Author: Bernard longlands

A very good pass at the age of 87

Gordon Higginbotham recently completed training with the Derby group and achieved a very good pass at the age of 87. His feedback to us is reported here.

This year, at the age of 87, with 70 years of driving, I was thinking of buying a vintage Austin 7, which would be the last of many vintage cars I have owned.  My wife issued the ultimatum that I could go ahead, on the understanding that I would pass an IAM test, and this was supported by my two sons.

I was sure that I must have acquired some bad driving habits and could improve my driving skills so I enrolled for a course after being given a clear bill of health from my doctor and optometrist.

In due course I was put in touch with John  Butler and the day of the first session found me nervously awaiting meeting John.  He quickly reassured me and took me through the formalities and so the sessions started.  Much homework, practise and 6 sessions and John said I was ready for the test.  It had been a tremendous experience with John who was an excellent instructor.

Test day came and I met up with Peter Harrison, may examiner, who quickly put me at my ease.  At the end, in the debrief, he told me that I had obtained a good solid pass!

I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience and am now planning on taking this experience further and want to see if I can progress to a masters.  The Austin 7 has yet to be bought, but having just bought a Honda Jazz my time is being used to get used to all the modern bits on the dashboard!

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Another First for Derby

Brian Walker recently passed his test with a First. We have the pleasure of presenting his certificate at one of our observed run sessions. Brian has kindly written a few notes about the test experience.

A few years ago, on renewing my licence at 70 I took advantage of a Staffs County Council freebie, an IAM Mature Drivers Review which went very well, much better than I expected.

I decided rather than just having another one at 73 to take the bull by the horns and go for the Advanced Driver course. I paid my money and became an Associate IAM Member aligning myself to the Derby
Group. My first observed drive was 19th Jan 25. It took till May 25th to get to eight at which point my observer, Bernard, suggested it was time to apply for my test. I managed two further observed drives before test day, 22 August at 10am with Mr Peter Harrison. 

We met at Derby and Burton Services. In our chat Peter indicated if I wanted to achieve a First I would need to commentate for at least part of the drive. I suggested I would do so from the start and he could tell me when to stop, he never did! We spent about an hour on our drive on a variety of roads, quite a few I didn’t know just to up the stress level. I managed to get him back to the services in one piece. Within a few seconds of pulling up he told me, I can’t remember his exact words, but simply put I had got a First. You could say I was quite pleased.

So my thanks to the seven observers who helped me, I plan to join your ranks and help pass on the skills and Knowledge to others.

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A Message from One of Our Examiners

One of our associates recently passed his advanced tests. It was a commendable achievement as he has been driving for 18 months since passing the DVSA test. The examiner had this to say:

One of the ways in which I try to give back and, if I’m honest, help myself to deal with the suppressed emotions from years of attending serious injury and fatal road traffic collisions, is by conducting advanced riding and driving tests on behalf of IAM RoadSmart & The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA)

It’s a role I feel compelled to perform.

Many of the incidents I attended, including the very last one before leaving policing, involved young people.

Just reflecting on last weekend’s driving tests when I had the pleasure of meeting a couple of young men both in their early twenties.
One taking his final test as he begins a career as a professional driver. And another with just 18 months post DVLA test experience. Both were successful in achieving the advanced qualification.

Its always especially pleasing when someone at the beginning of their driving journey obtains these skills, as they will serve them well for many years to come.

There are many ways in which road safety can be improved but personal experience tells me that training and education could, and should, be a huge part of the process.

Church Wilne Rotary Club

President Nigel welcomed John Butler of the Institute of Advanced Drivers, known as IAM Road Smart, https://www.advancedmotoristsderby.co.uk, he gave an entertaining talk on helping anyone develop their driving skills and become a better driver.
Drivers are accompanied by a qualified expert who would observe their driving and offer suggestions and tips to improve their skills. It usually takes 6 months to be ready for the advanced driving test, which takes around 60 to 90 minutes. The test, training and support materials costs £175.00.
We discussed the high costs of young drivers paying their car insurance, when they first start to drive and were advised that there is some funding available for young drivers to enable them to take the advanced driving test and develop their driving skills. Tel 0300 303 1134 or support@iam.org.uk.
Free taster courses are available to learn more, they last about an hour, in a one to one format or are held during a friendly group event day.
Further details about Church Wilne Rotary may be found on our website here: https://www.churchwilnerotary.org.uk
Or you may contact the Secretary at rccw1220@gmail.com
Rotarian Dr John A Cook.

Highway Code Changes
 Inform News Alert

News for Trustees, Group Chairs, Group Secretaries, Treasurers, Chief Observers,
Group Committee Members, Examiners, National and Local Observers 
and all active Group Officials
Highway Code changes – IAM RoadSmart response
To raise awareness of Government changes to The Highway Code, aimed at providing better protection for vulnerable road users, and expected to come into effect from 29th January, IAM RoadSmart has produced a series of graphics and documents outlining these changes for you to share via your social channels.

With eight new rules being introduced, as well as 49 revisions to existing rules, these changes apply to all road users, including horse riders and cyclists, and introduce a risk-based hierarchy. The new hierarchy of road users means that those in charge of vehicles that can cause the greatest harm in the event of an incident bear the greatest responsibility to take care and reduce the danger they pose to others. The full list of changes can be found here.

IAM RoadSmart has been raising awareness of these changes since they were proposed in 2020 and our involvement has included responding to Government consultations, carrying out surveys amongst members, and commenting on the issue within the media. The new Code was also raised by IAM RoadSmart at the DfT Road Safety Delivery Group which led to us being invited to join a DfT working party on promoting the changes. We have also worked with partners such as PACTS and taken part in seminars to present our views. Most recently we have contacted every current MP and member of the House of Lords to remind them of the need to scrutinise the proposals before the end of January.

IAM RoadSmart will continue to raise awareness of these changes over the coming months, and if you would like to tell us how you’re experiencing the changes then you can email press.office@iam.org.uk.

The latest IAM RoadSmart Highway Code materials can be downloaded and shared on your social media channels here.

Neil Greig, Director of Policy and Research at IAM RoadSmart, said: “The new changes to the Highway Code are the most important for decades and yet very few road users are aware of what is coming and how they are supposed to act.  The Highway Code is now more about encouraging active travel as opposed to just being about safety on our roads.  These significant new rules are being implemented, and the main issue now is to ensure that the key messages get out to all road users to reduce conflict on the roads.  IAM RoadSmart are working hard to communicate the new rules and will also support official educational sources once they are made available.”
Here is a list of press releases that have been issued by IAM RoadSmart on the Highway Code changes:
Below is a list of publications that have published articles on the topic:
 
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0300 303 1134
Thank you!
 
IAM RoadSmart is immensely proud of the wonderful community of current associate and full members. This includes the thousands of active volunteers who enable our 180 local groups to flourish and continue our work as the UK’s largest independent road safety charity – saving lives and making the roads safer through skill and knowledge development and support.
Why not get to know more of your fellow members through our social media channels? Please use the links on the left to get involved.
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A Message From The Group Secretary

Dear Associate,

IAM Roadsmart has stated that Car Groups can resume observed drives starting from Monday 20th July 2020.

I have attached the relevant information for you in red below.

We recognise some Associates, Observers and Examiners will be hesitant about returning to in-car course delivery and testing. All activity must only resume when they feel it is safe to do so, according to individual circumstances. If any party has concerns, an observed drive or test must not be carried out.
Guidelines for restarting Advanced Driver coaching are now available on the Group Management dashboard for groups, Observers and Examiners.
In-car coaching in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland remains suspended until devolved administration restrictions are eased.
The guidelines – Car Observer COVID-19 Restart Guidance V1 2 July 2020 and Car Examiner COVID-19 Restart Guidance V1 2 July 2020 – reflect the guidance issued to driving instructors by the DVSA. Advice for Associates is also available as a guidance document.
Recommendations about the use of PPE – facemasks, gloves and hand sanitiser – are included and groups are encouraged to start making arrangements to provide this equipment for Observers. The indicative timetable for a return to Advanced Driver coaching, subject to the circumstances in each car and combined group, is:
Monday 6 July – peer observed sessions and assessments can begin to ensure observing skills are up to date. These sessions must be conducted in accordance with the guidelines unless all participants are part of the same household or ‘social bubble’. Observers must continue to operate to IMI standards. The LOPS and NOPS forms on the Group Management dashboard provide a helpful guide.
Monday 20 July – Observed sessions with Associates may start.
Monday 3 August – IAM RoadSmart Advanced Driver testing starts.
While groups may wish to set a different timetable for returning to in-car coaching according to their circumstances, in preparation all Observers and Examiners in England are requested to:

Use the guidelines – Car Observer COVID-19 Restart Guidance V1 2 July 2020

We understand that you will be disappointed to not be able to start/resume your progress toward becoming and advanced drive but we feel that, in the interests safety of both associates and observers, it is still too early to resume observed drives due to the difficulty in maintaining a safe social distance between observers and associates (unlike the motorcycle groups where they are on separate machines and can maintain a good social distance between the observer and associate).

The main reason for this is that large majority of our observers feel that now is not yet the time to resume observed drives due to age, underlying health issues or both.

We will continue to monitor the situation and also advise you of any change in circumstances. In the meantime, please do take care, stay safe stay well.

Kind regards,

John Butler

Group Secretary and National Observer

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A message from our Chairman, Derek McMullan

A message from our Chairman, Derek McMullan

Dear All 

I hope you, your family and loved ones remain well. 

Our now reduced freedom is alien to us all and will be a challenge in all aspects of our lives.  It is vital to arrest the progress of the virus and give us all the best chance of minimising the impact on us all.  I hope you can see the team-spirit you’ve developed in your local groups and as a member of IAM RoadSmart is a strength you can apply to all aspects of your lives in the challenge ahead.

The extraordinary pace of the virus has forced equally extraordinary changes to our normal activities and the team supporting you from Welwyn Garden City has made an outstanding effort in transferring as much of the business as we can over to home-working. Local groups are also finding new and innovative ways to keep in touch and for that I congratulate you all.

A number of IAM RoadSmart staff have already stepped forward to join the NHS Volunteer Responders. I am sure many of you have also done so and I thank everyone who is using their commitment to volunteering to help at this time.

You may also wish to find out more about the COVID-19 symptom tracker app which is providing valuable research data to help tackle the spread of the virus.

We are as well prepared as it is possible to be in the circumstances. Now we need to maintain IAM RoadSmart for the time when we can return to the real world.

Stay safe.

Derek
Coronavirus (COVID-19) – member update

In light of the most recent instructions from government about the vital importance of social-distancing as part of the fight against Coronavirus (COVID-19), IAM RoadSmart’s Senior Management Team continues to meet daily by conference call so I wanted to communicate with all our members about what actions IAM RoadSmart has taken to minimise the risk of spreading the virus.

The priority must be for IAM RoadSmart and all our members and groups to contribute fully to efforts to minimise the spread of the virus nationwide and maintain the health and safety of all staff, members, associates, examiners and customers. Therefore all groups have suspended activities including observed runs for associates, both in cars and on motorcycles and all meetings and social gatherings, including AGMs and ride-outs. Advanced driving and riding tests and assessments remain suspended until further notice as are all re-qualifications for Local Observer Assessors, National Observers, Fellows and Masters.

 

We have also taken the decision on Tuesday 24 March to close our offices in Welwyn Garden City until further notice. We will therefore unfortunately be unable to respond to letters or communications that are sent in the post at the current time. We would encourage people to use email to contact us wherever possible. Membership related enquiries should be sent to support@iam.org.uk.

 

Our Customer Care phone lines are still operational from 8.30am until 6pm, Monday to Friday. You may have to wait a little longer than usual for a response to your call or email, but we thank you in advance for your patience and will answer your query as quickly as we can.

Where associates’ membership expires, we will extend their membership, at no additional cost, for up to a further six months to enable all associates to complete their coaching and take their test without disadvantage. Each associate should contact our Customer Care team by emailing support@iam.org.uk  or calling 0300 303 1134 only when they have received their membership renewal notice.
 
I trust you enjoyed reading our new redesigned magazine, RoadSmart, which you should have received last week. We appreciate all feedback, suggestions and your letters for the next issue. You can access a digital version on our website via the member login at www.iamroadsmart.com and don’t forget the member area also has a whole host of member benefits as well as enabling you to update your contact details.  Why not login now and see everything we offer?  

We thank you for your support in these unprecedented times and we will continue to update you regularly, as the situation and government advice develops.

 

 

Best wishes to you, your friends and family.

 

Mike Quinton

 

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Test Feedback

Jane arrived punctually for her test.

She passed her eyesight test, wearing glasses throughout the drive. Her car was a BMW X3 Xdrive automatic 3.0 diesel. The route lasted 70 minutes (0900-1010) over 48.6 miles, including narrow rural, urban, open road and dual carriageway (no motorway due to distance from test location). Speed limits from 30-70mph. The weather was predominantly dry with momentary fine drizzle, road surfaces dry and conducive to good steering and braking.

The car was driven in full auto throughout which is Jane’s preferred setting and mirrors her previous observed sessions. Prior to starting Jane conducted thorough POWDER and personal checks, with a comprehensive cockpit drill and moving brake test.

Information:-
Jane took used and gave information in a timely non ambiguous manner. Missing only one speed repeater on entering Uttoxeter resulting in travelling at 35-40 mph in a section of national limit for about 500yards.
From her spoken thought I was very impressed at her view far down the road and strong 360 degree safety awareness. Clearly displaying a good comprehension and application of visual links. This made her planning timely and well thought out. Obvious clear comprehension and application of IPSGA system driving.

Position:-
There were no issues with positioning at any hazard we encountered. Positioning appropriately for visibility stability and view on all occasions. She demonstrated strong safety positioning by not overtaking a slower vehicle which was following a group of cyclists as we exited Uttoxeter. It would have been easy to get pressured into attempting an untidy overtake for little gain. Positioning for both near and offside bends was considered and appropriate.

Speed:-
Jane could have been marginally more robust and business like getting up to speed. This said she always exploited an appropriate pace for the circumstance. Perhaps a little earlier at getting up to speed would develop more overtaking opportunities and progress for her. Certainly not slow.

Gear:-
The gear box was set to full auto, Jane’s car is a 3.0 diesel and as such highly intelligent; resulting in effortless smooth changes. I would encourage Jane to experiment with the tiptronic side of the gearbox to fully enjoy the potential from the car.

Acceleration:-
Always very smooth, possibly apply more noticeable acceleration a fraction earlier to maximise progress where appropriate.

Jane delivered a very polished and accomplished drive today. Always safe and courteous to other road users. Jane was receptive to feedback given.

My observations are very minor:-
Her hands dropped fractionally low on the steering wheel, keep little fingers on the upper of the centre of the steering wheel brace when possible, this will keep pull push steering more comfortable and fluid.

Jane’s pace could have been fractionally quicker to exploit a little more progress.

Occasional ‘comfort braking’ was evident. Work on getting the braking done on the straights and setting the speed for the corner prior to steering through the corner. This improved over the drive.

Finally on approach to roundabouts I would like her to trust her observations more. On a couple of instances she looked, slowed, looked again and continued to slow. Had she trusted her initial (well timed) observations she could plan to ‘go’ earlier when safe to do so. Great to be safe but don’t squander the obvious chances to go.

These observations cumulatively are still only minor and as such I have no hesitation awarding Jane a F1rst rate pass based on her drive today.
Well done and continued success with your future exploits. A very accomplished drive today.