Advanced driving

[Sin_Chase]

You should never need heel and toe on the road, if you NEED it then you are hurling towards corners too fast.

Fix speed, gear and everything before corners, not on them. This is not a hindrance to progress, you will be in the right gear to accelerate easily from the speed you exit the corner at.

Never drive at a speed in which you could not stop in the distance you can see.

The above is my approach, whether correct or not according to institute x, y or z I do not know but it has served me well thus far.

 

[Disco Boy]

The view of AIM is that you shouldn't be braking and changing gear at the same time

http://www.smartdriving.co.uk/Driving/CarControl/Gears.htm

Compared with cars of even thirty years ago, modern vehicles are lighter...

ha! good one...

 

[West]

Information - Position - Speed - Gear - Acceleration

and then always give up Speed for Position and Position for Safety.

The fun began for me when I did my advanced blue light drivers training, having a strict copper who's looking to fail you isn't a fun situation, but the drive he takes you on once you've passed is

Same. I had a Thames Valley Police ex Officer (Used to help train their Traffic guys) Was fantastic though and i'm convinced it's one of those skills you either have it, or you don't. Driving on blues as I now know is one hell of a responsibility.

 

[JaWalks]

I'm very sceptical about the whole advanced driving thing. I did it recently as part of my Emergency Fire Appliance Driving course and I think a lot of it is just crap.

They want you loooking in you're mirrors so much. I found myself looking at them just because I knew the instructor was looking at me. I'd rather spend that time looking at where I'm going.

As soon as I was qualified I went back to driving normally again.

 

[West]

I'm very sceptical about the whole advanced driving thing. I did it recently as part of my Emergency Fire Appliance Driving course and I think a lot of it is just crap.

They want you loooking in you're mirrors so much. I found myself looking at them just because I knew the instructor was looking at me. I'd rather spend that time looking at where I'm going.

As soon as I was qualified I went back to driving normally again.

With respect though driving a Fire Appliance is a lot different to a car and even a 3.5t Ambulance... Speed and Stopping distance being the obvious..

 

[andrewdodd13]

You should never need heel and toe on the road, if you NEED it then you are hurling towards corners too fast.

I pretty much agree with this.

As far as I was aware, you only need to heel-toe when you're planning on belting it out of the corner - i.e. you're changing down for rapid acceleration after the apex.

 

[Clarkey]

I pretty much agree with this.

As far as I was aware, you only need to heel-toe when you're planning on belting it out of the corner - i.e. you're changing down for rapid acceleration after the apex.

Or not shift-locking on the way in, or simply just shifting quickly and smoothly?

 

[JaWalks]

With respect though driving a Fire Appliance is a lot different to a car and even a 3.5t Ambulance... Speed and Stopping distance being the obvious..

The first three days were in a car though so it was the same. I'm talking specifically about the advanced driving and roadcraft. I believe it's the same stuff they teach you on these IAM courses. It all sounds good on paper but in reality I don't it think it makes you a better driver. The whole IAM thing is just so motoring snobs can feel they are somehow better than the average road user.

The progressive driving I was taught was brilliant though. I know the police do it and I presume it's the same for the ambulance too? I did learn something from that and it's a shame the general public can't do it.

 

[andrewdodd13]

Or not shift-locking on the way in, or simply just shifting quickly and smoothly?

You can shift quickly and smoothly without using the brakes and accelerator at the same time by braking before the corner and blipping before engaging the clutch...

 

[MikeHiow]

One difference you need to remember is that the IAM isn't teaching you to use the roads as a racetrack, but rather drive efficiently on the road at legal speeds.

If you are driving on the road at legal speeds, and aren't out for a drive there really is no need to heel and toe.

I think my usual practices when driving the Focus aren't far off what the IAM appear to be promoting. I'd quite like to do it to see how my driving fairs.

 

[West]

The first three days were in a car though so it was the same. I'm talking specifically about the advanced driving and roadcraft. I believe it's the same stuff they teach you on these IAM courses. It all sounds good on paper but in reality I don't it think it makes you a better driver. The whole IAM thing is just so motoring snobs can feel they are somehow better than the average road user.

The progressive driving I was taught was brilliant though. I know the police do it and I presume it's the same for the ambulance too? I did learn something from that and it's a shame the general public can't do it.

Oh for sure. I was taught so much in the days I did it's unreal, it's all about progression and the common miss-conception is that it's about speed with blue lights.. it's just not the case.. You make fine progress doing 35/30 at normal traffic as everyone pulls over for you