can go...

both are worth doing, they are probably not hugely dis-similar... though possibly with slighlty different levels of emphasis...

also worth looking at the High Performance Course...
http://www.high-performance-course.com/

generally considered one of the highest levels you can do...

what have you done so far?

Alasdair

So.... To nudge it a fraction but hopefully not beyond the thread...

I crashed my ROSPA exam a while back (metaphorically!) and ended up with a dismal bronze. Gutted for a while I've got over it...almost.

Having moved there's no near by RoSPA group but I can join the IAM. Should I travel to find RoSPA or doesn't it matter which?

Ian

They both tutor/train to the same standards. RoSPA you have to retake every 3 years remember to keep your grade, so that may affect your decision, IAM don't have to retake.

I could be wrong but that's certainly what I understand from myself (Rospa) and my mate (IAM)

Yes... The retest with RoSPA is right. I just wondered if there was anything else to be taken into consideration.

Ian

I'm with you on the retest principle but my location will drive me I to the arms of the IAM..(pun intended).

£1000 to spare? No one should hold there breath there...

Ahhh the perennial IAM/ROSPA comparison.

Well, I've now done both IAM Masters (Distinction) and ROSPA (Gold) and from my experience I would say the Masters is the higher. The Masters test was longer and included questions on Roadcraft and Highway Code (in my case a written test but I'm not sure that is true of all Masters tests).

Oh and by the way, while it is perfectly possible to take the IAM Advanced test and then claim to be a qualified advanced driver for the remainder of your driving career, the IAM Masters must be retaken every 5 years.

As for the statements from both IAM and ROSPA about being the highest civilian test...I would strongly suggest the HPC entry assessment is waaay higher being based on 2 days driving 1-2-1 with a coach - including some track-based skills.

martine wrote:The Masters test was longer and included questions on Roadcraft and Highway Code

Your RoSPA test should also have included questions on RC and HC (unless you supplied enough information proactively via commentary) and if it didn't, you shouldn't have got Gold / it wasn't properly examined.

martine wrote:(in my case a written test but I'm not sure that is true of all Masters tests).

You mean there isn't an IMI nationally monitored standard way of conducting the test - tut, tut ...

Mr Cholmondeley-Warner wrote:You mean there isn't an IMI nationally monitored standard way of conducting the test - tut, tut ...

- funnily enough they ARE working on that but the IAM 'Director of Standards': Mark Lewis has a hell of a job on his hands as you can imagine. At the moment Mark is trying to formulate a formal 'Skill for Life' curriculum and rewrite of the IAM text book.

Mr Cholmondeley-Warner wrote:You mean there isn't an IMI nationally monitored standard way of conducting the test - tut, tut ...

It sounds as if Martin may have taken his test before they became the sole responsibility of the four regional examiners. Now that's the case, they should all be conducted in the same way.

To return to the question about local ROSPA groups: the Merseyside group exists, but doesn't do anything. Ian might consider the North Wales group, which seems active. But he doesn't need to be a member of a local group to submit himself for re-testing.

David

Thanks all... Food for thought. Just need to finish making the house fully useable again and then I can have a look at what this retirement thing is supposed to be about
Ian

martine wrote:

Mr Cholmondeley-Warner wrote:You mean there isn't an IMI nationally monitored standard way of conducting the test - tut, tut ...

- funnily enough they ARE working on that but the IAM 'Director of Standards': Mark Lewis has a hell of a job on his hands as you can imagine. At the moment Mark is trying to formulate a formal 'Skill for Life' curriculum and rewrite of the IAM text book.

From your comments I assume that there is a wide disparity of IAM standards nationwide and that is what I have gathered from my limited experience of the IAM and the fact that there isn't a retest requirement.

Rospa Gold has historically been called the highest grade of civilian driving because of its requirement for retest to retain the grade.

In the fleet driver training industry a current Rospa Gold is usually requested for driver trainers to show that the standard of their driving is current. A driver who passed his IAM decades or years ago may claim to be an advanced driver, however without retest they could be driving to any standard.

RobC wrote:From your comments I assume that there is a wide disparity of IAM standards nationwide and that is what I have gathered from my limited experience of the IAM and the fact that there isn't a retest requirement.

Rospa Gold has historically been called the highest grade of civilian driving because of its requirement for retest to retain the grade.

In the fleet driver training industry a current Rospa Gold is usually requested for driver trainers to show that the standard of their driving is current. A driver who passed his IAM decades or years ago may claim to be an advanced driver, however without retest they could be driving to any standard.

But then there is the IAM Masters which also has a compulsory retest. Don't forget IAM Observers have always been subject to retesting and now under the more formalised IAM IMI accreditation (too many abbreviations!) - which is rolling our through the groups and due to be fully complete by the end of 2017. This is important for associates undergoing coaching/training with a local group and paying their hard cash.

I may be wrong but I don't believe ROSPA Observers have independent accreditation (apart from the DVSA doing a high-level watching brief on both organisations).

I'm not knocking ROSPA - it's a fine organisation and of course we are on the same-side - but I believe the old view of ROSPA being somehow 'better' than the IAM is outdated.

I too would like to see ordinary IAM members be subject to retesting but you can understand IAM HQ's reticence in implementing it:

• with 91,000 members the current examiner base right across the UK would be woefully inadequate*
• losing a significant chunk of membership (through test failure) would be financial suicide!

Rob: if you haven't already, you might find this IAM Masters Standard interesting - although exactly defining driving standards is always going to be tricky.

* the IAM currently conducts approx. 7000 tests p.a.