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Wucked

Wucked

Wucked

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I'm thinking about getting an advanced qualification this year, to improve my riding, get insurance discounts, be awesomer, etc. The three main options seem to be the Enhanced Rider Scheme, IAM or RoSPA. I'll probably just pick one, maybe two. But I'm not sure which. Does one have better benefits or is more widely recognised than the rest? Anyone here with experience of any of these? All advice is welcome :)

TY
 
I'm going to do this and am going to do IAM. It's a good qualification and there are IAM groups all round the country. I'm not doing it for insurance, mines cheap anyway being closer to 50 than 40, I'm doing it for the knowledge it gives and I want to volunteer for Blood Bikers.

I don't think there's much difference between them, and here's a thread about it from another forum...

http://www.tiger800.co.uk/index.php/topic,14448.0.html
 
I would just do it to improve my skills,but tbh it all comes with experience,instructors have their way of seeing things/dangers and you have yours so its a toss up of who is better imo but still interesting

as for saving on insurance im guessing it would be miniscule
 
ElliorR said:
I'm going to do this and am going to do IAM. It's a good qualification and there are IAM groups all round the country. I'm not doing it for insurance, mines cheap anyway being closer to 50 than 40, I'm doing it for the knowledge it gives and I want to volunteer for Blood Bikers.

I don't think there's much difference between them, and here's a thread about it from another forum...

http://www.tiger800.co.uk/index.php/topic,14448.0.html
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You're an old man! :eek:

doing it because your bones are now brittle? :p
 
Cheeky ****er. Anyway I don't have time to be insulted, I have just got some new pipe tobacco and some plush slippers.
 
You people saying that you would do it only for the skills :) As if you wouldn't also ask your insurance company about a discount at the next renewal, albeit a small one...

I was thinking about volunteering for St John's Ambulance, but actually Blood Bikers looks interesting too. Is IAM a requirement for Blood volunteers?

I'm thinking 'Safe Rider' course with my local police force, then probably the 'Enhanced Rider Scheme' as I understand its a one-off thing with no test. After that IAM, I think. Maybe. RoSPA looks good, probably slightly better for just the skills, but I'm not sure I can be bothered retesting every 3 years. Ok, still undecided on that last one.
 
I did the IAM a couple of years back.

At first I found the system they teach (IPSGA, basically from roadcraft) to be a bit over-detailed and there's a lot to think about if you're not used to it. Then, over time, I started noticing small changes in how I was riding, and how I was taking a much better approach to reading situations. It soon stops being something that you're actively thinking about, and much more something that just becomes more natural.

I had a really good instructor and the examiner was a top bloke as well. Would recommend. It's also a really good excuse to go out riding on B roads, as the instructors encourage you to do 200-300 miles on B roads between 'lessons' (they're not really lessons, just rideouts where they assess what you're doing).
 
Bike safe is a good one. Not a qualification but a good observation and review by a police rider

Also includes a first bike on the scene first aid course specialising in motorcycle accidents.
 
growse said:
I did the IAM a couple of years back.

At first I found the system they teach (IPSGA, basically from roadcraft) to be a bit over-detailed and there's a lot to think about if you're not used to it. Then, over time, I started noticing small changes in how I was riding, and how I was taking a much better approach to reading situations. It soon stops being something that you're actively thinking about, and much more something that just becomes more natural.

I had a really good instructor and the examiner was a top bloke as well. Would recommend. It's also a really good excuse to go out riding on B roads, as the instructors encourage you to do 200-300 miles on B roads between 'lessons' (they're not really lessons, just rideouts where they assess what you're doing).
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I'd agree with this. I passed my IAM about 8 months ago and would recommend it but I think some local groups are better than others. The Birmingham group is very good and have regular rides etc.

I did Bikesafe before my IAM but thats just a one day taster of advanced riding.
 
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I'd recommend Bikesafe and a copy of Roadcraft first.
If you then want to train, I'd suggest ROSPA over IAM, simply because the latter is so hit & miss.

I've heard some good stories about some IAM groups, but some awful ones about others.
At one point, the group round here had a seriously bad rep, with at least one person crashing every time they went out for a group ride. Others spoke of instructors/observers/mentors who never bothered to take their charges out, or who pushed them way too far and should have known better, none of which results in all that up-front money getting refunded of course...

If you know you're going to get a good IAM mentor, then by all means. But if there's any doubt, go hang with the ROSPA instead.
 
Its slightly bizarre, I thought it would be better regulated. When I first starting reading about it I thought there was an official advanced road license. Introducing one might create extra jobs. But perhaps there just isn't the demand for it?

I'll check out both groups in my area and go with the most organised.
 
Wucked said:
Its slightly bizarre, I thought it would be better regulated. When I first starting reading about it I thought there was an official advanced road license. Introducing one might create extra jobs. But perhaps there just isn't the demand for it?

I'll check out both groups in my area and go with the most organised.
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As soon as something like this were to come into place insurance would bend you over unless you took the advanced licence
 
Yeah, maybe. But after a while it would also improve the general standard of driving. Instead they're bending people over to get 'black boxes' installed. I don't like the idea of insurance companies monitoring my driving / riding 24/7 and imposing a curfew on the hours I can use my vehicle. It seems they're arbitrarily judging how we drive according to their 3rd party standards, without actually 'seeing' what the road conditions are like.
 
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